44 MACWORLD DECEMBER 2019
iOSCENTRAL GAMECLUB AND APPLE ARCADEscreen resolutions, 64-bit architecture,
and aspect ratios, which means an old
game like Hook Champ should run well
on a powerhouse device like the 12.9-inch
iPad Pro.
That easy distinction may change.
According to TouchArcade (go.macworld.
com/tcac), GameClub may host “new and
original premium” games as it matures, but
for the moment, the ages of the games
distinguish the services more than
anything else.
GAMECLUB HAS A DISTINCT
FOCUS ON MOBILE GAMES
On that note, many titles in GameClub
began life as mobile games, so there’s a
greater emphasis on touchscreen controls
and a lesser chance that you’ll be able to
play one of the supported games with a
controller. Some, like Plunderland (go.
macworld.com/plnd), even still rely on
tilt controls.
Apple Arcade,
by contrast,
features several
games (like
Sayonara Wild
Hearts (go.
macworld.com/
synr)) that also
launched on
consoles like the
Nintendo Switch
when they first appeared on Apple Arcade.
It’s thus a bit of a misnomer to call
Apple Arcade a “mobile gaming service,”
as the vast majority of games (go.
macworld.com/aagm) play fine on both
an Apple TV and a Mac. In fact, I’d go so
far as to say that many Apple Arcade
games are meant to be played with
controllers. With GameClub, though,
you’re seldom going to go wrong if you
just use your fingers.BOTH SERVICES ARE CURATED
Both services feature quality, hand-picked
games, although they differ in how they
approach that curation. Apple selects the
games for Apple Arcade before they
even come out. In some cases, Apple
reportedly even helps fund the games in
its services (although it’s not clear how
extensive that funding is).
GameClub, though, focuses onMany Apple Arcade games are meant to be played with controllers.