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
Find games for macOS like Therapy with Dr. Albert Krueger, Bewitched Hearts, Dim - Playable Demo, Delta-Gal, Dweller's Empty Path on itch.io, the indie game hosting marketplace. The Best Free Games app downloads for Mac: Minecraft Plants vs Zombies Call of Duty 4 Patch CSR Racing Undertale Fortnite Papers, Please Kerbal Space. CS: GO is one of the most popular multiplayer first-person shooter video game available for mac. It was developed by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment. The game is also considered as one of the best free online multiplayer games for mac. Mac App Store is the simplest way to find and download apps for your Mac. To download apps from the Mac App Store, you need a Mac with OS X 10.6.6 or later.
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.
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
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By Gina Barrow, Last updated: August 27, 2019
Mac devices are not only best for work and personal needs. It is also best used for playing games from casual to a strategic type of games. There is a long list of games for Mac that you can choose. However, not all are free. Some games you need to buy before you can download and enjoy it.
Well, you may think that paid games are way better than the free ones. But NO. Some of the free games are as good as the paid ones and sometimes way better than the paid ones. Graphics may be of big difference, but some free games are fun and addictive.
There are a lot of best free Mac games that are available. You can download and try it everything if you want to. Just uninstall those games that you did not find interesting or not your style. Uninstalling those free games can save you space for new applications that you may find interesting.
Be sure to uninstall it properly and not just dragging it directly to the bin. Or else associated files of the uninstalled games will pile and eat up space of your Mac hard drive. So it is necessary to uninstall applications properly.
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Section 1: What are the Best free Mac games?
Games are one of the best things to entertain yourself or spend your leisure time. It is also a good way to release your stress and keep yourself from getting bored.
There are a lot of free games available for Mac that you can choose from. Although the word 'FREE' does not mean that all features and special skills or power would be available. You may need to buy or pay for it. Nonetheless, even without buying or availing those features, you can still enjoy the free features the games has to offer.
The top 8 games listed below are the best of the best free games for Mac. It will surely be fun even without spending a penny on in-app purchases.
So read on and choose your games wisely!
Top 1 - Fortnite
Survival games are the trend these days. Fortnite is one of the best survival games that you can enjoy on your Mac for free. Battle with your friends and be the one to survive amongst 100 players.
You also have the choice to unlock other weapons and skin by buying it. Nonetheless, you can still enjoy and have fun with your friends playing Fortnite to the fullest for free.
Top 2. Starcraft II
Plan and strategize to win the intergalactic war. Starcraft II is the best strategic game for your Mac. Although you need to pay to unlock all features of the game, it is still worthy of your time. You can enjoy playing the three-story commanders and Wings of Liberty story campaign for free.
Top 3. Contract Killer 2
If you like shooting games and dream to be an expert long-range shooter, then Contract Killer 2 is the game for you. As said on the game's name, you will play the role of an assassin and kill your targets before they see you. It is the perfect games for people like suspense and action.
Top 4. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
If you grew up playing the old version of Counter-Strike, then you should try this. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive or also known as Counter-Strike GO has the same gameplay as the old version. But with new maps, characters, and weapons that you can enjoy for free on your Mac devices.
Top 5. Speluky
We all grew up with Super Mario. One of the favorite adventure game of all time. It has simple gameplay yet very addictive. Jumps around enemies, explore different worlds, collect money and save the princess.
Speluky almost has the same vibe as Super Mario. However, in Speluky you do not save a princess and explore different worlds. Instead, you explore different underground tunnels to collect treasures without falling into traps and enemies.
Top 6. Super TuxKart
If you are searching for the best racing game, then this is it. It has 21 tracks within the storyline that you have to unlock. You can also customize your kart by adding some add-ons. Also, you can play it as a single player or multiplayer with your friends.
Top 7. Hearthstone
Hearthstone is the best card game for your Mac. Collect different Warcraft cards of spells, weapons, and pones that you can use to customize your deck. Hearthstone is easy and absolutely free to play.
Top 8. Canabalt
Canabalt is one of the best running game today. It is not just some typical running game with a simple run and turns gameplay. Canabalt obstacles are one of the best with jumping and running on different sites. You will surely never get bored with Canabalt.
Section 2: How to uninstall properly game applications on Mac devices?
If you got bored with a game, you probably want to uninstall the application and delete all associated files with it. Well, dragging that application straight to the bin will not complete and efficiently do the work.
Doing the proper way can be done manually or using a third-party application. If you want to manually uninstall the application and delete its files, then you need to allot time or it. It may take you some time to search and browse each folder on of your Mac hard drive for the application's associated files. Manual cleaning does not really guarantee a 100% efficient way to uninstall applications and clean all associated files on your Mac.
So, the best choice would be using a third-party uninstaller and PowerMyMac is the one for the job. With just some few clicks away, it will uninstall applications and delete its associated files. Leaving your Mac hard drive more space for newer applications and files.
Here is how you uninstall applications and associated files using the FoneDog PowerMyMac. With just 8 easy steps, you can now have more space for your Mac hard drive.
Step One: Installation of PowerMyMac
Go the website of FoneDog. Download the tool PowerMyMac. It will take a couple of minutes to finish the download of the tool. Install the PowerMyMac on your device. Wait for until the installation is completed.
Step Two: Running the PowerMyMac - Uninstaller
Launch the PowerMyMac.
It will display different system status of your Mac. Select the Uninstaller within the ToolKit button.
Therefore, click the ToolKit button and select the Uninstaller button after.
Step Three: Browsing of Applications on your device
Click the Scan icon on the lower right of the device screen. Scanning progress will be shown at the left corner of your device screen represented by a circle.
For a Re-scan, simply click the scan icon again. PowerMyMac will start to scan your device again.
Step Four: View scanned Applications
Select the View button. Navigate into the application’s list. On the left side, you will see the installed application on your device.
Step Five: Locating the Game Application
Best Free Games On Mac
You can browse through the application list and find the game application to be deleted. For an alternative, type the name of the game application at the search bar located on top. Select the game application and it will expand the files under it. The program will flash it on the right corner of your device screen.
Step Six: Choose the Game Application to Clean
Select all of the associated files and folders of the game application.
Popular Free Games For Macs
You can as well browse each folder to be deleted onto the Sort By nearby the Select All button.
Step Seven: Start the Uninstallation of the Application
Click Clean icon located at the lower right of your device screen.
Step 8: Finished!
Select 'Confirm' to finish the process. The process will end after a couple of minutes.
Section 3: Wrapping Up
Mac devices are a useful and handy device where you can do your work and at the same time spend your leisure time by playing free Mac games. With the Top 6 best free Mac games listed above, spending your free time will be surely more fun playing with those games. Boredom will never come your way with the game listed above. WARNING, the Top 6 free Mac games can be very addictive. So make sure you can limit yourself in playing.
Free Video Games For Mac
But if you get tired and starting to crave some new adventure, just make sure to uninstall properly the game along with its files. Dragging the game into the Mac bin is not the right way to do it. It will just leave some cluttered files on your device. And, if you keep doing it the wrong way, cluttered files will pile and eat up space of your Mac hard drive.
If you want to uninstall games and its files, then allow PowerMyMac to do the process for you. You will not have to worry that some files may have been left from the process. Because PowerMyMac will surely completely delete everything without any trace leaving behind.
So, sit back and enjoy your game. Let PowerMyMac do its job!