KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 — Apple Arcade is now “live” in Malaysia and the all-you-can-eat gaming subscription service seems pretty good value for RM19.90.
Here’s a quick guide to the essentials of Apple’s new service and the games you need to try, depending on what kind of games you love.
Important things to know
Apple Arcade gives you a free month’s trial so 30 days will be plenty to help you decide if the service is for you.
Why would you subscribe? If you play a lot of mobile games or are frustrated with free-to-play games that require in-app purchases to progress, Arcade is a nice change.
There is no commitment; you can subscribe for a month, cancel the following month and then re-subscribe whenever you want.
If you like owning a game and playing it whenever, Apple Arcade might not be for you.
However, if you like a variety of games and don’t want to commit to paying for one expensive game Arcade might have a lot of appeal.
There are also some titles that will only be available on Arcade, which could infuriate certain gamers but hey, that is what the 30-day trial is for.
Apple has said that new titles will release each week so Arcade is shaping up to have quite a library of games. With the overwhelming amount of choices available, how do you decide?
Here’s some top picks for you depending on what kind of game keeps you busy tapping on your mobile screen.
If you like odd games
Weird, quirky titles like Surgeon Simulator float your boat? Try What the Golf.
This odd game at first starts off fairly innocuously — it’s golf, so you just hit that little white ball down a green, right?
Not in What the Golf. You might suddenly find yourself needing to manipulate various objects, including yourself, through various terrain.
Also try: Cricket Through The Ages — best played with a friend, where you learn world history and hopefully, some cricket.
If you like games with a story
Oceanhorn 2 is a nice action RPG that will appeal to those who love traditional JRPGs.
If it’s anywhere as good as the first Oceanhorn, expect hours of immersive RPG fun.
Also try: Where Cards Fall, which is a coming-of-age story that lets you rethink your life choices and explore where those changes will lead.
In a similar vein, Assemble with Care shows you just how much you can learn about people while taking apart their possessions.
If you like punching things
Punch Planet is exactly like it sounds — you get to beat people up... in space. The touch controls are fairly easy to learn though it feels easier on an iPhone than the iPad, with the buttons being easier to access with your thumbs.
There aren’t a lot of fighter games on Apple Arcade as yet but that could change in the coming weeks.
If platformers get you excited
Rayman Mini is another addition to the popular Rayman series. If running across gorgeous terrain while trying not to die is your thing, then you’ll enjoy Rayman Mini.
Also try: Dodo Peak — basically you’re a dodo. Yes. You also hop around a lot and is a lot more amusing than you would think.
If strategy games are stress-relief for you (weirdo)
Mini Motorways has been described as both stressful and strangely relaxing. You might recognise the game if you’ve played the much-lauded rail planning game Mini Metro, made by the same creators — Dinosaur Polo Club.
This time the challenge is to try to get roads working smoothly so unleash your inner city planner with this one.
Also try: King’s League II has a simple premise — recruit heroes, train them up and them pit them against other fighters. It’s also made by a Malaysian indie game studio: Kurechii.
If you like cats
The sequel to the popular Cat Quest, Cat Quest II offers more fun adventuring with your cats but with a bonus: Now there are dogs!
Also try: Explottens, which basically has you playing as trigger-happy kitties who like shootings things. In spaceships.
If you like driving really, really fast (in games!)
Sega’s Sonic Racing is just like what the name says — you get popular videogame hedgehog Sonic racing. Sonic fans need no other reason to download this.
Also try: Speed Demons is insanity on speed — dodge or smash cars, cops, objects and have fun doing it.
If you like playing detective
Tiny Detective has you in the shoes of Jenny LeClue who must race against time to solve a case involving her own mother.
Also try: Tangle Tower, an adventure mystery game and Murder Mystery Machine, a whodunit mystery generator.
If word games excite you
Dear Reader is an enjoyably simple game that involves filling up the blanks with words, with the twist being the blanks are in texts of classic books.
Also try: With pictures as clues, in Word Laces you string random letters together to form words. Easy way to pass the time and check your spelling.
Also worth checking out
Sayonara Wild Hearts tells the story of a heartbreak, punctuated by music and a simple game mechanic. Think of it as the trippy love child of a rhythm game and a platformer.
54 games were announced for launch but expect that number to ramp up in the coming weeks, but until it does, there’s plenty to keep you busy in Arcade.
Check out the Apple Arcade trailer below:
