Best iPhone games of 2024 that you can play right now

best iPhone games hero
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If you're looking for the best iPhone games right now, they are a mix of complex puzzles, fast-paced action, and so much more. As well as this, where they will work at their absolute best on the iPhone 15 Pro Max with its A17 Pro chip, they mostly run great on older tech. 

Over the last nearly two decades, plenty of excellent games have launched on Apple mobile devices, from free-to-play multiplayer games to huge hundred-hour RPGs. The list has only continued to grow and, while some older games have been replaced, there are still plenty of excellent iconic titles to try out. 

With this all in mind, here are some of the best iPhone games you can try out right now. 

Where to find iOS games

While this list primarily focuses on games found on the App Store, there are dozens of other places to get iOS games for your iPhone.

Apple Arcade: Just pay $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year and you gain access to hundreds of ad-free games on the App Store. This includes big titles like Monster Hunter Stories+, Hanx101 Trivia, and more. 

Xbox Game Pass Cloud Gaming for iOS: Microsoft has made it easier than ever to play more intensive games from your iPhone like GoldenEye 007, Fortnite, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Forza Horizon 5, and much more. Pairing an Xbox One controller with your iPhone or iPad is the best way to get the most from it.

Nvidia GeForce NOW: Instead of playing your own PC games on iPhone, this is a subscription streaming service that lets you play hundreds of popular titles on your compatible iOS device from the cloud, as long as you own the games on the required storefronts, such as Epic Games and Steam.

Steam Mobile: While Valve's main video game distribution service focuses on Mac and PC games, this other service focuses on mobile games. Just download the app from the App Store to get started.

Best iPhone games to play right now

With that explanation out of the way, let's dive into the best iPhone games you can get your hands on at this very minute.

The Best iPhone Platformer Games

Super Mario Run

Super Mario Run is one of a small handful of games Nintendo has available on iOS and was the first mobile game with Mario. Built on the basic side-scrolling fun of the classic Super Mario Bros. with modern graphics and loads of fun new ways to play, it's easy to see why it remains one of the top 20 mobile games of all time. 

You can even link your Super Mario Run account to your My Nintendo Account to earn tons of Platinum Points every day which you can exchange for cool rewards. If you get stuck, be sure to check out our complete Super Mario Run guide!

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Super Mario Run

All the side-scrolling fun of a classic Mario Bros. game on your iPhone, Super Mario Run tasks you with collecting coins, smashing blocks, and stomping on baddies as you race towards Bowser's castle to rescue Princess Peach!

Download from: App Store

Alto's Odyssey

Beautiful art design mixed with a rich, calming soundtrack makes Alto's Odyssey stand out in the ocean of endless runner games on the App Store.

You'll join Alto, a llama herder, on his snowboard as he slides down mountain terrains around the world. The game includes a challenge system and a plethora of unlockable characters, making it entertaining every time you load it up. Plus, Zen mode lets you fly down the highest mountains far and wide without losing points for crashing. You can practice your jumps with beautiful dynamic weather and lighting, mixed with the most relaxing music you've ever heard. Alto's Odyssey is definitely one of the best iPhone games ever.

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Alto's Odyssey

Alto's Odyssey has you snowboarding down sand dunes and other hilly terrain as you perform flips, grinds, and try not to crash in infinite zen.

Download from: App Store

Downwell

Have you ever wondered what awaits you at the bottom of a well? Perhaps you can strap on a pair of Gunboots and prepare for any dangers that may be lurking, because that's what you're getting with Downwell.

In Downwell, you play the character of a boy who does just that: ventures down a well with his trusty Gunboots for protection. There are a plethora of nasty creatures down there, and your Gunboots unleash a torrent of firepower on anything underneath them, so use them wisely! You can even upgrade the Gunboots with different weapons and items. All levels in Downwell are procedurally generated, so no run is the same as the ones before it. It's also challenging but incredibly fun and hard to put down, making it one of the best iPhone games.

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Downwell

See how far you can go down a well when you're armed with your trusty Gunboots. Make sure to upgrade your firepower with weapons and items!

Download from: App Store

Journey

Journey has been around for quite a while, but it's one of the most beautiful and popular games there is. In Journey, you explore an ancient and mysterious world full of ruins with your silent protagonist, who can soar and glide above the sands. 

