safari ipad games

Best iPad games in 2024

These are the best iPad games that take advantage of your tablet's larger display

• Best iPad games: Action games • Best iPad games: Adventure games • Best iPad games: Arcade games • Best iPad games: Card games • Best iPad games: Puzzle games • Best iPad games: Racing games • Best iPad games: Role-playing games • Best iPad games: Sports games • Best iPad games: Strategy games

To find the best iPad games, you've first got to determine what sort of games you're in the mood to play. Regardless of the genre or gameplay features that speak to you, you're pretty much guaranteed to find a perfect pick on Apple's vast App Store. 

Looking for colorful visuals? You'll find them down below. Craving something that will stimulate and challenge? The App offer is full of games that fit the bill. And while many of these games can be played on an iPhone, the larger displays on the best iPads , make them play at their very best on Apple's best-selling tablets. 

To track down the best iPad games, we've searched across a wide variety of genres — from card-playing games to endless runners — to find titles that look great on everything from an iPad mini to an iPad Pro . That means richer graphics, more details and better touch controls than you’d get on other devices.

Don’t get us wrong — gaming’s fun on any iOS device. (Check out our picks for best iOS games to see just how fun.) And many of the best iPad games selections play just as well on Apple’s phones. In case you’ve got both devices on hand, we’ve even designated the games that play just as well on the iPhone as they do on the iPad.

But the focus here is on iPad games and the ones that make the most of your tablet. If you’re looking for fun, no matter the genre, these best iPad games are the ones to download.

Best iPad games: Action games

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A lot of different types of games qualify for the action game genre. From platform games to shooters to side-scrollers, so long as the pace never flags and the on-screen action keeps coming at you, you’ve got a great action title on your hands. And these are the action games for the iPad that have caught our eye.

Mushroom 11

In a world that’s seen better days, a new form of life has emerged: a kind of intelligent goop. You are that goop in Mushroom 11, an oddball mix of platform game, puzzler and post-apocalyptic exploration. 

Although Mushroom 11 originated on PC, it feels tailor-made for the iPad’s touchscreen as you prod your tablet’s display to urge your goop on, occasionally splitting it apart to complete puzzles that require you to be in two places at once. It’s creative and offers great value – although you’d pay way more than $4.99 to ensure our own world doesn’t end up like this!

Download Mushroom 11 for iPad

Giant Dancing Plushies

In Giant Dancing Plushies, a $3.99 rhythm action game, terrifying aliens have invaded and are determined to stomp our world to pieces. No, hang on: cute and cuddly (but still terrifying) alien dancing plushies have invaded – and mostly seem keen on obliterating army types dead set on ending their groovy moves.

You play the plushies, moving to the beat, occasionally using Street Fighter-style special moves to unleash stuffed-toy furry fury on your angry aggressors. It’s absurd stuff and lots of fun – and you can even have the giant toys dance along to your own music collection.

Download Giant Dancing Plushies for iPad  

You’re in space. There are lots of spaceships. So of course everyone’s trying to blast each other to pieces. In this $5.99 shoot ’em up, you pilot a spaceship and get to make NEEEOOOWWWW and DAGGADAGGADAGGA noises as you swoop between asteroids and annihilate opponents.

Although Interloper provides a backstory and missions, Interloper is more exhilarating arcade fare than lengthy campaign. For mobile, this works – it’s great to dip in and out of. Neatly, it reorients itself for landscape or portrait play too.

Download Interloper for iPad  

Super Fowlst 2

Demons have broken through into our reality in Super Fowlst 2, and only you can stop them! Also, you happen to be a chicken. On the plus side, you’re a determined chicken, who arcs left or right with a tap of the screen in this free four-way scrolling arcade game.

It’s familiar stuff. Bonk enemies on the head and they vanish. Grab keys to unlock doors. Collect coins. Don’t die. But algorithmically generated level layouts keep things fresh, permanent power-ups help you get further into the game during each attempt, and bizarre boss battles keep your feathered fingers nimble.

Download Super Fowlst 2 for iPad

With its abbreviated takes on App Store classics like top-down racers, one-thumb platformers and games where a hole gulps down the landscape, Fancade almost comes across like the App Store in microcosm. For a freebie, it’s generous indeed.

Then you realize that it’s built on a construction kit and recognize the other side of the App Store – making games – is within your grasp, too. You can kick things off with pre-canned kits or a blank canvas. Want to thank the dev? Pay $0.99 for an ad-free month.

Fancade is also a great game for the iPhone.

Download Fancade for iPad

Steredenn is fairly simple, in that this $3.99 blaster merely requires you to shoot all of the things on your iPad screen. The game’s DNA has roots in classic scrolling fare like R-Type, and finds you fending off waves of baddies, before confronting huge bosses that are armed to the teeth.

The twist is that every game of Steredenn is different. Environments are semi-randomly generated. Upgrades are acquired at level’s end to complement your existing two-weapon set-up. Added to that is a layer of madcap oddness, with foes that have giant chainsaws strapped to their ships, and upgrade weapons ranging from massive stabby swords to pyrotechnic madness.

Download Steredenn for iPad

Super Cat Tales 2

Console-style platform games are a tricky proposition on mobile devices, where’s there’s no physical controls — only a slippy touchscreen. The free Super Cat Tales 2 clevely subverts the genre by reimagining it for your iPad.

There are echoes of classic console fare: chunky pixel art; secrets to find; coins to collect. But the controls simply have you press left or right, your cat automatically jumping on reaching a platform’s edge or leaping between walls like a furry ninja. You’ll fight this at first, but it’ll soon become second nature – and you’ll wonder why all mobile games aren’t made this way.

If the ads in Super Cat Tales 2 become too much, just pay $4.99 to go ad-free.

Super Cat Tales 2 is also a great game for the iPhone

Download Super Cat Tales 2 for iPad

Best iPad games: Adventure games

Sometimes you want a game that puts as much emphasis on story and atmosphere as it does toward on-screen action. The best adventure games for the iPad include chilling scenes and puzzling mysteries. You’ll find them to be satisfying additions to your tablet.

If ever there was a game made for iPad, it’s this wonderful $3.99 thriller from Simogo. After an exciting movie-like intro, you find yourself stranded on a remote island, with no idea how you got there. Your aim: escape.

Device 6’s presentation of the world is unique, upending and blending the conventions of games and books. The paths you travel comprise the story’s narrative, within which you’ll find embedded puzzles and an increasingly meta side to the tale. It’s smart, stylish and unique – and wouldn’t work on traditional game systems.

Download Device 6 for iPad  

Initially, unmemory looks like an illustrated mystery novel, if you set your reading app to display a chapter as one long scrolling pane. You awake with blood on your hands and, well, no memory.

Everything changes a few minutes into the game, when you hear a phone ringing and remember there was one depicted further up the page. At that point, it becomes clear each chapter of the $5.99 unmemory is a network of interlinked puzzles cleverly woven into the larger narrative. Top stuff – and a superior experience on the iPad’s larger display.

Download unmemory for iPad

Best iPad games: Arcade games

Instead of riding your bike down to local arcade like you did back in the old days, your iPad becomes an arcade with these old-school offerings. Best of all, you don’t have save up your quarters to give these best iPad games a try.

Drop Wizard

Like Super Cat Tales 2 abovet, Drop Wizard evokes gaming of old but remakes it for the touchscreen. This time, there are shades of classic single-screen platformers Snow Bros. and Bubble Bobble.

Unlike the games that inspired it, this $2.99 effort is an auto-runner, with your wizard blasting magic at enemies upon landing. Those that are dazed can be booted into the air, at which point they tumble around and eventually turn into fruit, because that’s what happened in video games. It’s glorious – like a vintage arcade cabinet has been squeezed onto your iPad.

Drop Wizard is also a great game for the iPhone

Download Drop Wizard for iPad

Osmos for iPad

Arcade games tend to be fast-paced, but this $4.99 effort is ambient in nature. Osmos has you control a mote, which moves by ejecting pieces of itself. This makes the mote shrink, but it can grow by absorbing smaller motes it collides with.

This mechanic plays out across a range of arenas. Some resemble primordial soup and demand patience as you slowly conquer what surrounds you. Others find you careening around central “Attractors,” like planets orbiting a sun. The iPad’s larger screen affords you the precision you’ll need in this beguiling game.

Download Osmos for iPad

Edge is a $2.99 App Store classic that tasks you with guiding a cube around blocky isometric levels, collecting objects and trying to not fall into the deadly void. With its minimalist vibe and superb soundtrack, this iPad game offers plenty of atmosphere as you map out each level in your mind.

And you’ll need to do so if you want to gain the highest grades. They’re only dished out for people who complete levels quickly enough in Edge – no mean feat when platforms shift and move, and collectables are sneakily hidden within the landscape.

Edge is also a great game for the iPhone

Download Edge for iPad

Imagine Pac-Man. Now imagine it compressed into a three-by-three grid, and instead of ghosts chasing you, massive chunks of scenery fly around, constantly threatening to smash you to pieces. And all of that on fast-forward.

That’s the basic premise of Jumpgrid, a high-octane, pulse-pounding $2.99 twitch arcade effort. All you need to do is eat eight dots and leap into a portal. But even though each level takes mere seconds in theory, many will have you maniacally wide-eyed, desperately trying to win when your fingers fail you for the umpteenth time.

Jumpgrid is also a great game for the iPhone

Download Jumpgrid for iPad

Best iPad games: Card games

Collectible card games have gone digital, moving from the tabletop to our digital devices. And while the iPad’s big screen may seem like overkill for this genre, this entry on the best iPad games list makes the most of the expanded screen space.

Meteorfall: Krumit’s Tale

There are loads of App Store titles that mash a deck-building card game and turn-based strategy together and pack the combination into a diminutive playfield – but the $6.99 Meteorfall: Krumit’s Tale is the best. 

Its twist is a clever risk-vs.-reward mechanic. Cards are bought or discarded for extra cash. Every turn, you’ll have to weigh up whether to add to your inventory or risk facing an enemy when you’re decidedly lacking in kit. It takes a while to master, but there’s lashings of depth here if you make the time.

Meteorfall: Krumit’s Tale is also a great game for the iPhone

Download Meteorfall: Krumit’s Tale for iPad  

Best iPad games: Puzzle games

From solving riddles to unscrambling words, puzzle games are a great way to keep your mind sharp. But the best iPad games do more than just transplant puzzlers to a tablet. Point-and-click adventures become easier to control, while game makers take advantages of big screens and gameplay physics to redefine the genre on the iPad.

Love You To Bits

Old-school point-and-click mechanics benefit from a larger display, but Love You To Bits further deserves a place on your iPad due to its gorgeous, vibrant visuals.

The storyline finds the protagonist rookie space explorer’s robot friend Nova scattered across the galaxy. He has to search for her many parts and put her back together.

This $3.99 adventure is relentlessly creative, with regular pop-culture references to movies and games. Its charm and imagination will propel you through the odd logic snafu right to its heart-warming conclusion.

Download Love You To Bits for iPad

Euclidean Skies

Like Euclidean Lands , Euclidean skies finds you manipulating landscapes and buildings that impossibly float in the sky. Turrets and floors must be shifted and spun to help the hero reach her goals in this $4.99 puzzler.

Euclidean Skies is a visual treat, which combined with its tactile nature makes the game ideal fare for the iPad’s larger display. More space for fingers and eyes gives you a better chance at everything from constructing new bridges out of nowhere to defeating huge bosses by crushing them within warped chunks of levitating structures.

Download Euclidean Skies for iPad

Little Alchemy 2

Little Alchemy 2 marries science and whimsy, tasking you with creating new elements by mixing objects from your inventory. You begin with basics like air, earth, fire and water – along with the knowledge there are nearly 600 more items to discover.

Having space to experiment makes this free puzzler ideal for iPad. And although there’s a temptation to drag every new discovery on to every existing one, there is logic at the game’s core. It might not be scientifically accurate, but where else would you get a plane by merging metal with a bird?

Download Little Alchemy 2 for iPad

Baba Is You

This innovative $6.99 single-screen puzzler invites you to tear up the rule-book – or, more accurately, make your own. And we mean that in a broadly literal manner, because rules that govern object and win conditions are written out using on-screen tiles in Baba Is You.

By shoving said tiles around, you can upend everything — changing every wall into a key, for example — and determine whether objects can be pushed or are even solid. This one starts simple, but before long merrily smashes out your brains. Baba Is Brilliant, then.

Baba Is You is also a great game for the iPhone

Download Baba Is You for iPad

The Gardens Between

Time travel forms the core of this gorgeous $4.99 puzzler. Two friends unwisely touch a glowing orb and find themselves on fanciful islands constructed from their memories. The aim: to reach the top of each miniature mountain.

The path in The Gardens Between is linear, but often blocked. You must manipulate objects and time — running time backward or freezing the children while moving the scene — to progress. The visuals need an iPad’s large display to be appreciated, while the game’s tactile nature feels at home on the touchscreen rather than under the lifeless click of a PC cursor.

Download The Gardens Between for iPad

7 Billion Humans

Like its predecessor, the equally impressive Human Resource Machine , the $4.99 7 Billion Humans is simultaneously a tricky puzzler, a lightweight programming primer and a wry commentary on the future of employment.

The premise of the game is that robots do all the work, making humans feel worthless. The robots therefore have humans fill their days with mundane box-sorting challenges, directed by programming steps that you define. 

On a phone, 7 Billion Humans is fiddly. On an iPad, it’s great – funny, brain-bending and with the potential to teach you a thing or two, in more ways than you might first imagine.

Download 7 Billion Humans for iPad

Day Repeat Day

There are two sides to this intriguing $4.99 match-three effort. The puzzles in Day Repeat Day are much like Bejeweled or Candy Crush, having you make a set number of matches within a limited number of moves. But there’s a messaging center as well.

Within that, a story plays out that finds you chatting with colleagues, friends and family, attempting to navigate a work/life balance in a world that doesn’t care much for life. Take your time with this one and breathe in its details — it’s a brilliantly pitched dark satire masquerading as a casual game.

Download Day Repeat Day for iPad

Best iPad games: Racing games

Get behind the wheel — virtually, of course — as your iPad transforms in a powerful race car or a challenging course. Even better, the best racing games on the iPad make the most of the tablet’s touch interface to satisfy your need for speed.

Need for Speed Most Wanted

Too often, racing games go all-in on realism. Need for Speed Most Wanted has a different approach, echoing arcade racer OutRun 2 in having you blast along at manic speeds and drift for miles around long, sweeping bends.

The world of this $4.99 racer is much grimmer and grayer than Sega’s classic, but it’s exhilarating as you become the best street racer around, beating rivals and outrunning cops. The touchscreen controls are pitch-perfect, and the game wisely avoids the loot crate nonsense and absurdly brief races that afflict its successors.

Download Need for Speed Most Wanted for iPad  

Rush Rally Origins

Later entries in the Rush Rally series are reminiscent of console fare, with tense races and behind-the-wheel viewpoints. But this $4.99 racer for the iPad harks back to the origin of the series, playing things out from above across a range of time trials, championships and multi-car clashes. 

The vaguely retro feel (albeit with modern-era graphics) continues through to the controls, which make it a cinch to drift around corners, giving you a fighting chance against unforgiving physics and tough computer opponents.

Rush Rally Origins is also a great game for the iPhone

Download Rush Rally Origins for iPad  

Best iPad games: Role-playing games

Take on a new persona and immerse yourself in a compelling story by trying out great role-playing games — or RPGs — on the iPad. Our favorite games make the most of the iPad’s screen so that the only thing you have to contemplate is your next move.

Marvel Future Revolution

Marvel 's first open-world action RPG for mobile is right at home on your iPad, as Marvel Future Revolution puts you right in the shoes and spandex of your favorite superheroes (or as your own unique hero if that's what you prefer). Endless storylines and campaigns mean you'll keep coming back for more in this game that blends brawling with open-world exploration.

You'll appreciate how the realistic 3D graphics look on your iPad's display, and you'll enjoy the multiplayer aspect of this game. Even better, frequent updates include new playable characters and costumes tied to the MCU. The game is free to play with in-app purchases allowing you to add to your costumes and characters.

Marvel Future Revolution is also available for the iPhone.

Download Marvel Future Revolution for iPad

Book of Demons

There’s a distinctly retro vibe to Book of Demons, a $9.99 dungeon crawler, which borrows from classic titles like Diablo. But in reworking the genre for the touchscreen, this game concocts something that’s simultaneously suitable and unique. 

Pathways are limited and responses to attacks are automatic. But you can optionally direct your firepower and unleash spells, which can be upgraded over time.

With an oddball aesthetic reminiscent of papercraft, Book of Demons might not be what you’d expect – it’s more RTS than hack-and-slash – but it’s ideal iPad fodder.

Download Book of Demons for iPad  

Crying Suns

You might think you’ve had a bad morning, but the protagonist of this $8.99 strategy game has just been woken, told his empire is likely gone, and informed that he died and is in fact a clone. It must be a Monday.

In Crying Suns, you figure out what’s going on, by bossing around your crew, taking in exposition, sending commandos on missions, and blowing up enemy ships. With a more defined structure than similar games, there’s a strong narrative here; and there’s replay value in chipping away at the story in subsequent attempts — and blowing up more bad guys, obviously .

Download Crying Suns for iPad

FTL: Faster Than Light

In FTL: Faster Than Light, you’re trying to save the galaxy. Unfortunately, you’re being chased by folks dead set on your destruction. As a result, you’re constantly on guard and making life-or-death decisions in this $9.99 strategy title.

You can jump to new sectors of space, but this can land you in fraught battles. When in a scrap, you must prioritize your crew’s actions, ensuring your collective survival.

Fortunately, you can pause FTL to have a think. And during battles, the interface is ideally suited to iPad, even if you might not think that when your ship’s ablaze and you’ve no idea where your enemies are hiding.

Download FTL: Faster Than Light for iPad

Best iPad games: Sports games

Sports are better on big-screen TVs. So it stands to reason that sports games thrive on the iPad, too — especially when the games have figured out creative ways to employ touchscreen controls.

Touchgrind Skate 2

Skateboard games on consoles give you a gamepad for controlling an on-screen avatar. In contrast, Touchgrind Skate 2 (free, with in-app purchases for unlocking new locations) gets you up close and personal with your board by having you use two fingers to guide it across the iPad screen..

In effect, your digits stand in for legs, with you gently tilting them to steer and using a range of gestures in a timely manner to perform show-off stunts. It’s clever and more freeform than pseudo sequels Touchgrind BMX and Touchgrind Scooter – although they are fun, too.

Touchgrind Skate 2 is also a great game for the iPhone

Download Touchgrind Skate 2 for iPad

With modern console soccer games demanding you grab a gamepad and memorize a dizzying number of button combinations to kick a ball about, Retro Goal is a breath of fresh air. It rethinks the beautiful game for iPad, streamlining it to the important bits.

On the management side, you use your meager funds to upgrade your team. On the pitch, you control goal attempts, using gestures to perform silky smooth moves that’d leave a World Cup winner breathless. You get 10 games for free and then it’s just $0.99 to unlock the full game.

Download Retro Goal for iPad  

Best iPad Games: Strategy games

A proper plan is more than half the battle when it comes to strategy games. And these best iPad games reward you for coming up with the right plan for victory, whether in a turn-based game or conquering your opponent.

The Battle of Polytopia

You can buy full-fat Civilization for your iPad or iPhone, but it’s expensive and time consuming. If you’re lacking in funds or hours, The Battle of Polytopia gives you similar turn-based bouts of Machiavellian maneuvering in stripped-back form.

The free game limits the size of worlds and how many tribes you can battle. Buy extra tribes and things open up – but even then, technology cuts out before guns and planes arrive, keeping things manageable. Still, there remains plenty of scope for building strategies and improving your game, not least in the turn-limited score-attack mode.

The Battle of Polytopia is also a great game for the iPhone

Download The Battle of Polytopia for iPad  

Bad North: Jotunn Edition

Vikings, eh? Always wanting to be stabby and pillage-y, as you’ve discovered now they’ve found your island kingdom. Your only hope: to bravely defend your islands by commanding limited groups of soldiers.

In Bad North: Jotunn Edition, battles are automatic and rely on you using cunning strategy. Place archers up high; have pikemen take on invaders whose weapons have less range. Over time, the situation evolves, for better (new weapons) or worse (dead commanders are gone for good). 

With each island being procedurally generated, every campaign is unique, making Bad North great value at $3.99.

Download Bad North: Jotunn Edition for iPad

Far: Lone Sails

There’s a surprising serenity about the dystopian world in Far: Lone Sails, a $3.99 iPad download. It’s just you and your colossal vehicle, struggling onward across a seabed dotted with the remains of what appears to be a lost civilization.

Whether that’s the case, you won’t know for sure. Far: Lone Sails begins by telling you nothing. You must figure out yourself how to fuel, move and upgrade your vehicle. Despite the constant micro-management, it’s meditative stuff — and the iPad lets you glimpse moments of beauty in the bleak landscape that passes you by.

Far: Lone Sails is also a great download for the iPhone.

Download Far: Lone Sails for iPad

If you’ve ever got grumpy at a complex intersection and thought you could do a better job of designing one, Freeways offers your chance to prove it. This superb $2.99 ‘interchange design simulator’ gives you entry/exit points and lets you get on with it.

Arrows denote traffic flow and density and early levels merely task you with connecting the dots. Eventually, you’re mired in multi-level spaghetti junctions from hell, causing miles-long tailbacks. With the iPad’s screen acreage, you’ve at least room to draw (and re-draw) and a fighting chance of success.

Download Freeways for iPad  

Genre mash-ups have a tendency to create something compelling — not least when two gameplay types that shouldn’t meld fashion something brilliant. That’s the case with freebie Salvagette, which combines bullet-hell shoot ’em ups with turn-based strategy.

Your aim in the single-screen arena is to ram your ship into enemies, which signal their intention to fire by way of blue halos. You have endless time to plot your pathways, and yet the game becomes surprisingly tense as the screen fills with projectiles.

Download Salvagette for iPad

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Craig Grannell has been writing about tech for longer than he cares to remember, and spends his days surrounded by black rectangles, cables, and countless devices going DING when a notification comes in. He’s written for a bunch of magazines and websites including Tom's Guide, TechRadar, Wired, Stuff and many others, and specializes in Apple, apps, games, design and retro. At some point, he’s hoping someone will pay him a full-time wage to write about Robotron: 2084 and Bubble Bobble all day.

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The 100 best iPhone & iPad games

Looking for the best games for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch? You’ve come to the right place. With iOS games reviews, gameplay videos and links to the games on the App Store, this roundup lists the 100 very best games ever released for the iPad & iPhone, from strategy and action to puzzlers and RPGs.

New in our list this month: Alien: Isolation , Ghosts and Apples Mobile , Joe Danger and Please, Touch The Artwork .

