games - page 2

NBA preseason games start this weekend. If you didn’t make the draft this year, you can still get in on the basketball action with NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition, which launched Thursday. This is the definitive basketball game for Apple devices, and each new annual upgrade adds even more features.

The feature-packed offering is now on Apple Arcade for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV.

Football season starts Thursday, and basketball season is only a few weeks away. Get in the game now with NFL Retro Bowl ’25, and NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition launches in a few weeks.

Both are part of Apple Arcade, Apple’s gaming service.

GameBaby from Bitmo Lab is both an iPhone case and a game controller. The innovative design allows users to play retro games on their phone with real buttons.

The goal seems to be a GameBoy for 2024.

The Epic Games Store launched Friday, allowing iPhone users to install the popular Fortnite for the first time since Apple kicked Epic out of the official App Store in 2020.

But there’s an important caveat: the new iOS app marketplace is available only in the European Union.

Apple is set to bolster Apple Arcade gaming with three exciting new titles in September. NFL Retro Bowl ’25 headlines the additions. It’s an exclusive collaboration between the National Football League and the creators of the popular App Store game Retro Bowl.

Frustrated game developers continue to vent about working on Apple Arcade titles, in a new report citing anonymous sources. In the story, a follow-up to one from earlier this year that noted “the smell of death around the service,” devs complain about poor communication with Apple, slow payouts, and big problems working on Vision Pro games.

The opinions expressed in the new story aren’t entirely negative, but they paint a pretty ugly portrait of Apple Arcade from some developers’ perspectives.

Epic Games will make its highly popular game Fortnite and other titles available via AltStore PAL, the first app marketplace for iPhone to open in the European Union. The game developer is also continuing to work on its own iOS app marketplace, because it’s banned from Apple’s App Store.

So the days of playing Fortnite on iPhone will be back soon … but only for those who live in the right region.

New game Roia challenges players to guide a river down a mountain by rearranging the terrain. It’s another unique premise from Emoak, a team of developers with a history of creating standout games.

I spent a couple of hours playing it on my iPhone, and found the game to be demanding but also relaxing. And not like anything I’ve played before.

iPad users, get your game on. The Delta retro game emulator that launched for iPhone in the spring is now out for Apple tablets, too.

The software can handle ROMs originally for the classic Game Boy plus NES, SNES, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS.

Apple Arcade is set to welcome three exciting game titles in August, further expanding its diverse catalog of over 200 ad-free games. The new titles are Temple Run: Legends, Vampire Survivors+ and, for Vision Pro, a spatial version of Castle Crumble, the iPhone giant said Tuesday.

Outlanders 2: Second Nature, a town-building strategy game, offers new players new tropical and wintery environments to build in, much more resources to work with, and more challenges.

It’s one of three games to launch on Apple Arcade on Wednesday, along with Punch Kick Duck+ and Zen Koi Pro+.

Resident Evil 7 biohazard by Capcom launched Tuesday on iPhone 15 Pro, top-tier iPad models and M-series Macs. The horror title is the latest AAA game to hit these Apple devices.

Two other games in the series are already available for premium Apple devices, and Resident Evil 2 Remake is in the process of being ported, too.

Apple is introducing a new Game Mode in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. The feature minimizes background activity to deliver higher sustained performance and smoother gameplay.

Additionally, Game Mode will reduce audio latency with AirPods and game controllers for better responsiveness.

Rabbids: Legends of the Multiverse from Ubisoft is a deck building game featuring a crazy collection of characters exploring five outlandish universes. It just launched for iPhone, Mac and more.

It is joined by three classic games that are all now playable via Apple Arcade.

The Apple Design Awards recognized 14 “best-in-class” apps and games, the iPhone giant said Thursday. It will hand out the awards, which celebrate excellence in design and outstanding technical achievement, to winners at WWDC24 on Monday.

“It’s inspiring to see how developers are using our technology to create exceptional apps and games that enhance the lives of users,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “This year’s winners have demonstrated how apps can create powerful and moving experiences — and we’re excited to celebrate their hard work and ingenuity at WWDC this year.”

And this year the awards added a new spatial computing category.

The long wait for the port of Assassin’s Creed Mirage playable on iPhone 15 Pro models and top-tier iPads just ended. It is in the App Store now.

This is the latest example of AAA, console-quality games being brought to Apple devices to demonstrate their gaming capabilities.

Backbone One USB-C game controller adds real buttons, sticks and triggers to the newest iPhone models, and Androids too.

This is  second-generation version of the wrap-around gaming accessory that’s beenupdated, to better fit handsets in protective cases.

I really enjoyed testing the controller out with the iPhone 15 Plus. It lived up to my high expectations.

Those who want to play classic retro games on iPhone or iPad have a couple of new options. RetroArch can emulate a wide variety of consoles, while PPSSPP is a PlayStation Portable emulator.

There’s been something of a flood of these since Apple dropped its ban on them.

When Ubisoft launches Assassin’s Creed Shadows this November, Mac will be on the list of platforms supported by the action-packed role-playing game.

The adventure is set in medieval Japan, and players can choose either a samurai or a shinobi for very different gaming experiences. For more details on the game’s setting and storyline, check out the latest updates on Assassin’s Creed Japan.

The new iOS 17.5 update brings cross-platform tracking notifications for unwanted Bluetooth trackers plus a new Quartiles spelling game and an Offline Mode for Apple News+ subscribers, Apple said Monday.

And that’s in addition to the new Pride and Unity Lock Screens and Apple Watch faces we can expect. As far as other Apple OS updates go, macOS 14.5 got compatibility with Apple News+ features and bug fixes, watchOS 10.5 incorporates new Pride updates and the rest are performance and stability updates.

The just-released Gamma retro game emulator brings original PlayStation titles to iPhone. It’s ready to bring Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy 7 to the device you carry around everywhere.

The app is free and supports game controllers and iPad.

Coming soon to Apple Arcade are five exciting new games, the iPhone giant said Monday. You can look forward to Rabbids: Legends of the Multiverse, Return to Monkey Island+, Tomb of the Mask+, Fabulous – Wedding Disaster+ and Vision Pro spatial title Where Cards Fall.

It starts on May 30 with the arrival of 3D puzzle game Where Cards Fall. The other four titles follow on June 6.

Delta, the all-in-one retro game emulator for iPhone, will soon be available on the iPad. Riley Testut, the game emulator’s developer, confirmed its imminent launch on the App Store.

Apple recently changed the App Store guidelines, opening the platform to retro game emulators.

The new Delta retro game emulator is now on the iPhone App Store. Not only can it handle ROMs originally for the classic Game Boy handheld console, but it also emulates NES, SNES, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS.

It’s a launch that fans of classic games have long awaited.

World of Warcraft looks and performs very well on Mac. It’s a standout option for gamers frustrated that few other big-name games come to macOS.

Blizzard’s perennially popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game offers constantly evolving content so you won’t get bored. And you don’t need a PC to play.