Hacker News Reader

Comment by gnicholas | Hacker News Reader

Slightly OT: has anyone played any video games on NFLX? I recently learned they have GTA titles, which I thought would be interesting to play, but I still haven't gotten around to finding out how to access games (looks like they're standalone apps, and you log in with your credentials?), let alone downloading any of them.

I'd be interested to know what others have found. Am I missing out on something that I've apparently been paying for?

View on HN

You install the games directly from the iOS App Store. Then you log in via your Netflix account and can play them.

If you already have the Netflix app on your iPhone and you are already signed in, you can go into the Netflix app and see a list of all available Netflix games. Just pick one and it will download in the background. You also won’t have to sign in again when you open the game this way.

Also the iOS App Store sometimes has paid versions of the Netflix games. Don’t get those by accident. Make sure to download the free Netflix versions because otherwise you’ll have to give money to Apple lol

Cat Soup has a Netflix version. It has no ads, which is great. It also doesn't have any of the buffs that ads give you, making the game a lot less fun lol.

IMO a bad "adless" port without much thought.

I haven't held a sub at Netflix for some time now, but when I did, you'd just download the games from the (android) app store. No idea what the situation is for iOS.

Of the games I've played, none were noteworthy.

I have to disagree here! Netflix has released/published/made free with Netflix creds several games that are quite good and which had generally good reputations.

A few standouts: * Into The Breach (great Android port) * Moonlighter * Poinpy * Dead Cells * OXENFREE * World Of Goo

Many of these were already available, but all those on the list were/are indie darlings and pretty good games. For the most part they're putting out good stuff, not just the typical mobile trash.

Full games list here: https://help.netflix.com/en/node/121442

Dead Cells alone costs $30 on Switch. Netflix offers it for free. It's the full game with all available expansions including the recent one that references Castlevania.

The difference is that you get it on Android or iOS.

If you buy a gamepad and are able to output to a decent sized monitor or have a tablet, you have a great gaming experience worth dozens of hours. I think Netflix can really find success expanding into gaming. For now they seem to be working very much Undercover, but they've been adding a ton of content there. I'm sure they're building it up and at some point they'll throw some marketing behind it.

OXENFREE is such an underrated gem. Dead Cells was quite enjoyable as well.

Yeah, you install via the app store and then log in using netflix credentials.

I'm a big fan of Into the Breach, and their android port is a netflix exclusive. It currently has 2.8 stars on the android store with many users complaining about not having a netflix account.

I have been unable to play it on more that one occasion because I did not have service.

On iOS, you only have to logon to the main app. Game installs and launches are normal - App Store, Home Screen - and they can detect the account from the main app. It looks like they've added "which profile?" selection.

I tried out Laya's Horizon, but my main device isn't powerful enough to play it, so it's been a while.

On iOS you download them from the app store and then log in with Netflix. There are links to them from within the Netflix app, too.

I'd at least recommend trying Into the Breach, if you haven't played it elsewhere yet. Great game. I'm not a regular Netflix subscriber so the exclusivity annoys me.

Good to know! Is this game (and NFLX games in general) best on iPad, or is iPhone OK?

I think it's way better on iPad, but I don't really like landscape-oriented iPhone games. Most of the action happens on a square grid so I think portrait could work...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com