The 15 Best iPhone Games for Mobile Gamers [2024]

iPhone games have advanced a lot in the past decade. Intuitive touch controls and polished graphics are the hallmark features of iPhone games, with many titles offering a rich gameplay experience. Games on iPhone include mobile-first titles as well as games that first saw success on consoles or PC.

There are many iPhone games out there, and it isn’t easy to decide which are worth your time. To help you choose, we highlight the best iPhone games below.

The Best iPhone Games

1. Clash Royale

• Genre: Real-time strategy
• Release date: March 2, 2016
• Gameplay features: Real-time PvP battles, card-based unit deployment, tower defense
• Developer: Supercell
• Pricing: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 4.6 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Fans of strategic, fast-paced PvP battles with collectible card elements

A tower defense game with collectible cards to battle with, Clash Royale is a solid entry into the Clash series and one of the best iOS games. Featuring characters from the Clash of Clans game, you’ll build decks full of troops, spells, and buildings to use on the battlefield against other opponents.

Clash Royale does a great job of giving you progression and aims and even mixing in some RPG elements. You’ll work through arenas as you win games, unlocking new cards and rewards as you go. With frequent updates and an active community, Clash Royale is a solid choice for your next mobile game.

2. Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis

• Genre: Role-playing
• Release date: September 7, 2023
• Gameplay features: Episodic story-driven gameplay, turn-based combat, and gacha elements 
• Developer: Square Enix
• Pricing: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 4.7 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Players who enjoy turn-based RPGs with rich stories and gacha mechanics

Ever wanted to get into the Final Fantasy series but overwhelmed by the sheer number of titles to play? Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis offers a retelling of key moments throughout the series through an episodic format. Blending turn-based combat with 3D graphics, you’ll collect different characters, items, and equipment as you progress through the storyline.

Ever Crisis uses modern mobile gaming features like swipe, tap, and virtual button gestures to ensure enjoyable iPhone gameplay. Whether you’re a beginner or returnee to the Final Fantasy series, Ever Crisis is a solid choice.

3. Fallout Shelter

• Genre: Construction and management simulation
• Release date: March 29, 2017
• Gameplay features: Vault management, resource gathering, base building
• Developer: Bethesda 
• Pricing: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 4.8 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Players who enjoy base-building and resource management in a post-apocalyptic world

Fallout Shelter is a return to the Fallout universe — this time in full control of your own vault, an underground base for you and other humans to survive in a post-nuclear apocalypse world. A resource management sim and one of the best iPhone games, you can build your own vault’s layout, expanding the vault and number of citizens as you go. As you keep the citizens happy and productive by balancing the vault’s resources such as food, power, and water, you’ll also have to defend the vault from raiders and radiated monsters that sometimes attack.

The simulation game stands out for being playable without the need to purchase microtransactions and for providing an authentic Fallout experience in a completely different genre from the main series of action RPGs.

4. Dead Cells

• Genre: Roguelike
• Release date: August 7, 2018
• Gameplay features: Procedurally generated levels, permadeath, unlockable weapons, and challenging boss fights
• Developer: Concerned Ape
• Pricing: $24.99
• Rating: 4.8 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Fans of challenging, fast-paced roguelike action games with fluid combat

Dead Cells is a rogue platformer where you’ll enjoy fast-paced combat with procedurally generated exploration. There are many weapons and play styles to employ as you navigate sidescroller environments, fighting monsters across well-designed dungeons.

The game works fantastically on mobile with intuitive touch controls. It also has a permadeath feature (one death and you’re locked out of the game) that provides challenging, engaging gameplay. And with the various weapon and ability types, Dead Cells has a ton of replayability, keeping your play styles fresh and distinct from one another.

5. Stardew Valley

• Genre: Farm life simulation, role-playing
• Release date: February 26, 2016
• Gameplay features: Farming, crafting, fishing, mining
• Developer: Eric Barone
• Pricing: $4.99
• Rating: 4.8 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Players who enjoy farming sims, life management, and peaceful, open-ended gameplay

A perfect game for introducing non-gamers to games, Stardew Valley is a charming farming sim, the best of all the iPhone farm sim games out there. Tasked with building up the farm’s crops and animals, breaking off only to mine for resources and craft better items, you’ll have endless fun managing your farm and building relationships with the town’s locals. An indie game that went viral, Stardew Valley made a name for itself in a period where gaming was already dominated by established simulation titles.

Stardew Valley, released in 2016, offers a rich amount of content to consume, and never forces you into in-app purchases or breaks your immersion by showing ads. As a one-time purchase, you never have to worry about microtransactions. The game receives regular updates and support and has a friendly community, making it well worth a pick for your next iPhone gaming fix.

6. Minecraft

• Genre: Sandbox
• Release date: November 18, 2011
• Gameplay features: Sandbox world-building, crafting, survival, and exploration
• Developer: Mojang
• Pricing: $6.99
• Rating: 4.5 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Creative players who love sandbox building, exploration, and multiplayer survival

Famous long before it ever arrived on iPhone, Minecraft is a stalwart title commonly regarded as one of the best Apple Store games. With resource management and creativity being the key tenets of its gameplay, you’ll be able to create a world on the go. Minecraft sees you mining resources, fighting off mobs like Zombies, Spiders, and the infamous Creepers, and building whatever you want in your very own sandbox world.

