Apple announced in January which new games it is adding to its Arcade subscription service. It’s launching four new titles on the service this month, including one of Game Freak’s most interesting offerings and a new chapter on visual novels. All games will launch on Friday, with the first one coming out tomorrow on January 6.
The first game, launching this week, is the latest installment in the Episode: Choose Your Story visual novel. It’s called Episode XOXO and debuts with five new stories. Next week is Illustrated, a puzzle game that combines brainteasers with jigsaw puzzles. Each puzzle provides the player with information about the artist who created the image.
Perhaps the most interesting entry is Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!, a bizarre racing/card game from Pokémon developer Game Freak. Originally released on the 3DS in 2013, Ride On! sees users play Solitaire while their chosen steed races. The outcome of the card game determines their placement. Game Freak also recreated some of the game’s scenes in 3D. Drive on! launches on Apple Arcade on January 20.
To close out the month, Apple is launching the physics puzzle game Squiggle Drop, in which users solve puzzles by creating a single shape. Apple also revealed that it will launch 50 Originals on Arcade in 2022 and more than 300 updates. Last year’s winner for Arcade game of the year was fantasy life sim Wylde Flowers.
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