Nintendo Switch has changed my life. Apple Arcade can do the same thing

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I tap on the screen, and tiny warriors and digital assistants assault the field, ready to attack an enemy base. Sorcerers hiss through the walls, while my warriors rush with swords in their hands. In a few minutes, only rubble remains.

Do you like it? It may be for the first dozens of times. Or even several hundred times, when you consider upgrades and the possibility of new units and features. But what about thousands of times? Because with games like the hit Smash Clash of Clans, the only thing to expect is more battles. There is no end of the game.

But it's simply mobile gaming: an endless treadmill that forces you to continue for no other reason than upgrading or upgrading next, which just keeps you going. This is a trend called freemium game, and it is designed to suck you up.

The new Apple Arcade, launched on September 19 for $ 4.99 a month, could be an antidote to this situation. This is how I know.

Until last spring, it was me on the treadmill that ran faithfully to nowhere. My wife and I were fans of Clash of Clans. Then I migrated to a strategy game similar to Transformer, as well as the Asphalt 9: Legends race title, spending months sharpening points and earning money for that next character or car. Autobot sport. I was there, tapping conscientiously on my screen every few hours or jumping in a race to earn a daily bonus.

But then, I got the Nintendo switch for my birthday. It's not an exaggeration to say that it changed my life.

With a toddler, I had little precious time for myself. Console games have been an early sacrifice to my new life as a parent. But the Switch M & # 39; s allowed to bring AAA quality titles at any time. More importantly, games such as Legend of Zelda: Wild Breath and Super Mario Odyssey reminded me that video games could be creative, surprising and – most importantly – achieve resolution.

This is not new for longtime Switch owners, and I acknowledge that I am extremely late for the game here. But this revelation has new relevance with the debut of Apple Arcade.

Like the switch, Apple Arcade offers a library of games built from the ground up to be complete and satisfying experiences. Since developers are paid through the subscription model, it is not tempting to add mechanisms such as the ability to pay to speed up the artificial time of a game or for unlock new levels or features.

To be clear, I have not played any games yet. They can all be clunkers. Although with over 100 titles, some are necessarily good or even awesome. Sayonara Wild Hearts, of Simogo, was exposed to Apple's rally on Tuesday, and it sounds like a refreshing mix of rhythm-based and pilot-based music games. Shinsekai: Capcom's Into the Depths delivers stunning graphics and underwater effects.

But beyond specific titles, this is the philosophy behind building games for Apple Arcade. Just as with Switch titles, there is no other reason than to make a great experiment.

Apple has the advantage of being able to play games on the iPhone, the device you probably own at almost every moment. You do not need to lug a separate gaming device with you. And at $ 4.99 a month, the service is about the same price as a major Switch title.

But I am not here to stack the two against each other. I would just note that the impact of the Switch on me has been profound. This has opened my eyes and I suspect that with the wide reach of Apple, Apple Arcade could do the same for others.

After spending a lot of time probably unhealthy on the switch – especially on the move – I no longer feel the appeal of these mobile titles. From time to time, I check in Transformers: Earth War an inexplicable sense of obligation. I have still created personal links with the game. But the passion for these games simply does not exist.

The treadmill on which I happily ran is clearly visible, and I will not go back on board.