Like with most subscription services,new content is added to Apple Arcade’s catalogon a monthly basis. In December 2024, Apple plans to bring 8 games to the service. These include the mixed-reality city builderLittle Cities: Diorama, the word puzzle gameBoogle: Arcade Edition, the endless maze runnerPac-Man 256, and the 3D racing gameHot Wheels: Race Off!, among others. Interestingly, Apple will also be addingFinal Fantasy 4andFinal Fantasy 4: The After Yearsto Apple Arcade next month.Final Fantasyfans who have yet to play these retro JRPGs may want to check them out when they’re released on the service on December 9.
TheFinal Fantasy 1Pixel Remaster is coming to Apple Arcade, as well, but it’s launching on May 10, 2025, and not December.
Final Fantasy 4 and Final Fantasy 4: The After Years are Coming to Apple Arcade in December
Final Fantasy 4 is an Important Part of JRPG History
Final Fantasy 4isn’t talked about that often these days but, among those who’ve played it, it’s widely regarded as one of the best JRPGs of all time. Even though it’s a pretty old game, given that it was originally released on the SNES in 1991, its influence is not to be understated.Final Fantasy 4was the firstFinal Fantasygameto feature the Active Time Battle (ATB) system, which became a staple of the series in later installments. It was also one of the first JRPGs to place a heavy emphasis on dramatic storytelling.
Final Fantasy 4was originally calledFinal Fantasy 2in the United States because, at the time of its worldwide launch, the realFinal Fantasy 2andFinal Fantasy 3hadn’t been released outside of Japan.
The version ofFinal Fantasy 4that’s coming to Apple Arcade in December isn’t the original SNES iteration of the classic JRPG, but rather, it’s the game’s Nintendo DS remake. Some may not know this, butFF4was actually rebuilt from the ground up for Nintendo’s dual-screen handheld back in 2007. This remake featured 3D graphics instead of 2D pixel art, and was largely praised at the time of its release for being a faithful adaptation of its source material. The game was eventually ported to iOS, Android, and Windows PC in the early 2010s.Final Fantasy 4(2007) is not as modernized as the recentFF4Pixel Remaster, but it’s still an enjoyable version of the game, despite its age.
Final Fantasy 4: The After Years is the Divisive Follow-Up to Final Fantasy 4
Final Fantasy 4: The After Yearsis, as is evident by its name,a direct sequel toFinal Fantasy 4. It was released exclusively for Japanese mobile phones in 2008, and it made its international debut on the Nintendo Wii in 2009. Much like the mainlineFFinstallments from the early 90s, the originalFF4: The After Yearswas a 2D game. Its 2013 remake for iOS and Android, however, was fully 3D.FF4: The After Yearsreceived mixed reviews across the board, and many considered it a disappointing follow-up to the originalFF4. Despite its negative reception, diehardFinal Fantasyfans may still want to try the game out at no additional cost onApple Arcadeto see if they’ll like it or not.
Apple Arcade
Apple Arcade is a subscription service that offers hundreds of popular games from every genre. Apple is offering a free one-month trial to test it out, with the link below.
