Balatro finally has an iPhone release date and will arrive on September 26 on Apple Arcade. 

In a press release, Apple confirmed the release date for the title stating "On September 26, the 2024 deck-building sensation Balatro+ offers players the chance to build their ultimate deck and tackle formidable challenges. Balatro+ will be available as part of the Arcade subscription service playable across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro."

Balatro is described as a "hypnotically satisfying poker-inspired roguelike deck builder," where players play a combination of poker hands and joker cards of varying abilities to create unique synergies and builds, earning enough chips to beat devious blinds. 

Balatro+ comes to iPhone

Balatro is widely considered one of the best and most addictive arcade games around. Released earlier this year, it boasts an enviable score of 90 on Metacritic, making it one of the highest rated games of 2024. 

Seven other games are coming to Apple Arcade including NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition, Outlanders 2, and Sonic Dream Team. NFL Retro Bowl '25, Monster Train+, and Puzzle Sculpt have also arrived on the platform today. The latter a spatial title for Apple Vision Pro. 

Apple Arcade continues to be one of the best-value gaming experiences on mobile, offering some 200 titles for just $6.99 a month. It's even better value as part of the Apple One bundle, which also includes all of Apple's other services including Apple TV Plus and Apple Arcade. 

If you were hoping to game with a new Copilot+ PC from Microsoft, we've got bad news.

The Wall Street Journal has run tests on over 1,200 games using these new PCs and has found mixed results, which seem to come down to the Snapdragon-X chips inside the new Copilot+ machines. For years, Windows has run on x86 chips from Intel and AMD, but Snapdragon runs on ARM, a different architecture than x86. ARM is also what powers Apple silicon chips, found in all of the best iPhones, iPads, Macs the company currently offers.

If you need to run an app that can only run on an x86 chip, both Apple and Microsoft offer a 'translation' layer for their ARM-powered operating systems to make this possible, respectively called Rosetta 2 and Prism. These tools allow apps like Adobe Photoshop and Zoom to run on machines like Copilot+ PCs. However, Apple has already gone one step further by introducing its Game Porting ToolKit (GPTK) back in 2022. This enables a vast library of games to run on the Mac through a Windows translation layer. Enthusiasts have even developed apps like Whisky to let users play their Windows games on Macs, and the results have been impressive, with games like Metal Gear Solid V running at full speed on M1 Macs.

When it comes to Microsoft's Prism layer, however, the results are the opposite. In response to the Journal's findings, Microsoft commented: "We are committed to making a quality gaming experience. Players who want a high-performance native gaming experience may choose an alternate PC optimized for gaming.”

So there you have it folks — if you want an ARM-powered computer that handles gaming well, buy a MacBook.

Why Whisky is still one of my best Mac apps — iMore's take

Back in 2023, I came across Whisky and ever since, I've been using it to play games from my Steam library on my M1 Pro MacBook Pro that I couldn't previously run. Titles such as Resident Evil 3, Dark Souls, and Tomb Raider Remastered can all be played on my Mac thanks to Whisky.

I use it every week, and I'm constantly amazed that this is all done by translating Windows games to run on a Mac thanks to Apple's Game Porting ToolKit. That being said, rumors are suggesting that an M4 MacBook Pro could debut in November. I can't help but wonder how this new chip will handle the games I've been playing through Whisky.

For me, Whisky stands out as one of the best Mac apps you can use on Apple's computers, and it highlights how well the company ensures compatibility with apps and games that can't yet run natively on its platforms.

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• I never played games on my Mac until now - and the M3 MacBook Air is better than expected

Game developer Capcom released a new patch on August 27 for several Resident Evil games for Apple devices, requiring them all to be connected to the internet in order to be played.

The patch doesn’t explain why this requirement has been added. Capcom’s website only states the following: “Due to changes to the startup process, an internet connection is now required when starting this app.“ When you next start up Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, and Resident Evil Village on the best iPhones, iPads, and Macs, you must ensure your device has an active internet connection. 

It’s a baffling move, as these single-player games don’t need to be online — they never needed to be when they were all originally released on gaming consoles, starting with Resident Evil 7 in 2016. Indeed, users on social media site X are expressing many frustrations about the patch. One example is AppleGamingCat, making the good point that this will limit users from playing the games in places that don’t allow an internet connection, such as airplanes.

iMore has reached out to Capcom for further comment as to why this requirement has been rolled out.

Expect this to be the norm for future releases from Capcom

Let’s not forget that Capcom is planning on bringing another entry in the Resident Evil series to Apple devices soon. Originally released in 2019, the Resident Evil 2 Remake is coming to compatible iPhones, iPads, and Macs later this year. It’s a fantastic game that honors the original sequel from 1998 in a modern way. But with this remake likely to have this internet requirement in order to play, it could spoil the experience before users reach the title screen.

With Capcom blaming ‘changes to the startup process’ for this patch, perhaps it’s something involving Apple’s upcoming software updates of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, all rumored to arrive next month. If this is the case, then it’s something that Apple should look into. It’s patches like these that go against recent efforts to bring games like Resident Evil to its products. Hopefully, we can soon see a reversal of this patch to let users play these games wherever they want, without an internet connection.

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• Resident Evil 4 for iPhone hands-on impressions
• Resident Evil Village for iPhone 15 Pro hands-on: Terrifyingly good (and just plain scary without a controller)
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Monument Valley 3 is confirmed to be arriving on iPhone in December through Netflix Games, the gaming service included with a Netflix subscription.

The announcement was made at Gamescom's Opening Night Live event, where series developer Ustwo Games revealed that the player will guide a new character, Noor, "through a series of impossible landscapes, [the player will be] manipulating architecture and perspective to unveil hidden paths and solve intricate challenges."

In a press release, Ustwo Games added that "new art styles and impossible landscapes" will again be a big part of this sequel, along with the ability to use a boat for the first time. "Explore and solve puzzles in Noor’s boat in a Monument Valley first and sail across the world with cozy, free-control sailing."

But that's not all — the original Monument Valley comes to the best iPhones via Netflix Games on September 19, followed by the second entry on October 29.

The first Monument Valley came out on iPhone in 2013, selling one million copies within three months and being nominated for various awards in 2014 and 2015. The game was eventually ported to other platforms, with its sequel coming out in 2017 to similar acclaim and success. The Monument Valley 3 looks to be an evolution of what made the series so fun to play, such as its innovative mechanics to solve the intricate puzzles that the series has been known for.

Monument Valley 3 will be available through Netflix Games on December 10.

A monumental get for Netflix - iMore's take

I've been a Netflix subscriber for years, mainly for the many documentaries available on the service. However, being able to play games through Netflix Games that aren't available on Apple Arcade — the company's gaming subscription service — with no extra fee, has been a fantastic bonus.

Exclusive games like Hades, a roguelike action game, and Sonic Mania Plus, a 2D adventure for SEGA's blue blur mascot, have been amazing to play with my Razer Kishi Ultra controller. The Monument Valley games are amazing, due to their addictive puzzles and the amazing art styles that make every level fun to play. Being able to play the first two from next month, before the third game arrives in December, only ensures that I'll be paying my Netflix subscription for the foreseeable future.

More from iMore

• Sonic Mania, GTA Vice City, and Hades — here's why Netflix is the best value in iPhone gaming right now
• Apple Arcade vs Netflix Games: which is best?
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This week Firaxis revealed the gameplay trailer for Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 and confirmed the title will be available on Mac from day one when it launches next year. 

As you might have guessed, it's the seventh installation in the inimitable Civilization series, the popular 4X turn-based strategy series. 

The game launches on February 11, 2025, and will be available on both Steam and the Epic Games Store. The early Steam listing where you can pre-order the game now includes confirmation that all three editions of the game will be available to Mac users. Unfortunately, there are no minimum or recommended spec requirements, but we'd bet our bottom dollar you'll need Apple silicon to run it. 

The changes coming to Civilization 7

But what changes are coming to Civilization 7? As detailed by our friends at PC Gamer, there's a lot. 

New features include navigable rivers, new narrative events, independent powers in place of barbarians, and the return of religion and natural disasters. 

Leaders no longer have to match their civilizations and the game is now divided into three distinct (longer) ages.

Two of these ages, Antiquity and Exploration, climax with Crisis Events that force you to adopt Crisis Policies. Each time you enter a new age you can pick a new civilization, and there are new victory conditions.

Cities are now towns, and the mechanics to build and grow them are a lot different. Units for fighting and exploring operate differently, and there's a new type of unit called a Commander. 

Not an exhaustive list by any means, but this should give you some insight into how ambitious the new CIV 7 is. Civilization 5 was one of the most popular titles in the series but 6 is generally not considered to be as good. 

You can decide for yourself on Mac starting in February 2025. 

Secretlab is the household name in premium, designer gaming comfort, and build quality. It’s best known for making chairs, but also has a line of premium desks. The MAGNUS Pro desk is one of our favourites, scoring an impressive 5 stars in our review. And now, Secretlab is back with one of its most-requested products: a white version.

The MAGNUS Pro is the electric-powered, standing version of Secretlabs' original MAGNUS desk. This desk is a masterpiece, and the new stunning white color is something that Mac users will love. It's clean, sleek, and polished – just like the best Macs. In fact, I think this is one of the best standing desks ever made.

It's a height-adjustable metal desk that integrates a sleek control panel right into its frame. You'll find high-quality construction and materials, along with the magnetic ecosystem of accessories that made the MAGNUS so versatile and customizable.

It stands on just two legs instead of the typical four, each leg housing the motors responsible for its smooth height adjustments. But the real game-changer is its fully integrated power supply column, neatly running through one leg. This means you only need to plug the desk into a single wall outlet, and it’ll power everything.

Secretlabs' MAGNUS Pro comes in two sizes: a 1.5m version, and a 1.7 meter XL version. The MAGNUS Pro also features the same RGB capabilities as the old desk, as well as compatibility with its Nanoleaf-powered strip that can be used with Apple HomeKit. It supports up to 120kg and offers height adjustments between 650mm and 1250mm. Plus, there's anti-collision detection to keep things secure while it’s in motion.

The new MAGNUS Pro is only available from Secretlab, with prices starting at $799 (£729) for the 1.5m version or $949 (£829) for the XL.

Plus, Secretlab accessories to match

Since no desk is complete without a little extra flair, Secretlab has also released a suite of matching accessories to complete your setup.

This includes the MAGPAD Desk Mat in Silver Suede and Ash Gray, offering a soft, luxe touch to your workspace. Then there's the MAGNUS Monitor Arm, available in both single and dual configurations, which seamlessly integrate with the desk to keep your screens afloat and your desk clutter-free.

For those who can't stand a loose cable, there's a Cable Management Bundle in matching white. It's the ultimate kit to ensure every wire stays exactly where it should – out of sight and out of mind.

More from iMore

• Secretlab Omega vs Titan Evo 2022
• Secretlab MAGNUS Pro review: The best, now better
• Secretlab unveils stunning new standing version of its MAGNUS gaming desk

Have you ever wanted to be part of Team Rocket in Pokémon GO? Turns out the game can almost make it possible!

Team Rocket has been the main antagonist of the Pokémon series since its inception in 1996. If you used to watch the original cartoon series, you'd be familiar with Jessie, James, and the Pokémon Meowth with its human vocabulary. In the games, including Pokémon GO, and Team Rocket are usually up to no good, and you need to stop them. But what if you want to pay homage to them by wearing their uniform?

With this in mind, we've created the guide below to help you choose between the outfits available, and how much each one costs.

Rock that Team Rocket look

A bunch of Team Rocket costumes have been available in the style shop in Pokémon GO for several years. There are currently four outfits you can buy:

• Team Rocket Cliff-Style Outfit - 300 coins
• Team Rocket Cliff-Style Outfit (Short Sleeve) - 300 coins
• Team Rocket Arlo-Style Outfit - 200 coins
• Team Rocket Arlo-Style Outfit (Black) - 200 coins

These costumes are almost on the high-end in the store when you see a bunch of tops and trousers that can be bought for 200 coins. If you find yourself low on coins, we recommend visiting some Gyms to build up your wallet.

However, if you do have enough coins, read on.

How to buy and equip a Team Rocket costume

Buying and equipping a Team Rocket costume is a simple affair:

1. Tap on your Avatar in the lower left-hand corner of the main screen
2. Tap on the Style option in your Avatar menu

3. Locate the Team Rocket costume pieces in the Style menu
4. Tap Exchange to pay for one of the costumes

Congratulations — you're now (unofficially) part of Team Rocket in Pokémon GO! Niantic, Pokémon GO's developer, usually updates the shop with new styles of tops, trousers and costumes.

Make sure to check every few weeks to see if they drop a new Team Rocket costume for your avatar to wear on your adventures!

Evolving Feebas and Wurmple in Pokémon Go requires a lot of patience, but the reward is well worth it.

These Pokémon come from Generation III of the series, first introduced in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, all originally released on the Game Boy Advance in 2003. If you remember playing these games, you may have some nostalgia for, not only catching Feebas and Wurmple but to evolve them for your collection.

It's not as simple as training them up to certain levels, standing back, and seeing them transform into a new form — these Pokémon have some unique requirements in order to start the process.

With this in mind, we've created the guide below to help lay out the steps needed to evolve Feebas and Wurmple.

How to evolve Feebas into Milotic in Pokémon Go

Milotic is a Water-type Pokémon. It evolves from Feebas, which is reminiscent of Magikarp. Unlike Gyarados and Magikarp candy, though, It doesn't take 400 Feebas candy to evolve Milotic. It only takes 100. But, it also takes Friendship.

Friendship is a mechanic we saw introduced in Pokémon Go Gen 2 where, in order to evolve an Eevee into Espeon or Umbreon, you had to make it your Buddy Pokémon and walk it for 10 KM.

Feebas is similar. But in order to evolve it into Miltoic, you need to walk it 20 KM.

Important: You can't just walk any Feebas for 20 KM in order to evolve one into Milotic. You need to walk the specific Feebas you want to evolve for 20 KM. That means, if you want a good (high iV) Milotic, you first need to find a good (high IV) Feebas. If you find a better Feebas you'd rather evolve, you'll have to start over.

1. Tap on your Avatar.
2. Tap on your Buddy.
3. Tap on the Switch button, bottom right.
4. Tap on Yes to confirm you want to switch buddies.
5. Choose the Feebas you want to walk.
6. Walk with your Feebas Buddy for 20 KM.
7. Collect 100 Feebas candy as you go (if you haven't already).
8. Tap on your Feebas Buddy.
9. Tap Evolve.

Once you're done, you'll have your Milotic. If you didn't get Waterfall and Surf as the Fast and Charge moves, you'll want to TM them at your soonest opportunity.

How to evolve Wurmple into Dustox and Beautifly

Wurmple is like the Caterpie of Gen 3. It's a little bug that only requires 12 candies to evolve into its second stage. Unlike Caterpie, Wurmple has a split second-stage evolution: It can evolve into either Cascoon or Silcoon.

Split evolutions are something we've seen since Gen 1, also with Eevee. Evolve an Eevee and you could get Flareon, Jolteon, or Vaporeon. Picture that, but with only two second-stage possibilities — and with each of those possibilities having a third stage evolution.

Important: Unlike Eevee in Gen 1, there's no trainer name trick you can use to guarantee control of at least one of each evolution. Unlike Eevee in Gen 2, there's also no Friendship mechanic and day vs. night trick to guarantee control over all evolutions. With Wurmple, second-stage evolutions seem to be totally and completely random.

1. Choose the Wurmple you want to evolve.
2. Tap Evolve.
3. Repeat as often as is necessary to get both Cascoon and Silcoon.
4. Evolve Cascoon into Dustox and Silcoon into Beautifly whenever you have the candy and the opportunity.

Ever since Apple kicked Fortnite out of the App Store back in 2020, game streaming services have been the only way for gamers to play their favorite battle royale game on an iPhone or iPad. But that's all changing today. Or, at least, it is if you live in a European Union member state.

