The Top 25 iPhone and iPad Games

Nothing more needs to be written about how mobile gaming is “growing up.” Phones and tablets are powerhouse gaming machines, period.

On mobile, core gamers have exclusive experiences like Infinity Blade III, Real Racing and Horn. Gamers of all ages and tastes have games like Puzzle Craft, Flight Control, and yes, Candy Crush Saga. Companies like EA are nailing the right way to do freemium with games like Pixel People and Plants vs. Zombies 2.

The bottom line? Mobile has never been stronger. That’s why, for the first time, we have elected to not put any ports on our Top 25 List. We’re not saying The Walking Dead isn’t great on a tablet (it is), or that we haven’t spent hours playing “just one more turn” in Civilization Revolution (we have). Mobile is just too big, with too many fantastic titles to spotlight. So every single game on our list is either exclusive to mobile platforms, or was created with mobile as its lead platform.

With that in mind, let's jump right in...

Minigore 2: Zombies is the best twin-stick shooter on the App Store. The core twin-stick shooting feels great, even on a touch screen, but it is Minigore 2’s polished engine and impressive bevy of content that truly allows it to stand out from the pack. Each arena plops down dozens or maybe even hundreds of enemies on-screen at once, keeping the action fast-paced and frantic. Loads of missions, upgradable weapons, playable characters, boss fights and varied combat arenas will keep you blasting away for hours. 

To download Minigore 2 click the below link.





Pixel People takes the simple element combining found in puzzlers like Doodle God and mashes it together with Cityville-style casual town building. The result is the most charming and addictive town builder on the App Store. Splicing together genes to unlock new citizens and buildings is a ton of fun, but it’s game’s quirky sense of humor that will keep a smile on your face and keep you checking in day after day. Best of all, it’s free! And not in a half-hearted way. You’ll only need to put in real money if you really want to - there is no arm twisting.

Flight Control’s core concept is so fun and makes so much sense for a touch screen that it actually kicked off an entire genre. As planes fly in from off-screen, you use your finger to draw a safe guide path to each plane’s proper landing strip. As with all arcade games, things start off leisurely enough. But before you know it you’re frantically drawing lines for 12+ planes at once, doing your best to avoid collisions and clear the screen. Line-drawing games have often imitated Flight Control, but the original is still the champ.

Ridiculous Fishing is pretty simple at its core – cast your line, avoid fish as it sinks to the bottom, try to grab as many fish as you can on the way back up, and then pull out your gun and blast the fish once they break the surface. But beneath the addictive gameplay loop and stylish presentation, Ridiculous Fishing culminates in a moment that’s shockingly moving. We won’t spoil anything, but let’s just say that discovering why your fisherman does what he does is bound to hit quite a few people in a profound way.

Horn impressively manages to combine Zelda-style dungeons and puzzle-solving with fast-paced Infinity Blade-style combat. This is a winning combination on its own, but the game’s gorgeous presentation and near-perfect touch controls make it one of the platform’s greats. The game’s tap-to-move system combined with a variety of context-sensitive commands for jumping, climbing, shimmying across ledges, and more make exploration a breeze. Horn’s well-written and well-acted cast of characters and treasure-filled nooks and crannies ensure that this is one mobile world you’ll definitely want to explore.

The simple concept of a 2D golf game with power meters and real-ish physics is nothing new. But Super Stickman Golf 2 manages to stick out by continually introducing new mechanics, challenges, and variables to the formula. By the end, a round barely resembles the sport of golf, sometimes becoming more of a Portal-esque puzzle. A wealth of power-ups allows for a level of player creativity that makes the game feel unique every time you pick it up. Just be warned: Downloading Super Stickman Golf 2 will probably cause you to neglect your partners, children, and pets.

Plenty of genre mash-ups exist on the App Store, but none as unique or well-executed as Beat Sneak Bandit’s funky take on rhythm/stealth/puzzle. It sounds crazy, but it works. You can only move your clock-stealing hero by tapping to the beat of the music, and must stay out of sight of  roving guards, flickering spotlights, and other obstacles. Each level is filled with  “Aha!” moments as you figure out the perfect timing to safely reach the exit. A memorable and distinctive funky soundtrack and unique visual style further elevate the experience.

Puzzle Craft’s core gameplay is simple enough to be accessible to anyone. Just draw lines to match and eliminate grass, wheat, carrots, chickens and other farm-themed tiles. But the game contains such a perfect gameplay loop that it’s almost impossible to put down. What starts as a simple time-killing farming puzzle session inevitably turns into a marathon of farming, mining, building, and more. All items collected while farming can be spent mining, earning resources like stone, gold, and silver. These precious elements are then spent building and upgrading your town thereby unlocking new puzzle bonuses. Everything serves a purpose, and you’re always one step away from another big reward.Puzzle Craft might just be the perfect time killer.

This atmospheric physics-based side-scroller is drenched in gorgeous, melancholy style. Along your trek through this fantastical forest, you’ll come across the inhabitants of this strange new world in your quest to guide the creatures past a slew of deadly obstacles. Like Jetpack Joyride, Badland only requires a single finger to play, meaning that you’re never covering up the creative landscape with your grubby mitts. It’s simple, unique, and undeniably beautiful.

This moody, gorgeous, and often terrifying trek through Swedish folklore utilizes the unique features of mobile devices to create a fantastic adventure game. From companion apps necessary to see the full ending to having to physically manipulate your phone or tablet in order to solve a puzzle, Year Walk is crammed with moments that are truly unforgettable. It’s also one of the few mobile games with moments of genuine horror. If you’re playing this late at night with a solid pair of headphones, be prepared to delve into a terrifying world.

Real Racing 3 is the best realistic racer available on mobile, and it’s available for free. It is genuinely possible to complete its hundreds of events and have dozens of hours of fun without putting in a cent. But freemium doesn’t equal fun on its own. Thankfully, Racing Racing 3 also nails the actual racing. The experience is technical and rewards proper play, forcing players to brake aggressively and take proper racing lines to win. With plenty of modes of play, real world cars that all handle differently, and control options that allow both casual and serious race fans to jump in, Real Racing 3 truly has something for everyone.

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Source : www.ign.com