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Our favorite apps, games, and entertainment from 2021 for all of your new tech

It’s been a difficult year, and with the appearance of the COVID-19 omicron variant, it looks like 2022 may have a rocky start. But whether you’re spending the holidays sheltering at home or hanging with friends or family, you can make things more cheerful and fun by using your brand-new hardware — or your current tech — to watch some great streaming movies or TV, play games, and refresh your computer or mobile device with some cool new apps.

We’ve asked the staff of The Verge to tell us about their favorite streaming videos, games, and apps. These have not gone through scientific testing or public polls — they are what we have used and enjoyed and think that you will like (or love) as well. We’ve compiled our favorite streaming shows from HBO Max, Hulu, and Netflix; our best-loved games for iOS, Android, and Windows devices; and our top choices for the OLED Switch, PS5, Xbox, and for your VR headset. We’ve even got a list of some great TikTok creators. And when it’s time to do some serious stuff, we’ve recommended our favorite apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS.

We’ll be putting these up over the course of the holiday season. So check out our best of the year picks, and enjoy!

  • Alice Jovanée

    Dec 31, 2021

    Alice Jovanée

    10 great games to play on your new VR headset

    Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    With the advent of platforms like the Oculus Quest 2, VR has never been more accessible. Setups that once required a massive commitment of time and resources — not to mention space — have become remarkably easy to use. While the Oculus Quest 2 is one of the more popular options when it comes to VR headsets, we’ve included titles that use HTC Vive, Steam VR, and Oculus Rift headsets as well.

    Once you get past the fact that you’re going to look silly, no matter what game you’re playing, you’re bound to have a great time with our list of the best titles you can play with your VR headset of choice. While the majority of our top picks for this year are available on all VR headsets, there are some notable exceptions. If you’re wondering if a game will work with your particular headset, we’ve outlined that at the bottom of each entry.

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  • Chaim Gartenberg

    Dec 30, 2021

    Chaim Gartenberg

    12 great apps ready for your new 2021 Mac

    Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    With Apple’s fancy new MacBook Pros, its colorful new iMacs, and of course, 2020’s still-excellent M1 MacBook Air all offering incredible performance and battery life, it’s never been a better time to give (or receive) a new Mac.

    And as more and more people are shifting to remote work, that laptop or computer you buy has to do more than ever. So we’ve rounded up some of our favorite Mac apps, designed to help you be more productive or to simply just make using your computer and navigating day-to-day life and Zoom calls a little more enjoyable.

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  • Tom Warren

    Dec 30, 2021

    Tom Warren

    11 great apps for your new Windows 11 PC

    Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    This year marked the launch of Windows 11. Stock permitting, there are a variety of PCs and laptops available with Microsoft’s new operating system, and while the updated Microsoft Store fills out with apps, we figured we’d put together a list of our 11 favorite apps for a new Windows 11 PC.

    We’re covering productivity, gaming, and media playback, so there should be an app for everyone here. There are even some options to bring back Windows 10 functionality if you’re missing some of the features and customizations Windows used to have.

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  • Jay Peters

    Dec 29, 2021

    Jay Peters

    10 Apple Arcade games for your new iPhone or iPad

    Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    Apple Arcade is a gaming subscription service that offers a wealth of great titles with no ads for $4.99 per month. Some great new games were released for it this year, but there are also many Apple Arcade-exclusive versions of some of the biggest App Store hits, and they’re just as fun as when they first came out. We’ve compiled a mix of new and classic games you might want to check out if you’re a new subscriber.

    Fantasian is a mobile JRPG from Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy. It takes cues from many classic JRPGs, features a soundtrack from another recognizable name to Final Fantasy fans, Nobuo Uematsu, and takes place in a game world built from handcrafted dioramas. The game first released in April and got a part two update in August.

