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
The 20 best Mac games. Along the way, you’ll meet Elizabeth, who remains one of the most intriguing A.I. Companions ever seen in a game. It’s a darn good shooter, too, but one of the rare. In this article, we will tell you 15 Best Free Games for Mac that you can play in 2020. Alon with it, we will also provide you a link for free mac games download. So, let’s check out all one by one.
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.
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.
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.
Best Games For Mac Every
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
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Hello everyone, how are you all doing today? I hope you are all having a great day so far. My day is going quite well, could be better but I can’t really complain, well you know what I WILL complain. Two days ago a so called “family friend” who no us of have ever seen or heard of just arrived at our doorstep and decided he will stay here for like 2 weeks. Only issue is he is an alcoholic, he is drunk on the couch as I type this. He is not a complete stranger, some people in our family do know him and grew up with him but still, the guy is like 48, has kids who he just pretty much abandoned as he goes searching for a job, anyway, it’s stressing me out a bit but I will manage, lol read on…
Besides that, today we take a look at the best strategy games, RPG games ever released for Mac OS X Yosemite and El Capitan. The only thing that I have to remind you is that some of these will require you to install STEAM which will enable you to download the mentioned games, trust me it’s worth it, just try it before you knock it!
Does Mac Have Fun Strategy Games?
Yes, seriously, it really does have fun strategy games. We are not in 2008 anymore and the major game developers have started to port or convert their games over to Apple’s OS X in huge numbers. You can now play many of the very popular Windows Games on your Mac without much of a difference. The Steam engine has further stepped up the gaming on Macs and it is great. Look at my list of the best strategy games below, download the game and enjoy them.
#1. Download Company of Heroes 2
Download Company of Heroes 2 For Mac OS X
Powered by the Essence Engine 3.0, the Company of Heroes 2 series feature some unique mechanics rewarding thoughtful players. From the TrueSight™ system that emulates the units’ line of sight to the cover-system that encourages clever unit placement – not to mention the combined arms approach and the hard and soft counters gameplay that will make you think twice before trying to destroy a tank with a simple squad of riflemen – each game presents players with an uninterrupted stream of meaningful tactical choices that can turn the tide of war.
The original Company of Heroes 2 game gives you access to two multiplayer armies from the Eastern Front: the Red Army (SOV) and the Wehrmacht Ostheer (GER). It also comes with a gritty single-player campaign that will give you a chance to familiarize yourself with the series core tenets. Step into the boots of a Soviet commander of the Red Army, entrenched in brutal frontline warfare to free Mother Russia from the Enemy invaders! Adjust your tactics to take into account the brutal weather conditions and wield the might of the Soviet Empire as you smash your way to Berlin.
Company of Heroes 2: The Western Front Armies adds two new factions from the Western Front to the roster of playable multiplayer armies: the Oberkommando West (OKW) and the US Forces (USF). While the former puts you in charge of an aggressive and powerful army with very specialized and elite units – yet in very limited numbers – the latter introduces an expeditionary corps that allows for a variety of approaches and very powerful combined arms tactics, but which inevitably falls a bit short in the heavy armor department.
Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault offers a compelling single-player campaign for the USF faction revolving around the Battle of the Bulge. Engage in a dynamic non-linear campaign across the Ardennes landscape consisting of 18 scenarios, choose between three iconic companies, customize their abilities and bear the consequences of your actions as overall company health persists between missions.
Company of Heroes 2: The British Forces is the latest entry in the series and features this iconic Allied army from WWII (UKF). Experience a unique tech-tree that challenges the player to balance the constant trade-off between mobility and defense. Surprise your opponents with your development choices and an open end game configuration. Enjoy an army with character and distinctive units & abilities, from the Churchill Crocodile flamethrower tank to the RAF glider.
This game is a must have. I remember playing Company of Heroes 1(the original) on PC and it was one of my favorite games, this is way back in 2009 or so. I just started playing CH2 and so far, I f’n love it.
Company of Heroes 2 Game play Screenshot
#2. Download Cities: Skylines
Download Cities Skyline Game On Mac
Cities: Skylines is a modern take on the classic city simulation. The game introduces new game play elements to realize the thrill and hardships of creating and maintaining a real city whilst expanding on some well-established tropes of the city building experience.
From the makers of the Cities in Motion franchise, the game boasts a fully realized transport system. It also includes the ability to mod the game to suit your play style as a fine counter balance to the layered and challenging simulation. You’re only limited by your imagination, so take control and reach for the sky!
