Hi there, and welcome to our ever-increasing list of the very best games for iPhone. We're going to be updating this regularly with new content, so make sure you check back often, because you're not going to want to miss out on even one of the games we're including here. Trust me, they're that good.

You can click the links below to download the games from the App Store, and find out more about them. And if you've got some games you think should be included, feel free to chuck them into the comments section. Hopefully we can get a good bit of debate going!


Fallout Shelter

- Click here to download for iPhone

It'd be easy to pass this one off as a cheap tie-in, but you'd be missing out on one of the best strategy management games on the App Store if you did. Even if you're not a fan of the grim FPS series this one is based on, there's a very real chance you're going to love Fallout Shelter. It's addictive, it's compulsive, and some of the ideas it introduced have become standard fare in the genre since its release.

Click here to read our Fallout Shelter review


Valleys Between

- Click here to download for iPhone

A calming, clever match-stuff puzzler that doesn't play by the rules of the free to play end of the genre. It's all about time, and space, and nature, and you're going to have to solve some pretty tricky challenges if you want to see everything that Valleys Between has to offer. And, you can trust us on this one, you're definitely going to want to see everything that Valley's Between has to offer.

Click here to read our Valleys Between review


The Machines

- Click here to download for iPhone

You're going to need a pretty new iPhone to play this one, since it uses AR kit tech. If you've got a hefty enough device though, this is definitely the game you should be picking up to show off what it can do. The game itself is a MOBA featuring awesome looking robots and loads of gorgeous explosions. It won't blow your mind, but there aren't many other AR games as good as this one on the App Store.

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Clash of Clans

- Click here to download for iPhone

There's no escaping the fact that Clash of Clans is one of the biggest games in the world. Like it or loathe it, it's got such a massive audience that it must be doing something right. And it is - it's a fun, midcore resource management game with some really clever online components and more than enough content to get you trapped in its compulsion loops forever. That can't be a bad thing, right?

Click here to read our Clash of Clans review


Plants vs Zombies

- Click here to download for iPhone

Another classic, and one that managed to redefine its genre. It's a tower defence experience built around lanes of attack, and it manages to be tactically astute and frantically entertaining at the same time. We'd definitely recommend checking this one out over its sequel - there's a freshness here that the second game in the series didn't quite manage to capture.

Click here to read our Plants vs Zombies review


Frag: Pro Shooter

- Click here to download for iPhone

A new game that makes its way onto this list on merit. It's a team-based shooter, but your team is controlled by the AI. You can jump between different characters, each of whom have different roles, and the aim of the game is to destroy targets in your opponent's base. It's fast and fun in all the right ways, and there's always a game waiting for you if you're up for some primary colored slaughter.

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Hole.io

- Click here to download for iPhone

The .io genre keeps throwing up games that have no right to be as good as they are. Honestly, there are some experiences with .io at the end of them that easily rank among the best multiplayer games on mobile. This is one of them - you're playing as a hole, and you need to eat to grow. Eventually you'll be swallowing whole skyscrapers, and laughing your head off while you do it.


Meteorfall: Journey

- Click here to download for iPhone

A solo card game that's all about trying to stop a meteor from crashing into the earth. You've got a choice of characters, and their decks are all different, meaning you need to work out new strategies for every adventurer. There's some really smart play here, even though mechanically there's not much going on on the surface. One for anyone who likes to spend their lunch breaks in subterranean depths fighting comedy monsters.

Click here to read our Meteorfall: Journey review


Dragalia Lost

- Click here to download for iPhone

Nintendo's biggest mobile gamble yet is an action RPG with some really neat ideas, and a compulsion loop that's designed to tangle you into it from the get go and not let go. It's not going to be everyone's tastes, but if you're after a new midcore RPG, then there's so much to like here it'd be silly not to pick it up and give it a whirl.

Click here to read our Dragalia Lost review

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Tacticool

- Click here to download for iPhone

There's nothing we like more than being tactical and being cool, which is great, because that's exactly what Tacticool offers. It's a top-down, multiplayer military shooter that sees you and your team trying to take down the opponents. Games are short and sharp, but the shooting here is remarkable, and the compulsion loop will keep you coming back for more.