Today sees Epic Games launch the Epic Games Store for iPhone in the EU, something that has finally been allowed following the Digital Markets Act's requirement that Apple allow third-party app marketplaces to be offered. The move means that games that wouldn't normally be allowed into the App Store are now available for download, including Fortnite.

Epic Games announced the move saying that Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Rocket League Sideswipe were all coming to the store. The company also announced that it is bringing its games to AltStore PAL as of today, too.

It's game time

Epic's press release also includes details on how iPhone owners can go about installing the Epic Games Store while adding that it's "launching on iOS devices in the European Union thanks to the Digital Markets Act, but Apple is still blocking all other iOS users outside of Europe from accessing Fortnite and Epic Games Store for iOS."

"The fight is far from over, but this is tangible progress for developers and consumers who can begin to benefit from competition and choice,” said Tim Sweeney, CEO and Founder of Epic Games. Sweeney has been a strong critic of Apple and its App Store policies.

Fortnite was famously removed from the App Store in 2020 after Epic removed the game's App Store-based in-app purchase system and replaced it with its own — a move that went against Apple's rules and immediately saw the company's developer account revoked. Fortnite has not returned to the App Store since.

More from iMore

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Bethesda's Fallout Shelter has long been a popular game among iPhone and iPad owners, even before the Amazon Prime TV show gave it a new lease of life earlier this year. Now, the team behind that hit title has a new one on the way, and it's available for preorder now.

The Elder Scrolls: Castles will officially launch on September 10 and you can register your interest in the App Store now. Fans of Fallout Shelter will definitely want to get their hands on this game as soon as possible, and it sounds like it's going to be a must-have for fans of The Elder Scrolls, too.

This of course isn't the first title from Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls franchise, but given its resemblance to Fallout Shelter, it may well turn out to be its most popular.

The king of your own castle

Bethesda announced the news via the X social network while also offering up a video featuring Production Director Veronique Bruneau and Director of Mobile Games Craig Lafferty who explain what gamers can expect.

According to the game's App Store description, gamers can look forward to telling their own story "for generations."

"Tell your story for generations - each day in real life covers the span of an entire year in The Elder Scrolls: Castles," Bethesda explains. "Train your subjects, name heirs, and maintain order to help your kingdom flourish. Will you keep your subjects happy and ensure a long life for their ruler? Or will they grow discontent and plot assassination?"

If that sounds like something you want to try out, preorder the new game now. It'll be free with in-app purchases.

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Did you know that there are regional exclusive Pokémon in Pokémon Go that can only be found in certain locations around the world? Having these Pokémon in your collection can earn you some serious bragging rights. But are they really worth the challenge to track down and catch?

Around the world, there are up to nine unique Pokémon that can only be found in certain regions. Kangaskhan, for example, can only be found in Australia. Keep in mind though, that Niantic, Pokémon Go's developer, has hosted special events in the past that can save you from traveling in different countries just to find certain exclusive Pokémon.

To help you on your quest, we've put together a guide below to highlight which Pokémon are exclusive to certain countries.

What are Regional Exclusive Pokémon in Pokémon Go?

Pokémon Go makes some Pokémon only available in certain regions of the world. Sometimes it's a country or island, a subcontinent or continent or part thereof, or in one case, coastlines around the equator. Whatever the region is, you have to go there to find its exclusive Pokémon.

What are the Regional Exclusive Pokémon in Pokémon Go?

There are over 40 regional exclusive Pokémon that can only be caught or hatched in specific parts of the world. While these Pokémon each have designated regions where they can be caught or hatched, there is the occasional overlap, as well as parts of regions that fall outside of the spawn areas. For example, the southern tip of Florida and Texas won't see the North American Regional Exclusive Tauros. Some Regional Exclusive Pokémon also swap regions periodically or during events.

Americas

• Bouffalant
• Carnivine
• Corsola (Tropical regions)
• Heracross
• Pachirisu
• Sigilyph (Southeastern USA)
• Tauros

Central and South America, Caribbean

• Corsola
• Heracross

Europe, Middle East, Africa

• Klefki (France)
• Mr. Mime
• Pansear
• Sigilyph (Greece, Egypt)
• Tropius
• Volbeat
• Zangoose

Asia

• Farfetch’d
• Kangaskhan
• Mime Jr.
• Pansage
• Relicanth
• Throh (Asia)
• Torkoal

Oceania

• Corsola (Tropical regions)
• Kangaskhan
• Relicanth
• Volbeat
• Zangoose

Do Pokémon Go Regional Exclusives ever change region?

They do! There are currently a few pairs that have swapped regions since their introduction, such as Zangoose and Seviper. Likewise, there is a trio of Legendary Pokémon, Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf, who swapped regions, giving Trainers a few weeks to attempt to catch each of them.

Have any Pokémon ever stopped being Regional and gone worldwide?

Plusle and Minun started off separately, like Zangoose and Seviper, but now both spawn globally. Rumor has it; that the Pokémon Company told Niantic the two best buddies shouldn't be separated.

Do Regionals sometimes appear in other regions, like during events?

Yes. Sometimes Regional Exclusive Pokémon will be included in events. It's almost always at real-world events like Go Fest Chicago, and sometimes during in-game events.

How do you catch Regionals in Pokémon Go?

You catch Regionals just like you catch any Pokémon in Pokémon Go but, if you have limited time or limited spawns, you're going to want to maximize your chances.

1. ABC. Always be curving. Once you can nail Curve Ball every time, you'll get a 1.7x bonus every time.
2. Max out your medals. Some are easier to get than others, but they consume no resources like Great or Ultra Balls or Razz Berries, so once you get them, that 1.1x to 1.3x is automatically applied each time.
3. Consistency counts. Aim for the smallest target you can nail every time. If that's Nice, it's nice. If that's Great or Excellent, even better. But the better the bonus you get the one you miss, and that extra 1.3 to 2x also doesn't consume resources and can make a difference.
4. Razz for real. Use Razz Berries when you need to. Unlike Great or Ultra Balls, you can't miss a Razz Berry, and its 1.5x bonus will last until you hit. For Golden Razz Berries, it's 2.5x!
5. Bump them Balls. Use Great and Ultra Balls to maximize your odds. You get an extra 1.5x for a Great Ball and 2x for an Ultra Ball, so use them to get those super rare or hard-to-catch Pokémon.

Trading for Regionals in Pokémon Go

If you just cannot afford to travel the globe in search of regionals, it is possible to trade with a friend who has. Well, for a price. If the Regional Pokémon is new to your Pokédex, it'll be considered a Special trade and cost both you and the person you're trading with a non-trivial amount of stardust. Here are the numbers:

• Friend: No Special Trades
• Good Friend: 20,000 Stardust
• Great Friend: 16,000 Stardust
• Ultra Friend: 1,600 Stardust
• Best Friend: 800 Stardust

There are restrictions on Trades based on Friendship level and location. This is, in part, to discourage people from selling Pokémon. While you can meet other players through Facebook, Discord, and Reddit, most players willing to trade Regional Exclusive Pokémon aren't going to ask for money or anything offline in return. If they do, it's probably a scam.

AltStore PAL, a popular third-party app store for EU iPhone users, is now free to download, thanks to a significant grant by Epic Games.

Announcing the news on Threads, AltStore PAL — the third-party app store created by developer Riley Testut of Delta emulator fame, is removing its annual $1.50 subscription fee, meaning existing subscribers will not need to pay extra. “For innovation in app distribution, Epic Games has granted us a MegaGrant grant that we plan to use to cover Apple’s Core Technology Fee going forward. If you’re an existing subscriber, there’s no need to do anything — you will NOT be charged upon your renewal date.”

This is all thanks to a grant by game developer Epic Games, which uses its ‘Epic MegaGrants’ program to “sponsor the development of exciting projects that may not otherwise have enough funding to fully realize. They’re specifically meant for smaller teams, solo developers, and innovators who are using our technology to bring bold, challenging, and insanely creative dreams to life.”

AltStore hasn’t revealed the terms of the MegaGrant, nor what it meant in another Threads post of wanting to show its appreciation in a future update. iMore has reached out for further comment.

Convenient timing?

The timing of Epic Games’ grant to AltStore PAL is suspiciously good. The developer recently submitted its own third-party storefront, the Epic Games Store, as well as Fortnite and Rocket League Sideswipe for approval on Apple’s App Store. In addition, Epic announced in July that Fortnite will soon be available on AltStore PAL.

All of this suggests that Epic Games is gearing up for a huge relaunch of Fortnite to Apple’s best iPhones and iPads in the coming months, once Apple approves the developer’s submissions. Some of the iMore team are looking forward to playing Fortnite on their devices again without having to use streaming services like GeForce NOW. But what about you? Are you eager to play Fortnite on your iPhone and iPad soon? Let us know in the iMore Forums.

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• How to play Fortnite on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
• Here's your first look at installing apps in the EU on iPhone without the App Store
• Prolific developer celebrates Apple's massive EU App Store overhaul in exclusive interview

After several rejections by Apple, iDOS 3, a retro PC emulator, is now available on the App Store, enabling users to play classic DOS games from the early 90s on iPhone and iPad.

Developer Chaoji Li confirmed the news in a blog post, stating, “It has been a long wait for common sense to prevail within Apple. As much as I want to celebrate, I still can't help being a little bit cautious about the future.“

iDOS was previously rejected by Apple in April and June as the app allegedly didn’t comply with a rule change in April that allowed retro gaming emulators like Delta and Gamma on the App Store. In July, Apple changed the rule again to allow PC emulators, which meant apps like UTM could be approved, which can run Windows XP and more on iPhone and iPad. This rule change also meant that iDOS could finally be approved.

iDOS 3 uses DOS (disk operating system), which relies on a disk storage medium to play whatever’s stored on a CD-ROM or floppy disk. This operating system was widely used before graphical operating systems came along, such as Windows 3.0 in 1990. DOS lasted throughout the 90s, supporting plenty of games. With the iPad and iPhone able to support mouse and keyboard peripherals, users can relive some of their favorite games from their childhood thanks to iDOS 3.

iDOS 3 is available to download for $0.99 for the best iPhones and iPads.

What can you play with iDOS 3?

Lots. What made DOS popular with developers was its simplicity. All users had to do was insert a Floppy Disk or CD-ROM, enter a couple of commands, and the game would play. The same almost applies to iDOS 3. Once you’ve found a game you want to play, place it into the iDOS folder within the Files app, and the emulator should find the game.

If you’re stuck for choice, we recommend the following classics:

• Lemmings
• James Pond
• Tomb Raider
• Championship Manager 2
• Monkey Island
• DOOM
• Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
• Grand Theft Auto
• Prince of Persia
• Jazz Jackrabbit
• WORMS

Every one of these games is a classic from the MS-DOS era, and iDOS 3 only showcases these in their best light.

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Retro gaming emulators on Apple’s App Store have been gaining traction ever since the company began allowing them back in April. The latest addition to this category is an emulator that brings back a failed console from Nintendo’s past — and it’s available on Apple Vision Pro, too.

VirtualFriend, developed by Adam Gastineau, is available to download for free on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro, and lets you play Virtual Boy games on Apple's devices. The emulator has been in development since December, and Gastineau revealed that the app spent three weeks in Apple’s App Review process before being made available. VirtualFriend is straightforward to use — the first screen prompts you to find a game on your device through Apple’s Files app. Once you do, the game loads into the emulator, ready to play.

For those unfamiliar, Nintendo’s Virtual Boy was a table-top 32-bit console, which was a pet project of Gunpei Yokoi, creator of the Game and Watch and Game Boy handhelds. After four years of development, it was released in 1995 for Japanese and U.S. customers to overwhelmingly negative reviews and poor sales. These were mainly attributed to its red-monochromatic display — more likely to provide motion sickness than enjoyment as you played one of the 22 games released during the console's 18-month lifetime. The Virtual Boy was quickly scrapped so Nintendo could shift focus to its next console, the Nintendo 64.

Unlike Delta and Gamma, two popular emulators on the App Store, VirtualFriend lacks features such as taking screenshots and using save states, which allow you to save your progress at any point. However, it does offer the option to change the standard red color palette if it’s causing eye strain. In our brief time playing the emulator, VirtualFriend plays Virtual Boy games like Wario Land and Mario Tennis very well.

Although VirtualFriend is great, it also highlights why Virtual Boy failed — iMore’s take

If you had told me a year ago that I’d be playing a Virtual Boy emulator on my iPhone after downloading it from the App Store, I simply wouldn’t have believed you. Yet here we are — I’m playing Wario Land, one of the best games on the console, without issue, and it’s fantastic.

I’ve used a Virtual Boy before, thanks to a friend who’s a retro game collector. He bought one for a high price back in 2012. Even then, I found it awkward and heavy, with a controller that had one of the strangest button layouts I’ve ever seen — two D-pads and extra-long handles never made sense to me.

There’s a certain irony in seeing VirtualFriend be made available on Apple Vision Pro. You can see some of the 3D effects in all their glory within visionOS, and I’m sure it’s a great experience playing Wario Land with Apple’s headset. Yet it only proves why the Virtual Boy failed. Its lack of games, gimmicky 3D effects, and its default bright-red display make it difficult to enjoy these games for long periods. Nevertheless, it’s still an amazing feat to have an app like this freely available on Apple’s devices.

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The best Pokémon in Pokémon Go will power you through trainer battles and let you take on Gyms with ease. They can help you take on a raid and they also just look cool when showing off to friends. Though Pokémon Go’s biggest mechanic is all about throwing Pokéballs, its battles can be a lot of fun if you do the necessary prep work. 

However, legendary Pokémon can be hard to get a hold of, and some haven’t shown up in the game for years. Here are the best Pokémon in Pokémon Go, split up into both legendary and non-legendary choices. 

Best legendary Pokémon in Pokémon Go

Mewtwo  (Psychic)

Mewtwo is a classic choice thanks to its iconic look and great move set. With its Psychic typing, you are better off putting the likes of Confusion and Psystrike in its moves but, in a pinch, it can learn Fire, Ice, Electric, Fighting, Ghost, and Normal moves. 

Eternatus (Poison/Dragon)

With a fairly unique typing and super high CP stats, Eternatus is an excellent choice. It can learn fewer moves than Mewtwo with only Fire, Poison, and Dragon moves, but both Dragon and Poison moves get a boost thanks to its typing. 

Groudon (Ground/Fire)

Groudon has good moves in its moveset, with Ground and Fire-type moves getting a boost. It also has very high stats and can be mega-evolved into Primal Groudon to dish out even more damage. 

Zekrom (Dragon/Electric)

This choice is at its best when paired with Dragon and Electric moves and can do serious damage thanks to its high attack stat. For a more defensive playstyle, put Charge Beam and Outrage into its moves to offer some versatility. 

Best non-legendary Pokémon in Pokémon Go

Slaking (Normal)

Slaking is a bit of an anomaly, having one of the very highest max CPs in the entire game. Being a Normal type, and therefore only weak to one type and not super effective against any, it can be a bit of a shakeup in a PVP team and might take the enemy by surprise. Yawn, its quick attack, generates energy, and Hyper Beam, its heavy attack, can take out enemies in a single brutal move. Slaking can also be mega evolved for more power.

Garchomp (Dragon/Ground) 

As you might expect from such a popular Pokémon, Garchomp is naturally a very good choice for any team thanks to high stats, and some great moves. It can take a while to get as it takes 125 candies and is pretty rare but it’s worth that effort for such a powerful choice. 

Tyranitar (Rock/Dark)

Tyranitar is the closest you get to a Dragon-type Pokémon without actually having the Dragon typing. It looks like Godzilla, has huge stats, and can even mega evolve to do more damage. If you need Rock and Dark moves in your team, this is the best choice out there. 

Metagross (Steel/Psychic) 

Metagross’ unique typing gives it a nice moveset and it has both very high attack and defense stats, allowing it to stay alive for longer than most Pokémon. We recommend pairing it with Bullet Punch or Zen Headbutt, as well as Meteor Mash, though Earthquake is also a solid choice. Like some of our previous choices, this too can mega evolve. 

With a grouping of these choices, you should be able to beat any raid, conquer any gym, and take on any friend. 