The iPhone controls are intuitive and port well from the console version, leading to immersive gameplay that never feels clunky or frustrating. Minecraft is a solid, family-friendly title that provides hours of fun from your phone. 

7. Pokémon GO

• Genre: Augmented reality
• Release date: July 6, 2016
• Gameplay features: Augmented reality, location-based exploration, Pokémon capturing and battling, gym raids, team-based gameplay
• Developer: Niantic
• Pricing: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 4 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Fans of Pokémon who enjoy AR exploration and real-world interaction

Even if you’ve never played it, you likely remember the Pokémon GO mania of 2016. Pokémon GO, developed by Niantic, is perhaps the truest experience of feeling like a Pokémon trainer and one of the best iPhone games. In this game, you’ll find Pokémon randomly as you walk around the real world. Gyms and Pokestops appear at popular local landmarks, rewarding you with boss battles and items to use. You can even hatch Pokémon eggs by walking a certain distance.

Pokémon GO was revolutionary in how much it encouraged non-sedentary and collaborative gameplay. While similar games and even consoles like the Nintendo Wii had existed long before the game’s release, it’s hard to say any of those options gripped the world like Pokémon GO did. If you want to get more active and enjoy games that encourage it, this one is perfect for you, even if you’re not traditionally into Pokémon. Just make sure not to play while driving (seriously)!

8. Genshin Impact: Natlan Launch

• Genre: Action role-playing
• Release date: September 28, 2020
• Gameplay features: Action-based combat, elemental magic system, character switching, gacha mechanics
• Developer: COGNOSPHERE
• Pricing: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 4.3 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Players who love action-based combat and character collection elements

Genshin Impact quickly gained global attention in 2023, being one of the top trending action RPGs in the world. With a brilliant open world design, captivating storyline, and compelling gameplay loop, you can expect hours of fun on this Pokémon-like game on iPhone.

The game is regularly updated with expansion content and has full-time support for any issues you encounter. Genshin Impact’s community is also friendly and open to helping newer players. As a gacha game, you are at the mercy of random number generators (RNG) on unlocking new characters and items, which means there’s a high pay-to-win aspect to the game. That said, the game does a good job of balancing how necessary spending real money is, meaning you’re never pushed too much into doing so.

9. PUBG Mobile

• Genre: Battle royale
• Release date: February 9, 2018
• Gameplay features: Realistic gunplay, 100-player matches, solo or team modes, various maps, and competitive ranking system
• Developer: Tencent
• Pricing: Free to play (in-game purchases)Rating: 4.3 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Fans of competitive shooters in mobile format

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) was one of the most played games in the world in its heyday, popularizing the battle royale genre. Now, it enjoys a stable, active player base even if competitors like Call of Duty: Warzone and Fortnite have overshadowed it. PUBG Mobile is a faithful mobile port of the game with intuitive touch controls and impressive graphics, making it one of the top online games to play with friends.

In PUBG Mobile, you’ll parachute into a world with 99 other players, scavenging for weapons, items, and loot while keeping an eye on the poisonous gas that envelops more of the map as time goes on. The mobile game releases frequent updates with new maps and events, keeping gameplay fresh. It's one of the most popular mobile games of all time, and its active player base makes it a solid choice for your next iPhone gaming fix.

10. Marvel Contest of Champions

• Genre: Fighting
• Release date: December 10, 2014
• Gameplay features: 1v1 combat, character collection, fast-paced battles, Marvel superheroes and villains
• Developer: Kabam
• Pricing: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 4.7 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Marvel fans who enjoy collectible characters and fast-paced fighting

If mobile fighting games and superheroes interest you, then Marvel Contest of Champions is a perfect iPhone game for you to play. With 2D real-time combat, you’ll battle other players controlling various heroes and villains from the Marvel universe, each with their own play style and stats that impact the gameplay.

You can perform solo quests as well as fight in PvP battles. The game does a great job of balancing competitive multiplayer gaming with an engaging story that unfolds as you progress. The game’s extensive roster of characters makes it one of the best games based on Marvel available.

11. Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile

• Genre: Battle royale
• Release date: March 20, 2024
• Gameplay features: Fast-paced shooting, large maps, squad-based combat, weapon customization
• Developer: Activision
• Pricing: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 4.7 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Players who love intense battle royale shooters with tactical team play

Call of Duty (COD): Warzone burst onto the battle royale scene in 2020, with its mobile port following later in 2024. COD: Warzone Mobile has fantastic touch controls that result in an authentic Warzone experience despite the smaller phone screen. Warzone Mobile is one of the most popular games of 2024, and for good reason.

As with other battle royales, COD: Warzone Mobile sees you dropping into the map with 99 other players, forced to scavenge for items, weapons, and loot while evading poisonous gas that slowly envelops the entire map. The result is frenzied, high-stakes gameplay that can be enjoyed either solo or as part of a group.