Ultimately, your goal is to discover the many secrets that are hidden in this mysterious land, and it's all about the journey to get to your destination. You can play the game alone or with another traveler through online play. It's one of those critically-acclaimed titles that is definitely worth your time, so make sure to check it out.

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Journey

Journey is a game that is all about how you get to your final destination. Play alone or with another traveler in this beautiful and critically acclaimed classic.

Download from: App Store

The Best iPhone Puzzle Games

Monument Valley 2

Monument Valley 2 is by far one of the most beautiful games you can play on iPhone. Players attempt to help a mother and her child travel through various locations by having them solve puzzles.

These puzzles pose a small challenge and are very unique since they work off of visual illusions. There are plenty of levels to get through to keep you engaged for a long time. 

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Monument Valley 2

Help a mother and her child make their way through clever puzzles as you work to reach specific doorways in these surreal locations. The artwork is gorgeous and worth appreciating on its own. 

Buy from: App Store

Candy Crush Saga

Few puzzle games are addicting as Candy Crush Saga. Players attempt to move candy pieces around on the screen in such a way as to clear as many rows and columns as possible. Lining up three of the same kind or more makes those same-colored candies disappear. 

There are tens of thousands of levels to keep you entertained and the animations are so satisfying to watch that you'll be coming back again and again. You can also replay levels to improve your previous scores or use boosters to help you perform better. 

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Candy Crush Saga

Try to move candies in the proper locations to give yourself the most points. Challenges are different from level to level and will keep you entertained for hours. 

Download from: App Store

Gwent: The Witcher Card Game

If you've played the Witcher action RPGs or have watched The Witcher on Netflix, then you're probably already familiar with GWENT, a competitive card game that's popular in the Witcher universe. Thanks to this iPhone game, you can play it yourself, digitally.

It's free-to-play and has you face off against another player while laying down popular characters like Geralt, Siri, and Yennefer. You'll need to play strategically to win, but there's more than one way to get ahead. 

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GWENT: The Witcher Card Game

Play the card game that Geralt loves against others online. You'll need to think strategically and use the best cards in any situation to get ahead. 

Download from: App Store

Donut County

If you like Katamari Damacy but are looking for a new story (something that makes a little more sense), check out Donut County. It's all about rascally raccoons and their insatiable need to collect garbage (and anything else they can get their hands on). As you visit poor, unsuspecting residents of Donut Country, you'll suck up everything they own into your bottomless hole. Some items, when combined, will produce some pretty spectacular results.

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Donut County

Control a hole and suck up everything that stands in your way in this hilarious and wacky puzzle game.

Download from: App Store

Old Man's Journey

Old Man's Journey is a point-and-click adventure game from the indie game studio known as Broken Rules, and it's one of my favorite games to hit the App Store.

While I don't want to dive too deep into what the game is all about, thus robbing you of the experience it provides, I can tell you that this game is amazing visually. The hand-drawn picturesque graphics are absolutely stunning, and the small details that the developers put into every character, animal, and object that pops up on the screen shows that they poured their heart and soul into the game.

The other standout feature of Old Man's Journey is the storytelling. The beautiful narrative is crafted in such a way that the protagonist doesn't even talk throughout the whole game, and you still come away at the end feeling some profound emotions.

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Old Man's Journey

Old Man's Journey is a beautiful game about soul-searching. It features stunning art and an emotional story that anyone can appreciate.

Download from: App Store

If you're a fan of World of Warcraft, you very well may enjoy this card battle game with heroes and magic from the Warcraft world. Build a digital deck and go into PvP battle to see who has the stronger cards and can plan the best strategy. The order you choose to play the hand you're dealt can be a make or break decision. There's also an RPG mode where you combat opponents with your Mercenaries to upgrade your units.

While this game is a free download, it is worth noting that you may need to spend money for it to be enjoyable. There are card packs available, and occasionally you'll earn one in game. But the quickest way to build a decent deck is to purchase them. But it's free to begin as any of the ten hero classes!

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Hearthstone

Build up your deck of 30 World of Warcraft based cards and plan your strategy in PvP card combat. Or, in the new RPG mode, choose six Mercenaries and go through combat to earn upgrades for your team.