As you start to reach the higher levels, the Pokémon Go level requirements can be a real pain to reach. However, they allow you to catch even more powerful Pokémon and give you the ultimate bragging rights. If you’re playing the game anyway, it’s worth eventually completing them. 

Once you start getting to the high 30s and low 40s, it’s worth planning ahead by stockpiling your eggs, holding onto incense, and not using up all your berries. If you’re looking for the level requirements to get through them a little quicker, here’s how to get all the way up to level 50. 

What are the Pokémon Go level requirements?

Level 41-50 Requirements Graphic from r/TheSilphRoad

Up to level 40, you simply need to collect EXP from activities to level up. You will need an awful lot though, with level 39 taking five million EXP to get there. It could take you months, though it will take a little less time once you learn how to level up the fastest. 

From level 40 onwards, not only do you have to earn an absurd amount of EXP but you have to complete challenges too. Here are all the challenges from level 40 to level 50. Any requirements that use medals will work retroactively and the rest have to be completed while you have the challenge. The members of a Pokémon Go subreddit have put together a nice infographic that you can click on above but, if you can’t see it, here are the level requirements:

Level 41

• Power up Legendary Pokémon 20 times
• Win 30 raids
• Catch 200 Pokémon in a single day
• Earn 5 gold medal

Level 42

• Evolve Eevee into each of its unique Evolutions
• Use items to evolve Pokémon 15 times
• Make 3 excellent throws
• Use 200 berries to help catch Pokémon

Level 43

• Earn 100,000 Stardust
• Use 200 supereffective Charged Attacks
• Catch 5 Legendary Pokémon
• Earn 5 platinum medals

Level 44

• Win 30 battles in the Great League
• Win 30 battles in the Ultra League
• Win 30 battles in the Master League
• Battle in the Go Battle League 20 times

level 45

• Defeat 100 Team Go Rocket Grunts
• Purify 100 Shadow Pokémon
• Defeat a Team Go Rocket Leader 50 times
• Earn 10 platinum medals

Level 46

• Complete 100 Field Research tasks
• Take a snapshot of Pokémon 7 days in a row
• Make 50 excellent throws
• Hatch 30 eggs

Level 47

• Win 30 raids using a team of all unique Pokémon species
• Win a three-star raid using only Pokémon with 1,500 CP or less
• Power up 3 Pokémon to their max CP
• Earn 20 platinum medals

Level 48

• Receive 10 Souvenirs from your buddy
• Earn 300 hearts with your buddy
• Walk 200 km with your buddy
• Walk 25 km in a week 8 times

Level 49

• Make 10 trades with Pokémon caught at least 300 km apart
• Obtain 50 Lucky Pokémon in trades
• Send 500 Gifts to friends
• Earn 35 platinum medals

Level 50

• Make 999 excellent throws
• Catch one of the next five Legendary Pokémon you encounter
• Defeat a Team Go Rocket Leader 3 times using only Pokémon with 2,500 CP or less
• Achieve rank 10 in the Go Battle League

Why you should take the time to get past level 40 in Pokémon Go

Not only do you get level rewards every level but getting to the game’s highest levels bumps up the CP on each Pokémon. This means, that if you want the strongest version of the strongest Pokémon in the game, you need to put in the time to increase your level. 

A solid charger is a dime a dozen nowadays so, for one to stand out, it either needs to have some central gimmick or needs to do everything you need just a bit better than its competition. With the Anker MagGo 3 Wireless Charging Station, Anker has gone for the second choice and mostly pulled it off. 

If you’re sick of picking up cheap options that break in less than a year, or want to start out with something with real quality, the device I’ve been testing for the past few weeks is the perfect answer. 

Anker MagGo 3 in 1: Price and availability

The Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Stand is currently available for $99.99 on Amazon and the Anker site, though you can get a 25% off coupon if you buy through Amazon, and you can get super fast delivery with Amazon Prime so this is how I’d recommend picking it up. 

In my time using the charging stand, I haven’t seen any stock issues and it always seems to suggest a fast delivery window so you should have no problem getting your hands on it.  We’re a big fan of Anker here at iMore and have never had any problems when it comes to shipping.

Anker MagGo 3 in 1: What I love

The first thing I noticed when I plugged this in was how sturdy it was. On an office desk setup, there’s never too much worry of it falling and smashing but the strength and quality of its design means I can throw it in my backpack and ensure it won’t snap off easily. With its Qi2-certified 15W wireless charger, my iPhone 15 Pro Max, the best iPhone right now, charges almost as quickly as a traditional cable charger, and the magnetic pull is super strong, ensuring it never falls off. This means it is a great choice for both watching videos in the background or accessing StandBy Mode to constantly display the time. 

Being a 3-in-1 charger at a decent price, with its own plug and cable, it is a super versatile choice for any room that can charge your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at the same time. Despite being my main charger for a few weeks, I never noticed an inordinate amount of heat from charging any of my devices. 

As well as all of this, with a clean black and white aesthetic, it is noticeable on the desk but doesn’t draw the eye away from the entire setup. It’s neutral enough to fit in and striking enough to look quite nice. 

Anker MagGo 3 in 1: What I don't love

The biggest thing I wished for when using this over the last few weeks was a little more versatility with the specific angle my iPhone sits at. Thanks to the sturdiness of the device, it has very little wiggle room and this means having to sit at a certain angle or not using a standing desk if I want to keep an eye on the charging devices. A little bit of a swivel on just the top wireless charger could make this a nicer device to use. 

As well as this, the Anker foldable MagGo wireless charger does almost everything this does, except it can also be folded away for easy use on the go. This charger is very rigid and sturdy, which is great, but is a little less easy to use in a pinch. It can still travel with you but it requires a bit more effort to set up, and takes up more room when you do. 

Anker MagGo 3 in 1: Competition

As mentioned above, the foldable Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station is an excellent choice that’s just $10 more and comes with the same charging speed. The MagGo 3 is a better dedicated charging stand thanks to its stability but less good on the go. The Nomad Stand One Max is also a very nice charger but, at $80, the Anker is a much better choice. 

The Anker 3-in-1 Cube was one of our favorite chargers and, at almost $50 more, it’s worth considering for its excellent design and retractable Apple Watch charger. 

Should you buy the Anker MagGo 3 in 1 charging stand?

You should buy this if…

• You want a sturdy charger
• You need to charge multiple devices
• You’re looking for the perfect office setup

You shouldn’t buy this if…

• You use a standing desk
• You plan on traveling a lot

Anker MagGo 3 in 1: Verdict

The Anker Mag Go 3 in 1 wireless charging stand looks great on a desk, charges devices super quickly, and feels super sturdy. Though a little bit of rigidity in the position of the wireless charger lets it down on standing desks, it makes up for it in use. 

The latest batch of iPads are pretty incredible mobile devices but one recent report suggests it’s even better for gaming than we once thought.

The team over at Digital Foundry is responsible for some of the best in-depth technical research in the games industry. From the latest graphics cards to the biggest console releases, it is one of the leading authorities when it comes to technical tests and research. 

Digital Foundry’s latest report calls the best iPad right now an “extremely finely engineered, ultra-premium device with some of the best mobile hardware on the market.” 

Starting with the bad

Before getting into the gaming performance, Digital Foundry tries using the iPad Pro for its productivity capabilities. In the report above, it says that, though the M4 iPad Pro has tonnes of power, its OS and software limitations don’t make it as capable a productivity device as a standard laptop. 

Digital Foundry writer Oliver Mackenzie says that Stage Manager “doesn’t feel fully baked” and claims it is poorly integrated. In our iPad Pro review, we echo this sentiment, saying “iPadOS is simply frustrating to use when attempting to do any significant multitasking work, and Stage Manager remains at the heart of this frustration.”

Onto the good

Matching my own thoughts on the Assassin’s Creed Mirage iPhone 15 Pro port, the above report claims it performs poorly, regularly dropping below 20 frames. However, “on the M4 iPad Pro, these issues are totally resolved.” It continues “The experience is just vastly improved, to the point where Mirage feels quite comfortable on iPad hardware.”

With other big hitters like Resident Evil 4 and Death Stranding, both games are locked at 30 fps, with very stable performance. When comparing the device to console experiences, the report says “It's not going to replace a PS5 or Series X, but it is capable of a decent experience in last-generation console games.”

Though the iPad Pro M4 more or less requires you to be a dedicated Apple user to get the most out of it, thanks to its OS and the Apple ecosystem, the M4 range of iPad Pros offers a great gaming experience, Digital Foundry’s report shows. 

If you’ve been wanting a good mobile gaming device, and are unconvinced by the power of the best iPhones, the latest iPad Pro may just be the one for you. 

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When you think of high-end gaming, Apple isn’t often a name that comes to mind, but the company is trying to change that. Apple is swiftly trying to upgrade its gaming offerings to make them more appealing to gamers and developers. In order for this push to work, it’ll need to impress both. 

Now that it solved the performance limitations on the Mac — Intel and AMD’s stalled performance in the prior decade nixed any shot Apple had at providing a great gaming product — Apple will be in control of its own destiny. iPhones, iPads, and Macs all run on Apple silicon, and each device is a category-leader in performance. Apple built it, but will gamers come? 

This newfound appreciation for gaming can be traced back to when Apple gave recent generations of the Apple TV 4K enough power to play light games. Then, it launched Apple Arcade, a subscription service for lightweight and ad-free games that could be played on basically anything Apple-branded, from an iPhone to an Apple TV to a Mac. More recently, Apple added Game Mode to macOS Sonoma and created the Game Porting Toolkit for developers to help them easily port Windows games to the Mac. 

Apple seemed to double-down on its gaming effort at the end of last year, when it announced that Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Death Stranding, Resident Evil 4, and Resident Evil Village would be coming to its platforms. In a first, the iPhone 15 Pro powered by its A17 Pro chip would be able to play these flagship games. However, their eventual launches felt anticlimactic. 

Whether the cause was the limited number of devices that could actually support the AAA games or their high prices, the result was a lack of consumer interest in high-end gaming on iPhones, iPads, and Macs. According to June data from Appfigures, fewer than 3,000 gamers bought Assassin’s Creed Mirage on iPhone for $50. An estimated total of 123,000 people download the game, but only a small fraction actually unlocked the full title with a purchase. It’s a similar story for the other AAA games on the App Store, by all accounts.

No matter how you look at it, the numbers don’t point to Apple silicon gaming being anything other than a flop in 2024. This might make you think, like many of Apple’s gaming initiatives in the past, that the advent of AAA gaming on iPhones, iPads, and Macs will be short-lived. While it’s certainly possible that game developers bail on Apple platforms, there’s a massive incentive for them to stick around — and it has everything to do with what the company calls the unified gaming platform.

What is the unified gaming platform, and why does it matter?

I first heard the term "unified gaming platform" at a gaming showcase with Apple in New York City, and it’s crucial to understanding the company’s pitch for AAA game development. The idea is simply that iOS, iPadOS, and macOS are not separate platforms. Instead, they are one. Developers can port their games to macOS, and by extension, quickly and easily make them available on iOS or iPadOS as well. 

Game studios can’t develop for every device or platform; there are quite a few factors that determine whether a developer ports its games to one platform or another. Performance and power are a consideration, but Apple has that covered with the A17 Pro and M-series chips. Arguably the more important consideration is whether there is enough demand and consumer base to make the port worthwhile. Apple platforms have never been a significant home for gaming, outside of basic mobile games.

So, Apple doesn’t really check the demand box. But it does fulfill the consumer base requirement, as there are more than a billion active devices across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Still, those platforms are considered emerging as far as gaming is concerned, and there’s a risk for developers to put time and money into porting games to emerging platforms. To make it worth their while, Apple needed to make it easy and worthwhile to port games to the unified gaming platform.

The easy part comes with the release of the Game Porting Toolkit 2.0 (GPTK2), as it now supports Windows games that use the DirectX and AVX2 instruction sets. Developers can take their Windows games, and port it to macOS using the GPTK2 without having to rebuild the title from the ground up. Then, developers can take that macOS port and port it to iOS or iPadOS again. The end result is a AAA game made for Windows running on an iPhone, iPad, and Mac with minimal effort.

I saw the new Game Porting Toolkit 2.0 in action, running in tandem with Crossover, a compatibility layer that leverages the GPTK2 foundation to help Windows games run on macOS with little to no manual action required. Now that GPTK2 supports DirectX, AVX2, and ray tracing, people will be able to run more Windows games than ever using software like Crossover or Whisky. If it’s easy for end users to run Windows games on their Macs, imagine how easy it’s going to be for developers to port games to macOS — and by extension, the unified gaming platform.

It’s not only easy, but also worthwhile for developers to port games to the unified gaming platform. We talk about this platform representing over a billion active devices, and here’s some perspective: Microsoft has sold less than 30 million Series S | X consoles and Sony has sold less than 60 million PlayStation 5 consoles as of May 2024 estimations. There are plenty of Windows PCs out there, but a much smaller number are capable of running the latest AAA games.

In the past, developers would’ve needed to develop for Android, console, and PC to get the kind of reach Apple is offering with the unified gaming platform. Combined, iOS, iPadOS, and macOS make up one of the biggest and most lucrative gaming platforms on the planet. The question is whether all this promise pays off for developers in the end, and whether they’ll stick around long enough to find out.

Will high-end gaming on Apple platforms stick?

The unified gaming platform is in its infancy. The number of devices that can run AAA games today is actually quite small compared to the billion-plus active Apple devices that are in the wild. However, as people upgrade their iPhones, iPads, and Macs, that number will only grow. 

Developers would be smart to stick around, and people in the Apple ecosystem would be smart to buy in. With games supporting universal purchase and Ubisoft Connect, a buyer can pay for a game once, start it on an iPhone, pick up right where they left off on an iPad, and finish things on a Mac. That’s the pitch of the unified gaming platform, and I think it’ll catch on. 

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You need a Metal Coat to evolve two Pokémon in Pokémon Go and, though it may take you a while to get both of them, it is worth it. Used for Pokémon that get the Steel type added during evolution, this not only makes them much tougher via evolving but gives them access to new move types. 

Unfortunately, as it's an evolution item, you will be heavily reliant on RNG, though there’s one thing you can do to up your chances of getting your item. Here’s how to get Metal Coat in Pokémon Go and what to do once you’ve finally found one. 

How to get Metal Coat in Pokémon Go 

You have a 1% chance of getting an evolution item each time you spin a Pokéstop. As you can get any of the six evolution items each time, this means you have significantly less than a 1% chance of getting Metal Coat with every spin. However, there’s a more consistent method. 

Pokémon Go has a daily quest system, where you can unlock new quests by spinning Pokéstops. If you don’t like the quests you have been given, you can get rid of them and unlock more from fresh Pokéstops. Each new day that you do a quest gives you a stamp and, when you collect 7 stamps, you get a guaranteed evolution item. The following items can drop from this method: 

• Dragon scale
• King’s Rock
• Metal Coat
• Sinnoh Stone
• Sun Stone
• Unova Stone
• Upgrade

Which Pokémon evolve with Metal Coat in Pokémon Go?

As of right now, there are two Pokémon in Pokémon Go that evolve using Metal Coat. The first is Scyther, which evolves into Scizor with Metal Coat and 50 Scyther Candy. With a max CP of just shy of 3000, high attack stats, and a combination of Flying, Steel, Dark, Bug, and Normal moves, this can be a powerhouse on the right team. 

Next up is Onix, which evolves into Steelix with Metal Coat and 50 Onix candy. Capable of learning Electric, Steel, Dark, Ground, and even Psychic type moves, this is a solid Pokémon with decent stats to boot. 

Apple Arcade developers claim that working with the company to put their games on its subscription platform is akin to being in an “abusive relationship,” with developers suffering at the hands of poor tech support, bad communication, and late payments. 

The revelations come by way of a new report from Mobilegamer.biz’s Neil Long, who revealed this week that despite good money, “many” developers are unhappy with their treatment at the hands of Apple. 

Grievances listed by sources include studios waiting up to six months to get paid, with one indie dev nearly going out of business as a result. 