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  • Cameron Faulkner

    Dec 28, 2021

    Cameron Faulkner

    9 great games for your new Android phone

    Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    In addition to being a popular mobile OS, Android is one of the most bustling gaming platforms on Earth. If you have a recent Android phone or tablet, or even one that’s a couple of years old, you should be able to run a majority of the games available in the Google Play Store. That’s good because there are some stellar, console-quality games that you should be aware of, if you aren’t already in the know. Whether you just got a new Android phone, or you just want a few recommendations to use with your current phone, we’ve got you covered with the list below.

    There’s a chance you’ve heard of Among Us even if you aren’t that tapped into gaming. It’s an online co-operative and competitive game where you work together with a team of space cadets, maintaining a space station — except one of you is an imposter whose goal it is to deceive everyone and eventually take over. As the imposter, it’s your job to be as sly and unassuming as possible, while everyone else is on edge that any of the others might be a back-stabber. It’s a simple game with a tense edge. Give it a try.

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  • 10 great games for your new gaming PC

    Photo Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    Getting a new gaming PC is a bit like opening Pandora’s Box when it comes to deciding what to play. With frequent releases on Steam, a never-ending flow of free games on the Epic Games Store, a plethora of indie arthouse games on itch.io, and countless other launchers and storefronts to install and choose from, it can feel like the Netflix effect of paralysis by choice.

    So if you got yourself a new PC for the holiday, or even earlier, this list of excellent games released this year is a primer on what to consider. Some may be no-brainers because they are the biggest releases of the last few months, but others should not be overlooked.

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  • Victoria Song

    Dec 26, 2021

    Victoria Song

    10 great apps for your new 2021 iPhone

    Photo Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    So, you just unwrapped a shiny new iPhone this holiday season. A new year is around the corner. And while you could just migrate over all the same apps you’ve always used, now is also a good time to try something new. It doesn’t matter whether you’re rocking a new iPhone 13 or a new iPhone SE — here’s a list of some apps that are handy, fun, or just way better than whatever came pre-installed on your iPhone.

    Listen, Apple’s Mail app is fine. Gmail is marginally better. Microsoft Outlook is a classic for a reason. But Spark Mail is a simple, solid, and free option that packs in a lot of customizability. You have the option of toggling on smart notifications (no more notifications from that random service you signed up for six years ago) and integrating with services like Dropbox and OneDrive. 

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  • Dec 26, 2021

    Gloria Sin

    9 great Android apps for your new 2021 Android device

    Photo Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    Congratulations on your new Android device! After going through all the legalese to set up your Google account and services (and probably doing the same with your phone manufacturer and carrier), you’re finally ready to make your phone or tablet your own. As you populate your email app with new emails and purge useless apps from your device, now is the time to install some better apps that will improve your life. Here are nine Android apps that made me happier and more organized, without being overly demanding of my user data or annoying with ads.

    My home is full of post-it notes strategically placed on multiple surfaces: my desk, boxes, and even the cutting board. And they all serve different purposes: some are shopping lists, some are reminders to return an item, and some are just my to-do lists. The ColorNote app is basically a digital version of my sticky note addiction but organized into a single screen. You can create either a text note or a checklist and customize its color to help you differentiate one from another. The app has a calendar where you can note important dates, share individual notes with your friends and family, or even sync your notes across multiple devices.

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  • Cameron Faulkner

    Dec 25, 2021

    Cameron Faulkner

    8 great games for your new Xbox

    Photo Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    The latest generation of Xbox consoles recently celebrated their one-year birthday, though like the PS5, your chances of easily buying one aren’t so great (the $300 Series S is far easier to find in stock than the $500 Series X is). Nevertheless, there have been some must-play games released on Xbox in the past year that make searching for one of these consoles worth the effort.

    We’ve pulled together a handful of great games. Thankfully, many of them are available through a Game Pass Ultimate subscription. That gives you access to online multiplayer, along with access to a library of games for a flat monthly fee.

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  • Cameron Faulkner

    Dec 25, 2021

    Cameron Faulkner

    8 great games for your new PlayStation 5

    Photo Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    The PlayStation 5 was released in November 2020, but it’s still incredibly hard to get. The chip shortage has rendered it nearly impossible to log onto your favorite retailer’s site and order one. In other words, among the no-doubt massive amount of people who want a PS5, very few are actually able to get one these days.

