Macs are not known as gaming machines. High-end games would traditionally make the jump to Windows.
Held back by poor graphics performance on the Mac and a much smaller gaming audience.
All that changes with Apple's M1 chip. The new processor architecture dramatically increases performance, making the days of slow frame rates a thing of the past for Mac gamers. Plus,
Apple has integrated its Rosetta 2 software with its new Macs, which translates apps and games to work perfectly on the new architecture. Below, we've rounded up the best games you can run on your Mac M1, either natively or with Rosetta 2.
(Image credit: Gearbox Software)
1.Borderlands 3
The long-awaited sequel to Borderlands 2 in 2012, this game picks up Borderlands' winning formula of guns, loot, and comedy, then boils it all down to eleven. Featuring a quirky cast of characters (some new and many returning), an expansive story spanning multiple planets and locations, deeply customizable builds and player levels, and a wide variety of random weapons and loot,
Borderlands 3 offers a feast of gameplay and hours of entertainment of great content. Its DLC and additional content is also a lot of fun.
Make sure you get the Epic Games Store version instead of the Steam edition, since it has been reported that
the latter does not work properly on Mac M1. However, get the Epic version and you can dive headfirst into some of the most fun and entertaining game modes you've ever experienced on your Mac.
(Image credit: Colossal Order)
2. Cities: Horizons
If you've ever looked around a city, with its dense traffic jams, overflowing garbage, and bleak neighborhoods, and thought you could do a much better job of planning a metropolis, you're in luck.
Cities: Skylines, the best-selling city-building game, is available on the latest Apple Mac M1, allowing you to take control, build the perfect city, and show those planners a thing or two along the way. However, there is no easy path to the city of your dreams.
You must take care of all the essential aspects of success, including taxes, public transport, maintenance services, etc.. Can you help your city grow and improve its health care, employment levels, and pollution management? Every choice you make has an impact, often unexpected, that can put a damper on your carefully balanced settlement. But that's part of the fun!
(Image credit: Firaxis Games)
3.Civilization VI
Where Cities: Skylines goes into the details of building cities,
Civilization VI takes a much broader approach.
Who needs to design the most efficient traffic system on a tight budget when you can deal with world leaders and turn your nation into a global superpower? If that sounds more interesting to you, Civilization VI is the game for you. The beauty of Civilization VI is the variety of options available to you for success. Should you conquer the world by military force or spread your ideas through diplomacy? Is technological superiority the key to victory, or is it better to export your philosophy until it becomes the dominant world culture? Or maybe a mix of all four?
The choice is yours, making sure no two games play out the same way.
(Image credit: Mimimi Games)
4. Desperados III
The Desperados series made a name for itself with its patient and tactical gameplay, where standing back and considering your options was always a much better option than charging headfirst into a firefight where you felt overwhelmed.
Desperados III continues this legacy in excellent fashion, featuring a series of fiendishly complicated levels that require careful planning if they're not to go wrong.
The results are deeply enriching.
Planning your moves from the start is one thing, but seeing them done perfectly is another, it's always deeply satisfying.. Many levels can be completed in different ways, giving you the freedom to experiment with your methods, which is encouraged with frequent Quick Save reminders. Did your last idea fail? Just reload and try again. You learn from your mistakes, leaving a more patient, meticulous player much better off for the experience.
(Image credit: Larian Studios)
5. Divinity: Original Sin 2
One of the best RPGs ever made is now available on your shiny new Mac M1 thanks to Rosetta 2, and it works great.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 sees you take control of a group of misfits and fugitives., escape your imprisonment and persecution and try to become a god. Only one member of your party will attain godhood,
So make sure it's you!
With a branching history,
deep tactical combat and a beautiful, expansive game world, Divinity: Original Sin 2 offers over 100 hours of fantastic gameplay. Its wide variety of missions, from silly side quests to immersive and challenging battles with formidable opponents, keeps you on your toes from start to finish, while its rich story and narrative provide a gorgeous backdrop for gameplay.
(Image credit: Sports Interactive)
6. Soccer Manager 2021
As any fan will tell you, following a sports team is never easy. For every moment of joy and fun, you plunge into the depths of despair and frustration, convinced that you could do a better job raising cats than
your team manager to get results from his players. Well now you can prove it on the pitch with Football Manager 2021.
The game allows you
support almost all professional football clubs in 52 countries. With tens of thousands of players to buy, develop, and create to your heart's content, there's unmatched depth and a huge level of customization. Whether you want to emulate Barcelona's legendary tiki-taka system or play for a long time with a big man at the helm, you're in control of your team's success.
(Image credit: Epic Games)
7.Fortnite
Sometimes it's easy to identify pivotal moments in the games industry where a single release can change the way people view and play popular games.
The launch of Fortnite in 2017 was one of those moments. It not only kickstarted the nascent battle royale genre and gained millions upon millions of players, but it also made this type of game available to a completely different demographic with its memes, dance moves, and cartoonish graphics.
If you want to enjoy its fun and fast-paced last man standing game on your Mac M1, You have nothing to fear. Apple Silicon Macs run Epic's game beautifully, without the big compromises required of previous generation Apple computers. And with no upfront cost, there's no reason not to try it on your Mac.
(Image credit: PlayDead)
8. Interior
Some games are more than just a way to pass the time or get quick kicks. Some games are experiences, offerings unlike anything you've played before, they make you think deeply about yourself and the world you live in. Inside is one of those games; It's probably one of the best you've ever played.
Take control of a defenseless boy, a boy chased by faceless soldiers who surround people and chase them in trucks in the middle of the night. As he progresses through the dark and gray world, he slowly makes his way inside a huge facility that houses strange and twisted human experiences. With its impressive booming audio design, clever puzzles, grim storyline and shocking conclusion, Inside is a game for all ages.
(Image credit: Worried ape)
9. Stardew Valley
Designed by a lone developer in his spare time over four years, Stardew Valley is the archetypal labor of love in the gaming industry. With its slow, laid-back gameplay and focus on exploration, community spirit, and rural farming, this is the game for people who think they don't like games.
The idea of Stardew Valley is for you to inherit your grandfather's farm in a faraway country, escaping a life of drudgery in the city to bring the farm back to life and glory. You start with small cultures and meet the people of the city, then you start to participate in the life of the village, make friends and explore the surrounding world. There's no stress, no button frenzy, just days spent among idyllic pastures or exploring mines and mountain lakes. It's the perfect way to forget about your misfortunes and relax after a long day.
(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
10. World of Warcraft
Apple's M1 Macs haven't been out for a long time, but Blizzard Entertainment has moved quickly to prepare World of Warcraft. Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game is one of the few titles that runs natively on the M1 chip without the need for Rosetta 2 or third party software. This means that it can work beautifully even on Macs like the MacBook Air, which come without a built-in fan.
First released in 2004, World of Warcraft has continued to receive developer attention and plentiful expansion packs. (it had eight major expansions at the time of this writing), which makes for a phenomenal shelf life. With so much content and a solid multi-million player base, it's still booming all these years later. So now is the perfect time to dive into its deep multiplayer world with your new Mac.
