Fortnite Ranked Play is finally arriving in Battle Royale and Zero Build modes in the upcoming V24.30 patch, which looks to be set to arrive on May 16, 2023.
The Fortnite Team shared the details of Fortnite Ranked in a blog, confirming that players will be competing against others across the globe to reach Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Elite, Champion, and Unreal ranks. Bronze through Diamond will have three ranks, and Elite, Champion, and Unreal will only have one.
Fortnite Ranked’s first season will be Ranked Season Zero, and it will last until the end of Battle Royale Chapter 4 Season 3. When Ranked Season Zero begins, players will be ranked “based on your past match performance, as well as your performance in your first Ranked Battle Royale and Ranked Zero Build match.”
Players will be able to see their current rank on the left of the screen if they have “Ranked” set to “On.” There will also be a progress bar that will show you how close you are to advancing or losing a rank. This bar will increase or decrease based on your match placement and the amount of eliminations your or your team got in a match. Eliminations later on in a match will count more than those earned earlier and the ranks of those players you eliminated will also “be taken into account.”
If you are playing as a team, all members will gain and lose progress “based on team eliminations and team placement calculated at the end of a match.” Also, your team’s rank will be based on the player with the highest rank at the start of the match.
One thing to note is that players who reach Unreal rank will keep it for the entirety of the season it was earned, no matter how they play for the rest of the time. Instead, players can continue to work on their placement in the Unreal rank and prove they really are the best of the best.
When V24.40 arrives, Ranked will be supported in Battle Royale’s Solo, Duos, and Squads modes and Zero Build’s Duos mode, and there will be separate ranks for Battle Royale and Zero Build.
As for how you can participate in Fortnite Ranked, new players will need to outlast 500 opponents so they can get a feel of the game. There will also be in-game seasonal cosmetic awards for playing in Ranked matches, and they can be achieved by completing Ranked Urgent Quests. There will be a new Ranked Urgent Quest given to players for every match, but previous quests’ progress does not carry over between matches. The final cosmetic reward for Ranked Season Zero will be the Burn Bright Emote that will show off your current rank to other players in-game.
With the launch of Ranked, Arena mode will be discontinued. Furthermore, your rank in the next Battle Royale Season will be a factor in your eligibility for Epic-hosted tournaments.
Fornite’s V24.40 update will make a few balancing changes that will also be implemented in Ranked, including Material caps being decreased from 999 to 500, harvesting rates being “slightly increased,” and a new penalty for getting eliminated that will see players dropping 50 of each material.
When you have the latest and greatest iPhone, then that means you can play just about any mobile game with ease—thanks to the smartphone’s sheer power and buttery smoothness. In fact, even if your iPhone is a few years old, you’ll still get a great experience gaming on-the-go.
And while there are millions of them on the Apple App Store and Apple Arcade, there’s a very useful list of the most popular games—divided by the most popular free games and paid games available for the iPhone in May 2023 (most of these titles are available as iPad games as well).
From simple match-three games to powerful MMORPGs, we rounded up the top 10 from the top free and top paid games (20 games in total) to help you navigate the App Store easily. There are a lot of winners, below:
TL;DR – These are the Most Popular Apple iPhone games
Everyone’s favorite board game Monopoly is available to play on the Apple iPhone with Monopoly Go!. It features the same gameplay as the original, but faster, wilder, and more ruthless. Play with your friends and family from around the world, while the object of the game is to buy property, build houses and hotels, collect Monopoly Money, bankrupt everyone, and destroy their properties.
2. Happy Hospital: ASMR Doctor
Run your own hospital in Happy Hospital: ASMR Doctor, a medical simulation game. Set at Central Hospital, you can play as a doctor or nurse to help your patients recover from all sorts of ailments.
If you want a larger overview, you can also play hospital administrator to build, maintain, and manage your very own hospital and staff. The more patients you help, the more money you get to upgrade the medical center and make a better hospital.