A quick note on IAP: Many games have IAPs (in-app purchases). Be wary of overspending on consumable IAPs. Our reviews note when IAPs impact on any particular game.

Adventure & story games

From retro point-and-click to thoroughly modern touchscreen adventures, these interactive stories will keep you engrossed for days.

Although lumped in with adventures for this roundup, Bird Alone sits slightly awkwardly in that genre. Really, it’s more a slice of life the creator calls a “journey of growth and loss with a best friend”. Said friend just happens to be feathered – a lively and sweet-natured but lonely parrot aching for company.

Interactions are straightforward. The parrot will ask basic questions about you, and riff off your responses. Over time, you build up something of a rapport, and are invited to partake in additional activities, such as drawing your fears and writing poetry. What the parrot then does with these things is, in roughly equal measure, very touching and mildly concerning.

Although you can spend as much time as you’d like chatting with your colourful chum, Bird Alone is designed to be dipped into for a few minutes daily over the course of a few weeks. You’ll get notifications when the bird has something it wants to pick your brains about; because these interruptions are infrequent and the episodes endearing, it’s never a chore to return.

What you might not be ready for is the game’s emotional impact. What begins as something akin to a needy and squawking digital pet reveals itself as a production with hidden depths, not least when the seasons start to change and everyone grows older.

£2.99/$2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Bird Alone

It’s safe to say that Device 6 is unlike any other adventure game you’ll play on your iPhone or iPad. The introductory sequence has all the swagger and verve of the sassiest spy movie, but then it dumps you in a mystery, not knowing who you are or how you got there.

The really clever bit, though, is how the game is constructed. The narrative becomes the paths and corridors along which you walk, sentences darting around corners, or taking on the appearance of stairs and ladders. Dotted about are clues and brain-bending puzzles. Arm yourself with a pencil and paper – you’re going to need it.

The notion of a text-oriented game might not appeal, but Device 6 is not to be missed. This isn’t your parent’s (or grandparent’s) adventure – Device 6 is as far from Zork as GTA is from Pac-Man. It’s an essential, unconventional gaming experience like no other, which simply wouldn’t make any sense on a more traditional gaming system. In short, buy it.

£3.99/$3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Device 6

Far: Lone Sails

The washed-out, desolate landscape of Far: Lone Sails suggests a world in which bad things have happened. But there’s also an element of the fantastical and magical as you attempt to cajole a rickety, gigantic vehicle across the barren seabed, littered with the detritus of a dying civilisation.

Your ride is discovered almost immediately, and it’s a beautiful, baffling contraption. The massive form is reminiscent of an upturned boat, and yet it has two massive wheels on its sides. You leap about its innards like Mario, smashing switches to make the great beast rumble into action.

The game omits to tell you pretty much anything: it’s down to you to figure out what’s going on and what to do. Fortunately, there are many moments of contemplation as you move through the landscape, taking in its strange sights.

Punctuating this journey are various challenges. The first finds you installing huge sails on to your vehicle, which can sometimes be used instead of fuel. Later on, you’ll need to make repairs.

On iPhone, the controls are cramped (use a physical controller if you can), but in widescreen you do have the advantage of additional seconds to spot upcoming obstacles or rare collectables. iPad is arguably the better option, though, the larger canvas letting the visuals properly wow. Either way, the game’s a delight and suitably different from other arcade adventures you’ll have played before.

£3.99/$3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Far: Lone Sails

Full-motion video – FMV to its friends – doesn’t have a great reputation in videogame circles. But rare titles buck the trend, including Her Story (mentioned elsewhere in this list), which utilises video in a clever way to construct a twisty-turny plot you gradually unravel by using a search engine to discover and watch clips.

Five Dates doesn’t have that level of innovation nor even interaction. That said, it’s an engaging experience, with you acting as voyeur and occasional decision-maker in the world of Vinny, a London-based millennial who’s joined a dating app.

Things kick off with Vinny setting up a dating profile while chatting with his friend. Decisions made here do impact later conversations during dates, although it’s not a case of choosing wisely – more deciding on aspects of Vinny’s personality. Then come the actual dates, which are lockdown-appropriate video chats. They’re sometimes stilted, but full of humanity, and sporadically have you choose Vinny’s reply. Said answers can make or break a connection.

The dating app’s rules are designed to further the plot rather than Vinny’s life, as you’re forced to drop a potential partner during each of two subsequent rounds. And when it ends, there’s no Hollywood reveal. But what might come across as mere surface has enough authenticity and heart to make it worth the journey – or multiple journeys if you want to try again and see how different approaches affect Vinny’s chances.

FREE (but £5.99/$5.99 to unlock full game) | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Five Dates

In Her Story, an interactive narrative mystery game, you play as an anonymous user looking through old interview tapes from a murder case in 1994.

Your job is to sift through hundreds of unorganised video clips; fortunately, these have been transcribed so you can search for words using a free-input search box. When you start the game, the first search term has already been typed in for you: MURDER. There are few other instructions, which means solving this mystery is entirely up to your detective skills.

The script is well-written, unsettlingly realistic, and dark. And no two people will have the same experience playing Her Story: the experience depends on how you search, in what order you watch the tapes, how many tapes you watch, and what conclusions you want to draw.

£4.99/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Her Story

Machinarium

This classic robotic point-and-click adventure offers a unique experience with more heart than the average tin man. Each room has a puzzle for you to solve, moving you forwards as you try to find your lady-friend and thwart a dastardly plot by some robo-bullies. You scan environments for items to interact with, combine objects in your inventory and solve a variety of brain-teasers.

Machinarium manages to feel both electronic and organic. The hand-painted visuals feel both cartoony and believable, and the soundtrack blends ambient electronica, jazz and dubstep. Rarely has a game felt so thematically and aesthetically unified.

£1.99/$1.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Machinarium

Minecraft is a hugely popular, widely available game, which provides you with the opportunity to create whatever you desire. Set in a blocky world, users must learn to survive the ever-changing environment, and to thrive and build weapons, armour, castles and more.

The default controls are a little fiddly at first, but after some tweaking, you’ll find your ideal play style; and if touchscreen isn’t the way forward, the game supports MFi controllers.

Part of the joy of Minecraft is multiplayer, and the iOS edition enables you to create, explore and survive alongside friends using mobile devices or Windows 10. Splash out for a monthly Minecraft Realms subscription, and you can also create your own always-on Minecraft world. This is great for worlds where groups of people are active, as it doesn’t require the host to be online all the time.

It’s a barrel of laughs and with a bit of help from online Minecraft tutorials, you’ll be sold on this blocky sandbox game.

£6.99/$6.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Minecraft

There’s been a murder! And you’re acutely aware of this fact, having pushed your husband overboard last night, during a transatlantic journey. The snag is that others aboard the vessel have their suspicions about your foul play. You must therefore use the scant few hours remaining prior to your arrival in the US to get away with murder.

The game plays out like other inkle titles, in being an old-school adventure game in fast forward. Routes through a branching narrative are taken by selecting responses to people during conversations, or by performing actions on objects. However, unlike 80 Days or Sorcery, Overboard provides a sense of claustrophobia rather than offering free-roaming and space.

This ramps up the tension while the hours speed by, as you dart between the ship’s few locations and chat with its handful of characters. Within 30 minutes or so, you’ll be done – and almost certainly in jail. On subsequent playthroughs, you’ll fast realise Overboard is about taking notes, chipping away at a solution to find a path to freedom.

Getting to the elusive full-fat win condition (no jail; new life; stinking rich) involves repetition, but the game’s breezy nature and script ensures that’s never dull; and the shortish games make Overboard an especially ideal fit for iPhone.

£4.99/$5.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Overboard

The Unfinished Swan

Things are tough for Monroe. His artist mother’s died and he’s been told by a tightfisted orphanage that he can keep just one of her 300 incomplete works. He chooses her favourite, which depicts a painting of a swan missing its neck. Because video games, the swan decides to escape the painting one night, and Monroe sets off in hot pursuit.

As if this wasn’t weird enough, the protagonist finds himself in a place so visually minimal it’d give Jony Ive heart palpitations. Fortunately, this scene of blank white can be ‘augmented’ by you lobbing paint bombs about. This enables you to spot pathways, including golden swan footprints that help you keep on the fleeing bird’s trail.

This is an odd production, which feels part fairytale, part adventure and part shooter. Your quest is punctuated by voiceovers that explain how the kingdom came to be, providing explanations for the evolving landscape as you get deeper into the quest. And although the sense of wonder from those very early scenes is never quite matched, The Unfinished Swan regularly shakes things up to keep you engrossed for its duration.

There are snags: the game’s PlayStation origins are betrayed by sections that prove fiddly and frustrating on the touchscreen. But connect a DualShock or take things slowly and you’ll have a fighting chance of helping Monroe reach the game’s conclusion and perhaps find some peace – or at least a piece of swan.

£4.99/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download The Unfinished Swan

The moment unmemory fully reveals itself as something other than what you were expecting is when a telephone starts ringing. This being an illustrated telephone you’ll have earlier spotted towards the top of the scrolling story you’d been reading as if it happened to be along the lines of a conventional book.

By that point you’ll have already clocked that unmemory isn’t quite a normal tome. Sometimes, sentences need a tap to resolve; images shift and change. Text and images alike propel the plot but are also peppered with clues designed to help you further unlock the story. But when you hear that distant ring, quickly scroll the page, tap a button and hear a vital message, a grin will rapidly spread across your face. At least it will if you had the foresight to have a pen and paper handy to scribble down the message’s salient points.

This is how unmemory behaves throughout its several hours of play time. Each ‘chapter’ of this mysterious tale is a tightly woven network of puzzles. And as lightbulbs go off in your brain, causing you to jump back and forth in the scrolling pane, gradually cracking its code, you’ll feel smart. But more importantly, you’ll recognise you’re playing what amounts to a unique mash-up of narrative, adventure, puzzle and touchscreen/device interaction of a quality that hasn’t been seen on iPhone and iPad since the classic Device 6 .

£3.99/$3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Unmemory

Arcade and action games

A grab bag of gems, from fighting games to strange journeys through gorgeous digital worlds.

Beat Sneak Bandit

Now and again, developers gleefully mash genres together, resulting in some of the more interesting games on the App Store. On that basis, you’d expect Beat Sneak Bandit to be very interesting indeed, given that it combines rhythm action, platforming, stealth, and pathfinding. That it manages to do so with one-thumb controls and bucketfuls of humour should be considered nothing short of astonishing.

The backstory is that evil Duke Clockface has stolen all the clocks and the world is in chaos – no-one knows when to brush their teeth, or what time Doctor Who’s on! So a friendly thief, the Beat Sneak Bandit, resolves to heroically scoot about the Duke’s fortress, scoop up all the clocks, and save the day.

Each level is a single screen, and everything moves to the beat: guards bob and turn; searchlights flick on and off; doors open and close; and you’d swear even the clocks are nodding along to the soundtrack. The trick is to always tap on the beat to move (rebounding off walls as necessary), while figuring out how to get at all the clocks and avoid being spotted.

It’s not easy, but it is artful and delightful – a true App Store original.

£2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Beat Sneak Bandit

Giant Dancing Plushies

Wondering what would be more terrifying than a giant lizard or ape rampaging through a city? How about a giant teddy bear grooving its way past skyscrapers and stomping on tanks, prior to being beamed up by a UFO – presumably seconds before every conspiracy theorist the world over subsequently explodes in a mixture of glee and disbelief? That’s Giant Dancing Plushies – apart from the conspiracy theorist bit.

You take control of the titular cuddly kaijus, directing their movements to the beat. Move combos unleash special powers, as if someone smashed Strictly Come Dancing into Street Fighter II. And because these gigantic furry beings aren’t malevolent in nature, it’s vital to ensure they only stomp on the bad guys (as in, those shooting at them) and not civilians caught up in the melee.

The entire production is ridiculous in the best of ways. You’re deader inside than any stuffed toy if you don’t crack a grin on seeing a knitted panda taking out bulbous tanks. And how the game utilises XP and upgrades smacks a bit of IAP-infused games, but showcases how such progression can encourage regular play in a manner that’s player-friendly rather than a cynical cash-grab. The cherry on top? Loading up your own music. If you ever wanted to see city-wide destruction by a colossal cuddly rabbit playing out to everything from Lady Gaga to The Prodigy, this is your game.

£3.49/$3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Giant Dancing Plushies

This one came roaring back to Apple devices in 2022, with a lovely story attached.

Created by the team behind No Man’s Sky, Joe Danger was abandoned when the newer title went on to great success and Apple annihilated support for 32-bit games. Years later, Hello Games founder Sean Murray received a letter from a father, outlining how his autistic son found great solace and joy in Joe Danger. Cue: broken hearts, resolving to set things right, and the game being rebuilt piece by piece, with revamped visuals and gamepad support.

But what of the game itself? It initially comes across as basic fare, with you prodding the screen to help the titular motorcyclist to the end of a larger-than-life obstacle course. Tap to jump when told. Easy. Naturally, the game then merrily kicks your ego into the sea.

Rapidly, you gain new actions to perform, ducking beneath objects and performing wheelies to zoom along at higher speeds. Bonuses lurk, awaiting tap-based collection. At the end of each race, you’ll be informed whether you’ve perfected three challenges.

Bringing back old games is a risk, but Joe Danger stands the test of time. The new graphics look great, but it’s the game’s design that most appeals. It’s ideal for quick blasts, yet provides a test for anyone who enjoys battling for high scores and perfection. Let’s hope Joe doesn’t disappear from the App Store again.

£1.99/$1.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Joe Danger

When you return to ancient games, they often seem pedestrian. Jumpgrid takes two such classics – Pac-Man and Frogger – strips them right back, adds a swig or two of rocket fuel, and then flings them at your face with the kind of menace that will leave you a gibbering wreck. And it’s great.

The entire game plays out on a three-by-three grid. Along the edges are spinning cubes. Munch all the cubes and a teleporter appears in the centre, allowing you to escape to the next level. But there are no ghostly adversaries or trundling traffic in Jumpgrid’s world – instead, your foes are lurching, wheeling chunks of geometric doom.

In being infused with the sadistic edge of a Super Hexagon, Jumpgrid immediately throws down the gauntlet, and can feel overwhelming. But stick with it, and you’ll start to learn the patterns, giving you a fighting chance of victory in speedruns or the gaming perfection that is its endless mode.

Getting there will require lots of patience, quite a few deaths, and a steely nerve; but this is one of those titles that when mastered makes you feel like a gaming god; it’s well worth the effort.

£2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Jumpgrid

Osmos was originally a highly regarded ‘ambient gaming’ PC title, but the touchscreen suits it perfectly. It’s a tranquil experience, with trippy visuals and music.

You play a pulsating ball of light. The aim is to work your way up the food chain by moving around and absorbing smaller balls of light (making you expand) and avoiding bigger ones. Yet this simple concept produces an engaging experience like no other.

Despite remaining utterly serene, some levels can get fiendishly complicated, with different balls of light acting in dramatically different ways. Some echo a kind of gloopy Petri dish, whereas others have you battle physics as you orbit a central ‘planet’ at insane speed. It’s a classic that deserves a place in every iOS gamer’s collection.

£2.99/£4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (separate apps) | Download Osmos for iPhone and iPad

When you first encounter pureya, you might wonder what you’ve installed on your device. After a brief introductory sequence that features a girl literally losing her marbles, you’re thrown headlong into a frenetic arcade test.

You prod left and right on two chunky buttons, directing something on-screen. It might be a leapy penguin or a paper plane. Whatever you’re faced with, it all feels rough and ready and a bit basic. But after 10 seconds, something unexpected happens: the game switches to something completely different. This keeps happening until, finally, 90 seconds later, you’re sat staring at a pachinko machine, wondering what just happened.

At this point, it becomes clear you should have scooped up marbles in the mini-games you played. When enough hit a target in the pachinko machine, new goodies are unlocked – skins for mini-game characters or new pint-sized arcade tests.

For a game theoretically designed to last barely two minutes, pureya has a fierce compulsion loop. You’ll work through just one more cycle , seeing what you can unlock. And then another. And when you figure out the obscure in-game menus, you’ll realise every game you’ve unlocked can be played in endless mode. It’s all rather joyful – if unwieldy on iPad. On iPhone, though – in landscape or portrait – it’s top-notch old-school fun rethought for the modern era.

£3.99/$3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download pureya

This game is like being plunged into a vat of lurid animated GIFs. It’s an assault on the senses, packed full of eye-searing colour, looping glitch animation, and cats temporarily on loan from the latest memes. Oh, and there’s a game buried in there, too.

Said game is the digital equivalent of wire loop challenges where you carefully thread a ring along a winding pathway. Here, the path instead comprises a top-down maze, and you direct a cat’s head. Obviously . Also, the path unhelpfully shifts and changes as you battle with controls best described as slippy. Touch an edge and the screen glitches; fail to quickly course-correct and you’ll lose one of your nine lives.

It’s fair to say the experience is divisive. The semi-random nature of level ordering means you can smack hard into a wall of pain after breezing through several simpler tests. The boss battles will push you to your limits. And if you’re not careful, the psychedelic visuals will leave you in need of a lie down.

There’s more here than masochism, though. Like Super Hexagon’s patterns, PUSS! levels can be committed to memory. Control sensitivity can be tweaked. On a larger display, there’s more margin for error. Especially on an iPad, then, PUSS! should click; and when it does, you’ll be gripped by a compelling, exhilarating game that never ceases to be deeply strange.

£2.99/$2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download PUSS!

Sine the Game

Minimalist visuals? Check. Head-bobbing soundtrack? Check. Chill-out vibe? Stony silence. So it turns out Sine the Game (which we’ll subsequently call Sine, because, well, we know it’s a game) is one of those single-finger titles that resembles a relaxation app but houses gameplay keen to rip your throat out.

The premise is simple: don’t die. More specifically, you must guide a waveform through hostile territory. Being that it’s a waveform, it moves up and down, but you can adjust its wavelength by dragging left or right. In doing so, you can squeeze through gaps, grab floating orbs, or dramatically hasten your arrival at the level’s end.

All these considerations are important, because Sine bestows stars upon you for each level: one for finishing it, one for beating a time limit, and the last for collecting every orb. Naturally, you won’t grab every orb during a speedy run and so must unearth alternate routes to meet your goals.

Sine can be tough to the point you need to go for a little walk to calm down. It’s reminiscent of iPhone classic Squareball in demanding absolute precision and yet making you realise you’ve messed up when things don’t go to plan. But the game is just forgiving enough to be compelling rather than frustrating – the sort of thing you’ll be determined to beat rather than taking your failure as a ‘sine’ (sorry) you should not continue.

99p/$0.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Sine the Game

In this side-scrolling game, you hold the screen and a little bird furls her stunted wings and speeds downwards at a rapid lick. Raise your finger, and she flaps them and soars briefly – if she’s gained sufficient momentum to rocket off of the hill she’s just slid up. All the while, you’re racing against the sun (when it sets your bird goes to sleep and the game is over).

The basic gameplay mechanics are simple but exquisitely crafted, and the game is an aesthetic delight, from the crayony backdrops to the charming music and effects. Alongside this endless mode, the game provides some extra goodies, too – two-player same-device multiplayer, and a race game of sorts, featuring the bird’s chicks, desperate to get back to mum to snag the biggest worm.

In all, this is a wonderful, charming, inventive, simple, beautiful, fun game.

£2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Tiny Wings

From an aesthetic standpoint, Vectronom is all geometric shapes and lurid colours. Initially, it resembles iOS classic Edge , and, indeed, the basics of the gameplay also have you trying to get from A to B. But Vectronom lobs one further challenge into the mix – a demand that you dance to the beat.

We mean this almost literally. Vectronom might look like a speedrun path-finding game, and be controlled with swipes and taps, but it’s all about understanding the rhythm. You’ll need to move on the beat to avoid getting impaled by marching spikes, and also commit to memory the clockwork movements of the very ground, also synced to the soundtrack. Failure means plunging into the abyss time and time again.

Hence: dancing. Sure, Vectronom isn’t exactly a digital Strictly, but as you 1-2-3-4 your way to a goal, carefully matching the required choreography, you’ll soon discover whether you’ve two left thumbs to go with two left feet. And the result is fabulous. There is admittedly the odd level that frustrates, but for the most part Vectronom is a game that’ll slap a smile right across your face, as you discover new beats and minimalist landscapes to nod and tap along to.

£3.99/$3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Vectronom

Board & card games

Don’t risk the dog getting excited and knocking plastic pieces on the floor – play these amazing board and card games inside your iOS device instead.

Cards! – MonkeyBox 2

Cards! begins with you receiving a plea for help – only, you’re in a locked cell. The titular cards depict your surroundings and actions as you make decisions regarding what to do next. One swift escape later (by way of a deft few swipes) and an arrow misses your foot by inches. It’s instantly clear choices you subsequently make will be the difference between life and death.

What’s less clear is everything else. If Cards! was marketed in an old-school manner, it’d rock up as a disc inside a plain box. The game isn’t in a hurry to explain anything. Instead, there’s a lot of trial and error. Slowly, you figure out the order in which to play cards, to avoid an untimely demise. Logic is sometimes – but not always – a useful ally.

From the days of Rick Dangerous on ancient home computers, we’ve never been keen on games that kill you without warning. Cards! does this frequently. But while the game is confounding and occasionally frustrating, it’s also forgiving. Lose your lives (you get the classic three) and the game loops back to the start of the current chapter rather than the very beginning.

If you expect card-based adventuring to work like clockwork, the oddball nature of Cards! might not appeal. But if you like the sound of a mobile-friendly card game full of charm, puzzles and experimentation, look no further.

£2.99/$2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Cards! – MonkeyBox 2

This game is what happens when solitaire collides with stealth. Nine cards are dealt as a three-by-three grid, and your aim is to draw a path through them that maximises the loot you snag, but minimises stealth point losses. Said losses can quickly rack up, if you attempt to tackle too many guards or monsters, or blunder about extinguishing torches.

As you get further into the game, new subtleties are unearthed. There are chests to ransack, and barrels to hide in that replenish your stealth points. Some enemies steal your gold, and others move around, as if the cards they’re housed in are alive. Collect enough swag and you can spend it on power-ups, giving you a fighting chance of higher scores during subsequent games.

With plenty of depth and superb visuals, even its slightly repetitive nature can’t take the edge off Card Thief. Start playing and it’s guaranteed to steal plenty of your time.

£2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Card Thief

Catan Classic

Graphically, this is a faithful rendition of Klaus Teuber’s superb and deservedly idolised tile-based island conquest game. Having the iPad handle those tiresome banking duties and victory point calculations makes things far more fast-paced than the board game, and you can view statistical tables at the end of the bout.

The computer players can be absolute swines – they’ll merrily gang up on you in a way that most human players would consider beyond the pale – but hardcore gamers may even consider this a plus. And the original game is such a work of genius that this couldn’t help being great fun, even if it’s not the perfect iOS port.

