Professor Baldi wants to teach you a lesson. Boycott Advance. GameBoy Advance emuator for Mac. Citra 3DS Emulator. The best Nintendo 3DS emulator for Mac. A Playstation emulator for Mac. Vendetta Online. Play an interstellar pilot in this space-based MMORPG. While the best Macs were already more than powerful enough, the performance boost from the new M1 chip really makes playing the best Mac games a joy. If you grab one of these new machines, whether. We round up the 138 best Mac games available right now, from real-time strategy and RPGs to racing, shooting games and puzzles, together with links to buy at the best price.
With there so much choice for gamers — whether you play often or only every once in a while — we’ve given you information where to download and buy your next MacBook games. Naturally, we have referred to peer-reviews to find some of the best Mac games, alongside the top-rated free Mac games.
Before downloading a game that is going to take up quite a bit of space: Do you know if your Mac is running at peak performance? Could be worth downloading CleanMyMac X to clear out junk, old files, duplicates, and other pieces of software you no longer need.
On average, Mac users find 62GB of clutter in hard drives. Leaving you plenty of space to download a new Mac game.
Here is how you free up space for games with CleanMyMac:
- Download and launch CleanMyMac X (you can download it for free here).
- Hit Scan and wait while CleanMyMac scans Large and Old Files, Photos, Mail, iTunes, and Trash bins for junk files that can be safely removed.
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In this article, we’ve included games from the Mac App Store and Steam. Both popular platforms, although it seems that more people downloading computer games for Mac prefer Steam. Unlike the App Store, you find out so much more about the games, can benefit from a wider range of reviews, articles, help forums and other content.
Here is our rundown of some of the best games for Mac.
Best Paid Games For Mac
1. J.U.L.I.A. Among The Stars
Developers: CBE Software
Buy it: Steam
Released: 2014
Tech specs: Mac OS X v10.7, with an Intel dual-core processor, and at least 4GB of spare memory.
Price: $19.99
Reviews: 497 - Very Positive - on Steam
In this game, you play Rachel Manners, an astrobiologist woken from cryogenic sleep en route to a new solar system. Everyone else, including the crew, are dead. Your only companion on this voyage is J.U.L.I.A., the ships Artificial Intelligence (AI). You also have control of Mobot, a droid that can examine the planets surface, solar system and support you in the ongoing mission for intelligent alien life.
Unlike other point-and-click games, the fact that you can interact with other systems and intelligences onboard the ship makes it more realistic and interactive.
As a game, J.U.L.I.A. has an interesting history. It started life as a puzzle game for iOS devices. That version has disappeared. CBE Software, the team behind this version, had an epic journey with the original publisher. But it seems as though all of the struggle was worth it, with this game well-worth paying for, especially if you’re a fan of anything sci-fi related.
2. Layers of Fear
Developers: Aspyr Media
Buy it: Steam
Released: 2016
Tech specs: Mac OS X v10.10, with a 2.3GHz Intel Core i5 processor, and an Intel HD6100 or discrete graphics card with 1GB VRAM. 5GB of space is recommended.
Price: $19.99
Reviews: 11,973 - Very Positive - on Steam
Aspyr are known for transforming hugely popular A-list PC games, such as the Civilization and Call Of Duty series into equally popular Mac games. Now they’ve produced an original game, working together with developers in Poland, the Bloober Team. Bloober specialises in ‘psychological horror games.’
Layers of Fear takes the fairly conventional point-and-click approach. You play a painter wandering around a pretty creepy house, on a mission to complete a masterpiece. But at the same time, parts of the game throw you in at the deep end and you have to figure out what to do next. Objects point you in the right direction to figure out what to do next.
What is really clever about this game is the slow-burn atmosphere or fear. Comparable to movies and books of this genre, you are left wondering what is really going on in the house, or whether it’s all in the head of the main character. For those who want lots of fast-paced action and fear, this may not be the right game. But for those wanting something more challenging, Layers of Fear is highly recommended.