3. Royal Match
Royal Match is a match-three puzzle game where you help King Robert restore his kingdom back to glory. The more you match, the more levels you complete, and the more you restore the kingdom. Meanwhile, you can unlock bonus levels and rooms to collect coins to stay alive.
4. My Doge: Puzzle Game
My Doge is a puzzle game where you help the Doge meme by drawing shields and barriers around it in one motion, so it will stay safe from attacking bees and other dangers. There are 100 levels full of puzzles and brain teasers to save the Doge.
5. Gardenscapes
Gardenscapes is a swap-and-match puzzle game with hundreds of different levels where you build the garden of your dreams with the help of Austin the butler. It features loads of gardens, fountains, mazes, and more that you have to restore, while you unlock characters and mysteries along the way. You can even connect the app with your Facebook account, so you can be neighbors with your friends.
6. Roblox
Immerse yourself in an entirely virtual experience in Roblox, a cross platform game that’s available on Apple iOS, Android, Windows, and Xbox. The app is opart-gaming and part-social media where you can play games, create your own game, or just chat with friends from all around the world with thousands of experiences—think of it as Club Penguin, but for Gen Z.
7. Subway Surfers
Set in Windy Chicago, Subway Surfer is an endless running game where you play as Jake, a graffiti artist, as he runs through subways and train yards to escape the inspector and his dog. You must dodge moving subways, poles, tunnel walls, barriers, and more to gain items and power-ups to increase your speed and upgrade your special abilities.
8. Impossible Date: Tricky Riddle
Why go on an actual date when you can play Impossible Date: Tricky Riddle on your iPhone? The mobile game is riddle-based where you solve puzzles and brain teasers to enhance romantic relationships. You can draw, erase, swipe, click, drag, and more actions to fix misunderstandings for couples who are on dates until they find true love.
9. Honkai: Star Rail
Aboard the Astral Express with The Nameless, a band of adventurers, you travel across the galaxy to find new civilizations, meet new friends, and have adventures on strange worlds in Honkai: Star Rail—a space fantasy RPG from game developers HoYoverse. Follow the Aeons, a race of godlike beings who can control reality, as they try to fight off an evil force called the Fragmentum.
10. Call of Duty: Mobile
A few years ago, Activision created a mobile version of their hit video game called Call of Duty: Mobile. This is the fourth season of the first-person shooter with various multiplayer modes, including Team Deathmatch, Domination, Battle Royale, and more. This is a cross-platform game for iOS and Android devices.
Most Popular Paid iPhone Games
1. Minecraft ($7)
Minecraft is one of the most popular games in the world and it’s available to play on Apple iPhone for just $7. It’s a sandbox game where players are free to create and explore the world to climb mountains, unearth caves, and mine precious ore to build homes, weapons, villages, and more.
Now play Monopoly with your Apple mobile device. This is the classic version of the board game with new graphics and fun animations in a fully immersive mobile experience. Roll the dice and travel around the board to buy up properties, build houses and hotels, collect Monopoly Money, and bankrupt friends and family.
You can even play as classic game pieces, including the scottie, cat, T-Rex, rubber duck, and others. And since this is the paid version at only $5, it’s ad-free with no interruptions or distracting pop-ups.
3. Geometry Dash ($2)
Geometry Dash is a rhythm-based platformer where players control shapes to jump from point-A to point-B with unique soundtracks for each level. The game even features a level editor where you can create and share your own levels. The app is just $2 and doesn’t include any in-app purchases, so unlocking new icons and characters is completely based on your skills throughout the game.
4. Bloons TD 6 ($7)
At $7, Bloons TD 6 is a top-down tower defense where players create defenses made up of hero monkeys, structures, towers, bridges, and traps to stop “Bloons,” balloon-like objects, from exiting each map. Players collect coins to upgrade their defenses.
5. Heads Up! ($2)
It’s the game “Who Am I?,” but for the digital age. Created by Ellen DeGeneres, Head Up! is charades with a twist. You place your iPhone (screen out) on your forehead, then a name or title appears on the display, your friends or family have to act out the clues, and then you have to guess the name of the character, movie title, animal, superhero, and more within 60 seconds. You can even play via Apple Facetime or Zoom. Not bad for just $2.