12. Among Us

• Genre: Online social deduction
• Release date: June 15, 2018
• Gameplay features: Social deduction, tasks, impostor mechanics, customizable avatars
• Developer: Innersloth
• Pricing: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 4.1 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Groups of friends who enjoy social deduction games and chaotic, fast-paced matches

A global sensation during the COVID-19 pandemic, Among Us is a fun social deduction game that sees you and other players try to work out who the impostor is. While you try to discover the impostor’s identity, they’ll be trying to kill your group one by one by trapping you and luring you to specific areas of the map. The game’s controls work perfectly with mobile devices, leading to intuitive gameplay that never feels clunky. Plus, it's free to play!

If you're looking for games to play with friends, Among Us offers highly engaging realistic games that will have you roaring with laughter. Even if you’re playing solo, the community itself is full of jokers and an in-game chat, so you can still have tons of fun with other players.

13. Brawl Stars

• Genre: Online battle arena, third-person hero shooter
• Release date: June 15, 2017
• Gameplay features: Real-time 3v3 battles, various game modes (bounty, heist, etc.), fast-paced combat, and team-based strategy
• Developer: Supercell
• Pricing: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 4.7 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Fans of quick, action-packed multiplayer battles

If you’re into team-based battlers with fast-paced gameplay and various characters complementing different play styles, then Brawl Stars is for you. A highly competitive game that features multiple immersive game modes, Brawl Stars offers quick games that are always distinct from another. With jumping and melee being the core tenets of Brawl Stars’ combat, the gameplay offers a unique experience compared to other mobile games due to its frenetic, mechanically interesting combat. The result is fun games that always feel different enough to experience something fresh.

As you play Brawl Stars, you’ll unlock new Brawlers, each with its own abilities and attack styles. The game is frequently updated with new game modes and Brawlers, ensuring your gameplay remains fresh. 

14. Slay the Spire

• Genre: Roguelike deck-building
• Release date: January 23, 2019
• Gameplay features: Deck-building roguelike, card-based combat, procedurally generated dungeons
• Developer: Humble Bundle
• Pricing: $9.99
• Rating: 4.2 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Strategy lovers who enjoy card-based combat and challenging roguelike elements

A deck-building roguelike game where the goal is to navigate through dungeons and ascend the titular spire, Slay the Spire is a fantastic iPhone game that offers you strategic, resource management gameplay. A blend of two solid video game genres, Slay the Spire manages to remain faithful to both.

Slay the Spire offers you the choice between multiple characters, each with its own deck, and you’ll have to choose which cards to use from your deck depending on the dungeon you’re tackling. Each dungeon is randomly generated, offering an engaging experience that requires you to plan your ascension through the spire.

15. Roblox

• Genre: Online game creation
• Release date: September 1, 2006
• Gameplay features: User-generated content, sandbox creation tools, customizable avatars
• Developer: Roblox Corporation
• Pricing: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 4.5 stars on the Apple Store
• Best for: Creative players who enjoy creating, exploring, and playing user-generated games

An online platform where you can create your own games or join other users’ games, Roblox is a truly unique experience compared to other iPhone games out there. You have the choice between a wide range of game types under the Roblox platform, making it easy to find the type of game you like playing.

Roblox is heavily focused on social interaction, so if you like to make new friends while gaming, you’ll fit right in. Roblox’s virtual economy works off Robux, which you can buy to access in-game items and premium content, though this isn’t necessary to enjoy the platform.

The Best iPhone Games at a Glance

Want to find your next best iPhone game but pressed for time? Check out the table below:
 

What To Look For in the Best iPhone Games

When selecting the best iPhone games, consider these key factors:

• Gameplay mechanics: Look for games with engaging and well-designed mechanics that align with your preferred play style.
• Story quality: Choose games that offer rich storytelling with memorable characters and immersive worlds.
• Character development: Opt for titles that provide meaningful character customization and progression.
• Replayability: Seek out games offering a variety of activities that change dynamically.
• Community: Choose games with an active community where players share tips, strategies, and experiences.
• Performance and stability: Look for games known for their smooth performance and stability on iOS devices.

iPhone games offer intuitive touch controls and surprisingly great graphics across a multitude of game genres. You can find anything from merge games to open world MMOs, all from the comfort of your mobile. This list should help you narrow down the search for your next iPhone game to just a few of the greats.

Apple has done great at integrating gaming into their devices, with both iPhone and Apple Vision games to choose from.

Best iPhone Games FAQ

Still have questions about the best iPhone games? We answer them below.

What Makes an iPhone Game the Best?

The best iPhone games are characterized by engaging gameplay, high-quality graphics, and intuitive controls.

Are the Best iPhone Games Free?

Many iPhone games are! Pokémon GO, Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, and Roblox are all free to play, for instance, but others, like Minecraft and Slay the Spire, are paid.

Can I Play the Best iPhone Games Offline?

Many iPhone games require online play to work correctly, but some titles such as Slay the Spire and Fallout Shelter can be played offline.