Download from: App Store

The Best iPhone Strategy Games

Anomaly 2

Anomaly 2 brings the same reverse-tower-defense mechanics as the original, but the updated graphics, new transforming tanks, and multiplayer mode make this sequel more than adequate. In the multiplayer mode, one player gets to be in charge of the alien defense, complete with consumable special abilities and resource management. If you're looking for loads of tactical depth and eye candy to boot, Anomaly 2 delivers.

Autumn Dynasty Warlords

Autumn Dynasty Warlords is a finger-friendly real-time strategy and turn-based empire management game set in feudal China. Players direct a varied force across a wide range of terrain types in a single-player campaign or skirmish mode. Commands are made with a variety of gestures, each leaving a stylish calligraphic trail (though standard button input is included for more traditional control). Between matches you'll deal with some light persistent base-building and territory control, complete with espionage and diplomacy.

Autumn Dynasty Warlords is the best traditional real-time strategy game you'll find on mobile, and a fine empire-builder to boot.

Eufloria

Eufloria is a deceptively calming, abstract strategy game where players have to send swarms of spores between asteroids to germinate them and produce resource-bearing trees. This gets tricky once you encounter other life forms that are aiming to do the same. There are 25 levels in story mode, plus one-off skirmish modes to keep the fun coming after that. Levels are procedurally generated, so no two matches will be the same. If you'd like something more laid back, there's a relaxed mode, while the dark matter mode makes things considerably more challenging.

Though the music is bound to make you nod off at least a little, stay on your toes - Eufloria requires careful planning and attention throughout.

Kingdom Rush Frontiers

Kingdom Rush Frontiers brings the acclaimed tower defense game to the next level. In addition to the same goofy, frantic fantasy tower defense that you remember from the first Kingdom Rush, there are a whole slew of new heroes to pick from, each with their own special abilities that you can upgrade as you progress through the single-player campaign. Of course, there are also a ton of new towers, enemies, and bosses to explore across a wide range of difficulty ratings.

Though Kingdom Rush Frontiers can be extremely challenging, its lighthearted take on tower defense keeps you coming back for more.

Plants vs. Zombies 2

Plants vs. Zombies is a venerable iOS franchise for a good reason. The bizarre premise of protecting your back lawn from hordes of undead with sunflowers is certainly part of that, but there's a lot of tactical thinking in terms of plant choices before the attack begins, and placement. In Plants vs. Zombies 2, you're taken back in time to defend against zombies dressed in era garb, and try out all sorts of new mechanics. The zombies are getting smarter, and challenge your reaction speed in a number of ways, though you also have a whole new complement of plants to use. Stages also have new terrain features to keep every round fresh. Plant food can be collected to super-charge any plant when things get especially hairy.

All in all, Plants vs. Zombies 2 presents deep strategic gameplay in a fun, colorful package.

Rymdkapsel

Rymdkapsel combines Tetris-style base building and real-time strategy resource management in a minimalist and finger-friendly package. Players have to build residences, feed the populace, and expand towards objectives, all while fending off wave after wave of progressively more difficult enemy air strikes. Rymdkapsel is decidedly unique in both its art and play style.

Rymkapsel prunes away all of the extras in real-time strategy games and leaves players with a clean, pure experience.

XCOM

XCOM's mobile port keeps the addictiveness of the game's tactical combat in one piece. Players form an elite squad of secret soldiers attempting to defend humanity against an impending alien threat. Over the course of that mission, players recruit, equip, and improve squad members. Missions require careful consideration for who you take along - picking the wrong guy from the wrong job can mean a quick failure. In addition to the extensive single-player campaign, there's also online multiplayer so you can test your skills against friends online. Combined with the full-bodied base-building and research elements, XCOM has earned its venerable status across all platforms.

Hardened strategy fans shouldn't bat an eyelash at the pricetag; XCOM is worth every penny.

Civilization Revolution 2

In Civilization Revolution 2 players build an empire starting with a single humble city. They then harvest the resource tiles nearby, expand their nation in science, culture, religion, and military, and achieve global dominance through warfare or diplomacy. The refreshed Civilization Revolution features new wonders like the Red Cross and Silicon Valley, new units like the Stealth Bomber and Jet Fighter, leaders such as JFK and Churchill, and research options for Modern Warfare, Modern Medicine, Lasers, and Information Technology. To top it all off, there are going to be new scenarios, including one which is Revolutionary War-themed.

Civilization Revolution 2 is the perfect game for keen micromanagers.

