What are the best iPhone games? Whether you’re an Apple diehard or you’ve just bought your first device, chances are you’ll ask yourself that question at some point. Well, you’ve come to the right place, as we’ve compiled what we consider to be the best gaming experiences you can have on your iPhone in a single space.
From Candy Crush to Genshin Impact, we’ve done our best to curate a list that appeals to you no matter where you sit on the gaming spectrum. You’ll notice that many of these are some of the best Apple Arcade games too – and that’s because that service has brought some fantastic games to Apple devices. However, we appreciate that not everybody wants to pay for another subscription service, so we’ve also included a more general selection of the best mobile games on iOS devices. Anyway, let’s get into it.
Here are the best iPhone games:
- Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop
- Return to Monkey Island
- Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom
- Sonic Dream Team
- Puzzle and Dragons Story
- Shovel Knight Dig
- Monument Valley
- Shantae and the Seven Sirens
- Raid: Shadow Legends
- Animals & Coins Adventures
- Slay the Spire
- Stardew Valley
- Mech Arena
- Forge of Empires
- Supremacy 1914
- Conflict of Nations World War III
- Genshin Impact
- Hero Wars
- Honkai Star Rail
- Kingdom Two Crowns
- Epic Seven
- Magic: The Gathering Arena
- Final Fantasy VIII
- Marvel Future Revolution
- AFK Arena
- Among Us
- Candy Crush Soda Saga
- Call of Duty: Mobile
- Clash Royale
- Coin Master
- Garena Free Fire
- Mobile Legends
- Old School Runescape
- Pokémon GO
- PUBG Mobile
- Roblox
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
- Subway Surfers
Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop
A brand new installment in Sega’s beloved Puyo Puyo series. At its heart, it’s the same puzzle game that has been captivating players since 1991 – you’ve got to match up falling Puyos of the same color to make them disappear, and with opponents to play against, you have to be strategic and plan out combos where one group of disappearing Puyos makes way for those above to fall and vanish too.
If you’ve never played a Puyo game (or Kirby’s Avalanche, or Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine), but love mobile puzzle games, this could be a great place to start. With a healthy dollop of Sonic content in the mix, and new features coming all the time, it’s a game that is well worth trying. Equally, long-time fans will enjoy it too (especially with its story mode) and if you’ve done everything you can with Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, this will be your next big Puyo fix.
Play Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop on Apple Arcade.
Return to Monkey Island
The latest installment in the much-beloved series of pirate adventure games. If you’ve played the older games, Return to Monkey Island’s art style might take some getting used to, but once you’ve adapted, you’ll be delighted by how accurately it captures the feeling of the originals (likely due to the return of series veteran, Ron Gilbert). It truly is a very worthy successor.
Are you worried it might be inaccessible to you because you’ve never played a Monkey Island game before? Don’t be. The game was intentionally made as a jumping-in point, so even if you don’t yet know anything about protagonist Guybrush Threepwood, you’ll have a sense of what’s what in no time. It’s both one of the best point-and-click games and the best pirate games too.
Play Return to Monkey Island on Apple Arcade.
Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom
The series has come a long way from its humble origins with the Tamagotchi original. The latest game in the series, Tomogatchi Adventure Kingdom, is exclusive to the Apple Arcade and is a life sim that sees you rebuilding your hometown after it is hit by a meteorite.
While the initial setup might sound a little dire, the meteorite is actually a pretty amicable character whom you end up befriending. That should give you an idea of what type of game this is. You then walk around the map, doing quests for different quirky characters that you meet so that you can gather resources, expand your home, and rebuild what was destroyed. It’s a wonderfully fun, charming, and cozy game – if you enjoy games like Animal Crossing, you’re gonna love this.
Play Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom on Apple Arcade.
Sonic Dream Team
A brand new 3D Sonic game exclusive to Apple Arcade and one of the best Sonic games we’ve seen in a while. If you’ve been longing for a return to the style of gameplay seen in the two Sonic Adventure games, we reckon you’re gonna love this. There are six playable characters, each with unique abilities that allow them to explore levels in different ways.
It has nowhere near as much emphasis on story as the Adventure games, but the fact that it gives you the chance to explore these levels to find secrets and collectibles (rather than just rushing through on a set path) is absolutely fantastic. We also love the fact that you’re able to change characters at any point, avoiding unnecessary backtracking if you spot something with one character that another could do/access. It’s a must-play for Sonic and 3D platforming fans alike and a nice change from some of the endless running games that Sonic has had on phones before.