£4.99 per app | For iPhone and iPad (separate apps) | Download Catan Classic for iPhone or Catan Classic HD for iPad

Exploding Kittens

Originally a real-life card game that was the most-backed ever (in terms of backer numbers) on Kickstarter, Exploding Kittens subsequently blasted its way on to mobile. The game is more or less Russian Roulette with cats. You play with two to four other people, drawing cards. If someone gets an exploding kitten, they’re out of the game – unless they can defuse it. Other cards enable a modicum of tactics: you can skip turns, peek at the top of the deck, shuffle and steal cards, and slap opponents so they take a turn.

The iOS version offers online play against random opponents or friends in private matches, secured with codes. Everything’s been cleverly tweaked for screen, such as with the addition of a ‘chance of kitten’ meter that starts going nuts when an exploding kitten is likely, and madcap audio and energetic animation that aligns nicely with co-creator Matthew Inman’s surreal oddball imagery.

£1.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Exploding Kittens

Hearthstone

Basically Magic: The Gathering with Warcraft characters, Hearthstone is a card battle game. Build decks and strategies, summon minions and cast spells. The different classes and their specific cards and abilities add a nice level of variety, and a single-player mode means you don’t have to take your game online unless you want to.

As with all trading card games, Hearthstone hinges to some degree on IAP for new card packs, but the quest rewards for fulfilling various criteria (such as number of monsters summoned or points healed) minimise the necessity of paying for anything.

The turn-based set-up makes it a perfect game to play during odd moments, and seeing a long-term strategy pay off is very satisfying.

FREE + IAPs | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Hearthstone

Meteorfall: Krumit’s Tale

One of the most intriguing, successful sub-genres on mobile has been a mash-up of dungeon crawling and card-based deck-building, squashed into tiny grids. Krumit’s Tale takes this foundation and runs with it in every sense.

It’s simple to grasp but hard to master, with tons of depth and a wide range of game modes. And although it’s suitable for serious play – fashioning tactics; building a deck; learning to win – the game doesn’t take itself too seriously, instead being infused with colourful, characterful art with lashings of personality.

The basic gameplay involves you attempting to take out every enemy within a three-by-three grid. At any point, you can choose to grab power-ups, but doing so needs coin. Cash is earned by selecting and removing potentially useful cards from the grid. All these choices must be weighed up against what you need to go into battle.

Said battles are turn-based affairs where you can equip yourself with weapons for getting all stabby with, and armour that can simultaneously parry and stun an enemy, in effect giving you a free attack. Early on, you’ll die – often. You’ll come to realise Krumit’s Tale demands you think several moves ahead, considering the current dungeon holistically, rather than merely equipping yourself to duff up the nearest meanie. But in being a premium game (there’s no throwing cash at it to instantly level up), this latest Meteorfall is rewarding in the long term and arguably best-in-kind on mobile.

£6.99/$6.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Meteorfall: Krumit’s Tale

Pandemic: The Board Game

Pandemic is a vastly popular co-operative board game in which up to four friends work together to defeat four diseases sweeping the globe. Each turn you’ll travel from city to city, treat the sick and research cures, hoping that the random new infections don’t strike in that worst possible place and snowball into multiple outbreaks (spoiler: they always do). It’s unbelievably tense, and winning feels amazing. And everyone is involved, since you’re each allocated a role with special powers that will prove crucial in particular situations.

The iOS version works far better as a solo experience, but it still induces a massive (but pleasurable) panic at its key moments. And the euphoria of victory is also sweet. That said, take heed – even on the easy difficulty level, this virtual take seems tougher than the cardboard version.

£3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Pandemic: The Board Game

Railroad Ink Challenge

Board game conversions can be hit and miss on mobile, and tend to be stymied by the sheer length of playing time and the lack of satisfying single-player modes. No such problems befall Railroad Ink Challenge.

The game finds you constructing road and rail routes on a seven-by-seven board. During each round, you’re given four new pieces to place on the board, building routes from exits at the edges. There are several twists, but the main one is each game lasting a mere seven rounds. This makes the going swift, and you must think ahead to make best use of your pieces, because incomplete routes result in penalties when points are tallied at the game’s conclusion.

Although it’s possible to challenge other people in asynchronous matches (albeit with a proprietary login rather than Game Centre), Railroad Ink Challenge works perfectly as a solo pursuit. During each round, you’ll figure out new tactics to better your score next time – even more so when you tackle the ‘base’ mode, which adds bonuses for running routes through grid squares with villages, factories and universities.

Add in a gentle soundtrack and first-rate visuals and you’ve got an excellent handheld take on an interesting path-finding board game. It’s one you’ll want to play again and again – and that won’t require days of your life to do so.

£3.99/$3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Railroad Ink Challenge

Ticket To Ride

One for the trainspotters, you might think, although experience suggests that this simple but engrossing game will appeal to everyone.

You collect coloured cards, which you then use to build railway infrastructure across the map, attempting to connect up the cities named in your (randomly allocated) objectives. Tactically we believe it’s relatively straightforward, but the competition for critical stretches can get fierce. And in the end there’s not much in life more satisfying than building a railway.

The default map covers the US, and there are European – and other – expansions available as IAP.

£8.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Ticket to Ride

Platform games

From retro-oriented jumping fare to games designed specifically with a touchscreen in mind, these are our picks for best iOS platformer.

Bomb Chicken

It turns out all those rumours about fast food being bad for your health were true. Or at least the ones about BFC were – its mysterious blue hot sauce is not only addictive, but arrives from a decidedly unconventional production process.

Your aim is to uncover the secret. The snag: you’re a chicken. Also, you’re a chicken who after a freak accident in some of the blue goop now happens to lay bombs instead of eggs.

Fortunately, explosive ‘eggs’ are an advantage to purposeful poultry suddenly surrounded by hostile enemies. Bombs can be used to blow up walls, or laid as a column, which is then shoved across the screen towards switches – or terrified enemies.

There are clear retro vibes throughout the entire game. The visuals are decidedly old-school in nature – all chunky pixels – albeit animated like a modern cartoon. It’s also extremely tough. The first boss level finds the chicken pursued by a screen-high circular saw, and staying enough steps ahead to avoid being filleted is quite a challenge.

It’s the difficulty level that might stop you staying the course. Even though levels are relatively short, it can be trying having to grind through them again and again. Still, you can at least rack up extra lives by grabbing all the blue gems from earlier levels; and if you can make it through to the end, you can certainly claim from a gaming standpoint that you’re anything but chicken.

£4.99/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Bomb Chicken

Drop Wizard

We recall once laughing at a games reviewer’s observation that an RPG with a jump button is “rarer than a badger in a Ferrari”. Well, this is that even rarer thing: a platform game without one.

In Drop Wizard you can’t jump; all you can do is move left or right (it’s one or the other – you can’t stand still) and fall off things. Fortunately the hole at the bottom of each level, unlike those in most platform games, leads not to death but to the top of the screen again.

Dropping is thus centrally important, as the name of the game suggests: as well as your primary way of navigating each level, it’s also your only way of attacking, as each time the wizard drops on to a new platform he shoots a little star that can stun enemies and allow you to walk into them for the coup de grâce.

The graphics are sweet and cheerful, the levels are fiendish, and the gameplay is beautifully polished. Drop Wizard is a simple game, but one that comes highly recommended.

£1.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Drop Wizard

Gris shows how conventional gaming structures can combine with an emotionally charged narrative (or, rather, lack of narrative – but we’ll get to that) and beautiful visuals to create something beguiling and fresh.

The game starts out with Gris losing her voice. She falls into a crumbling, ruined world of towering stone structures, colossal statues, and angular woodlands. A stirring score plays as you examine your surroundings and explore this strange world.

From a gameplay standpoint, Gris echoes side-on platformers of the kind that have been popular since the days of Super Mario Bros. – perhaps even Pitfall 2, if you’re old enough to remember that. In short, you run, leap, and search for items to unlock new areas of the map.

It’s the emotional core that sets Gris apart. There are no words, and so you must infer what’s happening. However, elements of struggle and emotional distress are painfully obvious – and obviously painful to Gris – as you battle a morphing black blob that transforms into a shrieking giant bird, or face watercolour splats that paint the gaming canvas red.

That’s not to say this game is without hope. From the off, there are grin-inducing moments, such as when you first grapple with the transformative powers of Gris’s dress, or spot a tiny apple-munching stalker tracking you through the woods. A bittersweet tale, then, and one you absolutely should take, if you hanker for games that aspire to transcend the medium.

£4.99/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Gris

Linn: Path of Orchards

Most platform games are reassuringly and resolutely solid when it comes to the actual platforms. When you’re sprinting along, grabbing bling, and hopping on enemy heads, there’s a good chance any platform you land on will stay there. Those that vanish are the exception, rather than the rule. Linn has no truck with that, instead having apparently decided its levels are crazed clockwork contraptions harbouring ambitions to become a deadly fairground.

Your very first experience finds you already running towards the level’s exit, and you watch as the platform starts to tip before Linn reaches her goal. Soon, you face much tougher tests. Levels spin and wheel. Exits appear nailed to ceilings that seconds later become floors, while you leap into the abyss, trying in a split-second to figure out where you should land.

It’s dizzying and confusing, but you soon recognise there’s a mechanical logic to everything on the screen. Each level can – if you get your timing precisely right – be completed in a set number of moves. Gold shards that appear impossible to reach can be collected – if you crack the sequence required for doing so.

Linn can frustrate, not least when the slightly twitchy controls fail you. But restarts are swift, and this is a rewarding game when you crack a particularly bonkers level, and then spare yourself a few seconds to breathe in the lush audio and minimal visuals before tackling the next challenge.

£2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Linn: Path of Orchards

Mushroom 11

Something terrible’s happened in the world of Mushroom 11. The scarred landscape – peppered with pools of toxic liquids – provides only glimpses of what once was, in a few twisted scraps of metal and damaged structures. Life barely clings on – although not necessarily in the forms you’d expect.

One such survivor is a green blob, which comes under your control. It has a thirst to explore its ravaged world, gobbling up bugs, flowers, and surprisingly psychotic plants. And the way in which it does so showcases the wonderfully tactile, intuitive nature of the best iOS games.

Although this is a platform/puzzler, you at no point press left, right or jump. Instead, you use a finger to ‘erase’ chunks of the blob, which then grow back. Sometimes, you blaze through tunnels, Sonic-style. Elsewhere, you carefully mould your creature into a pole to activate a set of buttons, or split it in half, so one part can trigger a switch while the other sneaks through a door.

Whether you tackle the adventure by slowly picking your way along or treating it as a manic speedrun, Mushroom 11 is a unique, engaging experience that only really makes sense on the touchscreen.

£4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Mushroom 11

Oddmar has the horned helmet of a cartoon Viking, but in every other way he’s not cut out for the job, being lazy, oafish, selfish, and totally against burning down a nearby forest after an ultimatum from his clan. Fortunately (for the forest and Oddmar – if not the other Vikings), his tribe is mysteriously zapped away, shortly after the titular protagonist is bestowed with special powers after snarfing magic mushrooms.

You might wonder whether ingesting such dodgy substances accounts for the strange nature of Oddmar’s quest as he strives to find his tribe. He bounds around on giant mushrooms like a bearded flea, grabs levitating bling, and frequently finds himself in ethereal auto-scrolling lands after having purple dust blown in his face (uh-oh).

That said, it’s not like cartoonish adventures are rare in the world of platform games. What is rare – especially on iOS – is a platform game this good. Oddmar looks superb – akin to an animated cartoon, with distinctive characters and painterly backgrounds. Most importantly, it plays brilliantly.

The touchscreen controls are tight, and the levels are superbly designed. There’s thought in the placement of every obstacle, and the manner in which the game’s pace ebbs and flows. Only occasionally does it stumble, with the odd section where you smack into a wall of awkward. Mostly, though, Oddmar is a gem – a magical, console-like experience that’s a joy, whether tearing through the forest to escape a giant troll, or picking your way through a level to find its many hidden secrets.

£4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Oddmar

There’s an element of ‘psycho’ in Psychofunk, a platform game keen to tear your face off. Fortunately, it stays just on the right side of punishing, with clever design work – in terms of visuals, mechanics and level layouts – that keep you on board, even when repeated failure finds you tempted to angrily hurl your device at a tree.

The game is a platformer of sorts. Only rather than your hero (a doddering bipedal play button) moving back and forth and leaping on command, it auto-runs. What you get to control are the platforms, turning them on and off to direct the hero towards their goal.

At least, that’s the theory. The world of Psychofunk wants to make life difficult – and death easy – for the tiny hero, being packed full of spikes and providing an inordinate number of opportunities for the sprinting play button to fall to its doom. Things happen at speed, and so it can frustrate when you turn off a platform at precisely the wrong moment, meaning the hero is immediately impaled or hurled into the air towards yet more spikes.

But it’s compelling. You’ll always feel failure was your fault – and that with just one more try , you’d succeed. Learn a level’s choreography and you’ll feel like a genius on reaching the goal. Then work through enough of the game and you’ll return to earlier levels and wonder what all the teeth-gnashing was about. Probably.

£2.49/$2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Psychofunk

Load up Reventure, and you might think it more of the same side-on platform adventuring you’ve seen countless times before – right up until you trot towards a nearby bridge, trip over a rock, and fall on your face. At this point, the game informs you that you’ve died. Don’t worry – Reventure keeps bringing you back (in increasingly unlikely ways) for another crack at your quest.

Almost immediately, you recognise the absurdity of your goal: it’s not to survive; it’s not to acquire bling, nor rescue innocents captured by nefarious types. These are mere byproducts in figuring out 100 different ways you can meet your maker.

So although this game does initially look an awful lot like a mobile take on Zelda II, it’s always underpinned by that darkly comic foundation of figuring out how exciting new discoveries – Stabby sword! Hook line! Explody bombs! – might help you end your life.

Fortunately, all this death isn’t just a gimmick. The platform adventuring bits are good. A breezy script ramps up the laughs as you build your collection of endings. Clever puzzles are peppered throughout, forcing you to think laterally about how to pass deadly obstacles. Even the controls work well, giving you the option to move and resize them.

There is a question mark on whether you’ll stick around for all 100 destinies – the game gets a touch grindy once you’re dozens of deaths in. But for the hours of joy it’ll give you before that point, Reventure is well worth getting hold of.

£3.99/$3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Reventure

Rolando: Royal Edition

The original Rolando was an early App Store darling. Fully embracing the then-oddball nature of an iPhone (at least from a gaming perspective), it was a gem of a platform-puzzler. From a quality standpoint, it stood shoulder to shoulder with handheld console games of the era – a step up from mobile phone fodder of the day. Arguably, it put iPhone gaming on the map.

When Apple nuked support for 32-bit games in 2017, Rolando was a victim, but Royal Edition brings it back in remastered form. If nothing else, this revamp shows that Rolando was always about quality gameplay rather than gimmickry, given that it still shines.

The storyline is thin, involving The Kingdom, populated by ball-like Rolandos, being invaded by shadow creatures. In every multi-screen level, you need to trundle to an exit, avoiding enemies and hazards. Success often involves prodding switches, flinging Rolandos into the air using catapults, and bundling snoozing regal Rolandos along – trying to avoid sending them into a lava pit.

Royal Edition’s visual update looks very smart indeed, but the game also plays well. Levels have been optimised and tweaked, and the controls – tilt to move, drag to select, and physically manipulating things like lifts – still feel just right on your device, rather than being gaming conventions (or even an entire game) beamed in from another platform.

£2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Rolando: Royal Edition

The time is fast disappearing regarding the need to narrow eyes on hearing of a console-style platform game on iOS. Suzy Cube adds another dimension to proceedings, too, regularly switching up your viewpoint into 3D for a range of thrilling leapy escapades.

If you need a backstory, rotters have nicked Castle Cubetron’s gold, and you’re tasked with getting it back. Being that this is a platform game, the pilferers have littered their spoils about the landscape, and now roam about, ready to duff up anyone audacious enough to reclaim their property.

With slick two-thumb controls, Suzy Cube feels the part. Only occasionally do you feel the game rather than your thumbs lets you down as Suzy Cube plunges into the abyss or gets walloped by a nasty. Mostly, you’ll gleefully blaze about the blocky landscapes, and revel in the way the game keeps trying new things.

There are relatively free-roaming 3D bits, where you’ll find secret rooms. Vertigo-inducing overhead sections have you carefully leap between moving platforms suspended high in the air. Auto-scrolling third-person scenes find you sliding down snowy mountains. And then there are 2.5D miniature adventures set within maze-like pyramids.

The pace feels urgent, even if the timers are fairly generous. And although the game occasionally falls flat, notably with some oddly dull boss battles, Suzy Cube is mostly a superbly designed iOS platformer. Most importantly, it also does something different, rather than being yet another glossy but stripped-back Super Mario Bros. clone.

£3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Suzy Cube

Puzzle games

When your brain needs a bit of a workout, have steam shoot from your ears while taking on these devious, challenging puzzles.

Baba Is You

Shoving boxes around to complete puzzles is a mechanic almost as old as videogaming itself. But Baba Is You brings something new, through enabling – in fact, demanding – you to manipulate the rules in order to complete each single-screen challenge.

Typically, you control a white rabbit-like critter called Baba. It exists in a world of simple objects, obstacles and word blocks. The objective is to reach a specified goal, which will be written out on the screen using three blocks – for example ‘flag is win’. Because all these blocks are potentially moveable, you can subtly and radically shake up the game environment just by making a few changes. Nudge ‘stop’ away from ‘wall is’ and you’ll be able to walk through walls. Can’t get to a win flag? Perhaps you can change all the walls to flags – or Baba to something else that’s outside of wherever you’re confined.

Which probably all sounds terribly confusing, but take our word for it that Baba Is You makes sense when you play it. Moreover, it’s clever stuff – with gleefully vicious puzzles that’ll have you grin from ear to ear when you crack them. The conversion to mobile has been handled sensitively too, with precise, responsive gestural controls that are a perfect fit for iPhone and iPad alike. In a word: superb.

£5.99/$6.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Baba Is You

Behind the Frame

There’s a structure and an aesthetic to Behind the Frame that makes you think you’re playing within familiar tropes. The game features an aspiring and passionate artist, keen to make her mark on the world. She lives in a small apartment, peppered with elements from her daily life. It all feels quite idyllic, not least given the gorgeous Ghibli-inspired animated sequences that thread narrative through the game’s chapters.

Said chapters are presented as a framework that’s broadly a room-escape game. The protagonist needs to work, but her tasks are stymied by barriers. There are paints to find and actions to perform. Clues are dotted around, and so it’s a case of joining the dots – or sometimes painting them, based on clippings in the artist’s handy sketchbook.

At one point, the artist asks: “How come I keep finding drawings and paint in mysterious places lately?” And you might ask yourself the same long before the game’s bittersweet conclusion. All is not what it seems – and the clues are there from the start, if you’re paying attention rather than rushing to daub the next glob of paint on to a virtual canvas. The journey is worth taking, though, even if Behind the Frame’s ending is open to interpretation to a degree where you might be left with as many questions as answers.

£4.49/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Behind the Frame

Day Repeat Day

On the surface, Day Repeat Day appears mundane. It combines smartphone tropes you’ll have seen plenty of: match-three puzzling and instant messaging. But the way the game works with these things, subverting conventions, propels it to classic status.

The game begins with you taking on a new role at the Joki corporation. You chat with your boss and are assigned tasks, presented as match-three puzzles. Meet your quota (by matching enough items) and you can move on to the next. Periodically, new people arrive in your comms tab, and you can talk to them by way of branching narrative prompts.

From the start, you’ll feel that something’s off. The visuals might be jolly but the soundtrack is melancholy. As you work through the puzzles, time jumps in your virtual life shake up everything from your relationships to the way the company operates.

A lot of the game is subtle. Unless you’re paying attention – and not always to the most obvious things – there will be elements of Day Repeat Day you’ll miss. But dig deeper and you’ll find there’s more to the game than first meets the eye.

The puzzles are smartly designed. The writing is compelling. Most importantly, there’s emotional clout as you recognise the game can echo your own thinking, resulting in playthroughs that become surprisingly personal. In all, Day Repeat Day is a triumph of mobile gaming.

£4.99/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Day Repeat Day

Dissembler is a match game with a difference. Instead of being presented with a well of gems, each level begins as a tiny slice of abstract art. And although the mechanics are familiar – swap two tiles to connect a series of three or more, whereupon they disappear – Dissembler is a much more strategic affair.

In part, this is because there’s no gravity, and no new pieces fill the void left by those you’ve already removed. Each slice of artwork is therefore a finite, intricately designed puzzle. Your aim is to figure out the precise sequence of moves required to eliminate every dab of colour, leaving you with a blank canvas.

At first, the puzzles are obvious. Then you’ll come across ones that seem obvious, until you’re several moves in and realise you’ve stranded a single tile so no others can reach it. You’ll soon come to appreciate the deviousness of the hand-crafted challenges, along with the unlimited undos that enable you to try different approaches.

An endless mode provides an interesting spin on the game – if one that doesn’t quite come off; but there’s also a daily puzzle for Dissembler fanatics who exhaust the game (and solutions the following day for us mere mortals).

£2.99/$2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Dissembler

The Gardens Between

Cause and effect are more fluid concepts than normal in The Gardens Between. After some scene-setting showing best friends Arina and Frendt in a rickety treehouse between their homes, you’re whisked away to the first of over a dozen islands, built from oversized objects extracted from the duo’s memories.

The aim is to reach the peak of each surrealist mountain, so the pair can plant a light. The snag is you’ve little control over Arina and Frendt – you can merely drag the screen to direct the flow of time, or tap during the rare occasions when one of the kids can interact with something.

The timey-wimey aspect of the game – and how you break the rules of reality – is where the puzzles arrive from. You might, for example, leap back and forth in time to saw a plank that creates a pathway; or by pausing time at just the right moment, natural elements may continue to flow, exploding all over the place in a manner that enables progress.

One of the most beautiful games you’ll play on iOS, The Gardens Between is also one of the most unique. The experience is short, but one to relish as you breathe in every moment.

£4.99/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download The Gardens Between

Ghosts and Apples Mobile

It’s always a treat when you find a game on the App Store that feels right at home on the touchscreen – even if it began life elsewhere. Ghosts and Apples was originally released for Nintendo Switch, but we reckon it makes more sense with you frantically tapping a screen than mashing buttons.

The game begins with a child entering a house, whereupon their soul is trapped inside a puppet. They then explore a world that appears to have escaped from a Tim Burton movie. The gameplay, though, is pure adrenaline-fuelled lightning-paced match fare.

Two columns sit at the screen edges, filled with miffed, blocky ghosts. Further ghosts float up, to be snared by your lasso. Tapping towards a screen corner hurls the brightly coloured spectre to the top or bottom of a column, your aim being to match three or more of the same hue. At level’s end, captured ghosts are converted to apples, which are used to unlock more levels.