6. Papa’s Freezeria To Go! ($1)
Make the ultimate ice cream sundae with Papa’s Freezeria To Go!. At just $1, play as a worker at a beachfront ice cream shop, as more and more customers come in for a sweet treat during the hectic and hot summer season. Take ice cream orders and build and serve treats, while you earn points and tips for upgrades around the shop.
7. Incredibox ($5)
At $5, Incredibox is a part-game and part-music app where players can create their own music with impressive acapella audio, graffiti-and-drip-style graphics, and beatbox animations. Create the beats, effects, melodies, and voices in drag-and-drop mechanics to enhance your own tunes and sound. You can even save and download your masterpieces to share with your friends and family or just for yourself.
8. Plague Inc. ($1)
Why live through a pandemic in reality when you can play with one on your iPhone? At $1, Plague Inc. is a strategy game where you must end humanity with a deadly pathogen during a global plague. However, the people around the world are more adaptive than you think, so you have to create and evolve more and more deadly viruses to wipe away all of the people on Earth.
9. Red’s First Flight ($1)
Angry Birds are back, baby! Red’s First Flight is a remake of the classic mobile game from the late 2000s with new graphics, new levels, new features, and more. However, the goal remains the same: Launch Angry Birds to destroy greedy pigs and their structures to reclaim stolen eggs.
10. Stardew Valley ($5)
At $5, Stardew Valley is an open-world farm simulation game with elements of role-playing. Inherit a plot of land and a small house in Pelican Town from your grandfather, clear and farm the land with crops and livestock, and make money to expand and upgrade your own piece of the farmstead.
Meanwhile, Stardew Valley was the winner of Golden Joysticks’ Breakthrough Award in 2016 with more than 50 hours of gameplay and fun.
What to Look for in Apple iPhone Games
There are millions upon millions of apps and games on the Apple App Store, so it might be intimidating to start with just one to play. While the most popular game lists—either free or paid—are a good place to start, there are some other factors you should consider before you tap download. Here’s what to look for in Apple iPhone games.
First of all, if you have a very old iPhone, you should check if it’s compatible with the mobile game. Most games require your iPhone to run, at least, iOS 8 or higher—which is compatible with the Apple iPhone 4S or higher. This iPhone model was released in October 2011, so any iPhone release beforehand will not be compatible with these games.
You should also be aware of how much space you have on your iPhone. The file size for mobile games can go from a few hundred megabytes all the way up to about 20GB, so if you don’t have enough space on your smartphone, then it won’t be able to download completely on your hardware. If that’s the case, you should consider deleting a few apps to free up some space, get a new iPhone with a larger storage capacity, or think about downloading a new game altogether.
Then, you should consider the price. While there are a lot of free games available, free doesn’t necessarily mean completely free. A lot of these free games offer in-app purchases for upgrades. For example, in the game Royal Match, you have a limited number of lives to play, once you lose a life, you have to wait 30 minutes to regain it. However, if you pay, you can unlock the app to get more lives.
Unfortunately, the same thing can be said for a paid game too. Just because you have to pay for an app at first, it doesn’t mean there aren’t additional in-app purchases available. But, if a mobile game is on the pricey side, then it’s likely that the unlocked version will download to your iPhone.
Additionally, you can also get a subscription to Apple Arcade for $5/mo. to unlock all of the iOS games available with no in-app purchases to play on iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and Apple TV. If you’re an avid mobile gamer, then this is the way to go.
The final thing you should look out for in an Apple iPhone game is if it looks fun to play. If a game looks like a lot of fun or a challenge, then tap download and immerse yourself in a whole new universe and experience.
Upcoming iPhone Games
Wondering what new iPhone games are coming down the pipeline? Take a look at our guide to all of the biggest upcoming iPhone games to see what’s coming in 2023.