    But if you are one of the lucky people who have just got one (or are hoping to get lucky soon), or if you have a friend who was able to score one, we’ve put together a list of great PS5 games to play this holiday and beyond. If you take our recommendations, you’ll have so much gameplay to enjoy that you probably won’t need any more until early to mid-2022 — which is the release window for Sony to launch its much-anticipated Horizon Forbidden West and God of War: Ragnarok.

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  • Alice Jovanée

    Dec 25, 2021

    Alice Jovanée

    10 great games for your new Switch OLED

    Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    The recent release of the Nintendo Switch OLED has many people rediscovering their love for the versatile handheld or experiencing what it has to offer for the first time. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or have never previously owned a Nintendo console, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite titles for Nintendo Switch.

    The versatility of this console has turned the Nintendo eShop into a fantastic vertical slice of the gaming industry, offering everything from indie platformers to AAA first-person shooters. And the popularity of the console means that if a game can be ported to the Switch, it eventually will be.

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  • Kaitlin Hatton

    Dec 24, 2021

    Kaitlin Hatton

    8 great TikTok accounts from 2021 to follow

    Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    Maybe you’re new to TikTok, or perhaps you’ve been on the app for a couple of years and would like to find some new accounts to follow. While the algorithm does a shockingly great job of surfacing videos a user might like, it’s easy to get stuck in a bubble of repetitive content, so you’re seeing the same creators again and again or hearing one trending sound just a little too often. 

    I spend a lot of my downtime perusing TikTok, and I take pride in the list of accounts I follow. So much pride that I’ve got a sizable list of all the creators I’d recommend following. They range from creators who dole out advice to a forager and even to a heavy metal vocalist. If you’re just starting out on TikTok, these accounts are a great place to start. If you’ve been using it for a while, then unless we have the same algorithm, these accounts will be a good way to freshen up the videos you normally see.

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  • Dec 23, 2021

    Gloria Sin

    11 great shows and movies from 2021 to stream on HBO Max

    Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    It’s the end of year two of the pandemic and many of us staying inside — both to avoid the spread of new variants like Omicron and to avoid the unpredictable weather of 2021. Whether you’re new to HBO Max or signed up earlier for the half-priced deal but haven’t opened the app in a while, this is a particularly good month to check out the platform. HBO Max is streaming some of the hottest movies that are being simultaneously released in theaters (if you’ve subscribed to the ad-free tier), so you can enjoy them from the comfort and safety of your own home.

    I hope you have your favorite snacks and drinks ready because here are 11 movies and shows that are worth watching right now.

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  • Dec 22, 2021

    Catie Keck

    8 great shows and movies from 2021 to stream on Hulu

    Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    When reuniting with loved ones for the holidays, a post-festivities, good old-fashioned movie night may be in order. But the massive libraries many of us have to choose from on our favorite streaming services can feel downright overwhelming — particularly when the whole family is weighing in on what to watch.

    For your kick-back holiday viewing this season, may we recommend a handful of titles from Hulu? Hulu is one of the more popular premium streaming services you can subscribe to, and fairly affordable if you can live with ads. Basic Hulu (sans live TV) starts at $7 monthly or $13 per month to go ad-free. Between its originals, FX on Hulu, and its massive library of on-demand shows and movies, it’s a choice pick for anyone looking for a bit of variety.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Dec 21, 2021

    Andrew Webster

    11 great shows from 2021 to stream on Netflix

    Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

    As Netflix has become more ubiquitous, it’s also become more of a challenge to sift through the seemingly never-ending list of shows on the service. There’s a lot, from reality shows about questionable animal tycoons to a plethora of video game adaptations. Sure, the really big stuff rises to the top — Squid Game, Bridgerton, etc. — but there’s also a lot that’s easy to miss.

    Lucky for you, I spend far too much time keeping up with the latest releases and have come back with 10 series that should definitely add to your Netflix rotation: everything from grisly horror to comfort food sitcoms to cozy post-apocalypses.

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