Multi-tiered and challenging simulation: Constructing your city from the ground up is easy to learn, but hard to master. Playing as the mayor of your city you’ll be faced with balancing essential requirements such as education, water electricity, police, fire fighting, healthcare and much more along with your citys real economy system. Citizens within your city react fluidly, with gravitas and with an air of authenticity to a multitude of game play scenarios.
Extensive local traffic simulation: Colossal Orders extensive experience developing the Cities in Motion series is fully utilized in a fully fleshed out and well-crafted transport systems.
Districts and Policies: Be more than just an administrator from city hall. Designating parts of your city as a district results in the application of policies which results in you rising to the status of Mayor for your own city.
Extensive modding support: Build or improve on existing maps and structures. You can then import them into the game, share them as well as download the creations of other city builders on the Steam workshop.
This game could have been and probably should have been #1 on our list but #2 isn’t so bad. This game does have almost a perfect rating in terms of reviews so it is as good as people say it is, trust me. I have it for Mac and I play it at least 3 times a week.
Cities: Skyline Game Play Screenshot
#3. Download Big Pharma
Download Big Pharma on Mac
What if you had it in your power to rid the world of disease, to improve the lives of millions, to ease suffering and cure the sick… and earn a tidy profit?
As the head of your own Pharmaceutical Conglomerate you have this power resting in your hands. Will you use it for good? Being totally altruistic may not be the best business plan. The uncomfortable truth (is there an ointment for that?) is that some remedies are more profitable than others and illness is good for business.
From humble beginnings
with a few rusty reconditioned machines, you can progress from knocking out cheap generic treatments for minor ailments, to discovering new active ingredients and hi-tech machines to help refine the next generation of world-changing drugs. But watch out, you’re not alone out there. Rival corporations that want to put you out of business have their own set of competing cures and treatments.
Then there’s the dynamically shifting marketplace which means that your fancy cold and flu medicine from last winter might not sell so well now it’s the height of summer.
This game is better than it looks, trust me on that. It’s awesome, especially if you like tycoon, simulation type games. It’s like Sims but relating more so to running a medicine company. Put it this way, it’s better than it sounds, just try it.
Big Pharma Game Play Screenshot
#4. Download XCOM 2
XCOM 2 for Mac
XCOM 2 is the sequel to XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the 2012 award-winning strategy game of the year.
Earth has changed. Twenty years have passed since world leaders offered an unconditional surrender to alien forces. XCOM, the planet’s last line of defense, was left decimated and scattered. Now, in XCOM 2, the aliens rule Earth, building shining cities that promise a brilliant future for humanity on the surface, while concealing a sinister agenda and eliminating all who dissent from their new order.
Only those who live at the edges of the world have a margin of freedom. Here, a force gathers once again to stand up for humanity. Always on the run, and facing impossible odds, the remnant XCOM forces must find a way to ignite a global resistance, and eliminate the alien threat once and for all.
- XCOM ON THE RUN: Take command of the Avenger, an alien supply craft converted to XCOM’s mobile headquarters. New open-ended gameplay lets you decide where to guide your strike team, how to grow popular support, and when to combat enemy counter-operations.
- RECRUIT RESISTANCE FIGHTERS: Five soldier classes, each with its own skill tree, let you create specific soldiers for your tactical plan.
- TACTICAL GUERRILLA COMBAT: New gameplay systems offer more tactical flexibility in combat. Use concealment to ambush enemy patrols. Loot enemies for precious gear and artifacts. Rescue VIPs and save fallen comrades by carrying them to the extraction point.
XCOM Enemy Unknown Game Play Screenshot
#5. Download Dota 2
Dota 2 is a competitive game of action and strategy, played both professionally and casually by millions of passionate fans worldwide.
Players pick from a pool of over a hundred heroes, forming two teams of five players. Radiant heroes then battle their Dire counterparts to control a gorgeous fantasy landscape, waging campaigns of cunning, stealth, and outright warfare.
Irresistibly colorful on the surface, Dota is a game of infinite depth and complexity. Every hero has an array of skills and abilities that combine with the skills of their allies in unexpected ways, to ensure that no game is ever remotely alike.
Best Games For The Mac
This is one of the reasons that the Dota phenomenon has continued to grow. Originating as a fan-made Warcraft 3 modification, Dota was an instant underground hit.
Dota 2 Game Play Screenshot
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Quick Links: Top Action Games For Mac