Ghosts and Apples doesn’t hang about. A timer relentlessly ticks down and you must grab a set number of ghosts within that time. With four stacks to manage, winning can be tricky as your thumbs dance over the screen. On iPhone in particular, the mix of exciting gameplay, vibrant visuals and varied level design is a blast. You might even call it spooktacular – if you didn’t want people to wish you were trapped in a puppet for crimes against comedy.

£1.79/$1.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Ghosts and Apples Mobile

Hidden Folks

Craft often sets apart the very best games on iPhone and iPad. You can have a great concept – or even share a concept with many other titles – but only with perfect execution do you grasp the chance to leap from also-ran to classic.

Hidden Folks is in that space. The basic idea isn’t innovative or terribly exciting: it’s a hidden object game. And there are plenty of those on the App Store, more or less transferring paper equivalents to the screen, and inviting you to poke around until all targets are discovered.

Here, though, everything has been fashioned with the utmost care. The illustrations are hand-drawn and neatly animated. As you tap objects, mouth-originated sounds are emitted – particularly joyful in an area based on a rock gig. Even the clues are bright and clever, intelligently marrying hints and humour in only a handful of words.

All this comes together to make a hidden object game that’s leagues ahead of anything else on the system – or paper, for that matter. And it’s a challenge, too, especially when you’re faced with mammoth scenes packed with detail you know will conceivably keep you occupied for many hours.

It’s testament to the game’s creators that Hidden Folks is so good – not just if you’re a fan of Where’s Wally? and the like, but also if you fancy a sit-back title that will challenge your eye for detail and frequently bring a smile to your face.

£5.99/$5.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Hidden Folks

Whether your reference point is a TARDIS or iPad classic The Room, you’re going to get major ‘bigger on the inside’ vibes from Moncage. And that’s because the game’s perfect cube houses individual worlds on each of its faces.

At first, they don’t appear related. You drag the cube around, entertained by its impossible nature, zooming in and out of tiny scenes. But then it will click. You’ll move your cube just so and previously independent objects will link and flash. Then something will happen .

Exactly what depends on the scene and how far into Moncage you’ve managed to get. But each discovery will plant a grin across your face, while simultaneously (and more importantly) taking you a step further into the game’s multi-layered mystery.

At its best, this all comes across as ridiculously clever, echoing the intricacy of The Room and the optical illusions of mobile classic Monument Valley . Moncage also happens to be more complex and obtuse than either of those, which is its one weak spot. The developers counter this by providing a layered hints system that even includes full video walkthroughs.

But using those feels like cheating at the game and cheating yourself. Instead, spend time mulling things over in the real world before returning to these miniature ones. It’s far more rewarding to discover Moncage’s connections yourself, even if doing so might leave you flummoxed for many hours.

£4.99/$4.49 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Moncage

Please, Touch The Artwork

Are games art? We don’t know. We don’t care either. What we do know is this title, based around abstract art, immerses you in a wonderful marriage of stories and chill-out puzzling that’s ideal fodder for eyes, brains and ears alike.

There are three distinct challenges, all based on the works of precision paint troubler Piet Mondrian. ‘The Style’ explores the origins of abstract art as you add lines to canvases and have colour flood from your fingertips. Figuring out the correct order of tapping gets tougher as the paintings become more intricate.

Next, ‘Boogie Woogie’ uses the painting ‘Broadway Boogie-Woogie’ as its foundation, and tells the tale of two squares who want to be together. This one’s all about path-finding and understanding how objects affect auto-trundling squares during their journeys. The final set is ‘New York City’, which resembles a no-risk Snake, having you thread a line through a ‘city’, scooping up squares before heading to an exit.

Throughout, a narrative ties everything together. Neatly, completed puzzles build into a gallery you can peruse, or use as an access point to retry any individual puzzle. All this works very nicely on any device; but if you’ve got an iPad, manipulating and gawping at vibrant living abstract paintings works particularly well on a larger digital canvas. We still don’t know whether games are art – but, in this case, art as a game turns out to be great.

£4.49/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Please, Touch The Artwork

Song of Bloom

If you’re still questioning whether games can be art, Song of Bloom might just convince you. Although you’re unlikely to find it playing on an iPad nailed to the wall at the Tate Modern, there’s no denying Song of Bloom is an artistic, hand-crafted passion project. It also helps that it’s really good.

Like the best art, there’s a certain ambiguity running throughout Song of Bloom – it drops you into a bizarre universe of miniature vignettes and lets you get on with it. Assuming you’re prepared to observe, think, and experiment, you’ll find one of the most satisfying and rewarding puzzlers on the platform.

The root of the game is a looping animation, with flickering chalk-like illustrations narrating a tale of regret. Soon, you end up staring at a stick with a bud that when held reveals a mountain with a circle at its peak. Draw this circle at the right moment when the animation is replayed and you’re transported to another scene.

To say more would spoil the surprise in a game that’s basically all about surprises. Suffice to say Song of Bloom is varied and clever, not only in what you see on the screen, but also in the various ways it has you interact with your device. You might still question whether it’s art , but on playing through Song of Bloom, you won’t be in any doubt that it’s wonderful.

£1.99/$1.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Song of Bloom

Splice: Tree of Life

Set in a world of microbes, Splice is an experimental puzzler about rearranging tiny organisms into pre-defined frameworks, based on the rules of binary trees. That probably doesn’t sound interesting, but Splice is an excellent game, with a unique aesthetic and smart challenges.

In each level, you’re presented with a set of black blobs, suspended in goop, and a white outline into which they’re supposed to fit. Any microbe can have another dangle from it, or two branch from it. You also begin with the power to splice specific blobs by tapping an invitingly large button.

The key is in understanding how the system works, and thinking ahead, picturing how what’s before you will look several moves down the line. That’s easier said than done, but when Splice clicks, it clings on for dear life. Having engaged your chess brain, you’ll master splicing before being faced with microbes that mutate in other ways.

Complete the game and it barely gives you time for a spot of smugness before unleashing a brain-smashing ‘epilogue’ level set. Still, that just gives you more time to enjoy the swish visuals and relaxing piano score, while slowly rocking back and forth in the corner, broken by the final few challenges.

£3.99/$3.99 | For iPad only | Download Splice: Tree of Life

There Is No Game: WD

The original There Is No Game wowed at a 2015 game jam, and finally arrived on iPhone/iPad in late 2020 as an App Store freebie . It spends much of its length arguing that there is no game.

By manipulating the interface and doing things you clearly shouldn’t, you gradually unlock its oddball world. WD (Wrong Dimension) is a superbly polished and massive evolution on this basic concept – and one of the best games released on any platform during 2020.

Like its predecessor, the game begins by claiming it’s not, in fact, a game. You must convince it otherwise, kicking things off by using an exclamation mark as a bat and ball to smash up the game’s logo. This escalates with the game’s voiceover going to extreme lengths to keep you out.

Things get progressively weirder as the not-game subsequently transforms itself into recognisable puzzle genres, and a narrative unfolds that incorporates the voiceover, a deadly foe, and various NPCs who aren’t aware they’re in a game. Or a not-game. Because there is no game.

With a witty script and clever puzzles and set pieces, this (not a) game is a must-have on iPad. On iPhone, iOS’s infuriating Home indicator sometimes gets in the way; but if you can put up with that bobbing up and down, grab There Is No Game: WD, savour it, and wish every title on your devices was infused with a fraction of its imagination.

£4.99/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download There Is No Game: WD

Roleplaying games

When you want an entire world to immerse yourself in, these titles could each provide you with months of gaming on your iOS device.

Baldur’s Gate

If you’ve been lamenting the lack of a really meaty, old-school and gloriously geeky roleplaying game on your iOS device, look no further than this semi-remake of one of the 1990s true classics.

The game does sometimes betray its originals – the busy interface and tiny characters can be awkward, as can the save system. But stick with it and you find an adventure of uncommon breadth, with some great characters (both serious and ridiculous) and massive flexibility in terms of your party of heroes and their abilities.

It’s the complexity and sprawl that really hits home with this old-timer. So while it may not look as exciting as more modern fare, this is a game that offers weeks, if not months, of tactical combat, agonising choices and frenzied goblin-bashing. And if you find it does eventually pall but you hanker for more, the sequel is on the App Store, too.

£9.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Baldur’s Gate

The Bard’s Tale

This iOS port of a classic and much-beloved PS2-era RPG is memorable not so much for its sparkling graphics or revolutionary gameplay (though both are perfectly serviceable, and even sort of charming) as for its absolutely fantastic writing.

Imagine a mix between The Princess Bride and Robin Hood: Men In Tights; this game sets out to skewer just about every fantasy and RPG trope it can get its hands on. The Princess Bride comparison is helped by the fact that the titular scoundrel is voiced by none other than the inimitable Cary Elwes, who bickers constantly with the snarky, fourth-wall-breaking narrator (points if you can spot which classic Disney villain he voiced).

The gameplay is fairly standard real-time RPG hack-and-slash fare, based primarily on summoning various support characters to provide buffs and aid in combat. However, focusing on gameplay in a title like this would be inconceivable.

£2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download The Bard’s Tale

Casual description does this painterly action-roleplaying game few favours – games about beating up beasties in exchange for experience points are a dime a dozen on the App Store, after all.

Where Bastion differs is in its storytelling. A near-omniscient narrator commentates your progress as you play, picking up on your decisions and mistakes as well as furthering a sombre, opaque tale with a voice that redefines the very concept of gravel. It adds a huge amount of character, as well as lending Bastion the eerie sense that it’s watching you.

A beautiful game both visually and in atmosphere, Bastion is fortunately not so bogged down on its own grandeur that it forgets to be a reliably compulsive stream of action too.

FREE (but £4.99/$4.99 to unlock full game) | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Bastion

Book of Demons: Tablet Edition

There’s usually an element of linearity around dungeon crawlers, with you being guided along set routes while hacking and slashing at the various horrors around you. Book of Demons takes this to an extreme, forcing you down narrow corridors, and even automating your attacks. The end result is akin to Diablo on rails, and although that shouldn’t really work, it feels like a stab at the genre properly rethought for mobile play.

In fact, if there’s anything Book of Demons wants to avoid, it’s wasting your time. Footsteps mark paths you’ve already taken; prior to entering any dungeon, you’re given the option to adjust its size to an approximate set game length; and when you’re done obliterating everything on any given floor, you can zip immediately to the exit.

This doesn’t mean the game lacks depth – although the visuals sort of do in a literal sense. (The characters are all papercraft creations, which also means no gore!) But there’s plenty to dig into as you get to grips with the game. You learn automated attacks can be overridden by tapping and holding on foes you want to prioritise. As you collect bling, you can build, upgrade and equip spell cards that give you a fighting chance of surviving longer in the dank dungeons.

The only real problem Book of Demons has is in direct comparisons with the games that inspired it. Taken on its own terms, it’s a novel, smart, mobile-friendly take on a classic, captivating set-up.

£6.99/$6.99 | For iPad | Download Book of Demons: Tablet Edition

While other RPGs can require lots of time and skilful thinking, Crashlands is designed for the casual player. There’s an unlimited inventory, so you can scavenge where and when you want without worry. And it’s Minecraft-esque in ways, offering a build mode that lets you fashion a personalised base from the ground up with various benches for crafting weapons, armour, elixirs and more. Because of the unlimited inventory, if you want to move your base somewhere with more resources, you need only pick up all the pieces to your base and put it in your bag. Simple.

The tap-to-interact aspect of the game takes time to get used to, especially when battling the many monsters you’ll come across on the alien planet, but it’s effective. You get a toolbar for quick access to equipment like potions or weapons – with varying cooldowns for each – and a world map, which enables you to zip between telepads at no cost. This makes exploring the massive open world easier, as you can nip back to your base to recover/build new equipment on the fly without worrying about wasting time.

In all, it’s an accessible take on the genre, which should have wide appeal.

£3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Crashlands

Death Road to Canada

Road trip! Only the roads on the way to the safety of Canada (from your native Florida) are packed with the undead. Eek! Your aim is to not get eaten, which isn’t easy. It turns out Death Road to Canada is aptly named.

The game is a mix of arcade fare and multiple-choice decision-making akin to a Choose Your Own Adventure book. The top-down arcade parts involve your little gang looting buildings and fending off the undead with whatever comes to hand, or timed ‘sieges’ – claustrophobic affairs that prove tense and terrifying, despite the blocky, cartoonish graphics. The more adventure-oriented bits mix snippets of story with multiple-choice decision-making, both of which can hugely affect your ongoing quest.

There’s a lot of randomness – sudden deaths are commonplace – but also plenty of knockabout humour. This is more oddball 1980s video game than The Walking Dead: a place where zombies co-exist with dogs that can talk and make Molotov cocktails, and where you should never trust a supposedly injured moose. Buy it. Play it. But don’t imagine you’ll be seeing Canada any time soon.

£11.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Death Road to Canada

Desktop Dungeons

In this idiosyncratic turn-based roguelike, you’re the administrator of a hamlet beset on all sides by evil creatures. You resolve to send various fantasy archetypes into the villain-riddled swamps, forests and mountains nearby to sort things out. Each time one of your disposable heroes goes on a quest, a dungeon is randomly generated, and it’s up to you to work out the best way of coping.

The game is chess-like in nature – almost as much puzzle as RPG. The trick is to work out which monsters to attack in which order, so as to gain enough experience, collect enough equipment and conserve enough health and mana to be able to take on the boss at the end. There’s also an actual – and brutally difficult – puzzle mode, in which a range of pre-prepared scenarios must be navigated in precisely the right way.

As threats are neutralised and loot piles up, you’ll be able to build or upgrade new facilities and thereby unlock new character types, equipment and monsters, all of which has an appeal of its own; and the writing is consistently witty. But it’s the slow-paced, deceptively brain-bruising dungeon crawling which gives Desktop Dungeons its unique charm.

£9.99/$9.99 | For iPad only | Download Desktop Dungeons

A brief look at Minit and you might wonder if someone’s sneakily replaced your shiny Apple device with the innards of a ZX Spectrum – or, indeed, a Mac Plus. The 1-bit artwork looks like it’s beamed in from the 1980s – although this stark, minimal style is rather striking.

The gameplay is also distinctly old-school, with you ambling about a tiled map, chatting with other characters, hacking enemies to bits, and solving simple puzzles. The twist, though, is that Minit is played against the clock.

As the game’s name subtly suggests, you’ve 60 seconds to solve the quest. Fail and your beaky hero carks it. Fortunately, during your next go, his successor starts off kitted out with whatever was being carried during your previous attempt – and you of course are armed with a little more knowledge.

Minit therefore becomes a compelling (if odd) mix of chipping away at a global quest, figuring out your next steps, and blazingly fast speedruns when you figure out what you need to do – all too aware that 60 seconds is barely enough time to do it.

£4.99/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Minit

A quick look at Michael Brough’s iOS games suggests a creator who has no truck with convention. 868-HACK might technically be a turn-based strategy Roguelike, and Helix is in theory an arena shooter. But these titles have singular twists and visual design that make them resemble games that have slipped through a crack from another dimension.

P1 Select is in similar territory. At its core, this is a stripped-back Roguelike – a turn-based title that has you make your way through a dungeon, duffing up enemies, grabbing bling, and grumbling about your terrible strategy when you inevitably get killed shortly before you can escape its nine levels. But as you swipe, the direction you choose not only shifts your on-screen avatar, but also which character is selected on a three-by-three grid.

This is, to put it mildly, disorienting. You must keep track of each character’s abilities and lives count – and even their abilities aren’t necessarily obvious at first. But this added layer of complexity feels like cracking a code – and once you figure out P1 Select’s nuances, you’ll return time and again to beat your high score.

£2.99/$2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download P1 Select

Shooting and FPS games

When your thumbs are getting twitchy and you want to blow up some nasty alien slimebags, these are the games to buy.

We don’t want to alarm you, but a massive idiot appears to have set up your ship in a manner that’s not entirely conventional. So rather than your gun firing from your craft’s nose, it instead does so from the rear. Also, again, we don’t want to alarm you, but you appear to be in hell, surrounded by demons, and under threat of your soul being forever bound there if you fail in your mission of shooty exorcism. Eep!

So that’s Backfire in a nutshell – scoot about each arena’s confines, blast bullets from your bottom, and try to not get horribly killed. Except that’s not quite it, because that gimmick alone wouldn’t make for a great game. What ensures Backfire that accolade is everything else.

It looks superb, neon foes squelching from the arena’s walls, and darting after you like psychotic underwater insectoid creatures. It sounds genuinely creepy, mixing up pew pew laser noises with terrifying guttural growls from the creatures that are in hot pursuit. There’s also a cleverly balanced upgrades system, where you deck out your ship using collected ‘souls’, boosting your chances of survival in subsequent games.

That’s not to say Backfire ever becomes easy. The game echoes classic arcade fare, in the way it’ll hand your ego back to you in mangled form. But persevere and you’ll find one of the best – and most unique – blasters on iOS.

£2.99/$2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Backfire

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

This oddball twin-stick shooter is confusing and upsetting in equal parts. It finds you controlling a small child roaming a series of bleak, randomly generated dungeons and caves. He fights hideously mutated versions of himself while becoming hideous and mutated in his own right. (Power-ups are signified by wounds, such as safety pins through his head.) The left joystick controls movement; the right one controls the direction of your attacks. If you die, that’s it – there’s no saving.

It’s a tough game, although there are plenty of unlockable characters and items to discover. So despite each playthrough being brief, the game has a good amount of longevity. Also, arm yourself with a MFi controller and you’ll up your chances. Either way, the quality of the gameplay and the unique atmosphere makes this a must-play.

£14.99/$14.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

With its detailed monochrome visuals, Gun Rounds looks like it’s time-travelled from the days of the ZX Spectrum. But this is a thoroughly modern mobile take on turn-based battles, finding your dinky gunslinger fending off all manner of hideous beasties.

Each round gives you the option of firing off one blast from one of four weapons you’re armed with: drag back to aim and release to let rip. Then it’s the turn of your adversaries, whereupon you must carefully time a screen tap to coincide with their projectiles meeting the edge of your shield.

That is pretty much the entire game – which, admittedly, sounds shallow. But there’s more going on beneath the surface. As you battle your way through each world, you collect new weapons, and must manage ammo and reloads. Shops give you a chance to power up, but should you save your coins for later? And if you manage to master the easy mode, there’s a much tougher one to tackle, accessed via the two-gun button on the title screen.

Even these extras don’t result in the deepest of turn-based challenges, but then that’s not what Gun Rounds aims for. Instead, it’s a mobile-centric mix of shooting and strategy that’s ideal for a quick blast, and with enough collectables to keep you coming back to see what else you might discover.

£2.99/$2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Gun Rounds

Having impressed with touchscreen strategy title rymdkapsel, games creator webbfarbror AB has gone full-on casual with holedown. We were sceptical prior to playing – after all, the game looked an awful lot like a slew of freebie wallet-punching IAP-infused App Store nightmares. But although holedown retains some common ground with such titles, it ditches all the bad stuff, leaving you with an enjoyable progressive shooty game.

The idea is to dig deep into planets by shooting balls at numbered blocks. You’ve only so many balls per shot and limited shots overall, and so must carefully target specific blocks – not least those that hold up a small pile of impossibly high-numbered blocks that will tumble into the abyss once the supporting structure is obliterated.

Often, the best strategy is to get your balls through tight gaps so they spang about in enclosed spaces like angry wasps, rapidly depleting block numbers. Underpinning your missions is a nicely balanced upgrade cycle, which has you swap crystals you find for power-ups like extra balls and more shots. Do well enough and you’ll reach the core, get a ton of bling, and be able to unlock larger, deeper planets – and eventually an endless mode.

This game showcases that concepts and even grind aren’t the enemies of iOS gaming. There’s lots of repetition here, but it’s more hypnotic and entertaining than grating, because this game only wants to dig deep into your spare time – not your wallet.

£3.99/$3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Holedown

In space, no-one can hear you scream “Die, alien scumbags!” Unless you’ve left the intercom on. Hmm. Perhaps that’s why they’re mad and shooting at you.

Anyway, that’s what’s going on here: you’re in the middle of a massive scrap against the oppressive Commonwealth, and are – as is always the way – tasked with going it alone against swarms of enemy spaceships that are armed to the teeth.

From the off, it’s obvious Interloper is more arcade fare than simulator. It revels in its dizzying six degrees of freedom as you whirl and loop among lazily drifting asteroids, seeking out enemies, partaking in flashy dogfighting and (hopefully) ending up victorious. If you’re old, it’s like you imagined Elite to be in your head; if you’re younger, it’s akin to modern epic space battle games but with the faffing and busywork removed.

This is, however, more than a straight arcade blaster, because you can over time customise your fighter with weapons and other kit to suit your style. And the battles are smart too: visually stunning and playable in landscape and portrait, meaning even owners of the largest iPads don’t need banana thumbs to take on the mighty Commonwealth. You might need time to succeed, though – your enemies might whiff of cannon fodder, but they’re not all blithering idiots who’ll merrily lurk in your sights until you blow them to space dust.

£5.99/$5.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Interloper

Having bubbled up from the primordial ooze, your instinct in Ordia is to survive. Which is a tiny problem, given that your entire environment’s instinct appears to be snuffing out your life, by way of impaling or eating you.

Luckily, despite being little more than a googly eyeball, you can shoot about the place. Pull back a finger, let go, and your cycloptoid critter pings across the screen. If your aim’s true, it’ll bounce off of a wall to a hook, ready for another shot. Or perhaps it’ll rattle along a secret tunnel, grabbing some bling along the way. If not, it’ll end up in something’s maw, and you’ll have to have another crack.

Ordia’s a curious beast, not only in terms of the protagonist’s biology, but also regarding how great it is. There’s really nothing here you haven’t seen before: the controls are straight from Angry Birds; the flat, minimal visuals are familiar; and vertical platforming action is commonplace on iOS. But the combination – part artillery shooter; part platformer; a bit of pinball; the odd frenetic escape from a predator – is perfectly executed, leading to a title that might lack innovation, but that’s nonetheless blessed with an abundance of quality, polish, tension, and rewarding gameplay.

£3.99/$3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Ordia

Imagine The Matrix was a story primarily about polyamory, featuring strange little creatures that spat bodily fluids at each other rather than bullets, and then someone decided to make a videogame conversion that mixed up single-screen platforming and Angry Birds-style artillery action. That’s Spitkiss. And of that intro hasn’t just made steam shoot out of your ears, congratulations – you’re in for a treat.

The basic aim across the 80 levels is to get an ejected glob to your love elsewhere on the screen. As noted, there’s a smattering of Angry Birds, with you dragging a line to fire said glob. If it reaches your love, well done. But mostly, the route is far more labyrinthine, requiring you deal with multiple surfaces, and avoid all kinds of deadly critters.

