Apple Arcade is Apple’s subscription-based gaming service, namely dealing in mobile games. Games on Apple Arcade are continuously updated, with iconic titles and new original games added to its catalog on a consistent basis. Apple Arcade announced that several games were in the works at the end of 2024 via Apple Newsroom. These titles were revealed without release dates, but Apple surprised its users when it released these seven new games in its very first update of 2025.
Apple’s headline game is Skate City: New York, the sequel to Apple Arcade’s launch title Skate City, one of the subscription service’s earliest successes. Skate City: New York is the latest game by Snowman, a respected mobile game development company. In this side-scrolling game, players skate through recognizable locations in New York, including Central Park, Times Square, and the Brooklyn Bridge. There are a variety of challenges provided for players, as well as an endless mode to perfect their moves and experiment with tricks.
A second notable title included in the update is Koei Tecmo’s Three Kingdoms Heroes. This turn-based tactics game is heavily reminiscent of a “microtransaction-free version of Fire Emblem Heroes” according to Digital Trends and has released just in time for Koei Tecmo’s second Three Kingdoms Heroes title to launch later this January. The game, which takes inspiration from classics like shogi and chess, emphasizes strategic gameplay through its unique unit movements and abilities.
Another Apple Arcade game called Gears and Goo launched yesterday. This title is designed exclusively for Apple Vision Pro, allowing users of the headset to engage with an engaging tactile tower defense game. Most of its gameplay involves gathering resources, manning turrets, and deploying troops strategically throughout the battlefield. It features a full campaign intended to be easily repayable and accessible to new players.
Four additional titles released by Apple Games include the original Final Fantasy, Visions of Mana, Rodeo Stampede, and It’s Literally Just Mowing, all of which were pre-existing mobile games prior to the 2025 update. They will all be receiving Apple’s “+” symbol, which simply means that they are more expansive, ad-free, and/or in-app purchase free versions of the originals.
If anyone is interested in trying out these new Apple Arcade games, all of them are available on the App Store and Google Play Store aside from Gears and Goo, which can be played on Apple Vision Pro.