Play Sonic Dream Team on Apple Arcade.
Puzzle & Dragons Story
All the trappings of the best mobile RPGs combined with addictive puzzler gameplay. It’s just as great as it sounds. You go through a series of dungeons, where you’ll face off against various monsters, using your own team of assembled beasts. Combat is then carried out by sliding tiles around and matching up as many different colors as you can in a limited time – the greater the number of combinations, the more damage you’ll do.
Similar to Pokemon, there are so many creatures for you to unlock. They all have different powers and abilities, so it’s worthwhile to be strategic when deciding which ones you’re going to use for any given battle. It’s fun, not only to collect them but also to evolve them and watch them grow. The latest game in the series has a whole new storyline, with new creatures too. It’s one of those addictive games that’s easy to grasp but tough to master, with a broad-reaching appeal.
Play Puzzle & Dragon Story on Apple Arcade.
Shovel Knight Dig
A Shovel Knight sequel with a roguelike games twist. This game sees Shovel Knight attacked by a new character called Drill Knight, who steals his treasure and then drills down into the Earth. Fortunately, Shovel Knight has a shovel and so can dig after his foe. The gameplay then sees you digging down into deeper and deeper levels, facing new enemies and challenges along the way.
It’s kind of like SteamWorld Dig if you’ve ever played it, except with a Shovel Knight twist. The art style has been enhanced to more closely resemble the SNES era (rather than the NES era as with the original) and, of course, it has an endlessly charming retro soundtrack. If you loved the first Shovel Knight game, you’re not going to want to miss this sequel, and even if you’ve never played the original, there’s no reason not to start with this one.
Read our Shovel Knight Dig review.
Monument Valley
Monument Valley might well be the finest mobile game of all time. It’s a fiendishly clever puzzler that takes place in environments that draw inspiration from Escher. You spin towers and other objects to create pathways that you have to traverse to reach the end of each level.
If you’re looking for more games like Monument Valley, check out our list of the best mobile puzzle games. Or check out our Monument Valley interview to learn about the future of the series.
Play Monument Valley on Apple Arcade.
Shantae and the Seven Sirens
Though it has since come to other platforms, this game was originally an Apple Arcade exclusive. If you’ve never played any games in the iconic Shantae series before, there’s a lot to admire about them. The games see the titular character exploring large Metroidvania worlds, clearing dungeons, and meeting unusual individuals across various towns. Most excitingly of all, Shantae can transform into different animals, which then allows her to reach areas that would be inaccessible in her human form.
Since its humble origins as an obscure game on the Game Boy Color, the series has come a long way. This particular game looks absolutely fantastic, with hand-drawn artwork and fully animated cutscenes that put the best anime games to shame. Developer, WayForward, has put a lot of love into this game, and there is a lot to admire about it. Of all Apple Arcade games, it’s one that we admire most.
Play Shantae and the Seven Sirens on Apple Arcade.
Raid: Shadow Legends
If you like mobile games, you’ve probably heard of, if not played, Raid: Shadow Legends. It’s an absolute behemoth – and for good reason. It’s stunning, features a wealth of content to battle through and heroes to unlock, and you can do it all with friends in multiplayer.
With crossplay in full effect for this game, you can sign up now on your PC then later carry on on your phone, and vice versa. It’s a great feature that makes it good for gaming at home and on the go. Check out our Raid promo codes page if you want to get a head start in the game. Or Raid: Shadow Legends guide is also a good reference point for newbies.
Play Raid: Shadow Legends for free.
Animals & Coins Adventures
Animals & Coins Adventures tasks you with collecting coins and building massive bridges as an adorable animal. You can also play Animals & Coins Adventures with your friends, stealing their stuff from them or leaving them to it, it’s up to you! It’s great if you’re a fan of mobile multiplayer games.
You can also collect some adorable animal character cards that feature creatures such as a bear, a surfing pig, and other recognizable faces from the game.
Play Animals & Coins Adventures for free.
Slay the Spire
It took an absolute age to make it to mobile, but it’s better late than never. Slay the Spire is the definitive card-battling roguelike, which challenges you to attempt to take one of the various characters to the top of the eponymous spire.
For alternative options, check out our list of the best games like Slay the Spire or our best mobile roguelikes list.
