How to Play Apple Arcade Games on Your Smart TV

Hey friend! Apple Arcade offers unlimited access to a premium library of over 100 games, available across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. If you want to play those awesome games on the big screen, here‘s my expert guide on how to play Apple Arcade on your smart TV.

What You‘ll Need

First, let‘s quickly cover what hardware you need:

• An Apple Arcade subscription – starts at just $4.99/month
• An Apple TV set-top box – the latest 4K model is best
• A smart TV with HDMI port – pretty much any decent TV these days
• An HDMI cable to connect them – High Speed HDMI recommended

The key thing is you need the Apple TV box, since Apple Arcade doesn‘t have a native smart TV app.

Set Up Apple TV

If you already have Apple TV connected, you can skip to the next part. If not, here‘s how to get it set up:

1. Connect Apple TV to your TV‘s HDMI port with an HDMI cable.
2. Connect the Apple TV power cord to power up the device.
3. On your TV, select the HDMI input that Apple TV is now connected through.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish setting up Apple TV. You‘ll sign in with your Apple ID.

Once it‘s set up, the Apple TV home screen will display all your streaming apps and games. Super easy!

Download Arcade Games

Now the fun part – downloading games! Follow these steps:

1. Open the App Store app on your Apple TV.
2. Select the Arcade tab at the top of the App Store.
3. Browse or search for a game that catches your eye.
4. Select Get and it‘ll download right to your Apple TV.
5. The game icon will now show up on your home screen.

According to Apple, the Apple Arcade library already includes over 200 games with more added regularly. And they‘re all included with your subscription!

Start Playing Games

Once you‘ve got games downloaded, it‘s time for the best part – playing them!

1. From your Apple TV home screen, just select whichever Apple Arcade game you want to launch.
2. The game will start up on your TV screen.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions for that game‘s controls.
4. For most games you‘ll move around and control things with the Apple TV remote.
5. Some games support Xbox/Playstation controllers for enhanced controls.

In 2017, Apple added official support for pairing third-party game controllers with Apple TV using Bluetooth. This allows much more responsive controls for tvOS games. Pretty cool!

Cross-Device Cloud Play

This is one of my favorite Apple Arcade features – cloud syncing between devices!

When you play a game and save progress on iPhone or iPad, you can pick up right where you left off on the Apple TV. All thanks to iCloud syncing.

To use it, just make sure you‘re signed into the same Apple ID everywhere. Then your game state is automatically synced.

So you can start playing on your phone, then resume on the TV when you get home. It‘s seamless cross-device goodness!

Stream Mobile Games to TV

In addition to playing games natively on Apple TV, you can also stream mobile games from your iPhone or iPad to your TV using screen mirroring:

1. Connect your iOS device and Apple TV to the same WiFi network.
2. On your iPhone/iPad, open Control Center and tap Screen Mirroring.
3. Select your Apple TV from the list of available devices.
4. Your iOS screen will now mirror directly to your TV.
5. Launch any game and play it on the big screen!

There can be some lag when mirroring, so native play is better. But it‘s great having the flexibility to play mobile games on TV as well.

Family Sharing

You can share your Apple Arcade subscription with family members using Family Sharing:

• Up to 5 family members can access one subscription.
• Each person signs in with their own Apple ID.
• The family organizer sends invites to join the family group.
• Members accept the invitation through their device.

Once set up, all family members can use that shared Apple Arcade subscription. And everyone gets their own saved games and progress!

Supported Devices

According to Apple, you can access Apple Arcade on:

• iPhone
• iPad
• Mac laptops and desktops
• Apple TV

You can play games across any combination of those devices, with automatic cloud syncing. Android and Windows platforms aren‘t directly supported.

You can mirror an iPhone or iPad to non-Apple TVs using AirPlay mirroring. But native gameplay requires an Apple TV.

Internet Requirements

You‘ll need an internet connection to initially download Arcade games and set up your account. But once they‘re downloaded, you can play 100% offline!

Apple Arcade games don‘t require a persistent online connection like some streaming services. You can play on a plane, at your cottage, or anywhere without WiFi access.

Keeping Games After Cancellation

If you cancel Apple Arcade, you do lose the ability to download new games through the service. However, any games you‘ve already downloaded stick around on your device, and you can keep playing them locally.

So if there are particular games you want ongoing access to, make sure to download them before cancellation. As long as they stay installed, you can play them indefinitely!

Is Apple Arcade Worth It?

For only $4.99 a month, you get unlimited access to over 100 premium, ad-free games with zero in-app purchases. According to Apple, that‘s already over 200 hours of gameplay and counting.

I‘d say Apple Arcade is absolutely worth it for:

• Avid gamers who like trying new titles
• People who play games across multiple Apple devices
• Families that can share the cost between members

More casual players may not get as much value from the subscription. But if you play games regularly and like having variety and portability, Apple Arcade has tons to offer.

To Sum Up…

Hopefully this guide gave you a good overview of how to access Apple Arcade on your smart TV!

The key takeaways:

• You need an Apple TV box connected to your TV
• Download Arcade games through the Apple TV App Store
• Play games natively for the best experience
• Sync progress across devices like iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV

With family sharing, offline access, and an expanding library, Apple Arcade is a great way for Apple users to enjoy premium gaming on mobile devices and the big screen TV.

Let me know if any other Apple Arcade or Apple TV topics you‘d find helpful to cover! I‘m always happy to share more tips and tricks. Enjoy your gaming!