There were also woes reported when it comes to communication and support. 

“The Apple Arcade team do not respond to routine emails for weeks or even months if they respond at all,” the report states. One developer involved in a “semi-regular” meeting with Apple said, “half the Apple team won’t turn up and when they do they have no idea what’s going on and can’t answer our questions.” Another described Apple’s tech support as “miserable” and “the worst I have ever seen anywhere.” 

Apple Arcade agony 

Apple Vision Pro got a kicking too. Developers bemoaned that the spatial computing headset struggles with “complex games” and said developing for the platform is “like going back in time 10 years” because of a lack of tech support. 

“Apple engineers are ‘unable to offer any insights’ into how Vision Pro’s hardware or software works, or ‘how essential middleware is meant to work with it,’” the report states. 

Another developer claimed that the discoverability of games on Apple Arcade was “like their game “was in a morgue’.” Finally, one quoted developer likened working with Apple to being in an “abusive relationship.”

The experiences, while certainly eye-brow-raising, don’t seem to be universal. According to the report “most developers” thought Apple paid developers well “particularly in the first few years of Arcade,” especially early on in a title’s life cycle. One said that it was now a “very difficult and long process to sign a deal with Apple” and lamented the “the lack of vision and clear focus of the platform.” 

While one developer said the advances on their game were “fantastic” and “off the charts compared to what we’re used to being paid,” they noted that payments had gone from being prompt to “a five-month backlog.” 

The report contains expanded insight from some of these developers venting their frustrations, but was summed up by one developer who said it feels as though Apple “treat developers as a necessary evil.” 

Launched in 2019, Apple Arcade is the company’s gaming subscription service available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, as well as Apple Vision Pro. For a small monthly fee (or as part of the Apple One bundle) gamers can get access to a wealth of titles including popular games like Temple Run and Stardew Valley. It’s pretty excellent value for customers, but clearly some developers don’t feel like they’re getting much out of the platform.

Apple faces growing pressure from other burgeoning game subscription offerings, perhaps most notably Netflix, which offers games to subscribers at no extra cost. It recently added one of the best puzzle games of the year, and includes other great titles including the Grand Theft Auto series. 

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Netflix is once again bringing the mobile gaming fight to Apple and the Apple Arcade service with a healthy dose of new additions to its Netflix games library.

Headlining a batch of five new games now available on the service is the critically acclaimed Arranger. A “role-puzzling” game, brain teasers are pushed to the fore of this Zelda-like adventure. 

It’s been praised for its innovative gameplay mechanics — as your adventurer moves through the tile-built world, those tiles move around them, and you’ll have to use the different properties of the shifting tiles to progress through the game’s dungeons.

It’s joined by action role-playing game The Dragon Prince: Xadia, based on the Netflix animated series The Dragon Prince, offering co-op anime-styled dungeon crawling.

The humorosly titled Sports Sports gives the game away with its name — it’s all about sports and is a pixel art track-and-field game with 12 events to take place in, well timed for the Paris Olympics taking place right now. It’s got three-player local co-op to let you challenge your mates with.

Rounding out the five new additions are Minesweeper — a travel-themed glow-up of the classic grid-based puzzler — and Too Hot to Handle 3, a dating game based on the horny Netflix show of the same name.

More to come

Though it’s not available today, there’s one more game waiting in the wings — August 15 will see the arrival of Netflix Stores: Emily in Paris. It’s a romantically-tinged interactive story that mirrors the events of the Emily in Paris TV show.

All the games are available on iOS devices and Android phones, and are available for free with a Netflix subscription.

Netflix has taken a really aggressive approach to carving out a gaming market share in the past year, with more than 100 games now available as part of the service. It’s got a great balance of ‘core’ gaming titles — big action hits such as the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy and Hades, strategy titles like Into The Breach, and beat-em-ups like Turtles Shredder’s Revenge — and more casual tabletop, card and puzzle games. That they’re thrown in for free on top of a Netflix subscription only sweetens the deal — and makes the $6.99 Apple Arcade subscription start to feel a bit pricey.

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I literally play Apple Arcade for a living. From this column to being iMore’s gaming expert, I need to make sure I know what is going on with Apple gaming every week. Part of that is playing the latest Arcade releases, to see if they’re worth talking about here at Pips and Pixels. Though it’s almost always easy to recommend a game or two every week, I can’t help but stare over with envy at every other gaming subscription on the market, in the hopes we get something similar. 

Amazingly, just last week, I even grew jealous of Netflix’s new commitment to its own Stories games with over 80 games in development. This isn’t even an independent subscription — you get Netflix games with a Netflix paid account. Though I can’t imagine I’ll be playing the next Love is Blind Choose Your Own Adventure, the clearly choreographed commitment given to fans of the show is great, and something Apple could benefit from watching. I want to know something is in the works, and here’s how I think Apple should do it. 

What Apple Arcade could do next to justify that subscription cost

Resident Evil Village, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Death Stranding. Though I wasn’t a huge fan of Mirage’s performance, there’s an undeniable effort being put into making AAA games run on iPhone 15 Pro, yet nothing on Apple Arcade takes advantage of it. You could make the argument that Apple doesn’t want to alienate its own user base by paying for games that some owners can’t even run, but then Apple Vision Pro has exclusive titles on the platform like What the Golf? and Game Room. 

Apple Arcade increased from $5.99 to $6.99 at the latter half of last year and, while I still like the service, I don’t feel like the rise in quality games has really matched that increase. We recently saw some excellent titles like Dicey Dungeons and Vampire Survivors but no big hitters like you find in PlayStation or Microsoft’s offering. These are, of course, quite different markets but even Amazon Luna Plus, which is only a few dollars a month, offers a wider, more impressive catalogue of games. 

It might be a bit of a long shot but Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which has already been extensively showcased on Apple devices, would make me feel like my monthly subscription is worth that price and would leave me quite content for a few months at that cost. It doesn't even necessarily need to be new games to make Apple Arcade feel like a more complete service. If Resident Evil Village or Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal made its way to the service, it would help round out a subscription that is already packed to the brims with more casual titles. 

It is likely, looking at the most popular titles right now, that Apple gamers just haven’t really spent much time digging into the less casual titles on the service. In the “Top Arcade Games” section of Apple Arcade, the top five are made up of Football Manager, Solitaire, Crossword Jam, Outlanders 2, Snake.io, and Bloons TD 6. These are good in their own right but don’t take time to fully get into and can be effectively played in five-minute intervals if that’s all you have. Though this makes some sense given the portability of the best iPhones, iPads and Macs are a slightly more stationary affair so it’s a shame we don’t see some of the service’s more complicated games in there. Ultimately though, this is a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Unless Apple starts to launch bigger and more “AAA” like experiences on the platform, we won’t see their potential popularity on the service. 

Fundamentally, as Apple’s pricing structure starts to approach the cost of the more “hardcore” gaming services, it needs to pick up those bigger titles or exclusives to match. I haven’t seen a justification for that price increase yet. 

Calendar: July's Big Game Releases

• Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure is a Mac-compatible adventure game that just launched on Steam. In it, the entire world is set on a tile that moves as you do. It's a puzzle game with a fantasy aesthetic, where you have to manipulate items like in 2048 or threes to beat enemies. 

Level Up — Gaming accessories on our radar

The best Macs need a good mechanical keyboard to get the most out of them. For both gaming and working, I’ve found a nice sturdy low profile keyboard is a good choice, as it is easy to type on for hours at a time, and tends to not take up too much space on a desk. If it can have a unique aesthetic, all the better. 

Hitting the Arcade — What to play on Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade is filled with tons of exclusive experiences and fantastic games. However, with so many out there, it can be hard to decide what to play. Here’s what I've been testing out this week:

Grindstone has been on Apple Arcade for years now, being a launch title for the service, yet I’ve only recently had the chance to properly dig into it. It takes the most moreish elements of a match-three game and infuses it with enough charm to stand out five years later. Playing an adventurer, you have to connect enemies of the same color in a small box to make high combos. With a big enough combo, a grindstone appears, which allows you to swap between colors in a combo. If you plan out your moves right, you can stack up huge combos… and suddenly two hours have passed. This is a perfect winddown game just before bed. 

Have you played any great games this week or seen some interesting Apple gaming news we've missed? Let us know in the comments!

Getting a Dragon Scale in Pokémon Go is the only way to evolve one of the game’s best Water Pokémon, and it can give you access to Dragon-type moves before you actually catch yourself a good dragon. Unfortunately, with it being an evolution item, you need some luck, or a decent bit of time to get one for yourself. 

If you’ve been searching high and low for a Dragon Scale and just can’t seem to grab one, here’s everything you need to know about the elusive item. 

How to get Dragon Scale in Pokémon Go

Like many other evolution items in Pokémon Go, you can get the Dragon Scale from Pokéstops and Gyms if you are very lucky. With just a 1% chance of getting it though, you are better off trying via the daily task system. Every day, you can complete challenges. These challenges are unlocked by spinning Pokéstops and can be discarded for new ones if you don’t like them. If you do one every day, you unlock a stamp. After a week of collecting stamps, you get an Exp bonus and some special items. One of these items will be an evolution item. 

The following are the evolution items you can get from these weekly rewards: 

• Dragon scale
• King’s Rock
• Metal Coat
• Sinnoh Stone
• Sun Stone
• Unova Stone
• Upgrade

This means you have a 1 in 7 chance of getting the Dragon Scale on your first attempt but, if you spin enough Pokéstops and do enough challenges, you will get a Dragon Scale eventually. 

Which Pokémon evolve with Dragon Scale in Pokémon Go?

As of right now, only one Pokémon in Pokémon Go evolves using a Dragon Scale: Seadra. This Water-type Pokémon evolves from Horsea with 25 Horsea candy, and then from Seadra into Kingdra with 100 Horsea candy and the Dragon Scale. With a max CP of mid-2000, with even extra during a weather boost, and a Dragon/Water type pairing, this is a solid Pokémon with decent stats and a good move set. If you need some Dragon moves and see yourself combatting something with Fire too, this is an excellent pairing, and deserving of a spot in almost any team. 

After game developer Epic Games announced that Fortnite will be coming to iPhone and iPad later this year, the company has followed this up with plans to bring the game to multiple third-party stores for EU users, including AltStore.

In a short blog post on July 25, Epic Games announced more details. “Fortnite will be returning to iOS in the European Union soon, and the Epic Games Store will be coming to Android worldwide and iOS in the European Union bringing all developers great terms: a store fee of 12% for payments we process, and 0% on third party payments.” In a surprising twist, Epic also announced that Fortnite will be available on AltStore, another third-party app store. “Our mobile games will come to AltStore on iOS in the EU, and we expect to announce support for at least two other third-party stores soon.”

AltStore, created by developer Riley Testut of Delta emulator fame, is a third-party store that launched in April for EU users. On Mastodon, Testut confirmed the news, saying that there’ll be more to share soon. iMore has since reached out to him for additional comment.

Fortnite was removed from the App Store in August 2020 after Epic Games added a payment method that circumvented Apple’s own. This was announced as part of the 'Fortnite Mega Drop', which was a 20% reduction on all of its purchases across all platforms that Fortnite was available on, which also introduced a new Epic direct payment feature for iOS. Shortly after, Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store in response to this violation of its payment method policies.

With Apple approving Epic’s Games Store for iOS earlier this month, EU users may soon be able to finally play Fortnite again on the best iPhones and iPads.

A refreshingly selfless act

Since Apple announced plans for third-party stores for EU users in January, many wondered what Epic Games would do. This announcement followed months of advocating for it from Epic’s CEO, Tim Sweeney, who had been pushing for changes like these from Apple on X with numerous tweets.

Although Apple approved Epic’s Games Store for iOS, the company didn’t specify whether Fortnite would be available through its own third-party store or others. Now we know.

It’s surprising that Epic is offering Fortnite to other stores like AltStore, because it doesn’t need to. Epic Games is a huge company, which was established in 1991 and is responsible for creating the Unreal Engine. This set of tools has powered countless games since the mid-90s, such as Unreal Tournament, Gears of War, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and many more.

Epic could have simply made Fortnite available on its own Games Store for iOS and left it at that. Instead, third-party stores like AltStore will be able to host Fortnite with terms that developers have been hoping to see from Apple for years. This move only showcases great confidence in third-party stores and could inspire other developers to bring their games to Epic and AltStore in the coming months and years.

More from iMore

• The first iPhone torrenting apps are now available, but you'll need to live in the EU to install them
• Here's your first look at installing apps in the EU on iPhone without the App Store
• Play the best Delta emulator games on your iPhone and iPad with these 12 picks

Despite the rough state that Resident Evil 4 Remake appears on my iPhone 15 Pro Max, it’s still a fantastic time. The same feeling applies when I switch to my Mac or iPad to continue my progress. Yet there’s one Apple device that’s starting to stick out like a sore thumb.

Yes, it’s the Apple TV 4K, the company’s set-top box that’s meant to sit aside your television so you can watch the best Apple TV Plus shows, play the best Apple Arcade games, and more. I do exactly this, as well as using the great feature that lets me FaceTime my wife on the TV using my iPhone’s camera when she’s away.

It is a great device, yet the more I play games like Resident Evil and Death Stranding on my iPhone, the more puzzled I become as to why I can’t carry on my progress on my Apple TV. You might think, “Why not just use AirPlay mirroring to send your iPhone or Mac’s display to your Apple TV?” This is something I’ve done, and it doesn’t work well. The Apple TV gets confused with my Mac’s resolution, especially when a game launches and forcibly changes the resolution, making everything dim and pixelated. Essentially, it’s a hassle.

It’s clear to me that it’s high time for Apple to release a new Apple TV that focuses on games being offered by developers like Capcom and Kojima Productions. This way, I can play these AAA games in my living room, just like millions of gamers do with their Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox consoles.

The Ghost of Pippin

If you’ve been an Apple fan in the last few decades, you may remember the company’s efforts in the early 90s when it tried to enter the gaming market with its own console, called the Pippin.

This gaming console looked like the result of a special hug between the Sony PlayStation and SEGA Saturn consoles. A white box with many buttons on the top, its controller was wireless — innovative for its time but was awkward to hold, due to it resembling a boomerang. This design wasn’t too dissimilar from Sony’s prototype controller for its PlayStation 3 console almost ten years later, which was quickly scrapped.

Apple partnered with Bandai, a Japanese toy manufacturer, to help build the console. It was eventually made available in Japan in March 1996, followed by a release in the U.S. market in October 1996, priced at $599.

The games made available for the Pippin were, unremarkable. The library mostly consisted of titles from Bandai that focused more on educational subjects like Math and English. Safe to say, the console failed in 1996.

Why am I mentioning this, you say? Because Apple has never taken games as seriously as it does now. The company’s efforts with Game Porting Kit, which allows developers to easily port games to Apple devices, has opened up how modern games can run on Macs. In addition, features like ray-tracing debuting on the A17 and M4 Apple silicon chips have highlighted Apple’s new commitment to gaming. After so long, the pieces seem to be in place for a new Apple TV to make a huge impact on the company’s gaming efforts.

What can a new Apple TV offer?

The current Apple TV has been out for two years now, which is enough time for an upgrade. Not only could a new model include a powerful M4 chip but also offer exclusive features, to take advantage of the fact that it’s always plugged into a wall socket instead of running on a battery.

This constant power source could allow for an M4 chip with a faster clock speed, without worrying about a battery being drained. Additionally, there’s also the factor of games needing to run at higher resolutions than they do on the best iPhones, iPads, Macs. Most televisions display in a 4K resolution (3840x2160). If we take the display resolution of a MacBook Pro 16-inch at 3456x2234, that’s almost 4K. Yet most games render at a far lower 1920x1080 resolution. Metal, Apple’s gaming framework, upscales and renders the game with MetalFX, resulting in a clearer image on Mac displays.

In order to fully take advantage of 4K televisions, Apple may need to introduce a new version of MetalFX that can upscale games to a 4K resolution. In my opinion, this is crucial, because users could easily switch on their PlayStation 5 console and play Resident Evil 4 at 4K with a 120FPS framerate.