Click here to read our Tacticool review


Linn: Path of Orchards

- Click here to download for iOS

An interesting looking, abstract platformer that twists things around in some really clever ways. Don't pass this off as just another Monument Valley clone though, because it really isn't. It's 2D, it's action packed, and it doesn't mess around when it comes to challenge, either.

Click here to read our Linn: Path of Orchards review


Dunkypung

- Click here to download for iOS

If this was a list of the games with the best names for iPhone then this would deserve its place. It isn't though, it's about the best games for iPhone, and Dunkypung definitely deserves its place for being really awesome. It's cruel, it's fast, and it gets its balance of frustration and fun just right.

Click here to read our Dunkypung review


Langrisser Mobile

- Click here to download for iOS

The classic JRPG series finally makes its way onto mobile, and fans and newcomers alike aren't going to be disappointed. This is a slick, smart experience that's balanced and tweaked perfectly to fit in your pocket. The free to play here isn't too annoying, so if you're looking for one of the best SRPGs in the world, but on your phone, then you should definitely give this one a go.


Kaiju Rush

- Click here to download for iOS

Sometimes you just want to play a small game. And this is one of those. Sure it's not the deepest experience in the world, but it's exactly the sort of distraction that mobile play was made for. Smash a city, upgrade your giant monsters, and have a lovely old time doing it. It won't stick in the mind, but it will keep your fingers busy busy busy.

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The Stillness of the Wind

- Click here to download for iOS

There aren't many mobile games that are going to make you reconsider the way you look at the world, but The Stillness of the Wind is one of them. It's a sad, slow game about the end of the world that sees you tending to a goat farm, planting seeds, and finding out about the outside world through letters from old friends. It might not have any action, but this one's well worth seeking out all the same.

Click here to read our The Stillness of the Wind review


BackFire

- Click here to download for iOS

This one's a shooter with a bit of a difference. As you can probably work out from the title, you're firing out of the back of your craft, and your shots count as your propulsion too. You need to kill as many demons as you can, toughen up your little ship, and then jump back into the fight and kill even more demons.


Kingdom Rush: Vengeance

- Click here to download for iOS

The latest entry in the Kingdom Rush series is every bit as good as you hoped it was going to be. It builds on everything the franchise has put out before, and isn't afraid to try out new things. Even if you're not a huge fan of tower defence games, there's a very good chance that you're going to find something to like here.

Click here to read our Kingdom Rush: Vengeance review


King Crusher

- Click here to download for iOS

Mixing an RPG with a puzzler is nothing new, but this one adds a decent chunk of action into the pot to create something pretty special. You're sliding your units around a grid, dodging the attacks that are being thrown at you, and trying to get your warriors in the right positions to do as much damage as possible. Every run through is different, so there's a good chance this one's going to stick about on your phone for a good long while.


Assassin's Creed: Rebellion

- Click here to download for iOS

No, it isn't a real Assassin's Creed game, but then what were you expecting? Instead this one plays a bit like a midcore RPG, albeit with far more interesting ideas than any other game that just abouts fits into that genre. It captures the stealth and stabbing without the need for complex controls, and there's enough going on here to keep your attention for at least a few days.

Click here to read our Assassin's Creed: Rebellion review

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Angry Birds Star Wars

- Click here to download for iPhone

In many ways, this marks the point where the Angry Birds games jumped the shark. Everything you want from an AB game is here, along with all the charm and excitement of the Star Wars franchise. There are some really interesting combinations of characters and skills here, and while the series might have lost its way recently, this one's always going to be worth checking out.

Click here to read our Angry Birds Star Wars review


Modern Combat V: Blackout

- Click here to download for iPhone

This is probably the best Modern Combat game. It's got multiplayer, it's got single player, and it's still got a thriving community of players. Imagine CoD, but designed for mobile and with even less connection to the real world. It's fun, it's got loads of explosions in it, and while it's going to mainly ignore your grey matter it's going to give your hands the sort of workout hardcore players love.