First Strike

First Strike is a real-time strategy game of global nuclear domination. Players have to invest in research to improve their visibility and defenses, while also building up the needed stockpiles to destroy and conquer other nations around the planet. Though the setting may be dark, First Strike enjoys some highly polished graphics and addictive gameplay.

Fans of Risk looking for a modern upgrade will want to try out First Strike.

Plague Inc.

In Plague Inc., players gently guide and evolve a disease in an attempt to wipe out humanity while battling government research efforts. Increasing transmission, deadliness, and severity are all core to success, but also ensuring that you have enough healthy hosts to thrive on. Different disease types enjoy different characteristics and offer new strategic options. It's a grim premise, but an entertaining one.

The Best iPhone Horror Games

Resident Evil Village

Though only available to play on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, Resident Evil Village is the entire original game in surprisingly great quality, with in-depth graphical settings. It is, by far, the scariest game on this entire list, and probably the prettiest too. It is full price, making it one of the most expensive, but well worth that base cost. 

If you do play it, you may want to pick up a controller with it as the touch controls are a bit cumbersome and slow, thanks to just how quickly the game moves. This isn't a toned-down version of the game, it is the real thing and it's finally here. 

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Resident Evil Village is an excellent experience on iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max with great graphics, awesome scares and more. Just don't play it with touch controls. 

Five Nights at Freddy's

Five Nights at Freddy's has become a large franchise in its own right, but the original jump-scare horror game is still considered by many to be the best entry in the series.  Players take on the role of a person working at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, a party location for kids complete with animal animatronics. 

The thing is, you're on night watch and the animatronics are actually out to sneak up on you and kill you while you're sitting in the security room. Fortunately, they can be stopped by monitoring various rooms on the camera, listening to noises, and closing the doors to your office when they approach. However, you have a limited amount of power so you need to play smart and conserve as much as possible. If you last five nights, you win the game. But it's harder than it sounds. 

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Five Nights at Freddy's

You're given the job of watching Freddy Fazbear's Pizza after dark. Turns out the robotic animals are active and looking to kill you. Can you keep an eye on the cameras and keep yourself safe?

Buy from: App Store

Playdead's Inside

This is a deep and creative 2D platform adventure where a boy is somewhere he isn't supposed to be, and people are hunting him for it. There are a variety of puzzles to solve as you try to work your way out through this narrative. It is an indie title that is the winner of more than 100 awards from art, to story, to audio. It will keep you on edge and interested the whole way through.

In the app version of this, it is initially free. This means players can try out the beginning of the story and decide to purchase the full story if they're enjoying themselves. The moody style may not be for everyone but if it is for you, you're going to love every piece of this game.

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Playdead's INSIDE

You wake up as a boy and you've discovered something you weren't meant to know about. You are inside an operation that is dangerous and people are looking for you. Can you make it out before they find you?

Download at: App Store

The Best iPhone Multiplayer Games

Genshin Impact

A gacha-based open-world RPG, Genshin Impact gives you the role of an interstellar traveler who, alongside their twin, has been trapped on the planet of Teyvat, a world full of gods and monsters. Build teams of four elementally aligned heroes to explore the world, defeat monsters, and uncover the mysteries of Teyvat's history.

This game is bright and colorful with a world comparable in scale to what we mention seeing in our The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild review, and much of this world has yet to be revealed, promising players many, many major updates before it can all be explored. This beautiful world is really enhanced on the beautiful screens of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro noted in our reviews. What really drives this game though is the cast of compelling and fully-voiced characters, each with their own complex history that weaves in and out of the main plot, as well as the histories of the other characters.

Genshin Impact already has over 150 hours of gameplay to complete despite only the first two nations being unlocked. Also available on Android, PC, and PlayStation, it also supports cross-platform play with fantastic multiplayer options, including frequent events which provide even more gameplay for those who've completed the currently available quests.

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Genshin Impact

Explore a massive open world in this epic and beautiful RPG. Collect over 30 unique heroes with more being introduced often.

Download from: App Store

Pokemon Go

Seven years in and over a billion downloads, Pokémon GO remains one of the most popular mobile games of all time. Niantic and The Pokémon Company teamed up to combine all the fun and nostalgia of the classic Pokémon games with real-world data into a fun and addictive game that has continued to top the charts. 

