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If you're a die-hard iPhone user, then there's a strong chance that you already have access to Apple Arcade and don't take full advantage of it. The gaming service is currently included with all tiers of the Apple One subscription — an all-in-one bundle that also includes the likes of iCloud Plus, Apple TV Plus, and Apple Music in one monthly fee.
Ultimate Guide to Apple Arcade
(Image credit: Apple / Future)
This article is part of our Ultimate Guide to Apple Arcade: the definitive guide to everything that you need to know about the gaming service. Be sure to browse the full series here .
Even if you don’t pay for Apple One, a free three-month trial of Apple Arcade comes bundled with every new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV, plus, the service is available as a standalone subscription if you don’t want it bundled with anything else. Sounds great, right? But what actually is Apple Arcade, how much does it cost, and is it really worth the price?
I’ve spent this week getting to grips with all things Apple Arcade, from diving into some of its biggest exclusive games to comparing it to other competing services, in order to bring you this comprehensive breakdown of everything you need to know about it. Read on and become an Apple Arcade expert.
What actually is Apple Arcade?
Apple Arcade is a gaming subscription service by Apple designed for its iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and even Apple Vision Pro devices. It launched in September 2019 and gives you access to a huge library of more than 200 premium games that you can download and play offline.
Unlike many titles that you might download from the App Store, Apple Arcade games are wholly devoid of both ads and in-app purchases. They are complete experiences that you can dive into without the risk of annoying interruptions or being asked to shell-out real world cash for in-game items or downloadable content (DLC).
What kind of games are included?
There are more than 200 games available on Apple Arcade, with options across a wide variety of genres. This includes a selection of high-quality original games such as fast-pace platformer Sonic Dream Team , cozy life simulator Hello Kitty Island Adventure , and beautiful role-playing game Fantasian .
There are also some ports of console and PC games, such as hit strategy game Sid Meier's Civilization 7 Arcade Edition, Disney life sim Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition , and indie roguelike Cult of the Lamb.
You will also find loads of premium versions of existing mobile titles with no ads or microtransactions in the likes of Doodle Jump 2+ , Fruit Ninja Classic+ , Bloons TD 6+ , and much more.
You can use our quiz below for some hand-picked recommendations.
How much does Apple Arcade cost?
The Apple Arcade standard plan costs $6.99 / £6.99 / AU$9.99 a month.
You can save some cash by opting for an annual plan instead, which is $49.99 / £49.99 / AU$79.99 — a saving of $33.89 / £33.89 / AU$39.89 compared to 12 months of monthly payments.
No matter which of these two options you choose, you can share your Apple Arcade subscription with up to six family members at no extra cost.
Apple Arcade is also available as part of all Apple One tiers (Individual, Family, and Premier). Unlike Apple Arcade, Apple One is not available in an annual subscription format, so you can only pay for it on a monthly basis. You can view and compare all of the options below.
Plan
Price
Included services
Sharing limit
Apple Arcade
$6.99 / £6.99 / AU$9.99 per month
$49.99 / £49.99 / AU$79.99 yearly
Apple Arcade
Up to six users
Apple One Individual
$19.95 / £18.95 / AU$24.95 per month
Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, 50GB iCloud Plus
One user
Apple One Family
$27.95 / £24.95 / AU$34.95 per month
Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, 200GB iCloud Plus
Up to six users
Apple One Premier
$39.95 / £36.95 / AU$52.95 per month
Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple News Plus, Apple Fitness Plus, 2TB iCloud Plus
Up to six users
How to claim your Apple Arcade free trial
In most regions a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV now comes with a three-month free subscription to Apple Arcade. The offer is only valid for 93 days (that's roughly three months), so if you have an eligible device you should consider claiming it quickly if you're interested.
To do so, simply follow these four simple steps
Open the App Store on the eligible device
Tap the Apple Arcade tab at the bottom of the screen
The offer should appear automatically
Follow the on-screen instructions to redeem it
Whether you claim three months or one month, bear in mind that a valid payment method will be required in order to get set up. This will be billed at the standard subscription price when your promotional period is over, so remember to cancel your subscription if you want to avoid any charges.
You can find out how to do this on the official Apple Support page .
Do you need a controller to play Apple Arcade games?
The CRKD NEO S is a good pick for Apple Arcade. (Image credit: CRKD)
You don't actually need a controller to play the majority of Apple Arcade games. On iPhone and iPad, almost every title supports full touch screen controls and can be enjoyed without any extra hardware.
If you're playing on Mac, many titles support keyboard and mouse controls.
On Apple TV, you're most likely to need a dedicated gamepad as there are only a few titles that work well with the included remote.
Of course, lots of games still allow you to use a controller on any device even if it's not strictly required and I'd recommend it if you're after an even more console-like gaming experience.
You can see some models that I've personally tested and would recommend for Apple Arcade below.
What about the competition?
If you're strictly looking for a gaming subscription service for your iPhone, then Apple Arcade doesn't really have much direct competition.
The biggest alternatives on that platform are cloud gaming servic...
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