8 Relaxing Puzzle and Strategy Games on Apple Arcade

If you’re looking for mobile games that help you unwind but still give your brain a little workout, Apple Arcade has a great collection of relaxing puzzle and strategy games!

I’ve put together a list of my favourite games, so whether you’re looking for beautiful visuals, clever problem-solving or strategic planning, you’ll find the perfect game for you!

1. Mini Metro+

In Mini Metro, your job is to design a subway system by connecting stations with coloured lines to create subway routes. It starts pretty simply, but as more stations are added, you have to optimise your routes to get passengers to their destinations.

The challenge lies in managing your lines with limited resources and maintaining efficiency to prevent overcrowding at stations, as this results in a game over.

2. Mini Motorways

Mini Motorways is from the creators of Mini Metro, but instead of focusing on subways, you build roads. In this game, you draw connections between homes and buildings so traffic flows smoothly. Personally, I prefer Mini Motorways, and it’s surprisingly addictive!

Cars need to reach buildings of the same colour, and as more homes and buildings appear, managing traffic becomes increasingly complex. Traffic can build up and become congested, and you only have a limited number of resources to make your roads as efficient as possible!

3. Outlanders 2

This sequel is one of my favorite games on Apple Arcade! In it, you lead a small group of settlers, placing homes and buildings to support your growing population. The challenge lies in planning your town, managing resources, and keeping your settlers alive.

You must work out which resources to prioritise and where to assign job in order to complete tasks in a limited time frame. If you’re looking for a more relaxed experience, there’s a sandbox mode where you can build at your own pace.

4. Lost In Play+

There’s a reason this game won iPad Game of the Year in 2023! It is a beautifully crafted game that perfectly blends puzzles, animation, and adventure.

Lost in Play is a point-and-click game where each scene is a mini puzzle that you need to solve in order to progress to the next.

The story follows a brother and sister on their adventures through both their world and their imagination. The entire concept is brilliantly executed, featuring beautiful artwork, music, and an engaging storyline. It’s also filled with humour, and I found myself laughing out loud more than once!

5. Grindstone

Grindstone combines strategy with enemy battles! You defeat colorful monsters by chaining matching colors, planning your moves to create combos and avoid damage.

As you progress through each level, you can unlock blueprints and craft gear that provides you with new abilities.

6. Where Cards Fall

Where Cards Fall is a tranquil puzzle-adventure game, where puzzles are interspersed with narrative cut scenes.

The main mechanic involves building houses of cards, which create pathways that you can climb, walk across, and reshape to navigate through each level.

The art style and soundtrack make this game stand out, creating a relaxing, almost melancholy atmosphere.

7. The Last Campfire

The Last Campfire is more than just a puzzle game, it’s a beautifully told story about hope and connection.

The game places equal emphasis on atmosphere, emotion, and storytelling as it does on puzzles, providing a deeper emotional context for each puzzle as you help the Forlorn find their purpose.

In my opinion, it’s one of the best games on Apple Arcade. The animation, music, and narration all create a thoughtful, melancholy atmosphere that really adds to the gameplay.

8. Monument Valley+

Monument Valley and Monument Valley 2 are both available on Apple Arcade. In these games, you guide Ida by manipulating architecture in a way that makes you think about space and perspective.

The gameplay is relaxing and almost meditative with its soothing music and sound effects. They are some of the most relaxing puzzle games I played!

The Best Puzzle and Strategy Games on Apple Arcade

What’s your favourite strategy game on Apple Arcade? Let me know in the comments below!