Did you know The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has an insane amount of detail right down to the tunes our hero Link hums when he’s cooking up a storm? As highlighted by pixel artist and Twitter user TAHK0, if you listen closely when Link is standing around a cooking pot, you should be able to hear one of many iconic Legend of Zelda songs.
Keep in mind, the tweet above is just a sample of some of the tunes, and there are more based on other entries in the Zelda series. So what are you waiting for? Go and cook up a meal (in-game) for yourself and have a listen. Else, you can always check out the many recordings that have already been uploaded to YouTube, documenting these tracks.
Tears of the Kingdom producer Eiji Aonuma and director Hidemaro Fujibayashi have shared that they are “interested” in a film adaptation of The Legend of Zelda, especially after the incredible success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
The pair were asked this question by Polygon and, while they confirmed there is definitely interest, it’s ultimately not up to them.
“I have to say, I am interested. For sure. But it’s not just me being interested in something that makes things happen, unfortunately,” Aonuma said.
“Maybe the voice of the fans is what’s important here,” Fujibayashi added.
If you need an idea of what a movie based on The Legend of Zelda could be sure to check out our exclusive debut of the totally real trailer for The Legend of Zelda Movie that totally wasn’t an April Fools’ Day joke back in 2008.
Movie or not, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is finally out in the world and is one of the greatest-reviewed games of all time and is sitting at a 96 on Metacritic.
In our The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom review, we said it “is an unfathomable follow-up, expanding a world that already felt full beyond expectation and raising the bar ever higher into the clouds.”
And for help with everything Tears of the Kingdom, take a look at our Tears of the Kingdom Walkthrough and Guide about making your way through Hyrule, in fact, you can start here:
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they’ve been chewing over.Today, Henry experiences his very first Fantasy…
I admit it – I’ve never played Final Fantasy. It wasn’t on my radar as a kid, and by the time I was paying attention, it had jumped to Final Fantasy XIV! Fourteen! A number that high was intimidating, proof that I would never catch up on the many entries’ worth of lore in such a long-running franchise.
Hi everyone, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl.
Last time, we took a look at Yoshi’s Island for the N64. In the end, the vote heavily favoured towards the Japanese box art, which went for a lovely embroidered aesthetic over the more traditional approach taken by North America and Europe. With 64% of the vote, Japan won by a near landslide. Well done!
One of the surprise announcements of the February Nintendo Direct earlier this year was the news We Love Katamari REROLL + Royal Reverie would be coming to the Switch this June.
In an update, the official Japanese website for the game has now provided the Switch specs – revealing the game’s performance and resolution in docked and handheld modes.
Playing video games is an expensive hobby. Whether you’re purchasing a brand-new console or buying the latest releases, keeping your digital library padded with the latest games can be costly. Luckily, that’s beginning to change. More and more publishers have started embracing the free-to-play model in recent years, allowing players to leap into some good Nintendo Switch games without paying a cent.
We’ve dug through some of the best free-to-play titles available on Nintendo Switch and compiled a list so you can enjoy some great games without putting too much stress on your wallet. From battle royales and fighting games to management sims and platformers, let’s run through fourteen of the best free-to-play titles available on the console.
Arguably the biggest free-to-play game available right now, Fortnite has grown from an ambitious multiplayer shooter to a cultural behemoth. The game’s objective is simple: defeat 99 other players in a free-for-all battle and be the last one standing. You drop into a massive world and must quickly track down some equipment, finding guns, building structures and eliminating other players as you go. Meanwhile, the boundaries of the map will begin to constrict, funnelling you into a central arena where you’ll fight to be crowned the winner.
On paper, Fortnite’s a fairly standard battle royale shooter, but over the years its reach has stretched far outside of the genre. Whether it’s new game modes, crossover cameos, in-game concerts, movie screenings or an ever-expanding story with interactive events, Fortnite is now a multi-media sensation. All of Fortnite’s multiplayer modes are free-to-play, with microtransactions limited to cosmetics and a seasonal battle pass.