Fortunately, this magical mucus can leap multiple times, only needing to regain energy by temporarily landing on a wall. And if you’re thinking “actually, this doesn’t sound much like The Matrix”, Spitkiss slows to a crawl the moment you hold the screen, bullet time-style, giving you a fighting chance of dodging adversaries, and perfecting your shot. Also, the protagonists are dressed all in black. We’re sure the Wachowskis are smashing out a spitty sequel screenplay as we speak.

99p/99c | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Spitkiss

Steredenn is a gorgeous horizontally scrolling blaster with a distinctly retro vibe. But this is no trip back to the 1980s. Although there are hints of R-Type lurking within Steredenn’s DNA, this is a thoroughly modern shooter.

You never get the same game twice, for a start. Every go pits you against randomly selected waves of enemies, which you must figure out how best to blow to smithereens with the ordinance strapped to your tiny spaceship. Periodically, you face off against huge bosses, which when beaten replenish your shields, and allow you to pick a bonus to boost your chances.

Also, Steredenn is bonkers. There are shiny craft and lush space backgrounds, but also huge chainsaws welded to the front of enemy vessels, and power-ups in the shape of swords, massive saw-blades and guns that spit endless casings into space. And, although this title doesn’t take itself seriously, it nails vital details like the controls – an upwards swipe to switch weapons; a crosshair to locate your craft should it end up under a thumb; MFi support for those who want to use a gamepad.

With such smart design and endless replayability, Steredenn is easily the best horizontal shooter on iOS.

£3.99/$3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Steredenn

Super Crossfighter

Space Invaders was exciting in 1979, but these days shows its age as monochrome invaders slowly dodder along, and your underpowered tank aims to shoot them down. Super Crossfighter neatly showcases that the basic framework isn’t the problem – the game just needs ramping up for modern sensibilities.

This is achieved by way of varied enemies and power-ups, plenty of projectiles, and an awful lot of neon. You blaze about from left to right, obliterating enemies raining down fire in your general direction, scooping up gems used to kit out your ship between waves.

Handily, you also have one other trick up your sleeve. A deft tap of the screen and your ship leaps to the top rail, so you can shoot the alien scumbags in the back. (Bet they weren’t expecting that! And, no, this isn’t especially sportsmanlike, but then you are, as ever, outnumbered about a billion to one.)

Although waves are pre-defined, Super Crossfighter’s power-ups ensure no two games are alike, and provide different approaches for tackling the game. And once you manage to blast your way through 150 or so waves of alien mayhem, two additional modes provide yet more shooty action – and all for less money than you’d have pumped into an arcade game for a single hour’s play back in 1979.

£2.99/$2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Super Crossfighter

Sports & racing games

From football to space-age wheel spin, these are the best sport- and driving-related games to install on your iOS device.

Drift’n’Drive

Speaking of retro, Drift’n’Drive doesn’t look so much like it crawled out of a Dreamcast as the 1980s. But this cruelly overlooked overhead racer is one of the most compelling we’ve played on iOS. Dinky cars barge their way along vertically scrolling tracks, getting all smashy in an attempt to reach their goal.

At first, your car is underpowered and fragile, but as you improve your position, you can buy upgrades (only with earned in-game currency – there’s no IAP). Eventually, you’ll be kicking bottom racking up wins, at which point you can take on the next championship level. There’s also a split-screen multiplayer mode, if you think you’ve got what it takes to beat your friends.

£2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Drift’n’Drive

Golf On Mars

It’s the year 2866. A third of Mars is terraformed. But humans are humans, and so the red planet’s now a gargantuan golf course.

How gargantuan? Try 25.77 billion holes – all algorithmically generated to make your own personal course unique. Helpfully, we’re told if a time traveller sent an iPhone 24,515 years into the past, and a tribe ritually played the game daily for 30 seconds, they’d only just be done today. And, no, we’ve no idea how they’d charge the iPhone.

All of which might lead you to conclude Golf On Mars is pointless, since it’s never-ending. But that in itself is part of the point. Your score is logged but doesn’t really matter. This is a game to relax with, idly working through an effectively endless zen-like quest into the unknown.

The mechanics are suitably simple for such a task: drag an arrow to define direction and power, and set spin with a second finger. The sandy surface means the ball sometimes catches on hills, and there are other hazards to contend with, like low-flying clouds. Occasionally, the algorithm makes your challenge almost – or literally – impossible, but 25 fraught shots later you’ll get a skip button. Such moments are markedly less zen, but still don’t take the shine off of this superb follow-up to classic ball-smacker Desert Golfing .

So we’ll see you at the clubhouse. Just try to keep your scorecard under the 77-billion par.

£2.99/$2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Golf On Mars

Grid Autosport

One of the criticisms often levelled at games on mobile is they’re not ‘proper’ games like you get on consoles. Well, Grid Autosport is the highly regarded simulation-oriented console/PC racer squeezed into your iOS device. You get the full complement of tracks and cars (100 of each), and an almost bewildering array of settings.

Fortunately, beginners can ease themselves in gently, leaving on driving aids and nursing Touring Cars around tarmac tracks. But with mastery comes the rewards of tackling beefier cars, and gradually tweaking the set-up so you do more of the driving than the computer.

This is a game that demands perseverance and attention – you can’t barrel into a corner at full speed and expect for anything to happen other than a head-on collision with a very solid wall. But if you want a rich, exciting, deep driving experience on iOS, you won’t find anything better.

£9.99/$9.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Grid Autosport

Horizon Chase – World Tour

A love letter to classic arcade fare, Horizon Chase brings the likes of the Amiga’s Lotus Turbo Esprit Challenge and SNES racer Top Gear kicking and screaming into the present. This one’s all about insane speed, vibrant graphics, and fighting your way from the back of the pack – every time.

But just because Horizon Chase has one foot in 1992, that doesn’t mean it’s entirely retro. The controls are perfect for touchscreens, the career mode is finely tuned for mobile play, and the visuals boast a gorgeous low-poly aesthetic that’s unique and modern, and yet evokes the feel of old-school racers – all without stabbing your eyes with chunky pixels.

FREE + £2.99/$2.99 IAP | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Horizon Chase – World Tour

Reckless Racing 3

Putting our political correctness hat aside for a moment, the original game in this series was perhaps best described as ‘Redneck Racing’. Beaten up vehicles jostled around courses comprising a grimy mall car park and a wrecking yard. The sequel stripped away the character, but this third entry again gets the balance right.

If anything, Reckless Racing 3 is even more oddball than its grandparent, with a decidedly surreal edge. You smash and drift your way through airports, abandoned nuclear plants, and genteel Mediterranean hilltop cafes. And along with straightforward racing events, there’s a Gymkhana mode, to test your skills at coaxing a rickety car around precision courses. The physics is a bit floaty, but get used to that and you’ll spend many hours enjoying the best top-down racer on iOS.

£2.99/$2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Reckless Racing 3

For all of the gripes we hear about hand-holding in games, players tend to like something to aim for. Repulsive is therefore disarming, in dumping you in a little world and leaving you to it.

The game channels arcade classic 720°, but provides many acres for your hoverboarder to explore. Neon litters the landscape, and cars hover, but buildings are ramshackle constructions, and the walled-off village oddly light on human activity. Notably – and amusingly – greenery appears to comprise holographic projections.

Fortunately, this grim veneer is offset by everything else. The visuals are vibrant, and the soundtrack engaging and chilled. And an experience that initially seems unfocused and unguided quickly transforms into you revelling in a real sense of freedom while you perform stunts in your own personal sandbox, leaping off of rooftops without a care in the world.

Should you choose to be a little more focused, there are missions of a sort. This world isn’t entirely empty of goals: you’ll at some point collide with an object that will display a counter, indicating how many more are waiting to be found. Repulsive then becomes a game of mapping, hunting, and in some cases figuring out how to get at targets that may float tantalisingly out of reach.

You might hanker for more – maps; moves; challenges. But elegant simplicity is the beating heart of this game, and being more conventional would threaten its very core. Ultimately, Repulsive succeeds because it brings something different to your device.

£4.99/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Repulsive

Way back in 2012, New Star Soccer arrived on mobile, bringing with it an interesting take on football management. Unlike Football Manager, it stripped things back to make the game far more, erm, manageable; you also got the chance during matches to directly influence results by making passes and taking chances in front of goal. It made a nice change from merely bellowing from the virtual sidelines. Retro Goal flips its predecessor’s emphasis, ramping up the arcade component and further refining the management aspect.

The game kicks off with you taking control of a team and attempting to lead them to glory. You use your paltry income to improve your ground, boost your training academy and sign players – and will inevitably never have enough cash for everything you want to achieve. In the arcade sections, you partake in a virtual kickabout, with cleverly conceived touchscreen controls enabling you to create surprisingly silky and fluid moves.

It’s a lot of fun – although realism fanatics should look elsewhere. Retro Goal is liberal in handing out yellow cards, and you’re punished when not taking advantage of chances. You’ll likely end up with the most goals scored and most conceded by the end of a season. But for the tiny outlay, this one’s top of the table, especially on the iPad where the larger display gives you more space to make those inch-perfect passes to your star striker.

89p/$0.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Retro Goal

Rush Rally Origins

From a visual standpoint, Rush Rally Origins comes across like Reckless Racing 3 and Rush Rally 3 had a baby. Only this baby is vicious and unforgiving – keen to take your face off. In other words, within seconds of starting out in this gorgeous overhead racer, chances are your car will be inconveniently embedded in a tree. If you’re playing race mode, the computer cars will at this point be long gone too.

So it’s tough. But Rush Rally Origins is also compelling, which will ensure you stick around. The handling is great: simpler and more arcade-oriented than its predecessors, making it feel glorious when you tap the brake and majestically drift around a U-turn (before, naturally, smacking into another tree). However, take the time to master the game – the course; the handling; the different cars – and it all starts to click. You take more risks. You start winning races (against ferocious AI opponents – but they do also make mistakes!) and championships. And it feels great .

Helpfully, the game’s packed with options too. In the Other section of the settings, you can set the difficulty level and camera view. Brilliantly, the virtual controls layout can be overhauled to whatever works for you; other game creators take note. Above all, though, this is an engaging, exhilarating racer that manages to straddle that awkward gap between arcade and simulation with aplomb.

£4.49/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Rush Rally Origins

Super Stickman Golf 3

Golf games can be a great way to unwind, but traditional fare on iOS is often subpar rather than under par (the latter being a good thing in golf, sports fans). Fortunately, Super Stickman Golf 3’s oddball side-on take on the sport is there to fill the void.

This cartoonish title has you thwack balls across and through all manner of madcap courses, from giant castles to space stations full of portals. But despite its zany nature, Super Stickman Golf 3 – like any good golf game – rewards anyone willing to learn the courses to shave the odd shot off of their score. Online modes (live races and turn-based two-player games) add to the fun, but you’ll need the £2.99/$2.99 premium upgrade to access all of the content.

FREE + IAP | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Super Stickman Golf 3

Touchgrind Skate 2

People talk about realism in video games, but few sports titles are a truly accurate reflection of real life. Oddly, Touchgrind Skate 2 kind of is, and we say ‘oddly’ on the basis that two of your fingers become legs that drive a dinky skateboard about a virtual park.

This might feel like a gimmick, but Touchgrind Skate 2 works remarkably well, especially on an iPad. Little movements and flicks are enough to trigger all kinds of tricks. Do well and you’ll unlock new gear and skateparks.

Just be aware that skating like a pro isn’t something that comes instantly nor particularly naturally – the tutorials in this game aren’t so much to be breezed through as fully committed to memory unless you want to wipe out over and over.

FREE + IAP | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Touchgrind Skate 2

Strategy and tower defence games

If you’re the kind of gamer who likes to think several steps ahead, these are the ideal titles to pit against your planning expertise.

Alien: Isolation

This survival horror drops you right into the famous movie franchise, in an interactive bout of running, hiding and possibly surviving that sits somewhere between Alien and its gun-happy sequel. You take on the role of Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen, trying to solve the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.

Originally released on PCs and consoles, this port for iPhone and iPad has lush visuals befitting of a AAA title. And although you can use a gamepad or even a mouse and keyboard on an iPad, the default controls have been tailored for touchscreen, thereby giving you a reasonable chance of stealthily exploring environments without getting your innards ripped out by a xenomorph.

We won’t give away the beats of the story, but suffice to say it’s tense and arresting, like the best of the Alien series, and finds you fighting for survival in a manner that echoes the original film. However, the runtime is far longer than even the most ambitious director’s cut, given that even skilled players will take north of 18 hours to work through the game.

If after all that terror you still can’t get enough of having a starring role in your own Alien movie, you can immerse yourself in a version of the original. One of the seven(!) bundled DLCs is Last Survivor, which features Ellen Ripley’s attempt to escape the Nostromo – albeit in this case without the added hassle of dealing with an insubordinate cat.

£12.99/$14.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Alien: Isolation

Bad North: Jotunn Edition

An issue that affects skirmish-oriented strategy titles – even on mobile – is a need to micromanage. Whether you’re immersed in turn-based megalomania by way of Civilization VI or giving tiny armies a kicking in Total War, plenty of time is spent delving into the finer details of your sprawling campaign. Half the time, you wonder if you’d be better equipped with a spreadsheet.

Bad North does away with all that by giving you warfare in microcosm. Each battle takes place on an island, and finds a handful of armies facing off against invading Vikings. Select an army and tap a space on the map to move them. Should anyone come near, your chaps will attempt to fight them off. And that’s it.

This probably sounds reductive, but there is depth. As you win battles, you can train armies, acquiring skills such as archery. In subsequent scraps, you can then have your archers dispatch enemies from a distance; but foes also come up with their own new tricks.

Escalation continues until you win the campaign or – most likely – end up horribly murdered. And in this game, death really is the end – any obliterated army stays that way. But with each battle lasting mere minutes and the entire campaign possible to complete in a few hours (at least in theory), this is a strategy title you can get your teeth into, without the risk of it taking over your life – or forcing you to manage every aspect of a virtual empire.

£4.99/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Bad North: Jotunn Edition

Civilization VI

It’s safe to say Civilization VI was quite the surprise when it suddenly appeared on iPad. Whereas previous Civs for iOS had been massively cut-back takes on the classic empire-building/world-domination series, here you get the real deal.

There’s a price-tag to match, of course, but then that should be expected when a top-notch PC strategy title has been squeezed into your iPad. And there are months of strategising to be had here, from having your settlers take their very first steps to attempting to duff up your opponents – economically or by getting a bit stabby and shooty.

Given the click-happy nature of the original, everything works very nicely on the touchscreen. The only obvious rough edge is some slightly blurry graphics on iPad Pro. Regardless, this is an astonishing achievement on iOS and – more importantly – a first-rate game.

FREE + £19.99/$19.99 IAP for full game | For iPad only | Download Civilization VI

Euclidean Skies

In 2017, Euclidean Lands swept on to the App Store. Gorgeous minimal aesthetics recalled Monument Valley, but the game’s turn-based battles echoed the chess-like Hitman GO and Lara Croft GO. All this took place on geometric structures akin to Rubik’s Cubes hanging in space.

Sequel Euclidean Skies initially resembles its predecessor. You’re faced with an improbably floating structure, albeit with soft pastel shades replaced by bold colours, and skeletal monsters draping over the battlements. Enemies still roam these strange locations, though, slicing up your intrepid adventurer should she step into their path.

However, this game is a very different beast, largely due to the freedom you’re afforded in manipulating your surroundings. Instead of offering a Rubik’s Cube, Euclidean Skies has you unwrap each level, deconstructing the land before you. Sometimes, you can spin a section of level about an axis and wallop an enemy on an outcrop. Other times, you’ll fashion twisting pathways to simultaneously bridge doorways and switches.

Needless to say, Euclidean Skies is not easy. Even early on, it disorients and baffles; and as you get deeper into the game, your ability to contain and control chaos will be severely tested, as you stare at a mess of cubes, with no idea how to progress. But perseverance reaps rewards in what’s another fine iOS title from the peerless kunabi brother; and there’s an extra nod of approval from Macworld at a games creator that could have offered more of the same, but instead went for something ambitious and distinct.

£4.99/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Euclidean Skies

FTL: Faster Than Light

A wonderfully tense strategy game set in space, Faster Than Light also incorporates many of the crueller elements of roguelike roleplaying games.

You direct the small crew of a Federation messenger craft fleeing from the advancing rebel fleet, and at each point on the map a randomly generated encounter may result in new equipment, additional crew members, or a dangerous fight with another vessel. Any crew members who fall in battle are gone for good, and losing a fight is permanent too – hence the unbearable tension, and the glorious satisfaction when things work out.

It’s a tough game, but well worth the tears it will make you shed.

£9.99/$9.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download FTL: Faster Than Light

Kingdom Rush: Vengeance

If you’ve played a tower defence game before, you’ll broadly know the score when settling down for a few rounds of Kingdom Rush: Vengeance. You get a screen with pathways and slots, and then build towers to obliterate waves of enemies that appear. The aim is to stop them reaching their goal – and giving you an off-screen kicking.

The backstory finds you as miffed wizard Vez’nan, sick of being defeated by the heroes of the realm, and so out for revenge. Quite how deep-rooted tower defence enables you to advance into enemy territory, it’s hard to say. Perhaps don’t think about it too much – after all, this is only a videogame.

Still, this isn’t just any videogame, nor just any tower defence game. It looks fantastic, not least when dozens of tiny foes are darting about, being contained by your cunning tactics. It’s reasonably deep, with special powers to unleash, mighty heroes to deploy, and an upgrade tree to grapple with.

Oddly – and slightly disappointingly – some goodies (towers; alternate heroes) sit behind IAP. But you don’t need to splash out to win; and for the outlay, it’s hard to remain grumpy at the best game of its kind on iOS.

£4.99/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Kingdom Rush: Vengeance

Kingdom Two Crowns

Build. Expand. Defend. Those are your goals in Kingdom Two Crowns – although the beginnings for your monarch are suitably humble. While on horseback, a ghost briefly bosses you about, teaching you how to transform an abandoned campsite into something slightly more liveable. Lob a coin at a vagrant and they become a peasant you can train. Pretty soon, you’ll have a little band of workers and archers, all going about their business, without you needing to micromanage them.

This is just as well, because when night falls, the Greed come to visit. The fleet-of-foot demonic kleptomaniacs appear from portals, raid your camp, and make off with anything shiny. If that happens to be your crown, your reign is over, and it’ll be down to your heir to take over – and figure out how to give the Greed a solid kicking.

It’s an intriguing set-up – rather like Settlers meets Gridland. And much like the latter title, there’s almost no hand-holding. You’re expected to experiment and explore, and only occasionally will the aforementioned ghost make an appearance if the game thinks you’re dawdling a bit too much.

This could all prove overwhelming, but Kingdom Two Crowns is anything but. It’s perhaps sometimes perplexing when you’re not sure how to progress; and it’s frequently intense, notably when trying to get back to the safety of your camp when your ride is tired and the Greed are in hot pursuit. But the game’s mix of gorgeous pixel-art visuals, sublime audio, and slow-paced yet engaging gameplay with meaningful, regular progression makes for a modern-day mobile classic.

£9.99/$9.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Kingdom Two Crowns

Maze Machina

Arnold Rauers has form reimagining dungeon-crawlers as claustrophobic, atmospheric card games. Miracle Merchant , Card Crawl , and Card Thief are all exceptional, but Maze Machina takes things to a new level – especially in terms of smashing your brains out.

The backstory involves Automatron, an inventor robot with a skull for a head, who’s forged tiny steampunk versions of himself. He fancies testing them to destruction in a tiny ever-changing arena, at which point you rock up. The snag: you’re a mouse. Fortunately, there’s an escape route – although getting there is extremely tough.

There are 15 rounds of clockwork mayhem to get through, each requiring you to grab a key and make it to the exit. Also, every move depletes your energy – and reinvigorating cheese only shows up every three rounds. Furthermore, every tile on the grid represents a power-up that arms whoever’s holding it.

Swipe and everything on the board moves in that direction and triggers the power-ups. Given that there are well over a dozen of them, even a single round presents a whopping number of potential combinations, and routes to your goal can quickly unravel if you end up stuck with the wrong item, surrounded by tiny knife-wielding murderous robots.

This one’s initially baffling, then – perhaps even overwhelming. But it’s also compelling, beautifully designed and animated, and – if it clicks – a strategy title you’ll still be playing in years to come.

£1.99/$1.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Maze Machina

Almost as much an exercise in modern art as a video game, Mini Metro makes underground maps come alive. Part simulator, part strategy title, the game gradually adds stations to an initially blank map. Said stations must be connected by lines, whereupon passengers start being ferried back and forth. Over time, you can choose from bonus items – more lines; extra tunnels; interchanges – to expand your network.

The semi-random nature of where stations appear always keeps you on your toes, and Mini Metro eventually becomes a frenetic juggling act of management, with you constantly rejigging lines and moving trains to more efficiently cart people about. Should a single station become overcrowded, your game is over.

Do well enough by that point and a new map will be unlocked, with its own challenges. If it all gets a bit much, fire up the endless mode, which aligns perfectly with the minimal visuals and noodly ambient soundtrack generated by movement within the game. Feeling a bit more hardcore? Check out the extreme mode, which doesn’t allow you to edit any lines you’ve previously laid. However you play, Mini Metro is a modern mobile masterpiece.

£3.99/$3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Mini Metro

When you’re told a game is a ‘city builder’, you tend to think of conflict – or at least competition. Townscaper is more akin to Lego, having you build island towns from coloured blocks. But in contrast to constructions that result from boxy plastic bricks, Townscaper gives you organic, curvy streets – and unexpected surprises when certain combinations of blocks are used.

The basics are simple. You begin with an empty sea. Tap the screen and a foundation drops into the water with a satisfying splash. Where you go from there – outwards or upwards – is up to you.

At first, you’ll likely be tentative – or at least tend towards the realistic. You might also find yourself fighting the twisty nature of Townscaper streets. But before long, you’ll dig deeper into the core of the game, whether that’s accessing the underlying grid, more methodically exploring what happens with specific combinations and patterns, or realising that you can tap-hold to remove blocks, leading to increasingly delicate and fantastical constructions.

With no defined goal, score or timer, you might ask what’s the point – and whether this is even a game. Our take is that Townscaper is about the pure joy of building. And while it does stretch the definition of what a game can be, the result is as compelling as anything else on this list.

£3.49/$3.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Townscaper

XCOM 2 Collection

If you’ve played XCOM on other platforms – or in its previous incarnation on iPad – you’ll be aware that things aren’t exactly going well for humankind. Aliens have rocked up – and they’re the evil type, intent on quite a lot of ‘killing the humans’. Fortunately, some people resolve to fight back, in this case by way of quite a lot of turn-based strategy, shooty business, and blowing things up.

