Exploring the Best iPhone Games: A Curated List for Every Gamer
Whether you’re an Apple diehard or you’ve just bought your first phone, chances are you’ll ask yourself at some point, "What are the best iPhone games?" 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 list.
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. We recommend grabbing an Apple Arcade subscription for the best experience. Apple Arcade is a game subscription service, with 200+ great fun games, without ads or in-app purchases.
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 mid-level to access different areas. Play Sonic Dream Team on Apple Arcade.