Stardew Valley
Ever wish Harvest Moon was available on mobile? Well, wish no longer as that’s effectively what Stardew Valley offers. Build up your own farm, explore and battle through dungeons, and get romantic with the locals.
For more details on this game, we recommend you check out our Stardew Valley Sebastian, Stardew Valley Abigail, and Stardew Valley fish guides.
Read our Stardew Valley review.
Mech Arena
Mech Arena comes to you from the same developer that created Raid: Shadow Legends, although in terms of content, the two have very little in common. This mech game puts you in control of a mech suit and then puts you in an arena with other players who are also controlling mech suits and then leaves you all to blow each other up.
The more you play, the more customization options you’ll unlock, each of which will alter the way your mech does combat. Eventually, you’ll be able to hone it so that it plays in exactly the way that suits you best, and with all players having that same level of control over how their mech plays, it means that battles can be quite varied. It’s a prime example of something you’ll end up playing for hours because you keep saying “just one more game” – and with crossplay, you can have just one more game on your phone after starting on your PC.
Forge of Empires
Are you someone who enjoys a good city-building game? Someone who enjoys a nice bit of strategy? Well, Forge of Empires is a free-to-play game that lets you build a civilization that will stand throughout all of history, starting in the distant past and stretching out into the far future. This is a game you’ll be playing for the long haul.
At the start of the game, all you have is a patch of wilderness to start building your basic settlement on. Different types of buildings generate different resources (e.g. gold or tools), while others help to make your people happier. All of these contribute to your research efforts, which let you develop new types of building and to enhance existing ones. With wars to wage, lands to cultivate, and buildings to build, there’s a wealth of content in Forge of Empires.
Play Forge of Empires for free.
Supremacy 1914
Do you have a flare for international conflict? If so, you should give Supremacy 1914 a try. Mobile war games come in all shapes and sizes, and this on is a long-term grand strategy game where you and a huge selection of others play out the course of the First World War over several weeks or even months. You choose which of the nations involved in the conflict you want to play as, and then you choose the path you think is best for it, be that reinforcing its military strength, bolstering its economy, or branching out into experimental new technology.
History is just a template here, and the decisions you make can completely change the outcome of the war. With each game lasting so long, you’ll soon find yourself completely sucked up into the world of Supremacy 1914, and with so much variety among the different nations, you can play again and again and still find that every game feels a bit different.
Conflict of Nations: World War III
Supremacy 1914 gives you a WW1 grand strategy MMO game, and Conflict of Nations applies that same formula to a future Third World War. Here you’ve got a huge selection of nations to play as and each of them gives you a different way to play, with a varying selection of resources at their disposal.
In strategy games like this, battles can last for weeks, or more likely, even months. During that time, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you want to focus on enhancing your military might, working to strengthen your economy, or advancing the sciences with new technological developments – all of which will be important in different ways. You’ll have to think strategically in order to assert yourself against all the other players, but when your tactical masterplan finally pays off, it’s oh-so-satisfying.
Play Conflict of Nations for free.
Genshin Impact
A newcomer on the mobile scene, Genshin Impact proved naysayers wrong that a true, console-quality title is totally possible on mobile. It’s absolutely stunning, with a bunch of characters to collect, a wide world to explore, and plenty of fun to be had.
Check out our Genshin Impact tier list, Genshin Impact map, Genshin Impact codes list, and Genshin Impact next banner guide to help you get started.
Hero Wars
If you want to spend your free time in epic battles, Hero Wars might be the pick for you from our list of the best iPhone games. This free-to-play title combines puzzle gameplay with RPG mechanics, as well as a massive roster of playable characters, offering hours of content for you to get carried away with. If you like fantasy and ideal games, this is one to try.
Honkai Star Rail
This Hoyoverse game takes some of the mechanics of Genshin Impact (e.g. building a team of characters acquired via gacha mechanics, and exploring unique worlds) and combines them with new things, like turn-based battle mechanics, and then creates a new (but familiar) experience with an exciting brand new story. If you loved Genshin Impact, you should definitely give this a go – and the selection of Honkai Star Rail characters is different enough to keep things interesting.
The story follows a character called the Trailblazer, who travels between worlds in a kind of intergalactic train, helping them to overcome the problems caused by Stellaron, the Cancer of All Worlds. There’s plenty of variety, lots of charming characters, and loads to do without spending a thing. If you’re looking for a game that you can just lose yourself in, try this one – and use one of our Honkai Star Rail codes to get a head start.