With XCOM 2 Collection, you’re getting the original PC experience on your device – including four DLC packs. So although the game might seem expensive, this represents great value and is cheaper than buying the same content for PC on Steam. This is a faithful port, too, as you guide your squad around procedurally generated maps, figuring out how to ambush foes while not getting your soldiers horribly killed. Between missions, there’s strategising of a different kind as you embark on research, attempting to improve your tech and your chances.

Arguably, all of this is too much for iPhone. Although Apple’s latest smartphones can technically run the game, the displays are too small to give you a pleasurable experience kicking alien bottom. But on a sufficiently powerful iPad, this is full-fat AAA strategy of the kind that could keep you battling away for many months.

£23.99/$24.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download XCOM 2 Collection

Word searches, anagrams and crosswords are all very well, but these games do new and fresh things with such traditional frameworks.

This game comes across like a politically literate tirade against censorship. An Orwellian adventure story told through one half of an increasingly mangled email exchange, it also happens to be a word game based around decoding blocks of text.

You play the part of a downtrodden citizen of a dimly sketched dystopia, receiving messages with parts blacked out by censors. All you have to do is work out the missing words – which is easy at first, but becomes increasingly tricky as Blackbar’s internal logic starts to weave and tangle.

It can be frustrating. You may find yourself baffled by a single word required to unlock the next screen. But the rewarding nature of cracking each puzzle along with the clever, funny storyline makes it all _________.

£2.99/$2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Blackbar

Letterpress

Because Letterpress’s approach is unique – sort of a clever mashup of Boggle and Strategery – it takes some time to explain the rules. Once you get them down, though, this word game (with a healthy serving of strategy) is alarmingly addictive.

On your turn, you can use any of the letters in a five-by-five grid to build a word. After you submit your word, the tiles you used turn blue. Then it’s your opponent’s turn to make a word. The tiles he or she uses to spell a word turn pink.

As you play, then, some tiles will go from blue to pink to blue again, if you and your opponent keep spelling words with the same letters, but if you box in a blue tile with other blue tiles, it turns a darker shade of blue and stays that way. Once all the tiles have been used (or after both players skip a turn), the game ends. Whichever player turned more tiles to his or her colour emerges the victor.

Fans of word games won’t be disappointed. Letterpress is seriously fun.

FREE + IAPs | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Letterpress

Letter Rooms

This word puzzler knows what it wants to be – a really good anagrams game. It doesn’t try anything wildly new, and it’s not aiming to blow your socks off with buckets of innovation, dazzling animations, or adrenaline-fuelled timed challenges. It just wants you to have fun dragging letters around to fashion words that match brief clues.

That might sound reductive – even dull. But while it’s true Letter Rooms isn’t exciting , it does manage to be engrossing as you work your way through its 200 or so puzzles.

Much of the enjoyment stems from a bold interface that features chunky coloured vertical letter columns that you drag back and forth. On an iPhone, this makes for a visually bold game infused with clarity that’s the opposite of fiddly. On iPad, it’s a joy, with you dragging even bigger columns left and right, sounds playing as you do so.

Gradually, additional gameplay mechanics are wisely introduced to shake things up and make your brain work a touch harder: on-off characters and columns that can be switched between multiple letters. This adds useful variety to stop Letter Rooms from getting samey. A daily puzzle would be a welcome addition too, but in its current incarnation, Letter Rooms deftly fulfils what it sets out to achieve, being a pleasant, refined, focused anagrams game.

FREE (89p/99c to buy all puzzles) | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Letter Rooms

Imagine a text-based adventure from the early 1980s devoid of the vast majority of its narrative and you get Ord. Here, every scenario plays out as three words. There’s a single-word setup that describes each situation. You then select from two options to define your action, after which point you’re treated to the most concise of written outcomes. If you’re fortunate, it will make you laugh or at least progress your story. Make the wrong choice and your fast-paced exploits of lexical brevity come to an abrupt conclusion.

It sounds crude, limiting and minimal, but the game’s atmosphere is heightened by sound effects and subtle visual flourishes. Mostly, though, you quickly find your mind starts to fill in the blanks. Despite every tiny scene featuring just three words, you’ll find a sense of horror when caught in a time loop, or tension when picking your way through a dangerous forest.

Ord. is, however, at least as much word game as adventure, hence its categorisation in this roundup. It’s about recognising a situation and figuring out what might be associated with that word, rather than traditional adventuring that affords you plenty of context and logical pathways through a quest. Regardless, Ord. is a must-install. It’ll make you grin as you come to grips with its terse form, be a go-to game to fill spare moments, and keep you playing until you’ve weaved your way to every ending.

£1.99/$1.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Ord.

SpellTower+

The original SpellTower is a classic. Drawing from magazine-style crosswords and word searches, it subverted such games by introducing elements from arcade-oriented puzzlers like Tetris.

This ‘plus’ version spruces up the original, adding full cross-device support, and a handful of new modes and features. All over again, SpellTower finds itself propelled to the top of the word-game heap.

The clever way tradition and arcade gaming are merged becomes apparent the second you start Tower mode. The jumble of letters resembles a scrambled crossword puzzle. Words can be created by snaking a path through the tiles. Submit a word and its letters disappear; gravity then makes itself known, and tiles left hanging plummet downwards. Maximising your score requires strategic planning rather than merely dragging out the longest constructions.

Beyond this, you get a range of other ways to play. Puzzle adds a new line of tiles for every submitted word, ending your go when your tower reaches a red line. Rush is more tense, since you play against the clock. Double-speed versions of these modes exist – great for quicker games – along with Bubble Puzzle (blow up bubbles before using letters) and Search (one chance to secure the biggest word, utilising double-score tiles where possible).

For free, five modes are unlocked, but ads frequently intrude. For the best experience, pay your fiver and fully unlock the finest solo word game on Apple devices.

FREE + £4.99/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download SpellTower+

Zach Gage apparently has a thing for rethinking classic puzzle games from the world of print. SpellTower is a word search crossed with a well-based puzzle game, and Really Bad Chess subverts the chess puzzles you sometimes still find lurking in newspapers. TypeShift is in similar territory, only this game has hurled all the component bits of crosswords up into the air to see what would happen.

What you end up with is a grid of letters that you manipulate by dragging columns up and down. If a word is found in the centre row, its tiles are coloured in. The aim is to use every tile on the board – and as quickly as possible, if you’re inclined towards bragging about your brainpower online.

There are set packs of puzzles and a daily entry that toughens as the week goes on. The star of the show, though, is the clue puzzle, which doesn’t allow you to find any old words. Instead, you get a list of obtuse clues, and must find a word associated with each. The end result is a game that really does feel like a perfect combination of old and new. For free, you get a small selection of puzzles to try (and the daily challenge); extra packs are available via IAP.

FREE + IAPs | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download TypeShift

This fast-paced word game keeps things simple. At the bottom of the screen, you get seven letters, and a two-minute timer starts. You drag letters into the tray, which turns blue whenever it recognises something in its (more lenient than most) dictionary. Tap the word at that point and it disappears, and new letters arrive for you to use.

The game’s flexibility and lack of fussiness are evident throughout. Rather than trip you up, it tries to aid you while the clock counts down. You can drag and drop letters to and from the tray, and rearrange those you’ve previously added. Tapping the downwards-facing arrow immediately empties the tray. When no letters have been added, the aforementioned button is instead a trash can, for replacing your entire set of letters.

Naturally, get good at the game and there are bonuses to be had. Much like in Scrabble, trickier letters net you a better score, as do longer words. But because you’ve limited time to play, you can sometimes amass higher scores by playing more shorter words – well, as long as you don’t go for something like ‘at’, which awards you all of two points.

Do well and you can share your game with a friend, whereupon they’ll start with the same letters – or you can challenge them to a fresh competition by way of the duel mode.

£1.99/$1.99 | For iPhone | Download Up Spell

This exploration of how to rethink narrative storytelling comes across like how a book might be in the world of Terry Gilliam’s steampunk bureaucratic nightmare Brazil. Each page requires ‘unlocking’ by you turning a dial, at which point you’re faced with a screen of scattered text. Some lines are intertwined like a completed crossword puzzle. Somewhere there will be empty spaces.

In order to progress, you need to use encircled letters to form a new word in the empty spots that completes the page and moves the story on. The problem is that whatever letters you leave behind must still make up complete words.

At first, this isn’t a problem – you can hack words in two with ease, glue two halves back together in a new construction, sit back and admire your genius. But as Vitriol progresses, it bares its teeth. The puzzles become increasingly intricate as the narrative bubbles with unease.

The story part, unfortunately, comes off second best. The app’s visuals and audio are deeply atmospheric, and the interaction is novel and intriguing. But you at times do wish you could flip the pages back and forth to remind yourself of the story so far. That niggle aside, Vitriol is a strange and gripping word game, especially when played on the smaller screen of an iPhone.

£4.49/$4.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Vitriol

Word Forward

If you fancy a strategic take on word games, Word Forward fits the bill. Rather than having you pit your wits against randomly generated letter grids, or human opponents in a game of Scrabble (or an ‘almost Scrabble’ clone), Word Forward instead presents hand-crafted puzzles. Each grid must be entirely removed – which is easier said than done.

Your initial approach might be to drag out show-off snaking constructions that’d make a lexicographer’s lower lip wobble. But this often leaves tiny letter islands that are subsequently impossible to remove. You must therefore engage your chess brain, think ahead, and figure out how you’re going to eradicate awkward consonants inconveniently clustered together in a corner.

The game does at least provide a helping hand of sorts, by way of special tiles. Some are letters you swap for existing ones on the board. There’s the ubiquitous shuffle, and a bomb for unsportingly blowing a particularly tricky letter to oblivion. Of course, you’ll use them all, complete a level, feel triumphant, and immediately be informed you can in fact finish the entire game without such assistance. Still, that gives you the impetus to do better – or sit slowly rocking in the corner, hugging a dictionary.

£1.99/$1.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Word Forward

The key to a good game can come down to approach. That’s the case with Wordsmyth, which doesn’t do anything new, but offers an experience and level of elegance that propels it towards the top of the word-game heap.

The game itself is Boggle with fewer letters. You get a three-by-three grid and are tasked with using those nine letters to make words. But there are no timers and few expectations. This is a contemplative word game that wants you to succeed and has no interest in making you stressed.

To that end, you can at any time swipe upwards to check your previous words and how many of each length remain to be found. There are plentiful hints to get you going when you’re stuck. Even the basic interface for working with letters is nicely conceived, with leftwards swipes enabling you to remove a letter or two, in order to adjust a word ending.

The general idea is you’ll dip into the game daily, but even there Wordsmyth is relaxed about things. Seven previous puzzles remain accessible and days where you don’t check in are ignored entirely. Instead of grind, then, here’s a word game that doesn’t care about completionism, instead providing a gentle workout that eradicates frustration and keeps you hooked simply by being really pleasant.

£2.99/$2.99 | For iPhone and iPad (Universal) | Download Wordsmyth

Further reading

If you’re a big fan of iOS gaming, you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve got a roundup of brilliant free iPhone games , if you’d rather not pay for software; if your preference would be to pay a monthly or yearly subscription for your iPad, iPhone, Mac and Apple TV games, take a look at our roundup of the best Apple Arcade games .

You may also like to read our round up of the Apple Games Console rumours.

Finally, here’s how to block persistent review requests , which is a recurrent annoyance in mobile gaming.

The best free iPad games 2023

The best free games for iPad, iPad Pro, iPad Air and iPad mini

• Best new game and the best free iPad arcade games
• The best free endless runners for iPad
• The best free match games for iPad
• The best free platform games for iPad
• The best free puzzle games for iPad
• The best free racing games for iPad
• The best free shooting games for iPad
• The best free sports games for iPad
• The best free strategy games for iPad
• The best free word games for iPad

Perhaps you've just bought an iPad, or just been given one for the first time. Or maybe you're thinking that your Apple tablet is old and boring and there's nothing fun left that it can do.

Well, friend, you're entirely wrong. Fortunately, the App Store offers loads of gaming greats for you, even if you've forked out your last bit of cash to buy the iPad itself.

- Arcade games - Endless runner games - Match games - Platform games - Puzzle games - Racing games - Shooting games - Sports games - Strategy games - Word games

Our lists cover the best free iPad puzzle games, racers, platform games, and more, split into categories (one on each page) for your perusing pleasure.

Plus, check back every month for our latest favorite free iPad game, which you'll find below.

If you've got some cash spare, you can also check our our full guide to the best iPad games , which include paid options, and those with in-app purchases. For cost-free PC options, here are the best free PC games .

• Shopping for an upgrade? Check out all the best iPad deals available

The best new free iPad game

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Linia Stripes

Linia Stripes is the epitome of the chill-out puzzler. It exists in a universe of endless geometric patterns, and tasks you with removing stripes in order from shortest to longest. 

In less expert hands, this would be a five-minute wonder – a throwaway game to which you’d never return. But the execution here makes the game captivating. Visually – and especially on the iPad’s larger display – each scene is like a slice of modern art. And the sound is great too, piano notes playing as you tap each piece and craft a personal ambient soundtrack.

If that still sounds slight, it is. But the game’s nature is such that it’s perfect to dip into for a relaxing session. And should you want more, one-off IAP payments let you remove the ads, unlock a speed-oriented Pro mode, and explore additional pattern packs.

Best free iPad arcade games

Our favorite iPad arcade games, including brawlers and fighting games, auto-runners, party games, pinball, and retro classics.

Mr. Traffic

Mr. Traffic finds a conductor directing vehicles at a terrifyingly dangerous crossroads – and presumably wishing someone would install traffic lights. Your job is to avoid the inevitable pile-up for as long as possible, by tapping cars when it’s safe for them to go – or when they need to brake.

Long-time iPad gamers might grumble this is nothing new. But Mr. Traffic adds character and flair rarely seen in this kind of game, from its gorgeous cartoon visuals to random incidents where you’ll see UFOs blaze across the screen or ghosts being pursued by a famous station wagon.

On iPad, it’s particularly good, with the squarish display affording you more warning regarding vehicles appearing from the side, and the larger screen area helping with accuracy when you’re dealing with a dozen impatient virtual drivers.

Super Fowlst 2

Super Fowlst 2 is the third entry in a series of free iPad games (following Fowlst and Super Fowlst ) that finds a heroic chicken saving the world from a demon invasion. You tap the sides of the screen to flap your principled poultry, whereupon they arc upwards until gravity makes itself known. Roaming enemies are defeated by bonking them on the head.

The game’s speed, odd control method, and level design - peppering the landscape with explosive crates full of bees, spike-filled corridors, and literal pinball table components - make for frenetic and chaotic play. Visually, the game’s a treat as well, with delicate pixel art and plenty of character.

There’s longevity, too, in being able to upgrade your chicken (so it can poop bombs and gain a downwards-smash move), and procedurally generated levels that ensure you never quite get the same game twice.

Astalo finds your tiny fighter atop a square hunk of land with sheer drops at every edge. It’s also packed full of monsters determined to tear you limb from limb. If you don’t want to die horribly, you might need to get a bit stabby…

To attack, you drag a finger in the direction you want your fighter to head, and let go to watch them scythe through skeletons and other foes. The pace is frenetic - not least in endless mode, which resembles arcade classic Robotron in its relentless, claustrophobic nature.

Similarly, Astalo typically leaves you staring at a game over screen in short order. But story and endless modes alike provide plenty of replay value, and the game works especially well on iPad due to your finger not covering up half the screen while you swipe for your very survival.

Fancade is a game construction kit that puts its money where its mouth is, since all of the mini-games within were made using the app itself.

This is quite an achievement, given what you get. There are over 50 game styles, which echo fare found elsewhere on iPad, such as auto-runners, puzzlers, racing games, and an architectural path-finding title that resembles the creator’s own Mekorama .

If you so desire, you can use Fancade to create your own miniature masterpieces, either starting from scratch or by using one of the built-in kits. A gallery lets you delve into what others have made as well.

Even if you never make your own games, Fancade is a must-have, offering countless levels of bite-sized gaming bliss. And taken as a whole, it’s one of the most impressive and ambitious freebies the App Store is ever likely to see.

Oddman is a high-intensity brawler, set in a world of strange bouncy protagonists, floating islands, and instant death. Like a deranged take on sumo, you fling your character at your opponents, trying to knock them to their doom.

Although you’re hardly equipped with a wide range of moves – nor any real semblance of subtlety – Oddman attempts to add variety to your life. Over time, you encounter new types of foe – including massive bosses – and different environments that shake up how you approach bouts. It’s immediate and very silly – although mastery takes a while, and you’re never more than an errant swipe from disaster.

Neatly, this free iPad game moves beyond solo play, too. You can pit your swiping digit against a friend, on same-device two-player brawls that make good use of the iPad display’s relative acres.

The King of Fighters ALLSTAR

Free iPad game The King of Fighters ALLSTAR comes across like a restless take on Double Dragon or Final Fight. This means you mostly duff up all manner of bad guys along side-scrolling streets, prior to laying into a big bad.

Like other King of Fighters titles, you have a team, so you can tag in others from your trio during battles. The game includes arena-style modes as well, unlocked when you’ve worked through enough of the story.

On iPhone, this game’s button-mashing is fiddly, but it works well on the iPad’s larger display, which also lets the lovely visuals shine. Newbies are catered for with ‘auto’ movement, but veterans can opt for ‘manual’, which echoes console fighting games, and provides far more nuance than the comparatively canned fare found in the Marvel and Transformers mobile brawlers.

Snake Rivals

Snake Rivals comes across like classic mobile title Snake got smashed into Fortnite . Dozens of reptiles are dumped into an arena, and the last snake standing – er, slithering – wins.

There are three modes to pit your tubular terror against: Classic allows endless respawns so you can learn the ropes and build tactics; Gold Rush is all about obliterating other snakes to turn them into gold to grab; and Battle Royale has you take out the opposition while the arena gradually shrinks to a tiny island surrounded by lava.

Although a simple arcade game, Snake Rivals works particularly well with an iPad flat on a table, giving you the space to spot rivals, without your fingers obscuring the display. Its freemium aspects aren’t too venomous either – largely being limited to optional snake customization.

Knight Brawl

Knight Brawl is to 2D fighters what Anchorman is to journalism. That is, Knight Brawl is absurd, silly, and entertaining, but it’s very knowingly not trying to be realistic – and it’s all the better for it.

Side-on battles have knights attempt to relieve opponents of their armor before delivering the final blow. Only the controls and physics – like in Colin Lane’s other games – make for an anarchic experience where characters bounce around like they’re on trampolines.

If that was all you got, this would have been fun – a medieval take on Rowdy Wrestling , with pointy weapons. But along with multiple battle modes, there are also missions where you raid castles and steal bling. This isn’t just a throwaway gag, then, but a game for the long-term – a serious slice of iPad comedy. 

Williams Pinball

Williams Pinball brings a selection of classic pinball tables to your iPad, and then adds animated remastering – at least, if you’re prepared to work for it.

Initially, you just get to unlock one table for unlimited play. (Pick a good one – Attack from Mars, The Getaway, or Medieval Madness – because you’ll be playing it a lot.) Through daily challenges, you’ll then slowly acquire the parts to gradually unlock other tables – unless you fancy splashing out on IAP to buy them outright.

This probably sounds a bit awful, but the truth is you’re ‘grinding’ by playing pinball. Also, the challenges often give you unlimited balls, so you can learn the tables. Stay the course, and eventually you can boost these already top-notch recreations with tough pro-level physics and animated components.

Fly THIS! echoes early App Store hit Flight Control, having you draw paths for planes to follow. But whereas the older title was an endless test that relentlessly ramped up the panic, this newer game feels more strategic and bite-sized.

The planes are fewer in number, but the maps are more claustrophobic. Also, you’re not just making planes land – instead, you ferry passengers between airports. Further complications come in the form of weather, and massive mountains you really don’t want to fly planes into.

Because each level has a set points target, Fly THIS! is great for playing in short bursts as well. In all, it’s a smart reimagining of a long-lost iPad favorite, which in many ways is more appealing than the game that presumably inspired it.

Beat Street

Beat Street is a love letter to classic scrolling brawlers, where a single, determined hero pummels gangs of evil-doers and saves the day. In Beat Street, giant vermin are terrorizing Toko City, and will only stop when you’ve repeatedly punched them in the face.

On iPhone, Beat Street is a surprisingly successful one-thumb effort, but on iPad you’re better off playing in landscape. With your left thumb, you can dance about, and then use your right to hammer the screen (and the opposition).

The iPad’s large display shows off the great pixel art, but the fighty gameplay’s the real star – from you taking on far too many opponents at once to gleefully beating one about the head with a baseball bat. It turns out they do make ’em like they used to after all.

Up the Wall

Up the Wall is an auto-runner with an edge. Or rather, lots of edges. Because instead of being played on a single plane, Up the Wall regularly has you abruptly turn 90-degree corners, some of which find you zooming up vertical walls.

The speed and snap twists make for a disorienting experience, but the game’s design is extremely smart where, most notably, each challenge is finite and predefined. Up the Wall isn’t about randomness and luck, but mastering layouts, and aiming for that perfect run.

It nails everything else, too. The game sounds great, and has sharp, vibrant visuals, with imaginative environments. It’s not often you’re frantically directing a burger in an abstract fever dream of milkshakes and ketchup bottles, nor a skull in a world of flames, lava, and guitars.

Silly Walks

Silly Walks is a one-thumb arcade game, featuring wobbling foodstuffs braving the hell of nightmarish kitchens (and, later, gardens and gyms), in order to free fruity chums who’ve been cruelly caged.

The hero of the hour – initially a pineapple cocktail – rotates on one foot. Tapping the screen plants a foot, causing him to rotate on the other foot and changing the direction of rotation. Charitably, this could be called a step, and with practice, it’s possible to put together a reasonable dodder.

And you’ll need to. Although early levels only require you to not fall off of tables, pretty soon you’re dealing with meat pulverizers, hero-slicing knives, and psychotic kitchenware in hot pursuit.

It’s admittedly all a little one-level – Silly Walks reveals almost all in its initial levels – but smart design, superb visuals, and a unique control method make it well worth a download.

• Keep your iPad secure with one of these best free VPN apps

Current page: Best new game and the best free iPad arcade games

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• Entertainment

Facebook brings cloud gaming to Apple devices with a web app

But will people know how to find it.

By Alex Heath , a deputy editor and author of the Command Line newsletter. He’s covered the tech industry for over a decade at The Information and other outlets.

Share this story

Starting Friday, Facebook is bringing its nascent cloud gaming service to iPhones and iPads through a web app people will be able to add to their homescreens like a native app. The site will let you play simple web games like Solitaire and match-threes and stream more graphically intensive titles like racing games.

But thanks to Apple’s rules, it’s unclear how people will find it, since third-party developers like Facebook are barred from steering their app users to websites featuring purchasing mechanisms that aren’t Apple’s own. It’s a huge point of friction with not just Facebook, but other gaming companies like Epic that have strongly protested Apple’s grip on iOS payments. Facebook’s library of web games, which include HTML5-based ones alongside more advanced titles that stream directly from the cloud, use the social network’s custom payments system called Facebook Pay to accept in-game purchases.