3. Observer
Developers: Aspyr Media
Buy it: Steam
Released: 2016
Tech specs: macOS 10.12.6, with a 3GHz quad-core processor and a discrete GPU (2GB VRAM recommended).
Price: $29.99
Reviews: 1,431 - Very Positive - on Steam
A creative Indie release by Aspyr. Inspired by Blade Runner, with the voice of the main character Daniel Lazarski, played by Rutger Hauer. Observer is an intelligent and fun steampunk game, well worth buying and playing.
Observer is set in the year 2084, Earth devastated by war and plague, the Nanophage, with the Fifth Polish Republic in the hands of a mega-corporation, Chiron.
As Lazarski, you play an elite neural detective when you receive a strange message from his son in the dystopian slums of Krakow.
On arrival, you find a decapitated body — it may or may not be your son, so using the point-and-click controls, you are meant to search for clues. However, the game has a few tricks, such as cybernetic augmentations to enhance what you can see and detect. Another trick, known as the Dream Eater lets you probe other peoples mind. A skill you are going to need as you dive deeper into the Krakow slums.
4. Pulse
Developers: Pixel Pi Games
Buy it: Steam
Released: 2015
Tech specs: Mac OS X v10.7, with a 2.0GHz dual-core Intel processor, plus an nVidia GeForce or an ATI Radeon graphics card with 1GB VRAM
Price: $14.99
Pulse emerged thanks to support from a Kickstarter campaign, making it one of quite a few that have found a supportive audience and fans through that platform. Now you can buy it through Steam and it is becoming increasingly popular as a Mac games download.
Pulse is all about sound. Unlike most adventure games, where they rely heavily on visual cues, Pulse is set in a psychedelic world, one that forces you to use sound to get through the game. Your character is Eva, who's blind and is on a quest — something that isn’t fully explained either.
As you journey through the game you will start to understand more, supported by the sort of radar-vision used by Marvel’s Daredevil. It is not a highly-evolved game in the true sense of the word; some have described it as a little strange. But not unlike Monument Valley and Limbo, players are treat to an interesting and hypnotic experience.
5. The Banner Saga
Developers: Stoic
Buy it: Steam
Released: 2014
Tech specs: Mac OS X 10.7.5 or later, with 2GB RAM and 3GB available HD space
Price: $19.99
Reviews: 8,401 - Very Positive - on Steam
The Banner Saga was created by a 3-man team, and is a fantastic example of how, as an indie studio, you can make the best of your skills and resources.
Visually, players step inside a hand-drawn world, which some have described as Game of Thrones combining with Vikings and traditional Disney. A truly epic saga. You can pick from 25 characters, some human, others Varl, horned giants, and within both groups are different socio-economic groups, from warriors and leaders to craftsmen.
Decision making and combat blend smoothly together on this journey. It is a complex and in-depth caravan journey across a struggling world, where mistakes could threaten the safety of the caravan. Last thing you want to do is run out of food and supplies on the way to face down an enemy that threatens the entire survival of this civilization.
Players even have the option of completely different outcomes. Characters can die if they make the wrong choice, or can’t fight as well as their foes. Alongside the gameplay, the music is as haunting and epic as the landscape, with funny and witty dialogue alongside the action.
Want something a little different than epic adventures?
6. This War of Mine
Developers: 11 Bit Studios
Buy it: Mac App Store
Released: 2014
Price: $7.95
Reviews: 4.3 stars
This War of Mine is not your traditional war game.
It is based on real-life events and experiences of war survivors. You aren't a soldier, you are a civilian trying to survive living in a city during a war. Snipers prevent you or anyone in your group from going out at night. During the day, one of you needs to go on a scavenging run throughout the city, to find supplies to look after your wounded, keep you all warm, dry and fed.
Survival is everything in this game.
It starts off in the middle of winter. Careful resource management means that wood is constantly needed, to keep everyone warm, burn for fuel and keep the shelter repaired. Various decisions and the harsh realities have a psychological impact on characters in the group, and choices need to be made that aren't always easy.