Read our Honkai Star Rail review.
Kingdom Two Crowns
You can enjoy the entirety of Kingdom Two Crowns with a friend on mobile, and it’s absolutely worth it. This challenging survival strategy game sees you play as two monarchs, who have to try and escape an island that’s repeatedly under assault from the Greed. You hire local peasants, build up defenses, and earn enough gold to build a ship that allows you to escape.
If you’d like to learn more about it, you can check out our full Kingdom Two Crowns review. We’ve also put together a list of the best mobile two player games if you fancy more like this.
Read our Kingdom Two Crowns review.
Epic Seven
Describing itself as “The Playable Animation” Epic Seven is an anime-inspired gacha game. As you might expect, it’s all about building up your own team of heroes (all of whom are unlocked randomly, in true gacha style), then they head out and make their way through a series of turn-based RPG battles.
What makes Epic Seven an even more appealing game is not only the fact that it’s free to play, but also that there are beautifully animated cutscenes that show you the story as it progresses. It helps you to feel much more deeply invested in the events as they unfold. Read our Epic Seven codes and Epic Seven tier list guides for a bit of help early on in the game.
Magic: The Gathering Arena
We’re sure that you’ve probably already heard of Magic: The Gathering, even if it’s just knowing the name, but what you may not know is that this award-winning trading card game has actually also been adapted into a mobile game – one which perfectly captures all of the fun and intricacies of the original. Our list of the best MTG Arena decks highlights the variety you’ll find here.
If you’ve always wanted to get into MTG, but never found the time, you may find that this is the best way to start. Sure, you could go and buy a deck anytime, but it won’t come with the useful interactive tutorials that the app has. If you’re already an MTG expert, then the ability to have a game with anyone around the world whenever you want is no doubt going to be quite appealing too. As with a lot of the other games here, we’ve got a bunch of MTG Arena codes to help you find your footing in the early days of the game.
Play Magic: The Gathering Arena for free.
Final Fantasy VIII
One of the greatest Final Fantasy games is also on mobile. Become a mercenary and take part in some intense turn-based combat, lose yourself in the epic romance, or just fly around the vast world aboard the Ragnarok.
The mobile version allows you to play at three times speed, turn enemy encounters off, and max out your stats with the click of a button. If VIII isn’t your idea of a good time, we also recommend looking into some of the other best Final Fantasy games on mobile, like VII or IX.
Marvel Future Revolution
Marvel Future Revolution is the mobile game that all Marvel fans deserve. Not only does it feature fan-favorite characters from a range of franchises such as Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, Spider-Man, and The Avengers, but it allows you to make these heroes your own.
The power is in your hands, upgrade them, select their abilities, and choose their gear. The worlds you get to explore in this game are fantastic and versatile. The environments remain interesting, from a city sprawling with skyscrapers to back alleys in rundown squalor. Oh, and the fact you’re doing all this to save the multiverse is the cherry on top. Yeah, that means an infinite number of worlds, and an infinite number of lives relying on you – no pressure.
Read our full Marvel Future Revolution review.
AFK Arena
King among gachas, is AFK Arena, which is a true achievement when you consider that it doesn’t borrow off a successful IP like many of its genre siblings. That’s down to developer Lilith’s very fair free-to-play mechanics. It’s also just a bunch of fun, which helps.
Get yourself some free in-game goodies with our AFK Arena codes list, and find your favorite party with the help of our AFK Arena tier list.
Among Us
Thanks to a lockdown near you, Among Us exploded into life this year. It’s a near-perfect multiplayer experience that you can play across a variety of different platforms. What’s not to like?
Get started with the help of our Among Us guide.
Candy Crush Soda Saga
If you’re of a certain age, it’s highly likely that your first encounter with mobile gaming was Candy Crush. There was a time when everyone was absolutely hooked on it, and it’s easy to see why. Crushing them candies is so satisfying and makes you feel like a genius. Anyway, Candy Crush Soda Saga is one of the more recent entries, and well worth a look.
Check our Candy Crush download page if you want to get it on your phone.
Call of Duty: Mobile
Call of Duty: Mobile does exactly what it says on the tin, providing a miniature version of the smash-hit shooter series that you can play wherever you are. With your favorite characters, weapons, maps, and modes from the Black Ops and Modern Warfare series, this is a must-play for old-school COD fans. We’ve put together a Call of Duty: Mobile tips guide and a Call of Duty: Mobile update feature for your perusal.
