Gaming

Apple Arcade launches biggest expansion, adds 30 games

Including some App Store classics

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Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade just added 30 games to its already expansive library in hopes of getting more people to subscribe. The service is introducing two new game categories: Timeless Classics and App Store Greats. Arcade Originals are playable across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. Timeless Classics and App Store Greats are available on iPhone and iPad.

Timeless Classics includes universally loved, quintessential genres with titles like Good Sudoku by Zach Gage, Chess – Play & Learn, and Backgammon, while App Store Greats brings some of the best award-winning games from the App Store to Apple Arcade, including Threes!, Mini Metro, and Fruit Ninja Classic, all ad-free and fully unlocked.

New originals are also making their way to Apple Arcade like NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition, Star Trek: Legends, and Fantasian (from the creators of Final Fantasy VI).

Here’s some of the games you should look out for

NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition (2K Games)

NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition on Apple Arcade delivers stunning gameplay and the hit basketball simulation experience to the service. From 5-on-5 basketball featuring the latest NBA roster to over-the-top games on Blacktop, “NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition” is filled with a variety of exciting game modes as players step into the shoes of their favourite NBA stars. The game features performance optimisations and higher graphic quality to deliver an authentic NBA experience in all its visual glory on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac.

Simon’s Cat: Story Time (Tactile Games Limited)

The latest game based on the highly popular animated series gives Simon and his cat their biggest challenge yet. When the tranquility of suburban life is threatened by a huge building site, they mobilise the neighbours to help restore the mysterious “wasteland” before the diggers destroy it all. As the clock ticks down, players will solve challenging match-three puzzles to help the community rebuild the gardens under the critical eye of the curmudgeonly next-door neighbour, Mr. Potts, who has a secret ancestral connection to the wasteland, which he intends to keep buried forever.

Star Trek: Legends (Tilting Point LLC)

The fate of the universe is in the player’s hands as they step into the role of their favourite “Star Trek” heroes and villains in the hit franchise’s official team-based RPG. Players will embark on missions, experience epic turn-based combat, and make choices that influence the entire story as they take command of the U.S.S. Artemis. They’ll warp into the Nexus, where they’ll discover new worlds and recruit over 40 of their favourite characters from the entire franchise. Each legend has its own unique set of skills, abilities, and weapons, from Spock’s Vulcan nerve pinch to Worf’s deadly bat’leth.

Fantasian (Mistwalker Corp)

From the creator of Final Fantasy, comes the next breathtaking adventure from industry legend Hironobu Sakaguchi. Fantasian is an exciting, new RPG set against a spectacular backdrop made from over 150 handmade dioramas that blends physical environments and 3D characters.

Meanwhile, classic titles include the following: Checkers Royale, Chess – Play & Learn, Flipflop Solitaire, Good Sudoku by Zach Gage, SpellTower, and Mahjong Titan; and App Store Greats BADLAND, Blek, Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition, Reigns, and The Room Two.

Pricing and Availability

Apple Arcade is available for US$ 4.99/ SG$ 6.98/ PhP 249 per month with a one-month free trial. Customers who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple TV receive three months of Apple Arcade for free.

Apple Arcade is part of Apple One’s Individual (US$ 14.95/ SG$ 16.95 / PhP 375) and Family (US$ 19.95/ SG $22.95 / PhP 495), monthly plans, with a one-month free trial.

 

Gaming

Nintendo might be working on an Ocarina of Time remake

It will reportedly launch in the second half of 2026.

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What is the greatest game of all time? There’s a substantial chance that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be on the board. Even beside the Switch’s critically acclaimed Breath of the Wild duology, the Nintendo 64 title is one of the most quintessential games you can ever play. That said, it’s pretty dated. But maybe, not for long.

According to Nintendo insider NatetheHate, the company is working on a rerelease of Ocarina of Time. The title is scheduled for launch within the second half of 2026.