This is a game which, if you want something that gets you thinking, will keep you playing long into the cold night.
Best Free Mac Games
And if you want something free and fun, here are a handful of free Mac games well-worth playing:
1. Beneath a Steel Sky
Almost like reading a detective novel in a cyberpunk future, Beneath a Steel Sky is a retro science-fiction point-and-click adventure game from 1994. It has been re-worked to run on macOS, and although the graphics aren’t great it does have real charm.
2. Cave Story
A fun, retro, somewhat pixelly 2D platform shooter game, along similar lines as Ghosts 'n Goblins or Metroid, Cave Story is cute with some solid gameplay. It includes shoot and jump mechanics, along with character and weapon evolutions and simple quests. It helps to download the English language translation patch with the game, as the original is far too confusing in Japanese.
3. Dwarf Fortress
Dwarf Fortress is a role-player game - something of a cross between a traditional computer game and a text adventure. It can be quite complex but a lot of fun, as you explore a new world and build a fortress with an army of dwarfs. Once the fortress and economy is built, you can get them to mine for minerals and build an empire.
4. Hearthstone
Collecting cards may not sound a lot of fun, but with 40 million online players it is worth diving into. Players earn cards by playing daily quests and then battling online cards in matches against other gamers (in these, you can win rare cards). It is an amazing online community of players to be a part of and although there are in-app purchases you can do an awful lot for free.
Want to get your Mac running at peak performance to ensure you can play the latest games? Download CleanMyMac X today, get your Mac as good as new.
This is our first classification of Mac games in a top. The Mac Action Games category has cumulated 146 titles. Because of this we have decided that action games must open this series of Tops. We rank games based on the number of downloads. Therefore, all we need to do is to organise the leaderboards. Below you find the TOP 5 Action Games for Mac. Enjoy reading and maybe you also find a game to like and download.
Please note that this article has been written on May 30, 2019. At the moment you read this, there are for sure different stats. Anyway, we will update this article if there will be big changes.
Feb 28, 2020 First introduced on Mac in 2014, Total War: Empire is the fifth installment in the Total War series, which, as a whole, comes recommended. The turn-based strategy game was released for Windows in 2009. Before purchasing the game, just check the Mac App Store for compatibility with your Mac, since some older machines aren't supported. Oct 09, 2020 Crusader Kings 2 is considered among the best strategy games ever made, developed by Paradox Interactive, which also released Europa Universalis 4. Crusader Kings 3 only furthers its predecessor. Find the best Five Nights at Freddy's (FNaF) games, top rated by our community on Game Jolt. Discover over 26k games like Baby's Nightmare Circus, Five Nights at F.boy's: Final Mix, Animator's Hell, Five Nights at F.boy's 3: Final Mix, Five Nights at Freddy's: Multiplayer. Apr 07, 2020 Keep 'em busy! Best Kids Games for Mac in 2020 Mac offers incredible games for kids of all ages. Here are some of our favorites.
1. Gta V Mac OS X
Downloads: 127.483
Version: FULL & Activated
Minimum SysReq: OS X: 10.10, 4 GB Ram, 1 GB Video Card, 50 GB free HDD space
Price: FREE
From far, far away the most popular and downloaded among the action games for Mac is Gta V. This was among our first games presented here, on the new project. We are very proud that this game has reached more than 127.000 users. Therefore, this game has definitely the best results, more than double compared to the second place in this top. After its release there were also other games who attracted more users, but just for a certain period. Talking about our 2015-present project, Gta V Mac OS X is on the first place. You can check below a video, to see how to play Gta V on Mac, and also the download button.
2. Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Downloads: 41.761
Version: FULL & Activated
Minimum SysReq: OS X: 10.10, 4 GB Ram, 1 GB Video Card, 43 GB free HDD space
Price: FREE
On the second place, at a pretty big difference, is Call of Duty Black Ops 3. We also have presented more Call of Duty games for Mac , but this one has the biggest success, with almost 42.000 downloads. This is one of the most popular FPS on all platforms, not just on Mac. Many critics have said that this title is the most optimised, without bugs and with a smooth gameplay. All that a true FPS needs. Call of Duty Black Ops 3 Mac OS X made thousands of players happy, and it continues to do. The action games for Mac category has seen a big increase in visits since we presented this title. Check the list below to see what games from the CoD series you can also download from MacGamesWorld. Just hit the search box in the top-right corner and type in the game wanted.
Other CoD games for Mac
- Black Ops
- Black Ops II
- Modern Warfare
- Infinite Warfare
- WWII
See below how to play CoD Black Ops 3 on Mac with no additional software and windows emulators. If you like it, hit the download button and give it a try.
3. Need for Speed: Rivals
Downloads: 41.200
Version: FULL & Activated
Minimum SysReq: OS X: 10.9, 3 GB Ram, 1 GB Video Card, 28 GB free HDD space
Price: FREE
Very close to the previous place in our top is Need for Speed Rivals. This racing game has been a big surprise, even for us. We didn’t expect to have such a big success because we also have other racing titles, more popular and acclaimed. Anyway, Need for Speed Rivals for Mac is the most downloaded racing game and it is set on the 3rd place in the action games for Mac leaderboard, with around 41.000 downloads. We can’t be anything but happy that our users left our website with the game wanted. As in the COD situation, you can use the search box to find the titles available from the NFS series.
Other Need for Speed games for Mac
- Shift 2: Unleashed
- Need for Speed (2015 Game)
- Payback
We again show you a NFS Rivals Mac OS gameplay video, to see how it runs on a MacBook Pro. If you like it, feel free to use the download button in order to get it on your Macbook/iMac.
4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Downloads: 36.819
Version: FULL & Activated
Minimum SysReq: OS X: 10.10, 4 GB Ram, 1 GB Video Card, 39 GB free HDD
Price: FREE
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is very popular nowadays, even if it was released back in 2015. Many big critic companies have declared this game as the “Game of the Year” thanks to its gameplay, storyline, graphics and action. It is firstly categorised as an RPG for Mac, although it has a lot of action. Therefore we can definitely include The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Mac OS in this TOP 5. With almost 37.000 downloads in two years, it is set on 4th place, but with big chances to climb a few positions. We will keep this TOP 5 Action Mac Games updated every month, therefore you can save it as a bookmark and check it periodically.
The Witcher 3 on Mac has also a gameplay video uploaded on our Youtube channel. Feel free to watch it below and if you like it, hit the download button.
5. Dragon Ball FighterZ
Downloads: 24.613
Version: FULL & Activated
Minimum SysReq: OS X: 10.11, 4 GB Ram, 1 GB Video Card, 29 GB free HDD
Price: FREE
The final position in our Top is occupied by one of the most amazing action games for Mac. The fighting category offers almost the highest rate of action in games. No storyline, or very few elements, no role-playing, no boring scenes. Just fights full of action and incredible visual effects. The Dragon Ball anime series are probably the most popular ever created. Dragon Ball FighterZ Mac OS is the latest title released, in January 2018. A surprising big number of players have requested this game through our Request a Game form (see it in the buttom of the page). Because we generally complete our user’s requests, it hasn’t been a long time until we presented the game for Mac, in .dmg format. The gameplay is below is you want to check it.
Other Dragon Ball titles for Mac
- Xenoverse
- Xenoverse 2
Nearly 25.000 people downloaded this game, in just 8 months. This is a very nice conversion rate, which will surely improve in the future, similar to the 4th place presented above. Below is also the download button, if you didn’t played this game on your MacBook/iMac already. Enjoy!
In conclusion, if you want to try some action games for Mac, these are the most preferred by our users. Although you can download and try any other title because you know… tastes are different, specially in the world of games.
Action Games for Mac was our first TOP 5 and we hope that you love it and found a game to download and play. Thank you all and don’t forget to come back because we constantly present top games for Mac.