Clash Royale
Clash Royale is basically a card game like Hearthstone but presented in a visual format. You still create a deck and play cards on a battlefield, but the cards come to life and actually fight each other just like in a traditional RTS. It’s fiendishly addictive stuff that poses a solid challenge.
Do you love the smell of cardboard in the morning? Deck builders are the games for you then. We’ve put together a separate list of the best mobile card games too, if you fancy more recommendations.
Coin Master
Those looking for a laid-back idle game that doesn’t ask for much of your time but still gives you a sense of achievement should look no further than Coin Master. You have to log in every few hours, spin for coins and other rewards, and then upgrade your town. Occasionally, if the spin gods show mercy, you may get an opportunity to assault or raid an opponent’s village, earning more coins.
If you’d like to make the most of Coin Master, check out our Coin Master free spins guide, which includes daily updated links for free in-game goodies.
Garena Free Fire
You’ve almost certainly heard of Fortnite, PUBG Mobile, or Call of Duty Mobile, but Garena Free Fire is one of the biggest mobile battle royales going, and well worth checking out.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a Garena Free Fire characters list, Garena Free Fire diamonds guide, and a Garena Free Fire hack guide.
Mobile Legends
This MOBA was made for iOS, and it really shows. Thanks to a wide variety of streamlined touches here and there, like excellent touch controls, plenty of automation, and friendliness to low-end devices, there’s no reason not to get stuck into Mobile Legends.
You can learn more about the hit MOBA with our Mobile Legends new hero, Mobile Legends tier list, and Mobile Legends free heroes list guides. We’ve also put together the best mobile MOBAs in a single article.
Old School RuneScape
One of the oldest MMORPGs around remains the finest on mobile, Old School RuneScape is a direct port of the PC original that shares the same servers. You can participate in PvP from the comfort of your desk before kicking back and doing some mining on your phone on the sofa, all on the same account without losing any progress.
You won’t find a better MMORPG on mobile, but you can try by checking out our list of the best mobile MMORPGs.
Pokémon Go
Was it ever in any doubt? Pokémon Go might not be the first location-based game on iOS, but it’s certainly the biggest. It allows you to catch your favorite Pokémon while living your ordinary life. You might be on the way to grab a latte from Starbucks when Charmander leaps out of a bush near you. That’s just a little of the fun that Pokémon Go offers.
We’ve got plenty of content to help you get started too, including a Pokémon Go Eevee evolution, Pokémon Go event, Pokémon Go code, and Pokémon Go raid guides. You can also find similar games in our best games like Pokémon Go list.
PUBG Mobile
If you’re looking for a mobile game to play with friends, look no further than PUBG Mobile. This multiplayer shooter lets you play with single or multiple friends across a wide variety of game modes, and provides a pretty feature-complete version of the hit battle royale shooter, with streamlining for the small screen.
Find out more about the hit mobile shooter in our PUBG Mobile emulator, PUBG Mobile redeem codes, and PUBG Mobile update guides. You can also find more games to play with friends in our best mobile multiplayer games list.
Roblox
Prefer creating your own games to playing them? Roblox would like a word. This game creator/community space lets you create your own customizable avatar and go absolutely wild, joining your friends in games and making your own.
We’ve got a ton of Roblox content to dig through, including Roblox promo codes, Anime Adventures codes, Shinobi Life 2 codes, All Star Tower Defense codes, King Legacy codes, and Blox Fruits codes guides. We did say a ton.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is BioWare at its absolute prime, and is easily one of the finest western RPGs ever to grace the number of different platforms it launched on. You play as a Jedi recruit who has to either put a stop to the Empire’s plans, or help make sure they happen.
Want more like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic? Well, there’s plenty more where that came from in our best Star Wars games list.
Final Fantasy VII
You may have noticed Final Fantasy VIII above, but as a massive fan of the series, I couldn’t help but include VII as well. Much like VIII, this game plays great on iOS. It has a three-times speed mode for easy grinding, a fantastic story, and some very cool characters.
Check out our FFVII Cloud, FFVII Tifa, and FFVII Sephiroth guides to learn more about this classic.
That’s it for our list of the best iOS games, we recommend you also take a look at our list of the best iPad games. Worried your device isn’t up to the task of playing these games? Read our best gaming iPhone list. If you don’t own an Apple device, take a look at our list of the best Android games you can pick up right now.