Because of this, Apple must ensure that they’re offering the best gaming experience on a new Apple TV model by rendering games at a native 4K resolution as standard.

Apple TV can right the wrongs of Pippin

When I look at the Apple Siri Remote and what tvOS offers, I’m happy. There are no glaring omissions that need fixing or adding to Apple TV. For me, the next step is games. It’s time for Apple to take gaming seriously, more than it ever has before.

Apple failed with the Pippin in the 90s, but now there’s a great opportunity. The Apple TV can sit beside other gaming consoles in the living room and let you play Death Stranding, and soon, Resident Evil 2 in the best quality. Make it happen Apple.

Netflix has just revealed some interesting plans for its gaming division that enunciates what makes it different from Apple Arcade — and what Apple could learn from it. 

As reported by gaming website Eurogamer, Netflix has 80 games in development, with one to be added every month to Netflix’s Stories section. It is unclear right now how many of these games are unrelated to the Stories section. 

That Stories name is a new type of game for Netflix, focused on interactive decisions and storytelling. Much closer to the likes of a visual novel in scope, they are smaller projects where players make choices and watch a story unfold in front of them. They all tie into existing Netflix projects like Love is Blind, Perfect Match, and Virgin River. 

In the FQ2 2024 earnings call, Co-CEO Gregory Peters, said “We're refining our program to do more of what is working with the 80-plus games that we currently have in development. And one of those things that really is working is connecting our members with games based on specific Netflix IP that they love.”

How does this differ from Apple Arcade? 

There are two central ways Netflix’s new plan differs from Apple Arcade’s business model. The first is Netflix’s relation to supplemental material. You don’t need a subscription to Apple TV Plus and don’t need to have seen the best shows on Apple TV Plus to play the best Apple Arcade games. However, this is mostly the case in Netflix’s games division. Fundamentally, it is additive to the movie and TV subscription service, and not its own separate service. There are some great games like Dead Cells but most of the games are so casual as to not require a huge investment of time or are directly related to the most popular shows. 

Secondly, Netflix’s original release schedule seems incredibly consistent. As well as getting other games occasionally, the plan for the foreseeable future is to launch a Netflix Stories game at least once a month. 

I have many problems with Netflix’s business model (as I articulated earlier this week) but this consistency is pretty great, and something Apple Arcade could benefit from. Apple Arcade subscribers tend to get 1-3 games at the start of every month but they are inconsistent in genres and many of them aren’t original or exclusive to the service. Someone who likes Netflix Stories will always get something to play, which can’t be played anywhere else. With Apple Arcade, you are often left playing “new games” which are essentially older games revamped, like the recently released Tomb of the Mask+. 

However, I don’t want an Apple Arcade Stories division. I’m not looking to play a choose-your-own-adventure Ted Lasso game (though there are worse candidates). I like that Apple Arcade games stand on their own two feet, I just wish they were more consistent in the process. 

The iPhone 15 Pro Max, the best iPhone right now and my favorite mobile gaming device, is fast approaching its 1st birthday. In that time, a handful of very big titles have been released and it has started to get more support as a gaming platform. However, Assassin’s Creed Mirage performed pretty poorly for me and I would like to see a bigger gaming commitment to the iPhone as a gaming platform from mainstream publishers.

The A17 Pro chip is capable of hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which leaves room for some very impressive gaming in the future but much of the developments that need to be made are on the software end. Luckily, the iPhone 16, expected to launch later this year, is set to come with improved hardware and software. With this in mind, here’s how I think the next iPhone could make mobile gaming better. 

How mobile gaming could get better with iPhone 16

The iPhone 16 is reportedly skipping the A17 chip, which was previously expected to be in the device, and will instead jump straight to the A18. This will allow the regular iPhone and Pro models to share the same basic chipset going forward. Not only does this unify the language around chips but the jump can help cement the iPhone’s use with Apple Intelligence, the company’s set of AI features that will be coming to iOS 18. From what we know so far, Apple Intelligence is unlikely to affect how gaming is powered, though the better chip will certainly come in handy for AI tasks. 

Staying on the hardware side, the iPhone 16 is expected to get a memory upgrade of 8GB of RAM which, compared to the 6GB featured in iPhone 15, should help make the device even more capable when it comes to gaming. As well as this, if the iPhone 16 gets a minimum storage bump (like the iPhone 15 Pro did), this won’t help run games any better but will make downloading them a much more pleasant experience.

Though these hardware upgrades are sure to slightly improve gaming in regards to graphical capabilities it’s the software upgrades I’m looking forward to. Following on from the Game Mode feature for Mac that was launched in macOS Sonoma, iOS 18 is introducing Game Mode for iPhone. This will minimize background activity, allowing the device to utilize the hardware for higher framerates and more consistent gameplay. This will also allow for lower latency connections for  Bluetooth controllers and AirPods when playing music. If you own an iPhone 13, 14, or 15, you will still benefit from this new mode in iOS 18.

If you want a more immersive gaming experience, iOS 18 also launches with personalized Spatial Audio, allowing games to implement audio in more natural ways. If you have a compatible audio source, such as AirPods Pro 2, this will make all that sound feel more dynamic and three-dimensional.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the iPhone 16 is something that has already been launched. The A18 chip and better RAM can further unify the next iPhone line, making Game Porting Toolkit’s mobile porting tool easier to use for developers. Game Porting Tool Kit, as the name implies, is a framework that helps developers port games to Apple devices.

GPTK2, which launched during WWDC this year, added support for iPad and iPhone devices. As more users will be able to buy cheaper iPhones in the future which will surely include A17 chips capable of hardware-accelerated ray tracing and above, it will become far easier for more games to be ported for gamers. The iPhone 15 Pro line has been Apple’s biggest push into mobile gaming for some time, and the refining of that push with the iPhone 16 makes it an even more viable gaming machine.

Calendar: July's Big Game Releases

• Though it doesn't run natively on Mac, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is getting very strong reviews like 4.5 out of 5 from our friends over at TechRadar. In their review, they said it is "a beautiful adventure that transcends genres for a highly memorable experience with all the makings of an instant classic."

Level Up — Gaming accessories on our radar

AAA games are too large to fit on most of the best Macs out there comfortably and end up hogging all the storage on my consoles too, like Baldur’s Gate 3 which sits at over 150GB. Since I’ve been testing out an external hard drive that works with both, I can finally play all those games I’ve been putting off until I have the room. It might not let me get through my backlog but I tell myself I’ll make a dent in it someday. 

Hitting the Arcade — What to play on Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade is filled with tons of exclusive experiences and fantastic games. However, with so many out there, it can be hard to decide what to play. Here’s what I've been testing out this week:

Zen Koi Pro+ recently launched on Apple Arcade and it’s a very relaxing experience. In it, you play a Koi fish, who has to eat other fish to complete objectives and level up, allowing you to swim faster, make prettier Koi, and grow the size of your small pond. With simplistic gameplay and a very chill soundtrack, this is one of those games you put on when you relax in the evening. 

Have you played any great games this week or seen some interesting Apple gaming news we've missed? Let us know in the comments!

I’ve never been much of a PC gamer (even less so a Mac gamer), and while I play on a variety of other platforms, I simply haven’t been all that interested in building and using my own custom desktop PC.

The only desktop I do have is an M2 Mac mini, a machine built more for productivity than gaming. But then, while I was browsing the internet on that very machine, I had a gaming brainwave: And it’s all thanks to one of my favorite handheld gaming systems.

I bought a Steam Deck a couple of years ago, which became my first (and to date, only) experience with PC games. What the system became most used for, however, was game streaming. With a very fast fiber connection, streaming games from my consoles to my Steam Deck was an absolute joy. There’s little to no input delay or lag, and streaming the likes of Ghost of Tsushima feels like I’m playing natively on my Deck with graphics the handheld could only dream of. It’s almost uncanny.

Streaming the games from my Xbox and PlayStation to my Steam Deck left me wanting more. More games, more experiences, more graphical oomph. Enter GeForce Now, Nvidia’s game streaming service that allows you to play your favorite PC games streamed to your Steam Deck (or similar device), all played on one of Nvidia’s mega machines in a data center somewhere. Unreal UHD graphics and monster frame rates on my portable Steam machine, all playable over the internet. And then it hit me: Why not use the service on my Mac mini instead, and experience the best PC gaming has to offer from a $500 base model Mac?

• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy

High-end PC gaming on low-end hardware

I’ll address the elephant in the room straight away: GeForce Now’s Ultimate tier isn’t cheap. It’ll set you back $20 a month, essentially meaning you’re subscribing to a computer with Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4080 for $240 a year. That might seem pricey but in comparison to how much one of Nvidia’s top-tier graphics cards costs, it ends up being a pretty good deal.. 

There’s another elephant in the room, too, for a one-two pachyderm combo — without fast fiber, streaming games over the internet sucks. If you’ve got a good router, as I do, and super fast broadband download speeds (mine sit around the 1Gb/s mark) you’ll have no issues at all. But if your internet isn’t high-speed then the experiences I’m about to share may not be possible. 

Over the last few months I’ve been enjoying Cyberpunk 2077 and its Phantom Liberty DLC with maxed-out Ray Tracing and Path Tracing, and it’s completely ridiculous. Now I've never played a game on a high-end PC, so seeing Cyberpunk 2077 rendered with an ultra-powerful RTX 4080 GPU compared to my paltry PlayStation 5 was a huge eye-opener. The shadows looked real, the textures uncanny, and the lighting was next level, unlike anything I’ve seen before.

In my line of work, I get to try a lot of cutting-edge technologies, but very few impress me in the way GeForce Now’s Ultimate tier has. Cyberpunk looks insane and it runs flawlessly at 60fps in the highest fidelity my eyes have ever seen. At times I need to pinch myself to remember that the best gaming experience I’ve ever had is streaming over the internet to my $500 Mac mini.

Native gaming on Mac leaves a lot to be desired, but GeForce Now makes it feel in line with the best gaming experiences you can buy right now. No, you can’t play every game via GeForce Now, but with a library of over 1500 titles and the ability to log in to Xbox Game Pass, the streaming service will scratch the itch for anyone who wants to play games without buying a gaming PC or a games console.

While the subscription cost might put some off, there’s a free tier and a slightly cheaper premium tier that grants you access to Nvidia’s gaming servers. If you think about how much a gaming rig would cost, the ability to rent some of the best graphics cards Nvidia has to offer without investing in a PC is not a bad deal at all. Not only can you cancel at any time, but when new generations of graphic cards come out, Nvidia upgrades the tiers to reflect the new hardware. My M2 Mac mini isn’t fancy, heck it’s literally the cheapest Mac Apple sells, but thanks to GeForce Now I can use it for most of my gaming needs as well as all the work tasks I throw at it.

I’ve been using retro gaming emulators as far back as 1999, and it may not surprise you to know that, long ago, I also jailbroke my iPhone back in 2010 to see how an emulator fared on Apple’s smartphone.

Jailbreaking has been around since the iPhone launched in 2007. Exploits found in the code of iOS, then iPhoneOS, allow unauthorized stores like Cydia to let you download themes, games, emulators, and more.

The emulator in question was SNES4iPhone, an app miming the Super Nintendo console from the mid-90s. Due to the power that the A4 chip brought to the iPhone 4 back in 2010, I was able to play plenty of games with no issues. This emulator was created by Benjamin Stark, commonly known in the iPhone community as ZodTTD.

In April, Apple changed its rules to allow retro gaming emulators on the App Store. Soon after, Stark released Gamma, a PlayStation emulator, in May. Since then, there have been plenty of updates, such as multiplayer support, cheats, improved cover art for games, and lots more.

To mark the latest release of Gamma to the App Store this week (July 16), iMore spoke with Stark about his history as well as the making of Gamma.

From Jailbreak to Gamma

As mentioned, Stark was prolific in the iPhone jailbreaking community, but his history in programming goes back even further. “Just before the iPhone and iPod Touch were released, I was reminiscing with a friend of the good ole' days when we'd go to a bowling alley. We'd hang out near an arcade machine of the game Buster Bros. Then one week I wasn't able to leave my place and the Internet was out; So to cheer me up, my friend brought me a PlayStation emulator and the CD for Buster Bros Collection. Except he brought me the source code to the emulator, not the application to run,” Stark explains.

“I had a Tapwave Zodiac PalmOS gaming handheld and a compiler for it. That night, I got Buster Bros showing up on the device. The other application I ported to it was Open Transport Tycoon Deluxe, hence my handle being ZodTTD. However, the emulator ran horribly slow on the device. So I quickly picked up an ARM assembly guide and programmed the first ARM dynamic recompiler for the console. Bringing SNES4iPhone to iPhone made it the first big hit for Apple, driving the need to jailbreak the phone as there was no App Store back then. This brought me incredible success which I am still grateful for.”

Since Apple allowed retro-gaming emulators onto the App Store in April, we’ve seen plenty of emulators released. Delta, RetroArch, and PPSSPP have been huge successes so far. When Stark saw Apple’s change of heart in April, he had a one-word reaction. “Finally.” He continues: “There was the irony of Apple taking 15 years to allow the apps that built its platform in the first place. For those who were involved in Apple's revolution of what a smartphone could be, know the iPhone had great hardware but lacked built-in apps from its main competitor back then, PocketPCs, driven by Microsoft. Back in 2007, Apple had no App Store. It had things like a Notepad and a Calculator, but no fun games! It was my emulators and software that brought massive traffic to Apple's new device, to the tune of over a million downloads a day,” Stark reveals. “So much so that apps were being created to help distribute my software such as Cydia, putting energy into the emerging jailbreak community. That community built the foundation of what later became Apple's App Store, driving the company to new levels of success.”

Gamma was made available for free in May for iPhone and iPad users. Since then, there have been plenty of updates, such as better management of games that had multiple disks, cheat support, and more. Stark reflects on why he chose to focus on Sony’s PlayStation console, instead of bringing his previous efforts to the App Store. ”It became a passion project of mine to finally see my PlayStation emulator of the original iPhone 15 years ago realized on the App Store. I took a considerable financial hit by passing up valuable contract work in order to accomplish Gamma, and it was well worth it to me.”

Stark was also quick to mention the support he had during Gamma’s development. “I want to say the support of Diana Toledo helped me make sure Gamma could exist. She encouraged me to create Gamma and stick to it. The care and support during such rapid development from Apple's announcement to Gamma's launch. She'd dive into plenty to help me make sure I was on the right track until its release.”

Of course, developing an app for jailbroken iPhone devices can differ from developing one for the App Store. You can use certain programming frameworks that aren’t allowed by Apple for example, such as the JIT, which is why emulators like Dolphin aren’t currently available for iPhone and iPad. I asked if Stark came across any challenge in developing between the two environments. “The development itself is easier nowadays than it used to be in old jailbroken days. Apple does a fantastic job supporting developers with tools such as Xcode and well-documented, quality first-party frameworks. The challenge comes in the form of limitations in the way things can be emulated. This is due to Apple maintaining security practices preventing code-injections.”

“Emulators use an advanced technique to improve performance called dynamic recompilation, also referred to as JIT compilation. This process involves creating executable code on the fly, shoving it into memory, and running it. While such emulation is unrelated to a security issue, Apple is unable to know what code is being created that will be executed, so they want to prevent security exploits from running,” Stark explains. “So if Apple opens it up to emulation, it would also open up the option to someone who wants to run code from a remote server on phones that aren’t seen by Apple's app review. This is a nice layer of added security that Apple provides but sadly it rules out high-performing emulation.”

With Apple Vision Pro available since February in the U.S., followed by other countries this month, we put it to Stark whether there’s a future for emulators for spatial computing headsets like Apple’s. “Gamma on Vison Pro will definitely come. I am even getting requests from fans to implement Vision Pro in compatibility mode. Headsets are slowly emerging so emulators on it may not thrive yet, but in time I can envision it.”