Playable from virtually anywhere in the world, your gameplay in Pokémon GO will change based on where you go. The locations for in-game activities are all based on real-world locations, like small shops, museums, and landmarks, inviting you to explore the world around you through a new lens. Even the time of day and weather in the real world can impact what Pokémon you encounter and how well your own Pokémon perform.

What has really driven the success of Pokémon GO (aside from the near-universal love of Pikachu and friends) is how well Niantic responds to the community. At the start of a global pandemic that ought to have made playing Pokémon GO extremely difficult, Niantic reformated much of the gameplay, including Pokémon GO Fest and Pokémon GO Community Day. Niantic really knocked it out of the park with this one!

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Pokémon Go

Explore the real world with Pikachu, Mewtwo, and countless other Pokémon by your side. Catch, hatch, and battle them all to become a Pokémon Master!

Download from: App Store

Among Us

Among Us is at its core a very simple game. Up to ten players are each given a handful of tasks to complete on their spaceship. However, at least one of the crew is an imposter, a monstrous alien set on killing the crew. If the imposter can kill the crew before the crew can agree on who they are (and eject them into space) they win. However, if the crew can oust the imposter(s) or complete their tasks before they're outnumbered, the crew wins. Kind of like a sci-fi game of Clue or Mafia.

The simplicity of this game is what makes it so fun. Each match takes less than 15 minutes, making it the perfect party game, but you can also play with random players from around the world.

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Among Us!

Your crew has an important job to do as you explore space and alien planets, but be careful! There's an imposter among us! You definitely want to find them before they find you!

Download from: App Store

Pokemon Unite

We at iMore have put a ton of time into playing the Switch and iOS versions of Pokémon Unite. So much so that we know who the best playable Pokémon are regardless of what kind of device you're playing on. 

The basic idea behind this simple MOBA, is to participate in team vs team battles where you can use your Pokémon's unique skills to defeat opponents, earn points, and then attempt to score them in the opposing team's goal.  There are several Pokémon to unlock and more are added regularly. Some unique outfits can even be purchased to make your favorite pocket monsters stand out more. You can even use a controller with Pokémon Unite if you have a compatible one handy.

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Pokémon Unite

Take part in team vs team battles as you work to defeat your opponents and score goals. There are several Pokémon to unlock and the game gets regular event updates.

Download from: App Store

Roblox

Roblox has often been compared to Minecraft and while the two do have some similarities they are also very different. This game allows players to create games and share them with others online. 

It's also been around for a long time. Because of this, there are endless genres and discoveries to make, with new creations coming out daily. Spend hours perfecting your own games and then show them off to the world when they're ready. 

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Roblox

Create your own worlds or check out the creations others have made in this sandbox game. You can even just find places to hang with friends if you want to. 

Download from: App Store

Heads Up!

Heads Up! has been one of the biggest pickup party games over the last few years. It's also great for entertaining when you're standing in line waiting to get into an event or restaurant. What's more, its simplicity makes it fun for people of all ages. 

Similar to charades, the "it" player chooses a category, puts their iPhone against their forehead so other players can see the screen, and then takes clues from their friends and family until they can correctly guess what word is on the screen. You try to get as many correct as you can within a time limit before passing to the next person.  

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Heads Up!

Hold your phone up to your forehead for others around you to see. Then have everyone else give you clues to figure out what the word is above your head. When time's up, pass to another player.

Buy from: App Store

After years of being a console and Nintendo gaming system franchise, Mario Kart Tour brought the fun of this racing series to mobile. Players get to zoom around familiar tracks from previous entries as well as brand-new tracks created specifically for Tour. 

There are far more Mushroom Kingdom characters to play as than any other Mario Kart game and you can even unlock different versions of the same character wearing fun clothing. Take on specific friends or race against strangers online to prove your racing prowess. 

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Mario Kart Tour

Race around familiar tracks from previous Mario Kart titles as well as brand-new ones. There are plenty of characters to unlock with different outfits. Race against friends or random players online. 

Download from: App Store

Bring the battle on the go with Brawlhalla. It's a platform fighting game where players choose from 50 characters to battle as. You have the option to be as serious or casual as you want with it given the option of free-for-alls or ranked matches. You can also choose to just play with friends. This is a game that continues to get better updates the longer it has been out. Join in on the events and may the best fighter win!

