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Apple Arcade adds two puzzle games ahead of a wider September refresh

Apple will add Block Blast!+ and Art of Fauna: Cozy Puzzles+ to Apple Arcade on September 3, alongside several other games and catalogue updates.

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Apple is expanding Apple Arcade’s puzzle catalogue with two additions arriving on September 3: Block Blast!+ and Art of Fauna: Cozy Puzzles+. The company announced the move on August 11, presenting the pair as different ways to use a short mobile gaming session: one built around fast grid decisions, the other around slower jigsaw-style play and nature stories.

Two different takes on puzzle play

Block Blast!+ is developed by Hungry Studio. Its core mechanic is straightforward: players place blocks on a grid, clear rows and columns, and try to extend a combo. Apple’s Arcade edition keeps that structure but removes advertising from the experience. The announcement does not promise a new mode or a performance change; the confirmed difference is that Arcade subscribers can play this edition without ads.

Art of Fauna: Cozy Puzzles+ comes from Klemens Strasser and takes a quieter approach. Players assemble nature-inspired artwork and unlock stories about wildlife and conservation as they progress. Apple also highlights accessibility features, although its announcement does not enumerate every option. That makes the game notable as an addition aimed at flexible, low-pressure play rather than a conventional action release.

The two launches therefore broaden the practical choice inside Apple Arcade without requiring readers to treat them as a single genre. Block Blast!+ is designed around repeated, rapid decisions, while Art of Fauna: Cozy Puzzles+ ties its puzzles to artwork and narrative. Neither description is a substitute for hands-on testing, but both are clear enough to explain what Apple says each game is intended to do.

A busier September for Apple Arcade

September 3 will also bring three other titles listed in Apple’s update: NFL Retro Bowl ’27, Coloring Games for Families+, and Let’s Play! Oink Games+. The first adds a Gauntlet Mode to its new season. Coloring Games for Families+ is described as offering more than 3,000 activities. Let’s Play! Oink Games+ packages nine tabletop games and supports solo play, play with friends, or online play, according to Apple.

The catalogue is not waiting until September for activity. Apple says puffies. received 28 new packs on August 12, including collections featuring Oden Tomodachi and The Knights. Simon’s Cat - Blast Time is scheduled to add 200 levels from August 20, released at a rate of 50 per week for a month. On August 26, stitch. is set to mark 800 unique hoops with a commemorative hoop and achievement.

That calendar matters because Apple Arcade’s value is tied to the rhythm of its catalogue, not only to a single launch. The August and September schedule gives subscribers several clearly dated reasons to revisit the service, while the two new puzzle games address different kinds of play. It also makes the September 3 date more substantial than a one-title release, even though Apple has not said that every listed game will be available in every market.

What subscribers should check

Apple lists Arcade at $6.99 per month in the United States, with a one-month free trial. It also says that buyers of a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV receive three months of Apple Arcade at no cost, subject to the offer’s terms. The service is included in Apple One’s Individual, Family, and Premier plans at the U.S. prices stated in the announcement. Those figures are country-specific, so they should not be treated as a global price list.

Apple says one subscription can provide a family of up to six with unlimited access to the catalogue. Arcade Originals are playable on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro, while App Store Greats are available on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro. The company cautions that the availability of more than 200 games depends on hardware and software compatibility and that some content may not be offered in every region.

For mobile users, the practical takeaway is simple: September 3 adds a fast block-clearing game and a nature-focused puzzle game to the same subscription, while the surrounding release schedule supplies more updates to follow. Readers interested in either title should check the relevant App Store listing and their local Apple Arcade catalogue on the release date, rather than assuming that the U.S. timing or pricing applies everywhere.

Apple’s announcement is a catalogue update, not a performance test or a claim that either title is the best puzzle game available. The confirmed news is the arrival date, the developers, the described formats, and the subscription context. Whether the additions justify a subscription will depend on how often a player uses the service, which devices they own, and whether the catalogue is available in their region.

Sources and evidence

Official source: apple.com (opens in a new tab)