Gamma to the Future

Finally, with updates to Gamma coming thick and fast, with the most recent having arrived on July 16, Stark confirmed that more features are on the way. “So much has been updated in Gamma since its fast launch, such as local multiplayer with hardware controller support, analog controls, cheats, ad-free options, and more,” Stark explains. “Look out for community controller skins in Gamma’s Support Center section, filters for scan lines, improved importing options when adding in more games, and something never seen in a PlayStation emulator before! Gamma is my focus as of now but I will of course be bringing more apps that users will love in the future!”

The Division Resurgence, the mobile follow-up to the popular online shooter The Division, was announced way back in 2022, yet all we’ve seen from it since are delays. Today’s news is no different, as both that and Rainbow Six Mobile have been indefinitely delayed. 

In publisher Ubisoft’s first quarter sales report (which you can read here), the gaming giant has revealed: “Rainbow Six Mobile and The Division Resurgence are no longer expected in FY25 as the teams are taking the necessary time to ensure that these experiences deliver on expectations with optimized KPIs in the context of a demanding yet very large market.” This means we will have to wait until 2026 at the earliest to play them for ourselves. 

What is The Division Resurgence and Rainbow Six Siege Mobile? 

Some people are technically already playing Rainbow Six Siege Mobile as it has rolled out in select regions around the world ahead of its full release. This lets a small figure of players in to test it out and gives developers more time to focus on player feedback before the game’s official launch. As the game is playable by some, the extra dev time will allow the team to further balance the game with real players in mind. In step with the original Rainbow Six games, Rainbow Six Mobile is an online tactical first-person shooter where players take turns attacking and defending objectives against teams of other players. With strategy in mind, you need to plan out moves and blow up environments tactically, with “Operators” designed with certain playstyles in mind. 

The Division Resurgence, on the other hand, is a directly less PVP-focused game as it’s a third-person RPG shooter in an MMO-style world. You can fight players in designated zones or explore the world, taking on the environment with help from your friends. Set after a deadly virus wipes out much of the world, you have to resolve conflicts between human factions and upgrade your gear as you do so. I’m looking forward to playing this one on my best iPhone, even if the wait has just gotten longer. 

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Hello Games, the company behind No Man’s Sky, has earned a lot of good faith from consumers over the last few years thanks to the turnaround of its huge space exploration game. However, for the first time in a while, Mac users are unhappy with the latest update and have taken to Reddit to voice their frustrations. 

The issues have arisen in the new Worlds 5.0 update for the title, part one of which launched on July 17. This comes with new technology, gameplay systems, flora, and fauna. In an effort to make the world feel more alive, new biomes have tonnes of new creatures, and this can be even more taxing on machines.

One Reddit thread opens with the original poster saying “Why does No Man's Sky look even worse after the graphics update, ” accompanied by blurry screenshots and strange image bugs. Another user says “Same here, set the setting to max but graphics are still far behind my mid-range gaming pc”. Being one of the best Mac games right now, it’s a shame Mac users aren’t getting the intended experience. However, there are some fixes to be found. 

How to fix No Man’s Sky graphical problems? 

You won’t be able to entirely fix the problems, as many will be left waiting for Hello Games to fix it at a later date but some problems have been addressed with workarounds. For instance, users are reporting that the new update reset graphical settings and options for players. This means if you have a fine-tuned setup, you will have to go back into settings and customize it once more. 

As well as this, some gamers are reporting that the game’s built-in upscaling is a problem with the new update as it isn’t properly optimized. You can turn this off in the settings, and turn it back on again when the next patch arrives. As for the strange square that appears at the top of the original posts’ images, some users report these disappear as they play the game.

However, it’s worth pointing out that these fixes are only quick tips to get the game functioning a little better. If you want an experience worthy of the beefy chips of the best Macs, you may need to wait a while longer.

Luckily, No Man’s Sky is worth the wait. 

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Up until only recently, game streaming apps have been banned from the App Store as Apple couldn’t personally check and verify content for flagging purposes. If you wanted to peruse the catalog of Xbox Game Pass or GeForce NOW games to play on your best iPhone, you had to add the page to your Home Screen with a shortcut and play over the web. Though this works fine, it doesn’t allow for consistent update rollout and is a little more time-consuming to get right. 

Over the last week, I’ve been testing out Antstream Arcade, the first-ever game-streaming app on iPhone, and it’s a good blueprint for what other companies should emulate going forward. A retro streaming app with 1,300 old-school games from Amiga to NES, to C64, it’s a particularly good choice for a nostalgic gamer. 

If my time with it is anything to go by, it could prove both consumers and companies wrong and suggests game streaming could get much better in the future. 

My time with Antstream

Starting with the strangest parts of the experience, even at a solid 75Mbs download speed, Antstream did have some small technical inconsistencies for me. As well as this, the app has a currency system in gems, that can be spent to enter tournaments to battle other users for a high score. This feels like a leftover part of the free experience you can get on a web browser and doesn’t feel fully thought out on iOS. 

However, once I got past these growing pains, I saw an app bursting with potential. The sheer volume of games available is incredible, with a huge array of consoles and genres. Though the gams system seems not fully fleshed out just yet, tournaments are a great idea that feels reminiscent of taking turns on PacMan trying to beat your friend’s high scores. If you are a bit older than me or had an uncle who was a little too obsessed with retro games (also like me), you may recognize some of the games I tested out like: 

• Zombies Ate My Neighbours
• Bubble Bobble
• Double Dragon
• Hogs of War
• Pong
• The Secret of Monkey Island

This is not only a need bit of nostalgia but a great way of introducing people to some classic titles. It’s especially great to take out and about and play without taking up any of your iPhone’s precious internal storage. All this made me wonder “Why aren’t others doing this?” Game companies have the green flag from Apple to put their services on the App Store but haven’t yet. Perhaps Apple taking a cut of proceeds puts them off, or maybe it’s not worth the extra dev time to get on the App Store? 

When I asked GeForce about this a little while ago, it would not confirm if it had plans for an official app and, when asked for clarification, told me “We’re currently focusing our improvements for Apple users on the PWA (progressive web app) experience”

Hopefully, Antstream Arcade coming to the App Store will prove to other companies why they should put their services on it too. The ease of access is super convenient and the ability to manage it through Apple subscriptions only makes it better. 

Calendar: July's Big Game Releases

• Though I was looking forward to Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, this review from our buddies over at PCGamer makes me a little less excited for it. It's a souls-lite RPG based on frenetic combat and gunplay. If you like the idea of Dark Souls and Elden Ring but want something a little less punishing, this is worth paying attention to. 

Level Up — Gaming accessories on our radar

Though desktop speakers have a classic look and can work well to round out sound on a desk, I've recently become a soundboard convert thanks to how easy they are to use, and how good they can sound. Luckily, one I've been testing is now on sale. 

Hitting the Arcade — What to play on Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade is filled with tons of exclusive experiences and fantastic games. However, with so many out there, it can be hard to decide what to play. Here’s what I've been testing out this week:

Outlanders 2, the follow-up to popular strategy game Outlanders, has finally landed on Apple Arcade. Tasking you with building towns and keeping villagers safe and fed, it has a much more cutesy aesthetic than the first game but is just as approachable. If you’ve found yourself running dry on content playing the first game, this is a worthy follow-up. It also comes with campaigns based on characters, that allows the game to tell more intentional stories. This is a great way of adding more to a world I’m quite familiar with. 

Have you played any great games this week or seen some interesting Apple gaming news we've missed? Let us know in the comments!

It’s no secret at iMore that I love retro games. Seeing Apple allow retro-gaming emulators on its devices back in April was something I never thought I’d see. Using apps like Delta, RetroArch, and Gamma on my iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV has been fantastic. Yet it’s also made me think of how gaming companies have been treating its franchises lately on Apple’s devices.

According to Appmagic data reported by mobilegamer.biz, Capcom's port of Resident Evil 7, first released on gaming consoles and PC back in 2017 and then made available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac on July 3, has bombed in sales. Reportedly, the game has been bought less than 2,000 times, which is worse than terrible.

It’s a shame too, as Resident Evil 7 is a fantastic game. It rescued the Resident Evil series from the brink, following the distinctly average Resident Evil 6 launched in 2010. Resident Evil 2 Remake is still set to be made available to iPhone, iPad, and Mac later this year. Beyond that, Capcom should look at the potential of its other franchises on Apple’s devices.

With this in mind, I’ve looked through the company archives to highlight five franchises that would certainly bring in more than 2,000 sales on Apple’s devices.

Dino Crisis

Classic Resident Evil gameplay, but with dinosaurs. What’s not to like? That’s Dino Crisis in a nutshell. Released in 1999 for the Sony PlayStation followed by the SEGA Dreamcast and PC a year after, you control Regina, an agent who’s been sent to an island to investigate reports of dinosaurs running rampant. The gameplay mirrors the original Resident Evil games in regards to the tank controls and the familiar inventory screen to see if an item fits a certain keyhole.

Although two sequels followed in subsequent years, many fans have a soft spot for the original Dino Crisis, thanks to its fun gameplay and story narrative. If you hang around the gaming side of X and TikTok, you’ve likely seen some fans wishing for a remake in the same vein to what Resident Evil has been getting lately.

However, I’m not hoping for a Dino Crisis remake. Instead, I’d love to see the game be ported to iPhone, iPad, and Mac. This would showcase why the game is so good 25 years after its release.

Street Fighter

Granted, Capcom has released ports of Street Fighter IV for iPhone in the past, but it’s time for the company to go one step further. Street Fighter 6, released in June 2023 for modern consoles and PC, is already considered to be one of the best fighting games ever made. This is down to several factors: the game is incredibly feature-packed, with a World Tour mode that follows a narrative, the ability to play previous Street Fighter games locally or online, and a ‘drive system’ that mixes up how you face different opponents across the game.

Our friends at GamesRadar praised Street Fighter 6 in its review, highlighting how rich the game is. “It's a strong package – arguably the best overall fighting game package ever made – but it'd all be for naught if the fighting system that underpins it all wasn't up to much. It just happens to be the most flexible, versatile, and expressive combat in a Street Fighter game to date.“

I love the idea of starting up Street Fighter 6 on my Mac, or my iPhone when it’s connected to my Razer Kishi Ultra gamepad. There’s a distinct lack of modern fighting games available on Apple devices, and Street Fighter 6 would be a fantastic way to change that. And while we’re at it Capcom, how about crossplay with friends who own the game on console and PC? And why not an arcade stick controller for iPad and Mac? Let’s go.

Devil May Cry

A lesser-known fact: Devil May Cry initially began development as Resident Evil 4 back in 1999 before the development team decided the concept was strong enough to be its own series.

I remember receiving the first Devil May Cry at Christmas in 2001, and I’ve been hooked ever since. For those unfamiliar, you play as Dante, a Devil hunter who is armed with dual pistols, magic attacks, and quips. You can upgrade his skills that can unlock more powerful attacks as you fight through numerous levels. Every game in the series has been available on console and PC for years now, yet none of them have appeared on Apple’s devices.

Perhaps it’s time for that to change. I own the original Devil May Cry on my Nintendo Switch, and it’s perfect for those ‘pick up and play for five minutes’ situations. Those kinds of games are perfect for iPhones, so let’s see if the whole series comes to iPad, Mac, and iPhone someday?

Dead Rising

When a new console is released, there’s usually one game that makes you think, “This game shows that we’re at the next generation of gaming.” Several games have given me this impression, such as Mario 64, Tomb Raider, Metal Gear Solid 2, and Mario Galaxy. Yet it was Dead Rising on Xbox 360, released nine months after the console’s launch, that also gave me the same feeling.

You control Frank West, who must investigate the Willamette Parkview Mall within three days before being rescued by a helicopter. During this time, you’re wading through an ungodly amount of zombies. But what makes this fun rather than stressful is the amount of items you can use throughout this shopping mall to reach the end of day three. Want to grab a shopping trolly to scoop up some zombies? How about some children's toys? It’s all possible. There’s even a Megabuster, the iconic weapon from Capcom iconic Mega Man series, which can blast hordes of zombies away.

Dead Rising is still an incredibly fun game, which can be perfect for iPhone, iPad, and Mac for those moments on a work commute. It’s great timing too, as a remaster of Dead Rising was announced in June. There’s no reason why can’t we have this for iPhone, iPad, and Mac as well.

Power Stone

Power Stone is a hidden gem. So much so that I’d argue it deserves to be brought back to the forefront as much as Dino Crisis.

The first game was released on the SEGA Dreamcast console in 1999, followed by a sequel a year later. In 2006, both games were re-released as a collection on the PlayStation Portable. Power Stone is a fighting game reminiscent of Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. series. You pick a character, run around a stage picking up items to help your cause and try to win a match by beating up your opponent until their life bar is depleted.

Power Stone also draws from some Japanese anime such as Dragon Ball Z and Zyuranger, which Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was adapted from. You can also unlock ‘super forms’ of the characters, which can change up the match and also transform some stages, making the fights even more tense and exciting.

Fans of the series, myself included, have been clamoring for a re-release of the two games, but Capcom has, much like Dino Crisis, put it to one side. However, Power Stone would be perfect as an online multiplayer remaster that you can play across all Apple devices. Imagine firing up Power Stone on your iPad, connected to an 8BitDo Pro 2 controller, while a friend joins the match on their iPhone, armed with a Razer Kishi Ultra gamepad. Power Stone is another great example of a game that can be played for short bursts, but once you start, much like a Pringle snack, it can be hard to stop.

The time is now, Capcom

Resident Evil is Capcom's crown jewel, there’s no question of that. Yet I can’t help but feel that it’s missing the point of the types of games that many casual users play on their iPhones. These are games that you can play in short bursts, ones that you can play for five minutes but feel like you’ve made some progress regardless.

Every Resident Evil game follows a strong narrative, whether that’s about Leon Kennedy in a village, or Claire Redfield in a laboratory. These games require you to pay attention to make sure you’re not lost on where the story is going. That’s not ideal for a train commute or for other occasions like waiting to be served in a coffee shop.

At least four of the above franchises can easily fit into those quick situations — a quick Power Stone match or a short side mission in Devil May Cry, for example. These games could appeal to iPhone and iPad owners especially than what Resident Evil currently does.

I hope Capcom realizes this soon, as it has a fantastic opportunity on Apple’s devices that it may be squandering.

Meta might have to adjust its AR and VR hardware ambitions, just at the moment it faces its biggest ever competition from Apple and its Vision Pro headset.

Mark Zuckerberg’s company has been ploughing billions of dollars into the development of a ‘metaverse’ digital world and associated hardware, but will have to rein back its spending, according to a new report from The Information.

Meta’s Reality Labs hardware team, responsible for the development of the company’s Meta Quest hardware, has been asked to cut spending by close to 20% by 2026. And in a wake up call for staffers (who have endured mass layoffs) Meta’s Chief Financial Officer Susan Li has told teams that they should be targeting a $1 trillion dollar opportunity in the augmented and virtual reality markets. It’s a considerable shift from the previous money-no-object spending approach at the company, which has lost over $55 billion via its Reality Labs’ ambitious plans since 2019.

A new challenger emerges

It’s a tough spot for the Meta VR/AR team — which legitimized the space under the Oculus banner before being purchased by Zuckerberg’s then-Facebook company — to be in, as it fends off competition from its first major competition. Apple’s Vision Pro has itself got off to a slow start after launching this year in the US in February, but has just expanded its availability to markets including European and Asian territories.

Though significantly more expensive than Meta’s Quest 3, the Vision Pro is considerably more technologically advanced, and Meta is now expected to find a response to that. It’s hoping to do so with an assault on the market into (and beyond) 2026, with the launch of a new Quest 4 headset (currently set to ship in standard and premium configurations), and a high-end variant of the Quest line a year later.

For its part, Apple is expected to take the opposite tact, holding fire on a Vision Pro 2 headset in favour of a more affordable, stripped back take on the existing Vision Pro (which costs a whopping $3,499).

Both companies are ultimately targeting a release of augmented reality glasses however, with differing prototypes in the works, expected to have more mass market appeal than a vision-encompassing headset. 

