Build a Kingdom One Puzzle at a Time in This Apple Arcade Game – CNET [CNET]

Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

You can play this game and many others on Apple Arcade.

Zachary McAuliffe Staff writer

Zach began writing for CNET in November, 2021 after writing for a broadcast news station in his hometown, Cincinnati, for five years. You can usually find him reading and drinking coffee or watching a TV series with his wife and their dog.

Expertise Web hosting, operating systems, applications and software Credentials

• Apple software beta tester, “Helps make our computers and phones work!” – Zach’s grandparents

On Thursday, Apple Arcade added Kingdoms: Merge & Build, a medieval-themed puzzle game, to its library of games. If you subscribe to Apple Arcade ($5, £5 or AU$8 a month), you can play this game at no additional charge, and without ads or in-app purchases.

This game was developed by Cherrypick Games, which also developed mobile games like My Spa Resort and Golf Solitaire TriPeaks Cards!

Kingdoms: Merge & Build is a match-two puzzle game where you have to combine certain items to form new items and resources. Like in this game, crafting two hammers together make a shovel — don’t ask me how. This title is also a kingdom-builder game where you have to use your new items and resources to rebuild homes, markets and more in your kingdom after a disaster struck.

While you craft items and rebuild your home, you’re also working to uncover the mystery of what happened to the last king who vanished right before the kingdom collapsed. Surely those two instances aren’t connected or anything.

You can play this game, and many others, in Apple Arcade for $5 a month, or $60 annually. You can also try Apple Arcade for free for one month with your first sign-up, or you can get a three-month free trial whenever you buy a new Apple device. To access Apple Arcade, open the App Store on your iOS device and tap the joystick in the menu bar.

Watch this: What You’ll Find on Apple Arcade

00:21

Gaming Guides