Choosing a Game of the Year is no easy task.

While my blogging output has been pretty minimal this year, I’ve played a lot of Apple TV games. So much so, I’m considering letting my PlayStation Plus subscription lapse. There seems to only be just enough room in my life for one console, and Apple TV combined with Apple Arcade is more than satisfying my gaming needs.

Out of all the Apple TV games I’ve played in 2020, there’s been one to which I’ve kept returning and pouring more hours into. Its developer has provided a constant drip feed of content and improvements, and its provided the most fun I’ve had with a controller in hand in a year that can be easily described as less than ideal.

Hit the Continue button below to find out why Butter Royale is The Apple TV Gaming Blog’s Best Apple TV Game of 2020.

Right out of the gate, it was easy to recognise that Butter Royale was quality. Studio Mighty Bear Games had mixed just the right amount of ingredients to create that special sauce needed for a battle royale title to succeed.

Exemplary twin-stick shooting mechanics, perfect match lengths, bright, welcoming visuals, and a foodie hook to give it a unique angle. The food fight aspect helps Mighty Bear Games find a safe space in which to arm players to the teeth, but in a fun, non-violent way.

But at launch, it also had a problem, and it was the speed with which the studio dealt with that problem that indicated the team’s willingness to listen to its fans, and strive to make Butter Royale the best version of itself it could be.

Tickets earned from its 32-player matches could be spent in the game’s shop, enabling players to customise characters with non-gameplay effecting cosmetics. The shop’s wares refresh daily, providing a reason to keep checking back in, aside of course from the pure fun of play, which Butter Royale serves in super-sized portions.

At launch however, there was a cap on how many tickets could be earned daily. Players instantly complained that they should be able to earn an unlimited amount per day. Why incentivise players not to play?

Mighty Bear Games listened, removing the cap, and with it, Butter Royale’s only real negative aspect. The rest was gravy.

Since then, a constant pipeline of freshly baked content has been dropped, from special events, themed seasons, new weapons and power-ups, and even an awesome character crossover from two other great Apple Arcade games – Cat Quest 2 and BattleSky Brigade: Harpooner.

A standout event was Halloween’s Night of the Living Bread, which saw the studio take Butter Royale’s assets and reshape them into a new gameplay experience. I even took time out to post a whole article about it. The Halloween mode proved so popular it has since become a regular staple in the rotation of temporary events.

Only days ago, Butter Royale’s Candy Cane season landed, just in time for the end-of-year festivities, as well as a new squid ink power-up which blinds players unlucky enough to find themselves in the splash zone, and a new daily reward system. It seems Mighty Bear Games has only gotten started.

While much of Butter Royale’s systems sound like free-to-play mechanics, keep in mind that Apple Arcade games have no in-app-purchases at all, ever. This means you have an endless season pass with everything in-game yours to earn at no extra cost.

If you’re looking for a Fortnite equivalent for your Apple TV, Butter Royale is what you’re after.

Another bonus of the Apple Arcade ecosystem, is the convenience of your profile following you from your Apple TV, to your Mac, iPad, iPhone and back again. Another huge tick in the plus column. On my iPad via touchscreen, I prefer the shotgun-like Mayonator and Hot Sauce Squirty, due to the feeling of diminished accuracy of touch controls. With a controller paired and a big screen via Apple TV however, I lean towards the Sniparmesan and Gumballer for range and accuracy. Different strokes for different folks.

Butter Royale is like the comfort of a warm drink of milk spiced up with a hint of cinnamon (or whisky?). It plays as good as it looks, and with Mighty Bear Games having displayed its willingness to take it in fun, unexpected directions, I can’t wait to see where 2021 leads this ultimate food fight.

One of the jewels in Apple Arcade’s crown, Butter Royale is a game Apple should be promoting as a reason to subscribe.

See you on the Butterfield!

If you’re new to The Apple TV Gaming Blog (ATVG), or just new to Apple TV gaming in general, or both, then the best place to get acquainted is our Best Apple TV Games of 2020 article. You’ll find a great collection of games to play, and a bunch of useful links to our previous site content. Welcome aboard. Enjoy the ride.