Since the early days of Apple, Macs have not been known for their video game support. While Apple was focusing on their beautiful operating system and tightly controlled experience, Windows was branching out into an open platform that gave rise to highly innovative video games.
However, over the past few decades, the gap between platforms has been reduced significantly. Apple today has an impressive library of good games for Mac, thanks to a more popular hardware platform, and even released its own subscription model for gaming — Apple Arcade.
Gaming tools in one package
Nothing can hamper your game if you have Setapp installed on Mac. Pick the apps to optimize Mac’s performance and play uninterrupted.
So now that gaming on Macs is both viable and compelling, what are some of the best Mac games in 2020?
The Story Of Gaming On Macs
The main reason that Windows PCs enjoyed a greater selection of games than Apple is simply due to hardware. Apple has always produced their own proprietary hardware and software, which has allowed it to maintain a higher degree of control over how its systems physically look while ensuring its design standards are upheld for a consistent experience.
Contrarily, Microsoft made its Windows operating system open to run on a wider selection of hardware. For example, Dell could assemble its own hardware and then licence the Microsoft operating system accordingly. By opening up to more flexible hardware, Windows PCs were able to take advantage of the latest graphics and CPU innovations upon release — something critical in the early days of video game development. More importantly, Windows had a greater user base, which simply meant it was a more attractive business opportunity to develop games for the PC over Mac.
That was until Apple Macs started to borrow from some of the same open hardware architecture as PCs. Suddenly, video games made for PC could be easily ported to the Mac platform, which was becoming capable of running games smoothly due to newer, more powerful hardware.
That said, your hardware specifications are still an important consideration when looking for the best games on Mac.
The best hardware for Mac games
Generally speaking, video games fall into three broad categories — indie games (casual, made by one or a few people), e-sport games (competitive games which are usually fairly accessible to run), and blockbuster games (often requiring powerful hardware to run smoothly).
Almost any modern Apple Mac, including MacBooks, made in the past 5–10 years can run indie games without hassle. However, e-sport and blockbuster games may require you to pay more attention to the Mac’s specifications before attempting to run them.
When deciding if your Mac is going to perform well for gaming, consider some of the following:
Ensure your Mac has a dedicated graphics card (GPU). Many Macs, and especially MacBooks, use onboard graphics chips, which are built into the CPU unit. While efficient, these are usually not powerful enough to run really taxing games.
Aim for at a quad-core CPU, as many modern games take advantage of the extra cores over older units
Demanding games will usually call for a minimum of 8 GB of system RAM, but if you’re a multi-tasker or creator you might want 16 GB instead
Ensure you have enough hard disk space, as newer titles can take up a lot of storage. If you plan to have multiple games installed at once, you’ll want at least 256 GB of fast storage, preferably SSD over HDD.
Now that you know what kind of hardware is best for gaming, it’s time to look at some good games for Mac that will run well on your machine.
The best Mac games in 2019
The library of available games for Mac is constantly being updated with new and exciting titles — especially on the popular digital store called Steam and the App Store game collection.
However there are a few Steam games for Mac that really stand out — many of which were critically acclaimed titles on Windows PC before being ported across.
Here are some of the best Mac games in 2020 to get you started:
Diablo 3 is an action role playing game (ARPG) that’s all about loot. Level up your magic-wielding hero and slay thousands of demon-spawn in the search for more powerful gear and items. You can even play online or cooperatively with friends. Best for intermediate to powerful machines.
Cuphead is a retro-styled run-and-gun for up to two players which lets you tackle an increasingly challenging roster of bosses. Known for its beautiful cartoon-style graphics, Cuphead is a pleasure to look at while being fairly simple to run, and is one of the best Steam games for Mac. Ideal for basic machines, including MacBooks.
Fortnite is one of the world’s most popular online games for Mac, which finds you landing on an island and fighting other players to be the last standing. The addictive recipe of land, loot, shoot, and survive has become a world-wide phenomenon — especially as one of the top free games for Mac.