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Brawlhalla

Find the fighter that matches your style and take these platforms by storm! Casual or ranked, you're sure to find all the action you want in this eight player fighting game.

Download from: App Store

The Best iPhone RPG Games

Oceanhorn

Oceanhorn is the closest thing to a real Zelda game you can play on your iPhone right now, and it's one of the best iPhone games out there. Although Ocheanhorn is years old, it remains one of the best games to play on your iPhone, especially now that it's optimized for the iPhone 11 line and beyond.

With colorful graphics, a fun combat style, and challenging puzzles, this adventure RPG feels like a console title. When you're playing it with an MFi game controller, it's easy to forget you're even playing a mobile game — it's that good.

It's got a pretty lengthy story, meaning it will keep you entertained for hours on end. Plus, it's a universal app, meaning you can play this title on the big screen with an Apple TV, which is something I highly suggest.

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Oceanhorn

Oceanhorn is like having Zelda on Apple devices. Embark on a colorful and challenging journey filled with challenging enemies and puzzles that really make you think.

Download from: App Store

Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis

Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis was one of the first games I played on my brand new iPhone 15 Pro Max, thanks to its impeccable visuals and fantastic audio. I wanted something to show off all that power and it delivered with a wonderful atmosphere, great storytelling, and fun side activities. 

It does come with the sometimes frustrating gameplay design of a modern online free-to-play title, complete with an energy system that holds back your progress more and more as you play, encouraging you to pay your way to the top. Despite this, it's still an excellent title, entirely free if you have some patience and a faithful retelling of the classic Final Fantasy VII story. 

Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis

Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis

Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis is a charming, gorgeous, and fun free-to-play title that manages to shine, despite some annoying monetization practices. 

Download from: App Store

The Best iPhone Simulation Games

Minecraft

Minecraft is the number one best-selling video game of all time by far. It's no wonder that it's been such an ongoing hit even though it released so long ago. Players can do just about anything they want. You can go harvesting for materials, build structures, go exploring, craft armor, and much more. 

Some people like to create massive mansions complete with their own areas to grow crops and house livestock. Others focus on traveling as far as they can to see what is on the horizon. If you're more of a person who likes a conclusive challenge, you can also work on taking on the game's terrifying boss, the Ender Dragon. 

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Minecraft

Do whatever you want in this sandbox game. Will you gather materials and build your own place? Maybe plant crops? Go exploring as far as you can and take on enemies that come your way? The possibilities are endless.

Buy from: App Store

Many consider Stardew Valley to be a far better life sim than Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The game starts off by explaining that you've inherited your grandfather's farm, but it needs a lot of work. You can slowly work on cleaning up the fields, improving your animal's housing, and exploring the town nearby. 

One of the big things that Stardew Valley provides over Animal Crossing is the ability to help your character find love with one of the village NPCs and even have children with them. Create your own perfect digital world as you work and provide for your family.

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Stardew Valley

It's up to you to restore your grandfather's farm to its former glory. Along with making improvements to the livestock and crops, you can meet the townsfolk and find someone to marry.

Buy from: App Store

Reigns

What do you get when you mix Tinder with the King of the fictional kingdom? The wonderfully sadistic choose-your-own-adventure game Reigns.

Reigns will crown you a king and then force you to make decisions by swiping left or right (thus my Tinder quip), that almost always lead to your untimely death in increasingly interesting ways. Doomed to repeat his life over and over while attempting to find a way to lift a curse, you'll have to balance the needs of your kingdom with those of the church, military, and your greed.

Your first playthrough will probably leave you a little dejected, but there is good news: You can do it all over again times infinity! There are also two spinoffs: Reigns: Her Majesty and Reigns: Game of Thrones, where you can be Queen instead of King, or play through various Game of Thrones' characters. They're all enjoyable, so take your pick!

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Reigns

Rule over the kingdom as king by making tough choices. How long will your rule last?

Download from: App Store

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Reigns: Her Majesty

Reigns: Her Majesty has you ruling as a queen instead of a king. But you still have to make the tough decisions that come with ruling over a kingdom.

Download from: App Store

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Reigns: Game of Thrones

Reigns: Game of Thrones allows you to play as various characters from Game of Thrones. Make choices and see how your rule plays out in the kingdoms of Westeros.

