Skip to content
Living

Apple Arcade’s latest games are ridiculously fun and charming

By Rajiv Menon
2 min read
apple arcade logo oranje
apple arcade logo oranje
In this article (5)

If you’re using an iPhone or iPad and like to play games, Apple Arcade is the best bang for your buck. For just $5 per month, you get a collection of carefully curated games that have no ads or in-game purchase, so you can experience the full content without having to worry about hidden costs or MTX (micro-transactions).

Apple Arcade adds new games every month, and many of the games already available for subscribers are getting updated with new content all the time. Although this is a very busy month for gamers, as many highly-anticipated titles have been set to release in February (Dying Light 2, Sifu, Lost Ark, Horizon Forbidden West, Total War: Warhammer 3, Elden Ring), there’s always time to fit a short gameplay session on your favorite iPhone or iPad.

Four new games are joining Apple Arcade’s library in February, and while I’ve played a few of them, knowing how good the curation process is, I can’t not recommend all of them. But let’s start with the first game that joined Apple Arcade on February 4, Bridge Constructor+.

A physics-based simulation-puzzle game initially launched on PC more than 10 years ago, Bridge Constructor+ is the dream of any wannabe engineer. Jokes aside, Bridge Constructor is quite faithful to the engineering and architecture of bridges, so you’ll be able to express your ingenuity designing and creating complex bridges for cars and trucks to cross over.

But let’s start with the first game that joined Apple Arcade on February 4, Bridge Constructor+.

On the plus side, the iOS version of the game includes all of the content, updates and DLC already released on PC, without any in-app purchases. The folks at Headup also revealed that their game has “several different settings and over 100 levels to master the art of bridge-building by using different materials and constructions to make sure they won’t buckle and break under the weight of ongoing traffic.”

Moving on to the second game coming to Apple Arcade on February 18, Wylde Flowers is a non-combat game inspired by The Sims and FarmVille, but with a “witchy twist.” That’s no surprise at all considering that Studio Drydock, a new development team HQ-ed in Australia, was founded by two industry veterans with a combined 20-year previous experience at EA working on titles like The Sims.

The best way to describe Wylde Flowers is “cozy life and farming sim,” so if you like to grind a little bit before going to sleep or while commuting, this seems like the perfect game. Wylde Flowers promises a charming world of diverse folks and magical spells, which set the stage for the game’s big mystery.

Although during the day you’ll be tending crops, care for animals, fish, craft, and perform other farm-related activities, by night, you’ll be nurturing your inner witch as you learn to fly your broomstick, brew potions, control the weather and seasons or even transform into a cat. This sounds like an interesting twist from the typical FarmVille game, yet I can’t shake the feeling that the game should have been called Farming Adventures of Sabrina.

Questions & Answers

Q.

What is the monthly cost for an Apple Arcade subscription?

A.

An Apple Arcade subscription costs $5 per month, offering a collection of curated games to users.

Q.

What type of game is Bridge Constructor+ and what content does it include?

A.

Bridge Constructor+ is a physics-based simulation-puzzle game. The iOS version includes all content, updates, and DLC released on PC without in-app purchases.

Q.

Which company developed Wylde Flowers and where are they based?

A.

Wylde Flowers was developed by Studio Drydock, a new development team headquartered in Australia. Its founders have experience from EA.

Q.

What kind of activities can players do in Wylde Flowers during the day and at night?

A.

During the day, players can tend crops, care for animals, fish, and craft. By night, they can learn to fly a broomstick, brew potions, control weather, or transform into a cat.

Reader pulse

Does Apple Arcade offer strong competitive value?

20,333 votes so far

Weekly Briefing

Asia's retail intelligence, in your inbox

Monday, Wednesday and a Friday Weekly Wrap: the retail stories, numbers and moves that mattered across Asia. Nothing else, and you can unsubscribe in one click.

  • Top industry moves and market shifts
  • Weekly data-driven analysis from across Asia
  • Monday, Wednesday and the Friday Weekly Wrap

Read by retail operators, investors and brand teams across Asia.

Protected by a quick human check. No spam, ever. Unsubscribe in one click.

SecureGDPR ready