Civilization VI is one of the best games on Steam, period. It’s the latest instalment of a long-running series that lets you build entire civilizations from scratch. Advance through the ages, expand your empire, and use resources wisely to defeat your opponents through a variety of means. Reviews have shown Civilization V to be one of the best Steam games for Mac for years, and Civilization VI should become available soon. Better enjoyed on intermediate to powerful machines.
Starcraft II is one of the best free games for Mac, which lets you command one of three space-faring armies and battle them against each other for victory. It’s also one of the most popular online games for Mac ever.
Best Free Mac Game Ever Made
Those are just a handful of the many exciting titles to land on Mac in recent years, with more being added every day. Even if you have an older Mac, you might be able to game comfortably without paying for costly hardware upgrades.
However, given that Macs don’t always have the same hardware options as their more powerful PC counterparts, it’s important to ensure your Mac is best prepared for high-speed gaming. This is especially critical for e-sport games, such as Fortnite, where one small hiccup or performance hit could cost the match.
Thankfully, you don’t need to be an advanced Mac user to optimize it for faster performance — developers have spent years making clever apps that can do just that for you.
Set up your Mac for gaming with CMM X
Disk cleanup and protection against malware — all you need for a perfect gaming environment. CleanMyMac X gives you just that.
Troubleshoot your internet connection
If you're playing any online game, the first thing to check is that you have a strong and stable connection. Many users mistake slow performance with their hardware, when in fact it can be isolated to their internet.
How To Get Mac Games For Free
Unfortunately, mousing over the WiFi icon in your menu bar doesn't tell you enough. That’s why WiFi Explorer was created. This app presents a much richer view of your network status with a few must-have features:
See the band, range, signal quality, and security status of all available networks in your vicinity
Use the network analyzer to identify channel or coverage conflicts. This is very useful for apartment buildings where WiFi routers are competing with each other for signal.
View simple recommendations by WiFi Explorer to improve your connection based on best practices
If you’re still running into issues, make use of the extensive help manual, which can help guide you through the troubleshooting process
Optimize disk space for your Mac
When you’re running out of disk space, the best games for Mac can begin to crawl because there’s not enough room to write new data to the drive. CleanMyMac X is a lightweight app that lets you manage your disk space and maintain your Mac for optimal performance. Some of its best features allow you to easily:
Uninstall any app from your hard drive, including a shredder function to leave no trace behind. See a simple list of apps that you don’t use often, making it easier to determine what should go and what should stay.
Perform a disk cleanup in just a few clicks, removing any unnecessary or fragmented files that can accumulate over time
Protect your Mac from malicious software with the Malware Removal tool. Based on the most up-to-date attack libraries, your games can run at full speed without being hindered by background viruses.
Optimize the performance of your Mac by letting CleanMyMac X run a series of scripts designed to surface some extra power
Monitor your Mac game performance
Half of knowing how to improve your Mac’s performance is understanding what the bottlenecks are. Instead of blindly speculating, use iStat Menus to see your current Mac status at a glance while playing the best games on Mac. iStat Menus is a fully fledged system monitor that integrates seamlessly with the menu bar. Some of the core features let you:
See an overview of your Mac’s status, including CPU and GPU usage, fan speeds, temperatures, and more
Customize your view, ensuring you’re only seeing the information you care about. Either minimize each figure to an icon in your menu bar or expand them into a single clickable window that provides more information.
Experiment with different color schemes, including a dark mode that’s easy on the eyes
Configure alerts that trigger when certain system performance criteria are met. For example, if your GPU temperature exceeds a specific figure, you can be notified.
It may sound like a lot of preparation, but when it comes to gaming you know that the extra performance can go a long way.
The best part is that WiFi Explorer, CleanMyMac X, and iStat Menus mentioned above are available for a free seven-day trial through Setapp — a subscription service for Mac which gives you access to over 150 powerful apps. Just head over to the Setapp homepage to get started, and you’ll be playing the best games for Mac right on your current laptop in no time.
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
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