With VR still waiting for its mass-market moment, the race will be on to deliver the most compelling tech in a glasses-like form factor, though the elephant in the room will be investor pressure to refocus around artificial intelligence projects, generally seen to be the ‘next-big-thing’ in not just consumer tech, but the wider worlds of business, manufacturing and healthcare, too.

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Apple's Metaverse-touting rival Meta has not one but three new virtual reality headsets in the pipeline, as well as a pair of AR glasses due to be released next year, according to a new report. 

Apple and Meta are rivals in the space to capture customers in what was once seen as the next big thing in tech, virtual reality, and the metaverse, the latter a term shunned by Apple but embraced by Mark Zuckerberg. 

Apple finally gave us Apple Vision Pro in early 2024, but now Meta is planning to strike back with a series of new headsets, including a high-end quest to compete with AVP. 

Meta’s next metaverse move 

According to The Information, Meta “is working on a range of new Quest headsets and AR glasses with displays for release over the next three years.” Meta’s augmented reality glasses are apparently going to be released next year, likely expected to be a big leap on its current Ray-Ban offering. 

After new smart glasses, The Information reports that the new Meta Quest 4 is coming in 2026 and that there is a “standard” and a “premium” version in the works. Further down the road, in 2027, Meta apparently “plans to release a high-end Quest headset… to compete with Apple’s Vision Pro.” 

Likewise, Apple isn’t resting on its laurels when it comes to the next iteration of Vision Pro. The most recent rumors indicated that Apple has halted Vision Pro 2 plans in order to focus on a cheaper headset, designed to broaden the mass appeal of the $3,499 first iteration. A cheaper Vision Pro would likely come with a significantly nerfed display, however, reports indicate that even a cheaper version could still cost $2,000. The cheaper Vision Pro probably won’t surface until 2025 at the earliest, but it’s possible Apple could beat Meta’s new VR offerings to the market. 

Apple Glass, the company’s own rumored smart glasses project, remains nowhere to be seen. 

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• Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3 — which one should you buy
• The Meta Quest is going after Apple Vision Pro's multitasking

With Apple Vision Pro stealing all the VR and AR headlines of late, Meta is on a bit of a charm offensive to, quite literally, reclaim the attention of your eyeballs. Big budget adverts, media events, high-profile gaming partnerships —Zuck’s play for the virtual reality metaverse has come out swinging in response to Apple’s high-profile headset launch.

But Meta’s biggest move might be its simplest — it has slashed the price of its latest and greatest VR headset, the Meta Quest 3. You can get it now for just $429.99 — just 99 cents off its all-time lowest price, and a massive saving over its usual $499 asking price.

Vision Pro may have the better specs, but when it comes to bang-for-buck, Meta Quest 3 is the best headset money can buy.

A generational leap

The Meta Quest 3 is a massive improvement over the Quest headsets that came before it —lightweight and comfy even for glasses wearers, it’s ready for those marathon VR sessions without a massive weight straining your neck. Improved set-up and mixed-reality process make it even easier to get started, resulting in a device so pick-up-and-play, even your grandma could give it a whirl without calling tech support. It’s powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset — talking double the graphical power of Quest 2, with visuals so sharp you might just mistake them for reality.

• Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3

Quest 3’s app library is where it really shows off. With over 500 immersive experiences and games, including hits like Asgard’s Wrath 2, Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR, and the ever-addictive Beat Sabre, you'll have plenty to play with. Plus, it’s got the improved ability to wirelessly stream PC VR titles, turning your game night into a veritable smorgasbord of virtual awesomeness. It’s no slouch when it comes to productivity, either — though you’ll likely be distracted by the more playful experiences it offers, Meta Quest 3 has full-fat VR versions of Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint to get to work on.

Let's face it. Mac gaming has gotten so much better over the last few years but it still pales in comparison to PC gaming. Steam for Windows is the biggest PC platform, so developers often have to make their games available on it. Getting them working on Mac requires a particularly dedicated porting team or running Game Porting Toolkit. If you're sick of waiting for games to launch on Mac after PC, these are four of the best Prime Day PC gaming deals out there right now. 

While CyberPowerPC's option is a bit flashier and comes with liquid cooling, ASUS's ROG G16CH offers an RTX 4060Ti, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage for just $1,199.99. 

If you want something more portable, we've picked out an ASUS laptop with an RTX 4060 that is just $1,099, even cheaper than some of the best Prime Day Apple deals right now.

Get gaming

GameSir has put out some pretty impressive controllers over the last year and perhaps my favorite is the X2S type-c for USB-C iPhones. Though it's a little too small for my rather large hands, someone with small hands will find an excellently made and very pretty controller, that is an absolute steal at 20% off this Prime Day. 

if you have an iPhone 15 or plan on getting an iPhone 16 when it launches later this year, this is an excellent choice, thanks to its Hall Effect sticks, great aesthetic, and super comfortable feel. 

In my GameSir X2S review, I said it "is a great iPhone controller with a lovely color scheme and nice buttons. If you have bigger hands, it may be a bit small for you but this is perfect for someone who likes their controllers small." Now that Prime Day only has a single day left, it's the perfect time to take advantage of this deal. 

Take control

One particular factor I praised in my review of the X2s is the price point and Amazon Prime Day makes that price point even smaller. For just over $30, you can get one of the best iPhone gaming controllers out there right now. A particularly cool feature is the USB-C adapter, that can bend out of the shell to connect to your iPhone. This means you don't have to wrestle with the sides of the controller to connect your mobile device — which is surprisingly great if you take it out on the move. I spent a lot of time testing Call of Duty: Mobile, Genshin Impact, and Xbox Game Pass with practically zero problems. 

One of the only good things to come out of my Covid lockdown solitude a couple of years back was a renewed love of all things retro gaming. It was fueled primarily by a Chinese brand called Anbernic, which was making fantastic Linux-based handheld consoles that had the feel of old-school Game Boy consoles, but the modern conveniences of emulator play. With them, you could carry your whole library of Nintendo, SEGA, or first-gen PlayStation games around in your back pocket. It was a revelation — and for a tinkerer like me, it became a bit of an obsession, as I went about customizing the way each game played, and finding artwork to make my digital library sing.

For a long time, I’d considered it a niche hobby that only a few hardcore gamers would enjoy. But the monumental success of the Delta retro game emulator for iPhone and iPad made me realize that there are a ton of people similarly interested in the golden oldies but just hadn’t been aware of the strides emulators had made in recent years.

If Delta has given you a taste of retro fun, you might now be looking for a dedicated retro handheld of your own, and the Prime Day deals have offered up a real treat in that regard. Anbernic’s recently-released RG35XX SP has just received a 20% discount, bringing its price down to just $71.99 from its usual $89.99 asking price on Amazon. And it might well be the absolute perfect retro handheld device.

What makes the Anbernic RG35XXSP special?

The Anbernic RG35XXSP appeals so much to me because it takes its design cues from what I’d argue is the best portable handheld gaming device of all time — the Game Boy Advance SP, Nintendo’s clamshell classic.

Flipping open and shut in order to protect its screen, you can throw it in a bag or pocket without fear of scratching up its display. The screen here is a big improvement on the original SP — larger at 3.5 inches and sharper, too at 640x480 pixels, meaning you can upscale many classic titles.

Anbernic updates the classic design further in a number of useful ways. For starters, it’s got more face and trigger buttons than the GBA SP did, opening up play to a wider variety of games. SD card support lets you put thousands of games on the handheld at once, with a great library system letting you navigate different systems and titles, each with individual artwork through the custom OS pre-installed on the device. Charging is carried out by a modern USB-C connection, while there’s also HDMI out for throwing your games up onto a big screen. Wi-Fi connectivity brings (with a bit of configuration) online multiplayer to games that never used to support it, while there’s even Bluetooth for external controllers and wireless headsets. Plus, for anyone who used to dread a dead battery ruining a perfect run of a game without save capabilities, the custom firmware also allows for multiple save states at any point in any game, at any time.

Now, it’s worth noting that devices like this come with a bit of a learning curve. You’re going to have to get your head around ROM files and BIOS files, and there are differing arguments around the legalities of backing up your old games to play on them. I’d recommend the Retro Game Corps YouTube channel for some excellent in-depth tutorials on how to get the most out of devices like this.

But for pocketable play time, you won't get a better Prime Day deal than this.

Whenever Prime Day rolls around, you hear loads about the massive drops in price on the likes of iPads, iPhones, and more. But there are lots more things that the sale brings to the table, not least of all everything you can get for free. Gamers get something special, too — every year, Amazon adds some massive games to its Prime Gaming library for you to peruse and nab at your pleasure, only available for the duration of the sale.

• Prime Gaming free games

At the moment, there are only 24 hours left (at time of writing, when you go to grab them there'll be even less time) to grab three massive games, including the very new and very misjudged Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, one of this year's biggest launches. Alas, it doesn't feature a dancing Amanda Waller a la the new Suicide Squad Anime (which you really have to see to believe, it's bonkers in every single right way), but it does feature action-packed combat, a massive open world, and a story featuring heroes (or villains, depending on your outlook) yanked straight from the pages of DC comics.

Free games?

There are two more games available for free during the sale as well. You can nab Rise of the Tomb Raider for one, part of the reboot series of Lara Croft fronted games from 2016. Finally available for only a few more hours is Chivalry 2, a game that really has to be played to be believed — massive battles see players dressed from head to toe in medieval armor, bonking seven bells out of each other with swords, clubs, hammers, and more. Be aware that the three games can only be played on Windows hardware, so no luck for Apple gamers here. If you've got a gaming computer, however, these are well worth the pickup, and all yours to keep if you've got an Amazon Prime account.

It's super easy to get hold of the games as well — just head over to the Prime Gaming page, log in, and get hold of those free games. There are another 28 games you can add to your library for free there as well, with titles like Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood, and more. Those games are available for a little longer, but they're still worth claiming now when you head over to collect the three special games.

I’m not entirely sure it’s fashionable to admit this, but I love virtual reality. Ever since Palmer Luckey re-ignited the scene with the launch of Oculus (now part of Meta) and the Oculus DK1 headset, I’ve been in the trenches of the VR scene, trying every bit of VR hardware I can get my hands on.

Whether working in VR or gaming in VR, I’m an evangelist for the format, and try to convert as many skeptics to the cause as I can, everywhere I go. Here’s my credentials — in a non-exhaustive list, I’ve tested the following:

• Oculus DK1
• Oculus DK 2
• Oculus Quest
• Oculus / Meta Quest 2
• Meta Quest 3
• Oculus Go
• Oculus Rift
• Oculus Rift S
• HP Reverb G2
• PlayStation VR
• PlayStation VR 2
• Google Cardboard
• Samsung Gear
• Apple Vision Pro
• Microsoft HoloLens
• HTC Vive
• HTC Vive Pro
• Valve Index

That’s just off the top of my head, and doesn’t include random trade-show concepts and prototypes, whatever headsets are in use at the many public VR playrooms that I’ve visited over the years, nor the curio gimmick attempts at virtual reality like the weird Nintendo Switch VR kit.

Of all the headsets on the list, it’s the Quest 2 I’ve spent the most time with — but it is its successor, the Meta Quest 3, that is the one I’d recommend to anyone looking to give VR a whirl.

It offers more bang-for-buck than any other VR headset on the market, and thanks to the Amazon Prime Day sale, it’s now at a superb price — the 128GB model is down to just $429.99 — a serious saving over its usual $499.99 asking price.

What makes Meta Quest 3 special

Lightweight and comfortable for extended play sessions, the Meta Quest 3 is as close to pick-up-and-play as VR gets. A standalone device, it doesn’t require a computer to power, instead running off the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset. That gives it twice the graphical processing grunt over the already-impressive Meta Quest 2, and lets it drive greater-than-4K experiences across its dual screens — 30% sharper than its predecessor.

What separates the Meta Quest 3 from the competition though is its app library. Not only do you have access to more than 500 immersive experiences and games built especially for Meta Quest (including the impressive Asgard’s Wrath 2, Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR and Beat Sabre), but you can also use it to access the many PC VR titles on the market, wirelessly streamed to the headset, massively expanding the available software for the system. That’s before considering the productivity options the Meta Quest 3 offers, with impressive full-color passthrough meaning you’ve good awareness of your surroundings while you work.

Now, I’m hoping by the end of this year I’ll be able to add another VR headset to this list — the Apple Vision Pro (though don’t tell Apple I called its ‘Spatial Computing’ headset a VR device!). It is, without a doubt, the most advanced piece of VR kit I’ve ever tried, with a has-to-be-seen-to-be-believed screen, and the most amazing passthrough and hand-tracking tech I’ve ever used. But! At $3,499, you could buy a Meta Quest 3 many times over for the price of a Vision Pro, and right now, Vision Pro’s app selection just isn’t quite there. With more time, more users following the international roll out, and VisionOS 2 on the way, I’m hoping developers will redress that balance. But for now Apple’s Vision Pro ecosystem has some catching up to do.

In the meantime, the Meta Quest 3 is a remarkable device. And, at its current sale price, it’s offering remarkable value for money, too. 

With the ever-rising size of AAA games nowadays, I find myself constantly running out of storage to hold more than a few at a time. Unfortunately, as someone who likes to have a single-player open-world title go through, a multiplayer arcade game, and tons of indies on the go at the same time, this causes me to run out of storage quickly. Then, when you factor in that new games release every single day, I fear I’ll never catch up on my backlog. 

Luckily, a dedicated gaming hard drive not only has the performance capabilities to run games like they are running on internal storage but it gives me tonnes of room to write songs, make videos, and more. WD Elements has an excellent deal on its Black gaming line, offering a whopping 8 TB of storage and it’s well worth the commitment if you’re anything like me.

Store more

If you wanted to run Ark: Survival Evolved on your Mac with all of its DLC, that would require 400GB of space to be free on your device — significantly more than many MacBooks even have. With this hard drive, you could fit the huge dinosaur survival game 20 times — a truly phenomenal number. 

If you plan on using it on a console as well as a Mac, you can do so easily, though I’d recommend reformatting it for PlayStation before using it in any other way. It can only run PlayStation 4 games on PlayStation 5 but this is more than enough to start seriously getting through a backlog. Of course, it doesn’t just work with games. I use it to edit videos and record music and I’ve had no problems in all my time testing it. It’s a great piece of kit that is made even better with this great deal. 

Apple has been trying to convince customers that it's more serious about gaming, and while we've had some ambitious ports of titles like Resident Evil Village and the upcoming Assassin's Creed Shadows, you're still likely to want a games console or Windows PC to play the latest titles.

That's certainly been the case with me - I'm the editor-in-chief of a gaming site, and yet I'm highly unlikely to ever play games on the Mac I spend a fair amount of time working on.

That's recently changed, however. I wrote this month about how I've switched from a MacBook Pro to a MacBook Air, and while the change in weight means it's less of a commitment to carry in an already packed bag, I was lucky enough to grab a refurbished deal that gave me a larger SSD than my prior 512GB one.

With Apple's M3 chip offering improved graphics performance, I decided to put things to the test as I continued my playthrough of Final Fantasy XIV as I tried to catch up to the latest expansion.

Yes, the M3 can game

While the performance here naturally won't stack up a PC with a beefy GPU, or even the console versions of the game, Final Fantasy XIV's benchmarking tool awarded a 'Standard' score on the MacBook Air M3.

Given the fanless design, it did get a little warm as the benchmark wore on, but there's no issue with performance during gameplay - I've been questing, battling, and everything else just like I can on any other platform.

I'm really, genuinely impressed, and it runs great when hooked up to an external monitor, too.

I've also been digging into favorites like Stellaris and Football Manager 2024, and despite the drop from the 'Pro' chip to the base M3, I've not seen any slowdown.

In fact, with the slimmer form factor, I'm just as likely to grab my MacBook Air now as I am my Nintendo Switch or my Steam Deck when I want to play something - something which would've felt unlikely even a month ago.

So, if you're looking to play something on your Mac - give it a go. You might be surprised.