Click here to read our Modern Combat V: Blackout review


Final Fantasy Tactics

- Click here to download for iPhone

Of all the games that came out outside of the main FF canon, this is probably one of the finest. It's got a huge story, a massive amount of battles, and some of the best strategic JRPG gameplay that you can get on iPhone. Sure, it's a bit old now, but this is one of those retro games that's going to remain in vogue forever. Seriously, that's how good it is. This is a game well worth the asking price.


Oddmar

- Click here to download for iPhone

What happens when a viking isn't very good at being a viking? Well in Oddmar all of his tribe gets kidnapped and he has to go on an adventure of self-discovery to save them. That's the plot behind Oddmar, one of the best platformers to land on the App Store in recent years. It's got some great ideas, it looks gorgeous, and it might even raise the odd laugh or two.

Click here to read our Oddmar review


Where Shadows Slumber

- Click here to download for iPhone

It'd be easy to dismiss this as another game trying to grab onto the coattails of Monument Valley. That simply isn't the case though. This is a much darker game, and it's ideas come not from geometry but from the interplay of light and dark. There are some pretty shocking moments here, as well as some of the best puzzling we've seen in a good long while.

Click here to read our Where Shadows Slumber review

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Hitman GO

- download for iOS

The first of the GO games that came out, it's probably the simplest of all three, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth checking out. This one wears its board game influences on its sleeve for all to see, but still manages to capture the thrill of sneaking up on an unaware victim and giving them a good old murder. Hitman GO built the foundations of one of the best series for mobile, which is why it deserves its place on this list.

Click here to read our Hitman GO review


The Walking Dead

- download for iOS

It might be old, and Telltale might have died, but you're still going to be hard-pressed to find a better modern point-and-click adventure on the App Store than this one. It's set in the same world as the comics, features some utterly heartbreaking decisions and some really interesting characters, and nowadays you can usually pick up the whole first season for pretty darn cheap.

Click here to read our The Walking Dead review


Iron Marines

- download for iOS

It took awhile to get here, but Iron Marines finally feels like the RTS that mobile players deserve. It works some brilliant mobile ideas into the basics of the genre, throws in a few tower defence concepts, and then spreads its wings and soars. This is a challenging game that fans of classic real-time strategy are going to love, but it's open enough that newcomers will get something out of it too.

Click here to read our Iron Marines review


Forged Fantasy

- download for iOS

A new game, but one that's no-less deserving of its place here. It's a midcore ARPG that sees you building up a team of warriors, archers, sorcerers, and more, then using them to take down hordes of enemies or other player-created bands. There's so much to do here, and the cinematic action is the cherry atop the gorgeous-looking pile. If this one strikes a chord you're going to lose hours of your life to it.


Football Heroes Pro Online

- download for iOS

Another older title that's starting to show its age. It's not the best looking game in the world, but it manages to distill America's favorite sport into exciting five minute sessions. It doesn't have the player base it once had, and there are some glitches here, but scoring the winning touchdown in the dying seconds of a match is still one of the best feelings up for grabs on the App Store.

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Crossgrams

- download for iPhone

Every time we think that the word game genre has nothing left to surprise us with, something like this comes along. Sure, it might look just like a crossword puzzle, but there's a lot more going on here than that. You're also sliding blocks around, figuring out jumbled letters, and more. And it's all an awful lot of verbose fun.


Gone Home

- download for iPhone

It might have taken a while to make it onto mobile, but now it's here this sad little adventure more than earns its place. It's equally spooky and heart-wrenching, there's no fighting, and all you do is walk around a house to try and figure out where everyone's gone. And, without spoiling anything, the conclusion is probably going to break you.