The wording is important here. “Rerelease” can mean anything. To be fair, NatetheHate, through his latest podcast, says that it’s likely we’ll get either a like-for-like remake or a full reimagining of the essential game. However, he does not discount the possibility that it’s just an HD remaster for the new consoles. Either way, Ocarina of Time is coming back this year.

If you can’t wait, the title isn’t exactly missing from the shelves. You can play the original from the list of available games through Nintendo Switch Online. The game also got a remaster for the 3DS.

There is no shortage of Zelda-related news lately. The franchise is getting a live-action adaptation next year, which now becomes a worthy follow-up to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie coming early next month.

SEE ALSO: The Legend of Zelda film gets its first official photos

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Gaming

Life is Strange: Reunion now available on consoles and PC

Max and Chloe return for an emotional finale

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Life is Strange: Reunion

Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia and Square Enix have officially launched Life is Strange: Reunion, the latest entry in the narrative adventure series. Developed by Deck Nine Games, the title is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store. A physical PlayStation 5 edition is also available across Southeast Asia.

The launch comes with an official trailer, marking the return of one of the franchise’s most beloved storylines.

A long-awaited reunion

Set 11 years after the original events, Life is Strange: Reunion brings back Max Caulfield and Chloe Price as they reunite to solve a new timeline-spanning mystery. This time, the stakes center on a devastating inferno threatening Caledon University–Max’s workplace as a photography teacher.

Returning from a trip, Max discovers the campus engulfed in flames, with lives lost across the university. She survives only by using her Rewind ability, a power that allows her to reverse time.

The situation takes an unexpected turn with Chloe’s sudden arrival–an outcome tied to the timeline-merging events of Life is Strange: Double Exposure. Now dealing with fractured memories and an unstable sense of reality, Chloe once again finds herself relying on Max.

Dual perspectives, new gameplay dynamics

For the first time in the series, players can take control of both Max and Chloe, switching perspectives as the story unfolds.

Max’s Rewind power lets players revisit decisions, reshape conversations, and manipulate environments to solve complex, time-based puzzles. Meanwhile, Chloe brings her signature Backtalk ability, allowing her to push conversations in her favor and access situations Max cannot.

This dual-character approach expands both narrative depth and gameplay variety, offering different ways to uncover clues and influence outcomes.

A character-driven finale

Life is Strange: Reunion continues the series’ focus on grounded, emotional storytelling, with choices that carry meaningful consequences. The game builds toward a dramatic climax that aims to close out Max and Chloe’s journey.

As the final chapter in their story, Reunion positions itself as both a continuation and a conclusion–tying together years of narrative threads while delivering a new mystery shaped by time, loss, and choice.

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Nintendo will make it cheaper to buy digital games than physical

Physical releases will have the same price.

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The days of lining up for a newly released game are well and truly over. Though some games still experience shortages in brick-and-mortar stores, such as the widely successful Pokémon Pokopia, gamers can get their titles digitally. Now, Nintendo is making digital releases more enticing by offering a tempting discount on the eShop.

Starting in May, Nintendo will start charging different prices for the physical and digital releases of first-party games. While physical releases will still have the same prices going forward, digital releases via the eShop will enjoy a discount.

The discount, of course, will likely depend on the title itself. Nintendo has already given the upcoming Yoshi and the Mysterious Book as the first example. The new platformer will cost US$ 70 from retailers. However, it will cost only US$ 60 on the digital eShop.

The company says that the new pricing scheme “simply reflects the different costs associated with producing and distributing each format.” With the prices of chips skyrocketing, it’s no surprise that the physical release is more expensive than the digital one.

To be more technical about it, Nintendo has started skipping a physical game card for a while now. The physical release of Pokémon Pokopia, for example, has only a game-key card or a code to download the game. In this format, physical releases are just pretty cases you can display on your shelf.

Also, digital releases do carry the added risk of getting delisted on the whims of the developers, the publishers, or Nintendo itself. It is, however, still a cheaper option, especially in a world where getting any discount is a welcome thought.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo sues the United States

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