More from iMore

• How to build the ultimate MacBook setup — the perfect pick for every accessory
• Best MacBook Pro accessories 2024: add-ons and extras for the perfect Mac set up
• This Mac hard drive offers real-time hybrid storage that's ideal for creatives

You might think it’s strange that we at iMore are reviewing the X4 Aileron. After all, it’s marketed as being made for Android and Xbox. Yet when we asked GameSir about it, they told us it works perfectly well with iOS as well. 

Putting that claim to the test, we decided to give it a try to see if it’s worth your time, and a coveted place among our best game controllers for iPhone rankings.

GameSir X4 Aileron: Price and availability

The GameSir X4 Aileron costs $99.99/£99.99 and is available from GameSir’s website and third-party retailers. There are lots of telescopic control pads on sale for iPhone now similar to the X4 Aileron, and GameSir's offering here sits at a price point dead-center of the average price we see them retail at.

GameSir X4 Aileron: What I love

Although it’s marketed for Android, the GameSir X4 Aileron uses Bluetooth for its connections, so it will work with your iPhone. Because you don’t need to plug anything in, it also doesn’t matter if your iPhone has a Lightning or USB-C port. To connect, press and hold the Xbox and B buttons until the connection light flashes blue, then connect to the controller from the iOS Bluetooth menu.

The X4 Aileron comes in a left and a right half that can be magnetically snapped together into a very compact shape for storage, and its lightweight frame means it won’t take up space or weigh you down. Each side clips onto one end of your iPhone, which leaves the back of your device free for phone coolers and MagSafe charging pucks. The controller also comes with a sturdy protective case, keeping it safe if you decide to chuck it in a bag and take it travelling.

The layout is designed to mimic that of a standard Xbox controller, with A-B-X-Y buttons and the non-symmetrical thumb stick layout fans of Microsoft’s console will be used to. The thumb sticks come with Hall Effect tech that should stop them wearing down and giving rise to “stick drift” over time.

Around the back are two additional buttons that can be assigned to extra controls, while there’s a USB-C port on the bottom edge. On the front is an M button that lets you adjust lighting effects and brightness, tweak trigger resistance, remap buttons, and more.

When you lift the green clamps that hold your iPhone in place, the controller automatically turns on, which makes setup much more straightforward. When it’s on, it emits some subtle, pleasant RGB lighting under each thumb stick that cycles through various colours.

Inside the case are four extra thumb sticks in different sizes, plus an additional cover for the D-pad (again, in a different shape if you want to try something new). GameSir also bundles in a free one-month membership of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

The X4 Aileron’s sides are coated in a rubbery, dimpled surface that makes them very grippy. The button layout will be familiar to anyone who has used an Xbox controller, and all of the buttons are satisfyingly clicky.

GameSir X4 Aileron: What I don’t love

The main thing you’ll notice when you load your iPhone into the X4 Aileron is that it has quite a loose hold on your phone. The two halves are disconnected – there’s no “backbone” locking them together – and the slot into which your phone fits is quite tall, meaning there’s a lot of wobble when the controller is in your hand. It’s a bit better if you have your iPhone in a case, but it’s not the most stable of grips.

Slotting your iPhone into place can also be a tad fiddly, as you have to either lift the green clamp and hold the controller with one hand while the other pushes your iPhone into place, or you must use your phone itself to wedge the clamp upwards. That made us a little worried about scratches.

Each half of the controller is fairly narrow, so the thumb sticks and buttons are located above each other. It means you have to angle your thumb inwards a bit to reach the right thumb stick and left D-pad, which made operating them accurately more difficult than on a traditional Xbox-style controller.

Some of the buttons feel a little cramped on the two halves of the controller, in particular the A-B-X-Y buttons. The rear paddles on the back are also a little hard to distinguish from the raised edge of the controller by touch alone.

GameSir X4 Aileron: Competition

When it comes to this controller layout, the Backbone One is a popular choice. Its two halves are joined and it uses either a USB-C or Lightning connector rather than Bluetooth. It costs $99.99/£99.99. GameSir also offers split controllers with a solid back, such as the GameSir G8 Galileo, which costs $79.99/£79.99.

GameSir X4 Aileron: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if…

• You want a controller that folds down into a compact shape
• You prefer the Xbox controller layout
• You want the peace of mind that Hall Effect thumb sticks bring

You shouldn’t buy this if…

• You find the X4 Aileron’s thumb stick and D-pad positioning awkward
• You’re used to PlayStation controller layouts
• You want an easier fit for your phone

GameSir X4 Aileron: Verdict

The GameSir X4 Aileron has some neat tricks for iOS gamers (despite its Android branding), but its split layout is a little wobbly and cramped. Xbox fans will appreciate its attempt to closely mimic Microsoft's gamepads, but rival telescopic control pads feel sturdier than the magnetic fit the X4 Aileron relies on. If you're a household that makes use of both Android and iOS devices though, it's connectivity offers flexibility that might make it a good choice for you.

Apple Vision Pro rolled out to the U.S. at the start of 2024, while the rest of the world patiently waited for its turn. Now, Apple Vision Pro is going global. But where exactly is Apple Vision Pro now available? How can you buy one and how much does it cost? 

We're here to guide you through everything you need to know about the global rollout of Apple Vision Pro, with plenty of tips and tricks in tow from our experts. 

Apple's spatial computing headset offers revolutionary apps, hand and eye controls, premium materials, and advanced hardware. It's all powered by visionOS (soon to be visionOS 2), and comes replete with support for accessories including the Magic Keyboard, Trackpad, and soon the Magic mouse. Here's everything you need to know about buying one abroad.

• 50 things you need to know about Apple Vision Pro

Where is Apple Vision Pro available?

As of July 12, you can now buy Apple Vision Pro in 10 countries:

• U.S.
• Canada
• Australia
• France
• Germany
• UK
• China
• Hong Kong
• Japan
• Singapore

How to buy Apple Vision Pro?

To buy an Apple Vision Pro in the U.S. or any other country, you can go to the Apple Store online, the Apple Store app, or an Apple Store near you. We'd recommend going online, as you can start some of the process for getting the right fitment for your headset without leaving the house. That's also the only way to get the right ZEISS Optical Inserts if you require either reader or prescription eyeglasses. 

• Where to buy Apple Vision Pro — Apple's latest innovation is in stores now

Apple Vision Pro Accessories

You can score an Apple Vision Pro travel case from Apple, as well as peripherals like the Magic Keyboard. But you might also want to consider looking at Amazon, where we've found some great third-party accessories. 

• You can't buy Apple Vision Pro on Amazon Prime Day, but you can score these 11 accessories instead

Apple Vision Pro games

Apple Vision Pro is for play as well as work! Here are all the spatial games you can play on Apple Vision Pro right now:

• Every Apple Vision Pro Spatial game we know about so far
• Apple Vision Pro's first multiplayer spatial game is here 
• Here's your first look at Apple Vision Pro Spatial gaming
• Someone recreated one of the iPhone's most iconic games for Apple Vision Pro
• Apple Vision Pro might have just got its best game yet

Apple Vision Pro tips and tricks

• Complete guide to Vision Pro streaming: When to use Apple TV, Safari, and apps
• Apple Vision Pro essentials: How to update, turn off, or reset the headset
• How to use cloud gaming services on Apple Vision Pro
• How to use other input methods to control Apple Vision Pro — keyboards, trackpads, pointers, and more
• How to create a Persona on Apple Vision Pro
• Having eye or hand tracking issues on Vision Pro? Here's how you can recalibrate
• Apple Vision Pro EyeSight: Everything you need to know about the mixed reality headset's outward display
• Apple Vision Pro sensors: What they all do, and where they are on the headset
• How to use Travel Mode with Apple Vision Pro on an airplane
• How to start a Guest User session on Apple Vision Pro — let someone else experience spatial computing on your mixed-reality headset
• How to safely clean an Apple Vision Pro headset and accessories
• How to set up Optic ID on Apple Vision Pro — troubleshooting tips and more
• This Vision Pro app turns your shortcuts into buttons that float before your very eyes and it's available now
• 50 things you need to know about Apple Vision Pro
• Apple Vision Pro — Can you import one from the U.S., and is it worth it?
• Environments on Apple Vision Pro: What they are and every location announced so far
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

To say I’ve played Vampire Survivors feels like somewhat of an understatement. I’ve beaten runs on Steam Deck, iPhone, and Xbox, with multiple characters, unlocking many of the game’s secrets, and testing every single character. At this point, I’d say I’ve beaten the game, and don’t feel nearly done with it. As one of the most popular Steam Deck titles, it feels perfect to play on the go and an iPhone is maybe the best possible way to play it. 

For the uninitiated, Vampire Survivors is a “bullet hell” roguelike, where you take control of vampire hunters who take out fiends of the night and upgrade characters over a level, getting new weapons, powers, and more. After you lose or win, you can use gold to buy permanent upgrades for future runs. Part of what makes it different from other bullet hells is you don’t actually shoot at enemies as you might expect — instead, your character automatically attacks whatever enemy is closest. You only control movement, and this makes it an incredibly approachable game. There’s a defined skill ceiling in picking the right upgrade routes and dodging enemies but you only need to control a single thing to start a run. 

As well as being approachable and easy to sink your teeth into, Vampire Survivors also launched on Steam in early access for a mere $2.99. This is not only a great price but means regions like Brazil and Argentina, which are normally priced out of traditional games thanks to inflation costs, can play it. So you now know why the game is so popular but why does this make it perfect for Apple Arcade? 

You can try it right now

Vampire Survivors+ is coming to Apple Arcade on August 1st, just a few weeks from now. However, you can play the full game for free, without DLCs on the App Store right now. If you want the game’s DLCs, you can pay to play them separately. The game also comes with ads to get more coins and revives. Though these ads aren’t overly obtrusive, they can still be a bit of an annoying distraction from the game itself. When it launches on Apple Arcade, Vampire Survivors+ comes with the first two DLCs and will be entirely ad-free. It is unclear if the other DLCs will be coming at a later date or if there’s a way to buy them. 

Having played the game extensively on my iPhone, the levels lend themselves well to the large screen of my iPhone 15 Pro Max and, given many stages have a degree of verticality to them, iPhones being taller than they are wide helps out. 99% of the time, if I had to choose between touch controls or a physical controller, I would choose the latter. However, Vampire Survivors can be played with a single hand, meaning I can take it out while waiting for a bus or lounging on the sofa. The game plays very well on console and Steam but it can be a bit cumbersome to pull out such a big controller for something so casual. I’ve already sunk upwards of 100 hours on the game but, when it launches on Apple Arcade, I can see that number getting much higher. 

More from iMore

• Apple Arcade and the future of mobile gaming
• Apple Arcade: The Ultimate Guide
• How to Use an Xbox One Controller With Apple Arcade

Learning how to get Upgrade in Pokémon Go is the next step in making your Porygon much stronger. Being the only way to evolve it into Porygon2 and rather rare, you may have found yourself at a dead end looking for the illustrious upgrade item. Luckily, it’s a little easier to find than you may think — it just requires some patience. 

Here’s how to get Upgrade in Pokémon Go and how to use it. 

How to get Upgrade in Pokémon Go 

Unfortunately, there’s quite a lot of luck involved in getting an Upgrade. Though you can technically get it in many random drops, the most consistent way to guarantee a chance at receiving it is by doing seven daily tasks on separate days. From the game, click the binoculars at the bottom right corner of the screen. Then click “Today” and do one of those tasks. Once that is done, a small stamp will appear at the top of the screen and you have to do tasks on seven different days to unlock a “breakthrough” which comes with an evolution item at random. These do not need to be consecutive days so don’t worry about doing it every single day but it will take longer if you don’t. 

It’s worth noting that quests have a small bin icon next to them that you can use if it doesn’t seem worth your time. With a quest slot open, you can interact with a Pokéstop and you will receive a new task. This is a nice way of filtering through the time-intensive tasks and getting a slightly easier one. 

Which Pokémon evolve with Upgrade in Pokémon Go?

As of right now, Porgyon is the only Pokémon in Pokémon Go that evolves using Upgrade and 50 Porygon candies. From here, you can evolve Porygon2 into Porygon-Z with a Sinnoh Stone and 100 Porygon candies. Once you have more than one, you can hold onto it and evolve more Porygon or throw it out to save on storage space. Catching more Porygon can allow you to farm different stats and natures, but it’s also a good way to get Pokémon Go XP fast. 

Apple has patched a nightmarish Apple Vision Pro bug that allowed websites to render 3D models of bats and spiders in Safari. 

As reported by our friends at PC Gamer, the bug was discovered by Ryan Pickren, who uncovered a bug in visionOS that "a malicious website to bypass all warnings and forcefully fill your room with an arbitrary number of animated 3D objects." According to Pickren, while Apple has done plenty of work to ensure apps and websites can't randomly spawn objects in your personal space, it forgot about its old web-based 3D model standard Apple AR Kit Quick Look. 

As such, Pickren found a hack that meant "any website could instruct mobile Safari to treat the link as an in-place 3D model," even adding Spatial Audio sounds to the models too. The crux? "This means that we can launch an arbitrary number of 3D, animated, sound-creating, objects without any user interaction whatsoever... If the victim just views our website in Vision Pro, we can instantly fill their room with hundreds of crawling spiders and screeching bats! Freaky stuff."

Apple Vision Pro nightmare

As you can imagine, this is quite a problematic bug for users of Vision Pro, especially any who happen to be arachnophobes. Findings in hand, Pickren reported the issue to Apple in February, and Futurism reports it was patched in the June visionOS 1.2 update. What a relief. 

Also in June, Apple unveiled visionOS 2 at WWDC 2024. The update features new tools including tech that can turn any photo into a spatial photo, new gestures, and a big upgrade to Mac Virtual Display that brings ultra-wide display support. 

visionOS 2 is expected in September alongside iOS 18, macOS Sequoia, iPadOS 18, and Apple Intelligence, the company's new AI tools baked into its software. 

More from iMore

• visionOS: Features, supported devices, and more
• visionOS 2 announced at WWDC
• visionOS 1.1.2 released with bug fixes for the Apple Vision Pro

If you’re looking to know how to get Unova Stone in Pokémon Go, there’s a good chance you’ve found a very lovable trio of monkeys. Used on Pansage, Pansear, Simisage, and a few more Pokémon from the fifth generation, it’s a bit of a grind to get the stone but worth it for those new Pokémon. 

Going over the two methods to get it, as well as every Pokémon that can evolve with it, here’s everything you need to know about the Unova Stone in Pokémon Go. 

How to get Unova Stone in Pokémon Go

There are a few main ways to get Unova Stones. The first is through Research Breakthroughs, the game’s quest system. After you have signed into the game, click the binoculars icon at the bottom right of the page. From here, click on the “Today” tab and you will see daily quests. Complete daily quests seven days in a row and you will get a Research Breakthrough that has a chance of giving you a Unova Stone. You should do these daily quests anyway as they're a good way to get Pokémon Go XP fast.

If you can’t be bothered to wait a whole week for a chance at a Unova Stone, you can also get one by defeating a Team Go Rocket Leader. There are three of these; Cliff, Sierra, and Arlo. Cliff is a tough-looking gentleman with a cap on, Sierra is a lady in a white and purple jumper, and Arlo has streaks of red in his black hair. Defeating any of these gives you the chance to get a Unova Stone. If you don’t get it the first time, you can walk around and fight more until you get it. Though you used to be able to get a Unova Stone by defeating Team Rocket’s Giovanna, it seems you can no longer do this. 

Which Pokémon evolve with Unova Stone in Pokémon Go?

The following Pokémon evolve with a Unova Stone: 

• Pansage into Simisage with one Unova Stone and 50 candy
• Pansear into Simisear with one Unova Stone and 50 candy
• Panpour into Simipour with one Unova Stone and 50 candy
• Munna into Musharna with one Unova Stone and 50 candy
• Minccino into Cinccino with one Unova Stone and 50 candy
• Eelektrik into Eelektros with one Unova Stone and 100 candy
• Lampent into Chandelure with one Unova Stone and 100 candy

These are all the Pokémon that evolve with Unova Stone in Pokémon Go right now and it’s the only use of this peculiar-looking stone.