Blending the colourful mascot platformer and the battle royale genre, Mediatonic’s Fall Guys first launched in 2020. It has since gone free-to-play, opening its doors to new players wanting to experience its unique brand of multiplayer platformer mayhem. You can enjoy all of Fall Guys’ multiplayer modes for free, with paid content limited to an in-game cosmetic store and a premium seasonal battle pass with unique unlocks.
For those new to Fall Guys, the game sees 100 players step into the shoes of clumsy bean-shaped competitors as they battle against each other in a high-stakes game show spread across a series of increasingly difficult rounds. Think of it as Human: Fall Flat meets Takeshi’s Castle. The last player standing is the winner, taking home valuable points they can exchange for new costumes, emotes, and more. Fall Guys has grown exponentially in the years since its debut, with the game moving through multiple seasons and adding a variety of new stages.
A chaotic mix of arcade racing and soccer, Rocket League has been a fixture of the free-to-play scene since it shifted to the model back in 2020. Pitting up to 8 players against each other as they attempt to launch a giant soccer ball into their opponent’s goal using small race cars, Rocket League is simple to pick up but tricky to master. Players will have to work efficiently as a team to defend against their opposition and score stylish goals.
With a huge community, Rocket League is arguably one of the most popular multiplayer titles in the gaming space right now. It’s also updated frequently, with developer Psyonix adding new seasons, events, game modes and cosmetics regularly. All of Rocket League’s multiplayer modes are free, with players able to purchase cosmetic items from an in-game store.
After developing Titanfall and its sequel, Respawn Entertainment entered the free-to-play battle royale space with Apex Legends. Set in the same universe as Titanfall, Apex Legends adapted the genre with a twist, creating a battle royale mixed with a team-based hero shooter.
After picking a hero from a large roster, players assemble into squads of three, using their unique abilities to defeat rival teams and attempt to be the last squad standing. Since launch, the game has been updated frequently, adding new seasons and game modes. All of Apex Legends’ multiplayer modes are entirely free and heroes can be unlocked through currency earned while playing. As for its microtransactions, players can purchase cosmetics and pay to unlock heroes instantly.
Blizzard’s second iteration of its revered multiplayer, team-based hero shooter, Overwatch 2 welcomed a wealth of new players when it launched in late 2022. Focusing on 5v5 battles, players choose a hero and fight against the opposing team, using their character’s abilities to back up squadmates and win the game.
Overwatch 2 is a constantly evolving experience, with Blizzard adding new events and updating the game frequently. All of Overwatch 2’s multiplayer modes are free-to-play, while its heroes can be unlocked by playing matches (alternatively, they can all be unlocked with a one-time fee via the Hero Pack). Microtransactions are limited to unlocking cosmetics and purchasing a seasonal battle pass.
One of the longest-running entries on the list, Warframe first released in 2013. In the decade since, it has become a staple on consoles, offering users a free-to-play sci-fi action RPG with a lengthy main campaign, fast-paced third-person combat, fully integrated co-op, extensive customization and deep exploration.
For those looking for a game to sink countless hours into, Warframe is a solid bet. With frequent updates, it’s always evolving, offering a constant stream of new things to do, planets to visit and missions to undertake. Warframe is entirely free to play, with microtransactions limited to cosmetics.
Initially released as a tie-in with Fallout 4, Fallout Shelter is a management sim that puts players in the role of a vault overseer. The prestigious position gives them the ability to create, manage and ultimately run one of the franchise’s iconic vaults, keeping its dwellers fed, housed and happy. Along the way, they’ll have to create facilities, gather resources, fight enemies and send dwellers on missions into the wasteland.
Fallout Shelter is fully playable for free, with microtransactions limited to purchasing loot crates containing new dwellers, pets, weapons, resources and bottles of Nuka-Cola Quantum, which speed up activities.
Bringing Nintendo’s adorable mascot back for another adventure, Super Kirby Clash is a team-based brawler where up to 4 players take on various bosses as Kirby and his allies. Playable with both friends and AI partners, the game features four distinct classes with their own unique abilities.
