Netflix Games isn’t getting nearly as much coverage as it deserves. It comes bundled by default with all active Netflix subscriptions, there aren’t any adds, extra fees, or in-app purchases, and it can be used and harnessed on a wide range of devices running iOS, iPadOS, and Android.
It’s an incredibly good deal and, by the looks of it, it’ll only get better and better over the coming weeks and months. Mobile gaming is the future, whether we like it or not. Apple, too, seems to be all-in, and its recent announcements serve as proof. The sheer fact that the latest iPhones and iPads are able to run titles like Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil: Village — in addition to the upcoming Death Stranding and Assassin’s Creed: Mirage — simply boggles the mind.
So how does Netflix Games compare to, say, the Apple Arcade? Quite admirably, one could argue. The current list of games is already mighty impressive, and it’s only going to get better and better: GTA San Andreas, GTA Vice City, GTA 3, Hextech Mayhem: A League of Legends Story, Spiritfarer, TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, Dead Cells, Kentucky Route Zero, Twelve Minutes, Sonic Prime Dash, World of Goo Remastered, Shovel Knight, and many others make it a must-have for anyone looking to game whilst on the go.
Granted, none of these titles are of the AAA variety, but they’re a stellar first step, that’s for sure. And, needless to say, Netflix has many others in the pipeline as well, including Hades, Braid, et al.
Netflix Games — A Staggeringly Good Deal
The sheer fact that Netflix offers such a diverse range of titles — some of which are truly spectacular — alongside a bevy of top-notch films and TV shows only further sweetens the deal. If gaming while on the go is a primary goal of yours, then signing up for a monthly subscription would make sense, even if you aren’t particularly interested in whatever else Netflix has on offer.
Better yet, these games are all polished and run without a hitch on nearly all compatible devices (Apple ones, especially). They’re true mobile ports and most, if not all, even have full controller support. You won’t get any achievements but that’s a small price to pay to have access to such a vast (and surprisingly versatile) library of games.
And, perhaps best of all, the whole process is as seamless as it gets. You just open up Netflix, find the dedicated Games section, and download whichever title you want. No convoluted hoops or hurdles for one to navigate through and around — it’s as easy as it should be; you can pick your game of choice and start playing within a moment’s notice.
It’s still a burgeoning service, in all fairness, but that does very little — if anything at all — to diminish its overall allure and general value proposition. If it were packed only with simplistic titles (the kind most “hardocre” gamers frown at), then we’d be a bit more hesitant in recommending it. The way it is now, though, it’s hard not to label it as a home run for mobile-first gamers and those looking to play something a bit more fleshed out and layered whilst on the go, be it on their phones or tablets.