Apple Arcade finally releases Fantasian and Wonderbox

Apple Arcade had a big Friday. The $5-a-month gaming service released Fantasian -- the new RPG from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and Mistwalker -- as well as Wonderbox: The Adventure Maker from Aquiris. Both  games  were announced during Apple Arcade's launch in September 2019. The platform also added NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition. On top of that, the service unveiled another 30 titles, available now. 

Both Fantasian and Wonderbox launched in select countries shortly before arriving for Apple Arcade subscribers in the US. Fantasian shares its launch day with that of Final Fantasy VI 27 years prior, according to a tweet from Sakaguchi. Final Fantasy VI was an inspiration for Fantasian, Sakaguchi told CNET. 

Fantasian

RPG legend Sakaguchi has kept players well fed over the last few years with updates on Fantasian's development, screenshots, concept artwork and more on his social media page. In January, Sakaguchi and Mistwalker began dropping hints that the new mobile RPG game would launch this year.

Read CNET's interview with Sakaguchi here: Final Fantasy creator returns to nostalgic roots in Apple Arcade's Fantasian

Fantasian's story focuses on Leo, the young protagonist who lost his memory after an explosion at a hybrid magic-tech factory. After waking up in a world dominated by machines, Leo sets out on a quest to find his missing father with only one clue: A repeating vision of a young woman. When Leo arrives in En, a dusty frontier town, he meets Kina -- the woman from his dream. 

The pair set off on an adventure to reclaim Leo's memories and discover their destinies. As Leo's past is revealed along with other mysteries in the multidimensional adventure, the balance between order and chaos becomes harder to maintain. 

Fantasian features over 150 handcrafted dioramas that make up the game's environment as well as a gorgeous soundtrack from legendary Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu. 

Wonderbox: The Adventure Maker 

Brazilian game studio Aquiris' Wonderbox: The Adventure Maker -- formerly known as Box Project -- also joined Apple Arcade's extensive game catalog on Friday. Wonderbox is a 3D adventure game that lets you explore a nearly endless world through "boxes" and portals. If you're a fan of Minecraft or Monument Valley, this is definitely a game to check out.   

The controls are easy to pick up with simple swipe and tap mechanics. Straight out, you'll encounter the village matriarch who tasks you with finding the Heart of Adventure to restore the land. As you pass through portals and visit different boxes -- think floating islands -- you can swipe on the screen to rotate the area, manipulate your view angle, and fully explore. 

In Wonderbox, you can play in campaigns which unlock a series of adventures for gamers, a discovery mode where you seek out an adventure, or multiplayer where you can host or join a party with up to four friends. Lastly, you can choose Create and build your own adventure. The game will continue adding adventures as well.

Defeat enemies, collect coins, solve puzzles, build new environments and more in this new imaginative adventure game. 

Check out the trailer from Aquiris here: 

Read more: iPhone 12: How 5G, lidar and more new tech will bring mobile gaming to the next level

Since Apple Arcade joined the mobile gaming scene in 2019, it has amassed a catalog of over 180 games with more coming almost weekly that you can play across iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod Touch and Apple TV. 

In addition, you can get a three-month free trial of Apple Arcade with the purchase of a new device. Even if you don't buy a new phone and if you're signing up for Apple Arcade for the first time, you get a one-month free trial. To try the service out, open the App Store and tap the little joystick icon at the bottom of the screen.

For more, check out All the hardware you need to play Apple Arcade games and Apple Arcade: All the games you can play on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV.

Watch this: Top 5 most-anticipated gaming laptops of 2021

07:53