2019 · Rhythm / Action
Sayonara Wild Hearts is a 45-minute pop album you play, built with the kind of focused creative vision that most games never come close to. Its brevity is real, and whether that's a dealbreaker depends entirely on how much you value artistic density over content volume. For people who click with it, it's unforgettable.
2019 · Party / Puzzle
What the Golf? is the rare comedy game that earns its laughs through design rather than writing, turning each hole into a tiny punchline. It commits fully to the bit across hundreds of levels, and most of them land. If you want golf, look elsewhere. If you want one of the most consistently surprising games on mobile, this is a no-brainer.
2019 · Puzzle
Grindstone is one of the best puzzle games released in the last decade, on any platform. Its color-matching combat is immediately satisfying and stays compelling across hundreds of levels, backed by art and music that drip with personality. Late-game grinding for crafting resources and occasional difficulty spikes that lean on luck will test patience, and not everyone will push through the back half. But the core loop of carving long chains through a board of angry creatures is so good that it carries the game past its rougher stretches. Capybara Games built something addictive, beautiful, and surprisingly deep, and it deserves every bit of the praise it's received.
2019 · Adventure / Life Sim
Sneaky Sasquatch is a warm, sprawling hangout game that keeps finding new things to do long after the initial premise has been established. It's low pressure, frequently charming, and built for players who'd rather wander than sprint. If that sounds appealing, there's a lot here to love.
2019 · Strategy / Puzzle
Mini Motorways takes a brilliantly simple concept and turns it into one of the most addictive puzzle games on mobile. The minimalist visuals are gorgeous, the adaptive soundtrack is a quiet triumph, and the core loop of drawing roads under pressure hits that sweet spot where five minutes becomes an hour without you noticing. Random building placement will occasionally end a great run through no fault of your own, and the map variety could be deeper. But as a pick-up-and-play strategy game that respects your time while still demanding your attention, it's a standout on Apple Arcade.
2022 · Action
Jetpack Joyride 2 takes the beloved original's one-touch flying formula and gives it structure, upgrades, and a reason to keep playing beyond chasing a high score. The level-based design is a smart evolution, the absence of ads and microtransactions (through Apple Arcade) removes every friction point, and the gameplay feels as immediately fun as it did in 2011. The campaign ends too soon, and some of the free-to-play DNA shows through in the upgrade pacing. But as an Apple Arcade offering, it's one of the service's most purely enjoyable games.
2021 · JRPG
Fantasian is a love letter to classic JRPGs wrapped in one of the most visually distinctive presentations in mobile gaming. The handmade dioramas give every location a tactile beauty that screenshots can't fully capture, and the Dimengeon system offers a smart solution to the genre's oldest frustration. But uneven pacing drags the second half down considerably, difficulty spikes test patience more than skill, and the Apple Arcade exclusivity limits who can actually play it. For JRPG fans with an Apple device and a subscription, Fantasian delivers a nostalgic, sometimes magical experience that stumbles but never loses its sincerity.