Facebook’s decision to bring its game platform to iOS via the web mimics the approach of Amazon and Microsoft , which have also released Progressive Web Apps, or PWAs, for their respective cloud gaming services to get around the App Store. Last year, Facebook complained loudly when Apple blocked its attempt to put games in a standalone app for iOS and said it would look into alternatives. Shortly after that, Apple changed its rules to allow for cloud-based games as long as they were submitted individually as apps to the App Store for review — a policy that Microsoft and others said didn’t address their desire to release their own gaming storefronts on iOS.

“We’ve come to the same conclusion as others: web apps are the only option for streaming cloud games on iOS at the moment,” Facebook’s vice president of gaming, Vivek Sharma, told The Verge in a statement. “As many have pointed out, Apple’s policy to ‘allow’ cloud games on the App Store doesn’t allow for much at all. Apple’s requirement for each cloud game to have its own page, go through review, and appear in search listings defeats the purpose of cloud gaming. These roadblocks mean players are prevented from discovering new games, playing cross-device, and accessing high-quality games instantly in native iOS apps — even for those who aren’t using the latest and most expensive devices.”

“Apple’s policy to ‘allow’ cloud games on the App Store doesn’t allow for much at all”

Facebook isn’t a major player in gaming yet, as it has mostly focused on courting streamers to broadcast their gameplay for fans to watch. But last year it acquired a cloud gaming startup and released a handful of free-to-play titles like Asphalt 9 . It has since made its service available in more regions, added other titles like Assassin’s Creed: Rebellion , and said 1.5 million people play its cloud games per month.

While Facebook ultimately found a solution for getting its cloud games on iOS, there are still big limitations imposed by Apple’s Safari browser on web games. Sound is turned off by default, games can’t send push notifications, and graphics aren’t as powerful as they can be in native apps. And then there’s the problem of discovery.

A Facebook spokesperson declined to comment on its growth plans for the gaming website, but Apple’s rules say that developers can’t send users from a native app to a website with payments technology other than its own. Developers of the games Facebook features could do their own marketing, but those efforts would pale in comparison to the traffic that the main Facebook app could send.

Facebook’s cloud games are currently available in the US and parts of Canada and Mexico, while HTML games are accessible elsewhere as cloud games are slowly brought to more regions.

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Gaming on iPad: everything you need to know about the services available

Here's everything you can do to take gaming on your iPad to the next level

The ability to game on an iPad has exploded in recent years, thanks to the advancements in cloud gaming and streaming technology. We have plenty of services available now, which can allow you to play through whole Xbox and PlayStation catalogues directly from your iOS device. With so much support, then, it's easy to see why the iPad is starting to take form as one of the best gaming tablets on the market - but where do you start? 

If you're looking to get more out of gaming on iPad, there are four services you need to know about; Xbox Cloud Gaming, PlayStation Remote Play, Apple Arcade, and Google Stadia. By cherry-picking among these platforms, you can play the latest and greatest titles all from your iPad - with everything from heavy-hitting AAA releases to the smallest of indie games up for grabs. 

Gone are the days when you needed to splash out on the best gaming laptop or the best gaming PC to keep up with the latest releases. Gaming on iPad is picking up steam, so we're showing you how to get started with each of these services below. You'll find out to set each one up, what you'll need for the best experience, and how to save cash on the subscriptions and gadgets that are required. 

Of course, you'll also be able to take advantage of these services with the best gaming phones as well. 

Xbox Cloud Gaming on iPad

Xbox Cloud Gaming is a new service from Microsoft that allows you to access the full Game Pass catalogue from any device. That means you'll be able to stream your collection directly to your iPad and, provided your WiFi is up to the job, the results are pretty seamless. You'll need a few things to make use of this service; an Xbox Game Pass subscription , an iPad with a solid amount of graphical power behind it (iPad Mini, iPad Air, or iPad Pro), an Xbox controller , and the Xbox Cloud Gaming website. 

Unlike Android devices, there's no dedicated Game Pass app that will load you straight into the service when gaming on your iPad. However, you can save the website to your home screen and load in through Safari for the same results. 

Once you're all set up you'll have access to over 300 games (including day one releases of Microsoft's biggest titles) right on your iPad - and the best part is they won't take up any of that precious storage space. 

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What you'll need:

• Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription 
• iPad Mini 6, iPad Air 4, or iPad Pro (for the best experience) 
• Xbox Wireless Controller
• At least 10Mbps internet connection - recommended 20Mbps

PS5 / PS4 remote play on iPad

You'll need your PS4 or PS5 console nearby, but if you've been beaten to the TV you can play your games on iPad. Again, you'll need a sturdy enough internet connection (and we'd recommend hardwiring your console in), but you'll have full access to your console streamed through your iPad display once you're all set up. 

First, you'll need to switch Remote Play on from the Settings menu on your console. After that, you'll need to link your device to your PlayStation. After clicking the "enable remote play" button in settings, head to "link device" and you'll receive an 8-digit code that needs to be entered into the PS Remote Play app on your iPad. After that, you're all set up, though for future sessions you may need to sign in to your PlayStation Network account to connect to your console again. 

You can connect your DualSense controller to your tablet by holding the PS and Share buttons at the same time until they flash and then pairing in the iPad's Bluetooth settings menu. 

• PS5 or PS4 console
• PS Remote Play app
• DualSense controller
• At least 5Mbps internet connection - recommended 15Mbps

Apple Arcade on iPad

Apple's own iPad gaming service doesn't feature as many blockbuster titles, but if you're looking to sample some smaller mobile games without ads or payment locks there's nothing comparable on the market. Apple Arcade functions as a subscription service to free apps, which means you'll be downloading your games as usual - but from a dedicated section of the App Store. 

Not all Apple Arcade games are compatible with a controller, but there are plenty of experiences that take input from a range of gamepads. You're not tied to a particular brand's thumbsticks here, either, as the iPad is compatible with the majority of Bluetooth controllers on the market. 

• Apple Arcade subscription 
• Bluetooth controller (optional)

Google Stadia on iPad

Google Stadia hasn't had a brilliant time since its release. The game streaming service promised a lot in its early days and hasn't quite lived up to those promises for many since. However, it's surprisingly nimble when paired with a high-quality iPad and a solid WiFi connection - and there are plenty of titles to enjoy as well. Cyberpunk 2077, Destiny 2, FIFA 22, and Red Dead Redemption 2 are all fully playable on iPad with Google's service. 

You'll be accessing Google Stadia through a webpage shortcut, which will then stream all your favorite games in Safari. Confusingly, there is a Stadia app on the App Store, but this is only used for managing your library and connecting controllers. Even more confusing is the Google Stadia structure. 

Put simply, Google Stadia itself is simply a storefront like Epic or Steam - you'll still need to buy your games individually. However, you can also sign up to Stadia Pro for a few free games each month. It's not the most cost-effective way to play video games on your iPad, but if you don't have a PlayStation and don't want to pay the recurring Xbox Game Pass price, it's the last option out there.

You can use your Xbox One or PS4 controller, paired through the Bluetooth section of the iPad. Or, you can connect through WiFi using the official Stadia controller.

• Google Stadia account
• PS4 / Xbox One controller (for Bluetooth pairing) 
• Google Stadia controller (for WiFi pairing) 
• At least 10Mbps internet connection

If you're set on picking up an iPad for your everyday gaming, we'd recommend checking out the latest iPad Pro deals , iPad Air deals , and cheap iPad Mini prices for more savings on your small-screen setup. 

Managing Editor of Hardware at GamesRadar+, I originally landed in hardware at our sister site TechRadar before moving over to GamesRadar. In between, I've written for Tom’s Guide, Wireframe, The Indie Game Website and That Video Game Blog, covering everything from the PS5 launch to the Apple Pencil. Now, i'm focused on Nintendo Switch, gaming laptops (and the keyboards and mice that come with them), and tracking everything that suggests VR is about to take over our lives.

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9 best iPad games to play on your Apple tablet

• iPad gaming evolved from forgettable distractions to powerful portable gaming computers.
• The best iPad games optimize the hardware, focus on storytelling, and offer unique experiences.
• With a curated list of iPad games, you can avoid sifting through mediocre titles and enjoy top-quality gaming.

Before the iPhone introduced us to the App Store , mobile games were forgettable little distractions that you only resorted to playing if you had no other options. Fast forward to the release of the iPad, and suddenly we had a device that could run all the best mobile games on a bigger screen with better controls. Considering how far mobile games have come, and how powerful the newest iPads can be, you essentially have a portable gaming computer in your bag.

Best iPad: Expert reviewed and ranked

The only downside to gaming on the iPad is also its greatest strength: the number of games. Opening the App Store will overwhelm you with games claiming to be the best, but they can't all be worth your time and money. In fact, most of them aren't even worth considering. While you could spend hours, days, or even weeks sifting through the game section to find the greatest titles, why not let us curate a nice, tidy list of the best iPad games for you?

Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2022)

It's always 20/20.

The best iPad games are those that leverage the actual hardware of your device, rather than attempting to cram a game made for a console into it. Hindsight is a perfect fit for your tablet, as it is heavily focused on narrative and relies on intuitive touch controls for gameplay.

The story centers on a woman named Mary, who is attempting to reconcile her feelings after an abusive parent passes away. You delve into her memories to try and untangle the complex relationship they shared, providing some closure so she can move forward with her life in a positive manner.

5 reasons why you should get an iPad and not a Fire tablet

Night in the woods, a cozy existential crisis, night in the woods.

If you've ever returned to your hometown after years away only to find it a mere shadow of its former self, Night in the Woods will stir up all those familiar emotions. This game is another adventure title with some light platforming, primarily focused on developing an entire town's worth of characters. Oh, and this town just happens to be populated by anthropomorphic animals. Just go with it.

After dropping out of college, Mae comes back home only to discover it's vastly different from how she remembered. She reunites with old friends, connects with the townspeople, and catches hints of something sinister lurking in the shadows. While there's a bit of mystery, Night in the Woods is more about the journey than the destination.

9 offline iPad and iPhone games to play when there's no Wi-Fi

Where will it take you.

Speaking of games that are all about the journey, I must highly recommend Journey. This highly artistic work is open to a wide range of interpretations. You could take it at face value or draw any number of parallels or metaphors from it. There are no spoken words or explicit directions given, yet you will always know what to do.

Aside from the visuals, score, and emotional highs this game reaches, it was also praised for its unique multiplayer feature. At any point while playing, as long as you're online, you may encounter another robed figure. This isn't an NPC but a randomly selected player who will accompany you for a short while. Only when the game is over can you see who, and how many, people helped you along the way.

Apple iPad (10th-gen) vs iPad (9th-gen): Should you upgrade?

You only have a minute.

If you don't have a substantial amount of time to dedicate to playing a game on your iPad but still want something quick to pick up and play, Minit is designed for brief bursts of gameplay. It features a delightfully retro aesthetic and gameplay that echoes classic Zelda games, but with one major twist: your character is cursed to die after just 60 seconds.

This time pressure forces you to be efficient with your actions in each life before restarting at your checkpoint. It's cute, charming, humorous, and compact in a way that makes progression feel earned and rewarding. No pixel feels wasted here.

All the latest iPad features to try in iPadOS 17

Genshin impact.

Genshin Impact made a major splash when it launched in 2020 and has managed to sustain its incredible momentum since then. This stylish and massive RPG is built on its vast world, an endless number of quests and activities, and, most of all, its characters. If you have even a slight interest in collecting or anime characters in general, you'll be in heaven here.

While Genshin Impact is entirely free to play, there is an option to spend real money if you want to expedite progress. However, given the breadth and amount of content available, you might as well just play the game naturally and earn enough currency along the way.

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Something seems sus.

I'm calling an emergency meeting if you don't have Among Us installed on your iPad at all times. It's a game with a simple concept, yet it feels fresh and exciting every time you play. This event is as much social as it is a game where what you do and say in real life matters almost more.

If you somehow missed the Among Us craze when it started, you play as a team of crewmates in a contained facility, with a series of tasks to complete. The twist is that some of you are impostors, attempting to eliminate the others when no one else is watching. If a body is discovered, a meeting can be called to vote out whoever the majority suspects is the traitor. This leads to plenty of social deduction, misdirection, betrayals, and fun.

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Civilization vi, the world in the palm of your hand.

What could be better than building an entire civilization from scratch and conquering the world from the comfort of your iPad? I personally have already lost days of my life to this game on a PC alone, but being able to take it with me has made me addicted all over again.

The store page lists Civilization VI as free, but it isn't in the same way other free games are. You only get the first 60 turns before you need to pay, but it's more than worth it. You can also add plenty of expansions on top, plus it features full cross-platform support and cloud saves, so you can manage your empire on the go when you're away from your PC.

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Hearthstone, pick a card.

Card games are just such a natural fit for an iPad that I had to go with one of the best. Hearthstone stands out for being a simple game to understand and start playing, yet it's deep enough that you can fine-tune your deck for the most intense matches. The Blizzard coat of paint also doesn't hurt.

The simplicity of the systems is what makes this work so well on your iPad. You don't have to worry about mana or a multitude of cards with dozens of effects that you need to read or play at the right time. Matches tend to fall right into that ten to fifteen-minute sweet spot as well.

Best iPad wallpapers: 50 background ideas for your Apple tablet

Call of duty mobile, no scope on the go.

Trust me, I didn't think Call of Duty could work on an iPad until I tried it for myself. Yes, pairing a controller is the best way to play, but the touch controls on the bigger screen actually hold up well. If you haven't given it a try, you'll be shocked at how high-quality this mobile version is.

You have all the classic modes, dozens of maps, unlocks, perks, and all the Call of Duty goodness you expect from a full release. In fact, Mobile may even be better than its console counterparts now, considering it's totally free.

Blazing fast. Incredibly private.

Safari is the best way to experience the internet on all your Apple devices. It brings robust customization options, powerful privacy protections, and optimizes battery life — so you can browse how you like, when you like. And when it comes to speed, it’s the world’s fastest browser. 1

Performance

More with the battery. less with the loading..

With a blazing-fast JavaScript engine, Safari is the world’s fastest browser. 1 It’s developed to run specifically on Apple devices, so it’s geared to make the most out of your battery life and deliver long-lasting power.

Increased performance

We’re always working to make the fastest desktop browser on the planet even faster.

Improved power efficiency

Safari lets you do more online on a single charge.

Up to 4 hours more streaming videos compared with Chrome 3

Up to 17 hours of video streaming 3

Best-in-class browsing

Safari outperforms both Mac and PC browsers in benchmark after benchmark on the same Mac. 4

• JetStream /
• MotionMark /
• Speedometer /

JavaScript performance on advanced web applications. 4

Safari vs. other Mac browsers

Safari on macOS

Chrome on macOS

Edge on macOS

Firefox on macOS

Safari vs. Windows 11 browsers

Chrome on Windows 11

Edge on Windows 11

Firefox on Windows 11

Rendering performance of animated content. 4

Web application responsiveness. 4

4K video streaming

See your favorite shows and films in their best light. Safari supports in-browser 4K HDR video playback for YouTube, Netflix, and Apple TV+. 5 And it runs efficiently for longer-lasting battery life.

Privacy is built in.

Online privacy isn’t just something you should hope for — it’s something you should expect. That’s why Safari comes with industry-leading privacy protection technology built in, including Intelligent Tracking Prevention that identifies trackers and helps prevent them from profiling or following you across the web. Upgrading to iCloud+ gives you even more privacy protections, including the ability to sign up for websites and services without having to share your personal email address.

Intelligent Tracking Prevention

Safari stops trackers in their tracks.

What you browse is no one’s business but your own. Safari has built‑in protections to help stop websites and data-collection companies from watching and profiling you based on your browsing activity. Intelligent Tracking Prevention uses on‑device intelligence to help prevent cross‑site tracking and stops known trackers from using your IP address — making it incredibly difficult to learn who you are and what you’re interested in.

Privacy Report

Safari makes it simple to see how your privacy is protected on all the websites you visit. Click Privacy Report in the Safari menu for a snapshot of cross-site trackers currently prevented from profiling you on the website you’re visiting. Or view a weekly Privacy Report to see how Safari protects you as you browse over time.

Customization

Putting the you in url..

Safari is more customizable than ever. Organize your tabs into Tab Groups so it’s easy to go from one interest to the next. Set a custom background image and fine-tune your browser window with your favorite features — like Reading List, Favorites, iCloud Tabs, and Siri Suggestions. And third-party extensions for iPhone, iPad, and Mac let you do even more with Safari, so you can browse the way you want across all your devices.

Safari Profiles allow you to separate your history, extensions, Tab Groups, favorites, cookies, and more. Quickly switch between profiles for topics you create, like Personal and Work.

Web apps let you save your favorite websites to the Dock on Mac and to the Home Screen on iPhone and iPad. A simplified toolbar and separate settings give you an app-like experience.

Safari Extensions add functionality to your browser to help you explore the web the way you want. Find and add your favorite extensions in the dedicated Safari category on the App Store.

Save and organize your tabs in the way that works best for you. Name your Tab Groups, edit them, and switch among them across devices. You can also share Tab Groups — making planning your next family trip or group project easier and more collaborative.

Smart Tools

Designed to help your work flow..

Built-in tools create a browsing experience that’s far more immersive, intuitive, and immediate. Get detailed information about a subject in a photo with just a click, select text within any image, instantly translate an entire web page, and quickly take notes wherever you are on a site — without having to switch apps.

Notes is your go-to app to capture any thought. And with the Quick Note feature, you can instantly jot down ideas as you browse websites without having to leave Safari.

Translation

Translate entire web pages with a single click. You can also get translations for text in images and paused video without leaving Safari.

Interact with text in any image or paused video on the web using functions like copy and paste, translate, and lookup. 6

Visual Look Up

Quickly learn more about landmarks, works of art, breeds of dogs, and more with only a photo or an image you find online. And easily lift the subject of an image from Safari, remove its background, and paste it into Messages, Notes, or other apps.

Surf safe and sound.

Strong security protections in Safari help keep you safe. Passkeys introduce a safer way to sign in. iCloud Keychain securely stores and autofills passkeys and passwords across all your devices. Safari also notifies you when it encounters suspicious websites and prevents them from loading. Because it loads each web page in a separate process, any harmful code is always confined to a single browser tab so it won’t crash the entire application or access your data. And Safari automatically upgrades sites from HTTP to the more secure HTTPS when available.

Passkeys introduce a more secure and easier way to sign in. No passwords required.

Passkeys are end-to-end encrypted and safe from phishing and data leaks, and they are stronger than all common two-factor authentication types. Thanks to iCloud Keychain, they work across all your Apple devices, and they even work on non-Apple devices.

Learn more about passkeys

Apple Pay and Wallet make checkout as easy as lifting a finger.

Apple Pay is the easiest and most secure way to shop on Safari — allowing you to complete transactions with Face ID or Touch ID on your iPhone or iPad, with Touch ID on your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, or by double-clicking the side button on your Apple Watch.

Learn more about Apple Pay

With AutoFill, you can easily fill in your previously saved credit card information from the Wallet app during checkout. Your credit card details are never shared, and your transactions are protected with industry-leading security.

Same Safari. Different device.

Safari works seamlessly and syncs your passwords, bookmarks, history, tabs, and more across Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch. And when your Mac, iOS, or iPadOS devices are near each other, they can automatically pass what you’re doing in Safari from one device to another using Handoff. You can even copy images, video, or text from Safari on your iPhone or iPad, then paste into another app on your nearby Mac — or vice versa.

When you use Safari on multiple devices, your tabs carry over from one Apple device to another. So you can search, shop, work, or browse on your iPhone, then switch to your iPad or Mac and pick up right where you left off.

Save web pages you want to read later by adding them to your Reading List. Then view them on any of your iCloud-connected devices — even if you’re not connected to the internet.

iCloud Keychain securely stores your user names, passkeys, passwords, and credit card numbers and keeps them up to date on your trusted devices. So you can easily sign in to your favorite websites — as well as apps on iOS and iPadOS — and quickly make online purchases.

Designed for developers.

Deep WebKit integration between Mac hardware and macOS allows Safari to deliver the fastest performance and the longest battery life of any browser on the platform, while supporting modern web standards for rich experiences in the browser. WebKit in macOS Sonoma includes optimizations that enable even richer browsing experiences, and give developers more control over styling and layout — allowing for more engaging content.