Download from: App Store

Motorsport Manager

Motorsport Manager has players keep a watchful eye on their pro drivers, monitor vehicle performance, conduct technology research, and take their team to the highest competitive echelons. Some quick thinking is required in the midst of races, where you'll need to arrange the pit crew and offer direction when weather or crashes throw an wrench into the works.

Even if you're not into professional racing, Motorsport Manager's level of detail will impress you.

Order Up!! To Go

Order Up!! To Go is a cooking and restaurant simulator that tests your time management skills. The gameplay is twofold. For one, you're working on building up the reputation and menu for your restaurant, always with an eye to the next establishment, so there's a fair bit of budgeting involved.

The cooking itself is very similar to the Cooking Mama series in that you cut tomatoes with downward swipes and flip burgers with curved swipes. What really keeps Order Up!! To Go fun is the variety of other mini-games and the great humor both in the writing and art style. Smaller nuances, like recognizing customers as they come in and using the appropriate spices adds even more depth to the frantic gameplay.

You earn silver coins through regular gameplay, which can be used to buy your ingredients, access new restaurants, and hire extra help, but you can speed up the process with premium gold coins acquired through in-app purchases.

The Sims FreePlay

The Sims FreePlay is a casual, fun sim game where players can build a home, forge relationships, and climb career ladders with a highly-customizable avatar. Players have to tend to their Sim's needs, such as hunger and fun, and in the process earn Lifestyle Points which can be spent on various items. You can also buy Lifestyle Points outright, if you're the impatient type.

The possibilities are extensive, including starting new romantic relationships, having pets, and eventually having kids. You can build up your own little community of Sims, and visit those of your friends.

For those looking for a laid-back, constructive, and long-term game, the Sim FreePlay will have you covered.

Goat Simulator

Goat Simulator bridges the gap between man and beast in ways never imagined possible. From the lifelike licking of other creatures and objects to ragdoll physics that cause models to spaz and clip randomly, it's no wonder you quickly lose yourself in goatness and, eventually, a profound identity crisis.

Play Goat Simulator. It will change your fundamental assumptions of humanity and goats.

Bridge Constructor Medieval

Building bridges in a game is more fun than you think it would be. It might have something to do with how those that cross your half-baked creations dive haplessly to their demise down a ravine. Despite the lemming-quality AI, Bridge Constructor Medieval offers a wide range of physics-based challenges. It builds on the original modern-themed Bridge Constructor by having barbarians attack key points in your bridge while your people try making it to the other side.

In-app purchases are employed to shortcut levels either with unlimited resources or a few hints. For what should be a pretty simple game, and could just as easily be completely 2D, there are rich 3D graphics at play here, along with a colorful storyline to justify all of this bridge-building.

For engineers-at-heart, Bridge Constructor Medieval is a ton of fun.

The Sandbox

The Sandbox is clever mix-and-match game with an 8-bit art style. You take the role of an almighty creator trying to combine various elements in the right order at the right spot in order to complete a puzzle. Those goals can be as simple as evaporating water and as elaborate as discovering electricity. In that sense, there's a definite Doodle God vibe, except The Sandbox is a much more fluid.

Beyond painting element-infused pixels, you also have control over a wide variety of environmental elements, including temperature and weather. The real magic of The Sandbox is that elements all behave as you expect them to - trees catch fire if you turn up the world temperature, dirt falls when you paint it in the sky, and electricity surges through metal and shoots off the ends of wires with sparks. Given, all of that action is in chunky pixels, it's still all very believable. Outside of the puzzles, you can also go freestyle to make your own creations and share them online in the growing pixel art gallery.

Though The Sandbox is free, new elements are unlocked with mana points, which are awarded as you play through missions or bought through in-app purchases. Mana points can also be used to purchase hints for particularly tricky puzzles - luckily the hints aren't too expensive.

Transport Tycoon

Transport Tycoon is a classic business simulation game. Players build sprawling networks by road, rail, sea, and air. Maximize profits in order to expand your infrastructure. 150 vehicle types are available for use across 49 scenarios, provided you can assert your mastery over the terrain to put down the necessary framework. Business savy will be equired to edge out competing transportation companies.

Budding civil engineers will have a field day with Transport Tycoon.