Although Nintendo marketed Super Kirby Clash as a “free-to-start” game, implying that players would eventually hit a paywall, the campaign is fully available for free. Microtransactions are limited to the in-game currency of Gem Apples, which allow you to purchase upgrades, stickers and support items. However, Gem Apples can also be acquired by playing the game, meaning you don’t have to buy them to reach Super Kirby Clash’s credits.
Pokemon Quest
Reimagining the iconic pocket monster franchise as a loot-focused action-adventure game, Pokemon Quest is a unique take on one of Nintendo’s most seminal properties. The game transports players to Tumblecube Island; a new realm filled with cube-shaped Pokemon known as Pokexel. Your task is to explore the island, defeat wild Pokexel, train new Pokexel and manage your home base.
Pokemon Quest’s core content is entirely free-to-play, with microtransactions limited to upgrades that speed up progression.
A free-to-play dungeon-crawler set in The Elder Scrolls universe, The Elder Scrolls: Blades has players step into the shoes of one of the last surviving members of The Blades as they rebuild their town and take on various quests. Ditching the open-world format of other Elder Scrolls games, Blades is a linear action RPG where players raid dungeons for loot and experience. They can then use the resources they find to rebuild their hometown, creating a personal settlement that houses new NPCs and additional quests.
Alongside the main campaign, Blades also features online PvP and an endless dungeon mode, allowing players to traverse a randomly generated, never ending level for experience and other rewards.
The Elder Scrolls: Blades’ three modes are playable for free. However, it’s worth taking into account that the game has been heavily criticized for its intrusive microtransactions, which slow progression by forcing you to wait out long in-game timers that are only sped up via purchasable currency.
Focusing on a tournament between fierce warriors, Brawlhalla is a free platform fighting game that allows you to test your might against AI opponents or other online players. Selecting from a huge roster of legendary heroes spanning the ages, you’ll be able to battle in both free-for-all and team-based combat across several modes.
All of Brawlhalla’s maps are free-to-play from the jump and you can purchase new fighters with currency earnt playing the game. As for the microtransactions, they’re focused on cosmetic items and instantly unlocking new fighters.
Just Dance (2023)
It’s worth noting up front that the free version of Just Dance 2023 only includes two songs: “Sweet But Psycho” by Ava Max and “Dynamite” by BTS. The rest of the game’s tracks are unlocked by paying for its full version.
However, both songs are enough to get a taste of the latest iteration of Ubisoft’s annual motion-based dancing franchise. For those who haven’t jumped in before, Just Dance teaches players to dance to their favorite tracks, challenging them to follow a set routine and stay in time with the music. If they can keep up with the song, they’ll earn points, allowing them to set high scores and challenge their friends.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel
Considered by Konami to be the definitive video game adaptation of the iconic trading card game, Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is a free-to-play version of Yu-Gi-Oh! with up-to-date rules and cards. Alongside a multiplayer mode that allows players to pit their deck against online opponents, Master Duel also has a solo mode, offering those new to the game the opportunity to learn the basics.
Master Duel’s base game is entirely free, with microtransactions limited to purchasing new card packs.
Sky: Children of the Light
Coming from the creators of 2012’s Journey, Sky: Children of The Light is an online, open-world social adventure that has players explore a desolate landscape. Much like Journey, the game is about connecting with others, as players meet, interact and befriend each other without saying a word.
Along the way, they’ll solve puzzles and begin to piece together the mystery of Children of the Light’s world and their place in it. The campaign is entirely free-to-play, with in-game microtransactions limited to cosmetics.
The most poetic end possible for a legendary console.
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they’ve been chewing over.Today, Lowell ruminates on the perfect end to a glorious Nintendo generation…
When looking back at a console’s lifespan, there’s always a game that heralded The End before the successor arrived. A swan song game; one final impactful release before unplugging the AV/HDMI cables, wrapping up the controllers, and packing up the console itself to make room for the next.