Make Safari your default browser

Customize your start page, view your browsing privacy report, monitor your saved passwords, use apple pay in safari, view your tabs across all your devices, read the safari user guide, get safari support.

iPad User Guide

• iPad models compatible with iPadOS 17
• iPad mini (5th generation)
• iPad mini (6th generation)
• iPad (6th generation)
• iPad (7th generation)
• iPad (8th generation)
• iPad (9th generation)
• iPad (10th generation)
• iPad Air (3rd generation)
• iPad Air (4th generation)
• iPad Air (5th generation)
• iPad Pro 10.5-inch
• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation)
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation)
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation)
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation)
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation)
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation)
• Setup basics
• Make your iPad your own
• Keep in touch with friends and family
• Customize your workspace
• Do more with Apple Pencil
• Customize iPad for your child
• What’s new in iPadOS 17
• Turn on and set up iPad
• Wake and unlock
• Set up cellular service
• Connect to the internet
• Sign in with Apple ID
• Subscribe to iCloud+
• Find settings
• Set up mail, contacts, and calendar accounts
• Learn the meaning of the status icons
• Charge the battery
• Show the battery percentage
• Check battery usage
• Use Low Power Mode to save battery life
• Read and bookmark the user guide
• Learn basic gestures
• Learn advanced gestures
• Adjust the volume
• Find your apps in App Library
• Switch between apps
• Zoom an app to fill the screen
• Quit and reopen an app
• Drag and drop
• Open two items in Split View
• Switch an app window to Slide Over
• View an app’s windows and workspaces
• Multitask with Picture in Picture
• Move, resize, and organize windows
• Access features from the Lock Screen
• Perform quick actions
• Search on iPad
• Get information about your iPad
• View or change cellular data settings
• Travel with iPad
• Change or turn off sounds
• Create a custom Lock Screen
• Change the wallpaper
• Adjust the screen brightness and color balance
• Customize the text size and zoom setting
• Change the name of your iPad
• Change the date and time
• Change the language and region
• Organize your apps in folders
• Add, edit, and remove widgets
• Move apps and widgets on the Home Screen
• Remove apps
• Use and customize Control Center
• Change or lock the screen orientation
• View and respond to notifications
• Change notification settings
• Set up a focus
• Allow or silence notifications for a Focus
• Turn a Focus on or off
• Customize sharing options
• Type with the onscreen keyboard
• Dictate text
• Move the onscreen keyboard
• Select and edit text
• Use predictive text
• Use text replacements
• Add or change keyboards
• Add emoji and stickers
• Take a screenshot
• Take a screen recording
• Write and draw in documents
• Add text, shapes, signatures, and more
• Fill out forms and sign documents
• Use Live Text to interact with content in a photo or video
• Use Visual Look Up to identify objects in your photos and videos
• Lift a subject from the photo background
• Subscribe to Apple Arcade
• Play with friends in Game Center
• Connect a game controller
• Use App Clips
• Update apps
• View or cancel subscriptions
• Manage purchases, settings, and restrictions
• Install and manage fonts
• Buy books and audiobooks
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• Change how you view events
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• Take photos
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• Take videos
• Change advanced camera settings
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• View, share, and print photos
• Use Live Text
• Scan a QR code
• See the world clock
• Set an alarm
• Use the stopwatch
• Use multiple timers
• Add and use contact information
• Edit contacts
• Add your contact info
• Send Contacts on iPad
• Use other contact accounts
• Hide duplicate contacts
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• Get started with FaceTime
• Make FaceTime calls
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• Create a FaceTime link
• Take a Live Photo
• Turn on Live Captions
• Use other apps during a call
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• View participants in a grid
• Use SharePlay to watch, listen, and play together
• Share your screen in a FaceTime call
• Collaborate on a document in a FaceTime call
• Use video conferencing features
• Hand off a FaceTime call to another Apple device
• Change the FaceTime video settings
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• Change your appearance
• Leave a call or switch to Messages
• Block unwanted callers
• Report a call as spam
• Connect external devices or servers
• Modify files, folders, and downloads
• Search for files and folders
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• Set up iCloud Drive
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• Share your location
• Add or remove a friend
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• Add your iPad
• Get notified if you leave a device behind
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• Add an AirTag
• Share an AirTag or other item in Find My on iPad
• Add a third-party item
• Get notified if you leave an item behind
• Locate an item
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• Remove an item
• Adjust map settings
• Get started with Freeform
• Create a Freeform board
• Draw or handwrite
• Apply consistent styles
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• Search Freeform boards
• Share and collaborate
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• Get started with Health
• Fill out your Health Details
• Intro to Health data
• View your health data
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• Download health records
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• Log menstrual cycle information
• View menstrual cycle predictions and history
• Track your medications
• Learn more about your medications
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• Take a mental health assessment
• Customize your Sleep Focus
• Turn Sleep Focus on or off
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• Check your headphone audio levels
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• Intro to Home
• Upgrade to the new Home architecture
• Set up accessories
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• Create and use scenes
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• Configure a router
• Invite others to control accessories
• Add more homes
• Get music, movies, and TV shows
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• Magnify nearby objects
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• Detect people around you
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• Set up shortcuts for Detection Mode
• Add and remove email accounts
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• Check your email
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• Reply to and forward emails
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• Use Hide My Email
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• Print emails
• Use keyboard shortcuts
• Get travel directions
• Select other route options
• Find stops along your route
• View a route overview or a list of turns
• Change settings for spoken directions
• Get driving directions
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• Get traffic and weather info
• Predict travel time and ETA
• Download offline maps
• Search for places
• Find nearby attractions, restaurants, and services
• Get information about places
• Mark places
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• Explore new places with Guides
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• Look around places
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• Find your Maps settings
• Measure dimensions
• View and save measurements
• Measure a person’s height
• Set up Messages
• About iMessage
• Send and reply to messages
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• Keep track of messages
• Forward and share messages
• Group conversations
• Watch, listen, or play together using SharePlay
• Collaborate on projects
• Use iMessage apps
• Take and edit photos or videos
• Share photos, links, and more
• Send stickers
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• Send and receive audio messages
• Animate messages
• Change notifications
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• View albums, playlists, and more
• Show song credits and lyrics
• Queue up your music
• Listen to broadcast radio
• Subscribe to Apple Music
• Listen to lossless music
• Listen to Dolby Atmos music
• Apple Music Sing
• Find new music
• Add music and listen offline
• Get personalized recommendations
• Listen to radio
• Search for music
• Create playlists
• See what your friends are listening to
• Use Siri to play music
• Change the way music sounds
• Get started with News
• Use News widgets
• See news stories chosen just for you
• Read stories
• Follow your favorite teams with My Sports
• Subscribe to Apple News+
• Browse and read Apple News+ stories and issues
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• Solve crossword puzzles
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• Get started with Notes
• Add or remove accounts
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• Add photos, videos, and more
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• Delete, share, or copy a photo
• View and edit Photo Booth photos in the Photos app
• View photos and videos
• Play videos and slideshows
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• Edit photos and videos
• Trim video length and adjust slow motion
• Edit Live Photos
• Edit Cinematic videos
• Edit portraits
• Use photo albums
• Edit, share, and organize albums
• Filter and sort photos and videos in albums
• Make stickers from your photos
• Duplicate and copy photos and videos
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• Search for photos
• Identify people and pets
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• Share photos and videos
• Share long videos
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• Watch memories
• Personalize your memories
• Manage memories and featured photos
• Use iCloud Photos
• Create shared albums
• Add and remove people in a shared album
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• Use iCloud Shared Photo Library
• Import and export photos and videos
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• Find podcasts
• Listen to podcasts
• Follow your favorite podcasts
• Use the Podcasts widget
• Organize your podcast library
• Download, save, and share podcasts
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• Listen to subscriber-only content
• Change download settings
• Make a grocery list
• Add items to a list
• Edit and manage a list
• Search and organize lists
• Work with templates
• Use Smart Lists
• Print reminders
• Use the Reminders widget
• Change Reminders settings
• Browse the web
• Search for websites
• Customize your Safari settings
• Change the layout
• Use Safari profiles
• Open and close tabs
• Organize your tabs with Tab Groups
• View your tabs from another device
• Share Tab Groups
• Use Siri to listen to a webpage
• Bookmark a website
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• Save pages to a Reading List
• Find links shared with you
• Annotate and save a webpage as a PDF
• Automatically fill in forms
• Get extensions
• Hide ads and distractions
• Clear your cache
• Browse the web privately
• Use passkeys in Safari
• Check stocks
• Manage multiple watchlists
• Read business news
• Add earnings reports to your calendar
• Use a Stocks widget
• Translate text, voice, and conversations
• Translate text in apps
• Translate with the camera view
• Subscribe to Apple TV+, MLS Season Pass, or an Apple TV channel
• Add your TV provider
• Get shows, movies, and more
• Watch sports
• Watch Major League Soccer with MLS Season Pass
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• Control playback
• Manage your library
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• Duplicate a recording
• Check the weather
• Check the weather in other locations
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• Manage weather notifications
• Use Weather widgets
• Learn the weather icons
• Find out what Siri can do
• Tell Siri about yourself
• Have Siri announce calls and notifications
• Add Siri Shortcuts
• About Siri Suggestions
• Change Siri settings
• Set up Family Sharing
• Add Family Sharing members
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• Set up parental controls
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• Power adapter and charge cable
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• Enter text with Scribble
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• Wirelessly stream videos and photos to Apple TV or a smart TV
• Connect to a display with a cable
• HomePod and other wireless speakers
• iPad keyboards
• Switch between keyboards
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• External storage devices
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• Share your internet connection
• Make and receive phone calls
• Use iPad as a second display for Mac
• Use iPad as a webcam
• Use a keyboard and mouse or trackpad across your Mac and iPad
• Hand off tasks between devices
• Cut, copy, and paste between iPad and other devices
• Stream video or mirror the screen of your iPad
• Use AirDrop to send items
• Connect iPad and your computer with a cable
• Transfer files between devices
• Transfer files with email, messages, or AirDrop
• Transfer files or sync content with the Finder or iTunes
• Automatically keep files up to date with iCloud
• Use an external storage device, a file server, or a cloud storage service
• Get started with accessibility features
• Turn on accessibility features for setup
• Change Siri accessibility settings
• Open features with Accessibility Shortcut
• Enlarge text by hovering
• Change color and brightness
• Make text easier to read
• Reduce onscreen motion
• Customize per-app visual settings
• Hear what’s on the screen or typed
• Hear audio descriptions
• Turn on and practice VoiceOver
• Change your VoiceOver settings
• Use VoiceOver gestures
• Operate iPad when VoiceOver is on
• Control VoiceOver using the rotor
• Use the onscreen keyboard
• Write with your finger
• Use VoiceOver with an Apple external keyboard
• Use a braille display
• Type braille on the screen
• Customize gestures and keyboard shortcuts
• Use VoiceOver with a pointer device
• Use VoiceOver for images and videos
• Use VoiceOver in apps
• Use AssistiveTouch
• Use an eye-tracking device
• Adjust how iPad responds to your touch
• Auto-answer calls
• Change Face ID and attention settings
• Use Voice Control
• Adjust the top or Home button
• Use Apple TV Remote buttons
• Adjust pointer settings
• Adjust keyboard settings
• Adjust AirPods settings
• Adjust Apple Pencil settings
• Control a nearby Apple device
• Intro to Switch Control
• Set up and turn on Switch Control
• Select items, perform actions, and more
• Control several devices with one switch
• Use hearing devices
• Use Live Listen
• Use sound recognition
• Set up and use RTT
• Flash the LED for alerts
• Adjust audio settings
• Play background sounds
• Display subtitles and captions
• Show transcriptions for Intercom messages
• Get Live Captions (beta)
• Type to speak
• Record a Personal Voice
• Use Guided Access
• Use built-in privacy and security protections
• Set a passcode
• Set up Face ID
• Set up Touch ID
• Control access to information on the Lock Screen
• Keep your Apple ID secure
• Use passkeys to sign in to apps and websites
• Sign in with Apple
• Share passwords
• Automatically fill in strong passwords
• Change weak or compromised passwords
• View your passwords and related information
• Share passkeys and passwords securely with AirDrop
• Make your passkeys and passwords available on all your devices
• Automatically fill in verification codes
• Sign in with fewer CAPTCHA challenges
• Two-factor authentication
• Use security keys
• Control app tracking permissions
• Control the location information you share
• Control access to information in apps
• Control how Apple delivers advertising to you
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• Create and manage Hide My Email addresses
• Protect your web browsing with iCloud Private Relay
• Use a private network address
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Browse the web using Safari on iPad

View websites with Safari

You can easily navigate a webpage with a few taps.

Get back to the top: Double-tap the top edge of the screen to quickly return to the top of a long page.

See more of the page: Turn iPad to landscape orientation.

Refresh the page: Pull down from the top of the page.

View two pages side-by-side in Split View

Use Split View to open two Safari pages side-by side.

Open a link in Split View: Touch and hold the link, then tap Open in New Window.

Leave Split View: Drag the divider over the window you want to close.

Preview website links

Touch and hold a link in Safari to see a preview of the link without opening the page. To open the link, tap the preview, or tap Open.

To close the preview and stay on the current page, tap anywhere outside the preview.

Translate a webpage

When you view a webpage that’s in another language, you can use Safari to translate it (not available in all languages or regions).

Manage downloads

To download a file, touch and hold the file or link you want to download, then tap Download Linked File.

Tip: You can download files in the background while you continue to use Safari.

Add Safari back to your Home Screen

If you don’t see Safari on your Home Screen, you can find it in App Library and add it back.

On the Home Screen, swipe left until you see the App Library.

Enter “Safari” in the search field.

Best gaming emulators for iPhone and iPad 2024

Emulators, ROMs, and Apple, Oh my!

• Emulator risks and benefits

Happy Chick

Where to find ROMs

Best controllers for ipad and iphone.

Emulators are finally allowed on the App Store and that opens a whole world of possibilities for playing retro games on iPhone. The world of emulation can feel a little overwhelming at times, but this guide to the best gaming emulators for iPhone and iPad should give you a good idea of where to start.

With recent changes to Apple's App Store rules, new emulators are starting to appear daily, so keep an eye on this list to make sure you've got the best ones available. 

If you're in the EU, the ability to download emulators via third-party app stores like AltStore means you have more software options to choose from. But fret not, those of us outside the EU, have direct access to some of the best options out there at the moment and more emulators will follow.

Here are the best gaming emulators for iPhone and iPad in 2024.

Emulators and ROMs 101 Risks and benefits

An emulator is a device or program that imitates another computer or program. For example, a PSP emulator mimics the PSP and can play compatible PSP games on whatever device it is on. The second half of an emulator is the ROMs. A ROM is the downloadable version of the game necessary for playing said game. So, you can think of the emulator as a digital console while the ROM is a digital game.

Users often need to jailbreak their iOS device in order to run emulators and ROMs, which can open the device to some security risks. Only do so if you know what you are doing and are ok with the possible consequences. Emulators can be very helpful for game preservation and allow you to run apps you usually couldn't on the device that hosts them. However, they also tend to run slower than the device they're mimicking since they're reproducing a behavior rather than having been built for it.

Users need to be careful when downloading emulators and ROMs since it is possible for a virus or malware to pretend to be either one of these things. Only download from sources you've researched and trust. Additionally, while emulators are mostly legal, the ROMs or programs you download to use on said emulators are often illegal copies making you party to pirating. You should look into any ROM you plan on downloading along with regulations in your area before downloading anything. Because of this uncertain background, Apple does not allow many emulators on the App Store. So you'll need to download many of them from their own sites.

Delta is a very popular emulator designed to emulate retro gaming systems like Nintendo 64, NES, SNES, Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, DS, and more. It also offers support for PS4, PS5, Xbox One S, and Xbox Series X controllers for more comfortable play. You'll just want to choose the best iPhone or iPad controller that works with these emulators. Among its many convenient features, it automatically saves as you progress and supports quick saves if you're using a controller. What's more, even cheat codes are made accessible through various Game Genie and Game Shark programs.

Delta 

Check out the Delta emulator for iPhone and iPad. It works with a number of controllers and offers compatibility with several ROMs. 

Download from: Delta

DolphiniOS Emulator

This emulator is "based on an open-source Dolphin emulator for Desktop." It's specifically designed to be able to run Nintendo Wii and GameCube ROMs on compatible iOS devices. Users must first jailbreak the iOS device and then download the emulator. Once it's running, players can access their ROM library from within DolphiniOS or can easily add more to the library by pressing the plus button in the upper right-hand corner.

The DolphiniOS Emulator is capable of playing Nintendo Wii and GameCube ROMs. It works with several iPhone and iPads without needing you to have the most recent generations. 

Download from: DolphiniOS

The Provenance emulator works incredibly well on iOS and mimics programs for Nintendo, Sony, Sega, and more. The program allows you to save whenever you'd like so you can pick up wherever you left off. Plus, it's compatible with the iCade, MFi, or Steam controllers if you happen to have any of those. You will need to go to the Provenance Wiki to download and install it.

Provenance Emulator

Get your Apple device to mimic classic gaming devices from the past. You can download Provenance for iPhone and iPad here.

Download from: Provenance

Eclipse is built for ROMs from NES, SNES, Game Boy Color, Sega Genesis, and Sega Game Gear. It's a relatively new multi-emulator and totes itself as being unrevokable. The interface is smooth, allowing you to simply tap on an icon to open any given ROM you've previously downloaded. You can save or fast forward through long cutscenes whenever you'd like. Users can also get access to a large library of games by downloading them from Game Hub.

With its intuitive interface and wide compatibility, this emulator is a popular choice. Check out the Eclipse gaming emulator and see what options are available.

Download from: Eclipse

Happy Chick is built to run 18 gaming systems, including PlayStation 1-3, Nintendo 64, DS, Game Boy, PSP, and more. It is compatible with a large list of ROMS and even supports online multiplayer for compatible ROMs. Players can use the GameSire G3s or the GameSir G4s controllers to play more comfortably. Instructions for downloading and installing the emulator on iPhone and iPad are available on the official website.

Check out this gaming emulator from your iOS device. It works with iPhones and iPad while offering controller compatibility and a vast number of compatible ROMs. 

Download from: Happy Chick

Retro Arch is yet another multi-emulator that is compatible with several older platforms. Downloading it on your iPhone or iPad can allow you to access ROMs for several gaming systems like Sega Genesis, Atari, DOS, Neo Geo Pocket, and more. Save when you want, rewind to play through a section better, and much more with its convenience features.

Retro Arch works with ROMs for a number of older platforms. Improve the classic playing experience by fast forwarding or rewinding when it's convenient to do so. 

Download from: Retro Arch

Simply performing a Google Search for ROMs isn't the best way to go about it since you're never quite sure if you're landing on a safe downloading link or not. Instead, you should only download from trusted locations. Archive.org is a great choice. Just remember that you should only download ROMS from files and games you own. Doing otherwise is considered pirating and violates intellectual property laws.

To better keep track of your ROMs, we suggest making a new folder and keeping them all within it. It can also make it easier to access them from the emulator if they're all in one place.

Many emulators also offer gaming controller support on iPhone and iPad to make playing more convenient. However, you'll need to check with each emulator to see which controllers are compatible with both the emulator and your device. Some of the most common controllers to support are the Xbox controller or a PlayStation controller .

Plenty to choose from

You can always trust iMore. Our team of Apple experts have years of experience testing all kinds of tech and gadgets, so you can be sure our recommendations and criticisms are accurate and helpful. Find out more about how we test.

There must be hundreds of gaming emulators out there, but not all of them are created equally. To get the best experiences and avoid malicious viruses we recommend sticking to the ones we've listed. If you're only going to do one, we recommend Delta. It works with a number of different controllers and ROMs and has several convenience features.

Another popular choice is the DolphiniOS. Before being able to use it, users will need to jailbreak their iPhone or iPad. However, it has a good interface and works very well. Lastly, the Eclipse emulator offers an intuitive interface and is easy to use. It allows players to fast forward through slow bits of games and save whenever they want to. 

Switch fan's choice

Anyone with the iOS 16 update can now use the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller with their iPhone or iPad. It has a comfortable design with large buttons and joysticks that feel great for gaming. 

A perfect choice

Many people believe that Xbox Controllers are the most comfortable ones to hold. They have good button placement and offer a great ergonomic grip.

A worth competitor

Sony's PS4 controller is also a popular choice that many people find comfortable holding. Just make sure that it's compatible with whatever you're planning to use it with.

Master your iPhone in minutes

iMore offers spot-on advice and guidance from our team of experts, with decades of Apple device experience to lean on. Learn more with iMore!

Gaming aficionado Rebecca Spear is iMore's dedicated gaming editor with a focus on Nintendo Switch and iOS gaming. You’ll never catch her without her Switch or her iPad Air handy. If you’ve got a question about Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, or just about any other Nintendo series check out her guides to help you out. Rebecca has written thousands of articles in the last six years including hundreds of extensive gaming guides, previews, and reviews for both Switch and Apple Arcade. She also loves checking out new gaming accessories like iPhone controllers and has her ear to the ground when it comes to covering the next big trend. 

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Tin: Save w/ Coupons in Safari 4+

Discount codes, deals, promos, tin technologies inc..

• 4.6 • 192 Ratings

iPhone Screenshots

Description.

Automatically save money while you shop on your phone. Tin is a Safari extension that applies the best coupon codes at checkout, and tracks your package so you never miss a delivery (or a deal)! YOUR SAVINGS SUPERHERO Tin scours the interwebs to find the best promo codes across 50,000+ retailers and automatically applies the best savings ($$$). Focus on finding that new fit, and let the deals come to you! PAY LESS. SHOP MORE. CLEAR YOUR INBOX Your inbox is flooded with promotional emails that you don’t open. Tin finds coupon codes buried in your emails (plus thousands more) so you never miss a deal. We save you time & money while keeping your inbox clean & serene. ALL-IN-ONE PACKAGE TRACKING From checkout to doorstep, we’ve got you covered. Tin tracks shipments and organizes all of your deliveries in one place. The best part? It’s totally free! Download Tin today, and never miss out on savings again! Tin is an app and mobile Safari extension, all wrapped into one. After downloading, you simply install the extension in Safari and let Tin do its thing! INSTALL TIN IN SAFARI 1. Tap "aA" button in the Safari menu 2. Tap the "Extension" icon to Manage Extensions 3. Select "Tin" and set it to "ON" 4. Select "Always Allow" 5. Select "Always Allow on Every Website" 6. That’s it! Now you can shop in Safari and let Tin do its thing. When you are ready to checkout, Tin will pop up and automatically apply discount codes to find you the best savings!

Version 0.0.5.2

On to the update! We're always improving the Tin app and Safari extension. Please send any feedback and ideas to [email protected]!

Ratings and Reviews

192 Ratings

Tin: Revolutionizing Savings in the Digital Marketplace

Tin is a pioneering force in the digital retail landscape, discovered amid the cultural currents of TikTok. In just a day, this application has proven to be a transformative asset, seamlessly weaving itself into the fabric of online shopping. The installation process, marked by simplicity, belies the profound impact it has on one's fiscal landscape. Tin functions as an intuitive retail oracle, not merely curating enticing deals and discount codes but, with automated finesse, applying them at checkout. What sets Tin apart extends beyond mere financial dividends, delving into the very architecture of the shopping interface. The amalgamation of its mobile application and extension technology offers a panoramic view of current and past transactions, providing organizational efficacy that transcends the chaos of email inboxes. Comparatively, Tin outshines rivals like Honey by maintaining real-time relevance, avoiding the pitfalls of expired promotions. Beyond the confines of mobile application, Tin's desktop extension emerges as a harmonious augmentation, positioning the platform as an industry trailblazer. In an era of economic prudence and retail efficacy, Tin solidifies its narrative as an indispensable tool for the discerning digital consumer.

Tin just saved me like $100 wow! 👀

I recently tried out Tin, a Safari extension that's pretty much a game-changer for snagging the best online deals with zero hassle. Easy to set up and even easier to use, Tin acts like your personal bargain hunter, silently finding better prices on everything from tech to kitchen gadgets and giving you a heads-up on the savings. It's cool because it also shows the price history, helping you decide if it's the right time to buy. While it's mostly spot-on, it occasionally misses a beat, but that's a small trade-off for how much time and money it's saved me. Whether you're making big purchases or everyday buys, Tin keeps things private and secure, making it a must-have for effortless savings. Honestly, your wallet will thank you for this one.

Superb Shopping App

My friend raved about Tin, so I decided to give it a try. Within just 24 hours, I was blown away by how intuitive and helpful it is! The app is a breeze to set up, and the deals it finds are unreal. On my first shopping spree, I snagged discounts on several items that I've been eyeing for ages, effortlessly saving a hefty sum. Tin's automatic coupon feature at checkout is a game-changer – it feels like I have a personal assistant scouring the internet for the best deals, all for me. From tech gadgets to fashion finds, Tin has consistently delivered savings that make a difference. I can't recommend it enough – it's like having the inside scoop on the best sales every time I shop! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

App Privacy

The developer, Tin Technologies Inc. , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
• User Content
• Search History
• Browsing History
• Identifiers
• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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