Godus

Godus is a casual god sim game with classic mobile city-building mechanics. Players need to guide a fledgling population through the hoops of an evolving civilization, including new housing, developing relationships with one another, and all-out war with neighbours. The usual freemium tropes are present, such as limited faith points which are gathered from the dwellings of worshippers periodically and spent on most deific tasks, including basic terraforming. The pared-down, textureless art style allows vibrant animation with lots of personality shine through.

If you're looking for something like Clash of Clans or Farmville with a touch of visual class, Godus will serve you well.

The Best iPhone Shooter Games

Few multiplayer games have the online fanbase that Call of Duty Mobile does. Each day, millions of players drop into realistic locations in a battle royal where teams duke it out to score more points before the timer runs out. Anyone can play, but it takes strategy and skill to really master the game. 

The game is free-to-play but does offer optional in-game transactions. You do not have to make any purchases in order to enjoy and play through the base game. However, certain skins and weapons can only be purchased with real-world money. 

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Call of Duty Mobile

Prove your skills against millions of other players online with this popular shooter. Drop into a battle royale and attempt to be the team with the most points within a time period. 

Download from: App Store

Into the Dead 2

Armed with a handgun, a walkie-talkie, and a strong desire to return home, you play as James, who starts running through hordes of zombies. While it may be a pretty simple story, the voice acting is surprisingly well done, and as I have been playing through the story, I find myself invested in getting James back to his family.

The addition of a story mode and a more prominent in-game progression scale has given the shoot-em-up zombie runner a breath of fresh air, making it a delight to play. The visuals and sound are absolutely outstanding, and the game does an excellent job of really setting a tense and spooky tone. All in all, Into the Dead 2 is a fantastic experience, and whether you're a fan of the prequel or new to the game, you should be able to enjoy this one for hours on end.

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Into the Dead 2

Shoot your way through a horde of zombies to save your family. Gameplay overall hasn't changed much from the first game, which is more of a blessing than a curse. Avoid getting eaten alive by tapping on the screen to shoot your equipped weapon.

Download from: App Store

PUBG Mobile

PUBG originally came out for PC and consoles. Now it has been reimagined to be available on iPhone and Android too! PUBG Mobile is specific to mobile players so everyone will have a similar playing experience. Players have the opportunity to customize controls, train to get used to them, and voice chat with friends through the app.

If you're looking to just get a quick round in, you can play an extreme battle for a ten minute match. The more you play the more weapons and maps you will have. The game is being updated regularly to add new content. Find the mode for you and jump in.

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PUBG MOBILE

One of the most popular battle royale titles is now available on the go! Do you have the skills to make it to the end?

Download at: App Store

What about Apple Arcade?

Apple Arcade is a gaming subscription service that includes Family Sharing in the cost. It offers over 200 games including dozens of exclusives that you won't be able to purchase by themselves or find on other mobile platforms. We've spent a lot of time on this service and have determined the you can play right now. New titles are continuously added to the Apple Arcade library, so there will be fresh new content to enjoy every month.

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Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade has over a hundred premium games with more added regularly each week. There is something here for everyone, and it only costs $5 a month for all you can game! If you're looking for even more to keep you busy, here are best Apple Arcade games right now.

See at: Apple

Let's play!

Apple has been growing into the gaming space and we can't wait to see what other fun games come our way! To get the best experience playing these games on your iPhone, you'll want one of the best gaming controllers for the iPhone. Then you'll be all set to enjoy these great games available at the tips of your fingers.

Remember, these are some of our favorite iOS games right now, but there's definitely more out there. And if you're sporting the best iPhone, including the latest iPhone 15, then you should have no issues with playing these fantastic titles.

Daryl Baxter
Features Editor

Daryl is iMore's Features Editor, overseeing long-form and in-depth articles and op-eds. Daryl loves using his experience as both a journalist and Apple fan to tell stories about Apple's products and its community, from the apps we use everyday to the products that have been long forgotten in the Cupertino archives.


Previously Software & Downloads Writer at TechRadar, and Deputy Editor at StealthOptional, he's also written a book, 'The Making of Tomb Raider', which tells the story of the beginnings of Lara Croft and the series' early development. He's also written for many other publications including WIRED, MacFormat, Bloody Disgusting, VGC, GamesRadar, Nintendo Life, VRV Blog, The Loop Magazine, SUPER JUMP, Gizmodo, Film Stories, TopTenReviews, Miketendo64 and Daily Star.

With contributions from