Today is a big day for Apple Arcade, not only because two big titles, NBA 2K21 and Fantasian, will be available, but also because Apple is adding a number of older iOS games to its $5/month subscription service

But let's start with a simple slam-dunk reason: NBA 2K21 is coming to iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV today, bringing the current 2020-2021 NBA roster, 5-on-5 basketball games on the court, and Game Center bringing online multiplayer via Game Center

But that's not all You can also enjoy street game style play with Blacktop Quick Match There is also a MyCAREER mode with stories and hours of gameplay

If sports aren't your thing, you may have heard of a little game called Fantasian This is the latest RPG from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is also available on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV for Apple Arcade subscribers And while it is definitely an RPG, it has a completely different look than its predecessors, with each scene looking like a diorama

In Fantasian, you play as Leo, an amnesiac with only one memory, who walks around a world destroyed by a massive explosion There is also an interesting battle dynamic called the Dimensioneon Battle, in which you use enemies you have defeated in the past

Fantasian also features a soundtrack by renowned Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu Together, these elements make Fantasian look like the AAA game Apple Arcade needed Big names, beautiful aesthetics, ambitious storytelling And like "NBA 2K21," you'll want a game controller to play it right

Other Apple Arcade exclusives include "Star Trek: Legends," "Simon's Cat: Story Time," and the new "Oregon Trail The new "Timeless Classics" section includes "Really Bad Chess" and "Good Sudoku" from indie developer Zach Gage, as well as "Backgammon" and "Chess - Play & Learn"

If you're new to iOS or didn't pay for games in the past (but now have Apple Arcade), look for the section titled "App Store Greats" There, you'll find hits like "Monument Valley," "Mini Metro," "Threes!", "Fruit Ninja Classic," and "Chameleon Run" that were once paid for but are now included in subscriptions

These classic titles, plus the new additions, bring the total number of games on Apple Arcade to over 180 Will this be a turning point for Apple Arcade? Or does Apple need to make the rumored Apple TV 2021 a device that people will take seriously as a place to get great games? Time will tell If Apple makes its own game controller for Apple TV, I bet it will do even better