Click here to read our Gone Home review


Command and Conquer: Rivals

- download for iPhone

We're not sure how this game managed to be as good as it is, but it did, so there. It's a clever twist on the mobile MOBA that gives you way more control over your units than the likes of Clash Royale, and sticks a giant rocket in the middle of the play area that you need to control and fire at your foe. All of which is likely to leave you with a slightly evil smile playing over your face.


Wild Beyond

- download for iPhone

Another MOBA that does things a bit differently. Just when you think you've figured Wild Beyond out it'll throw in a tower defense section, or mess around with the fundamentals of the game to make you think outside of the box it's already built for you. It also looks amazing. It might not be streaking its way up the charts, but you could all change that.


Undisputed Champ

- download for iPhone

Colin Lane has a lot of games on this list, mainly because Colin Lane makes very good games. This is probably the dev's most traditional work to date, but it still manages to deliver some of the most entertaining pugilism you're going to find on the App Store. Throw in a meatier career mode and you're doing pretty damn well for the low price of nothing.

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Slydris 2

- download for iPhone

The sequel to one of our favorite puzzlers manages to capture everything that made the original great, while adding some intriguing new ideas into the mix. Really, it's everything you want from a sequel - it's bigger, it's better, and it's cleverer. Slydris 2 is a great example of how to do something different with a puzzle game, and on the App Store that's like discovering a nugget of solid gold.


Pocket-Run Pool

- download for iPhone

Zach Gage takes on pool, and the end result is one of the best versions of the bar-sport that we've seen on the App Store. It messes around with the rules, gives you points for pockets, and mixes stuff up regularly so you can't fall into a routine. This is the sort of game you're going to dive into for little slices of fun, and it's going to deliver every time.

Click here to read our Pocket-Run Pool review


Death Coming

- download for iPhone

There are lots of games about death, but there aren't that many games about Death. Or, more specifically, there are no other games (to our knowledge at least) about playing as Death's apprentice. That's exactly what Death Coming offers though, in the shape of a really interesting isometric puzzler that's going to deliver all the head-scratching pleasure you're looking for.

Click here to read our Death Coming review


Donut County

- download for iPhone

This one is all about holes, and making them bigger. When you say it like that it sounds a bit creepy, but this is actually one of the most adorable games you can get for your iPhone. It's filled with adorable critters, presented in some of the most soothing pastel colors you're ever going to see, and is rarely anywhere near taxing. Donut County is really rather lovely, and it deserves all the awards it won this year.

Click here to read our Donut County review


Brew Town

- download for iPhone

Ever wanted to be a hipster but can't afford the moustache wax and all the special craft beer glasses? Well fret ye not, because Brew Town is a game all about running your own small brewery. It's wonderfully simple, effortlessly compulsive, and while there isn't really that much to it you're going to find yourself dipping in and out of it on a regular basis.

Click here to read our Brew Town review

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Stranger Things: The Game

- download for iPhone

Movie and TV tie-in games are the worst right? Wrong. Mobile gaming has proven that actually, with some consideration, TV games can actually be great. Don't believe us? Then check out Stranger Things: The Game. It doesn't just capture the show, it manages to capture a nostalgic era of gaming-past as well. Think Zelda plus the Upside Down and you're getting there.

Click here to read our Stranger Things: The Game review


XCOM: Enemy Within

- download for iPhone

We've come a long way since the inception of the App Store, and if you want to know how far, pick up XCOM. It might be lacking a little bit of the polish of its console and PC counterpart, but everything that made XCOM so brilliant has made it over to your pocket. And quite frankly, that's ridiculous.

Click here to read our XCOM: Enemy Within review


Bastion

- download for iPhone

There probably aren't that many people left in the world who haven't played Bastion, but we thought we'd try and make sure that those people find out about it. It's a thought-provoking action RPG with a brilliant story and one of the best-looking graphical styles on the App Store. Fun as all heck and really good looking? Yeah, it's no wonder it's made it on to the list.

Click here to read our Bastion review


Papers, Please

- download for iPhone

One of the most important and interesting games on any platform. It's all about letting people into a fictional country You're the border guard, and you need to check out the documentation that they bring with them. You also need to try and keep your job to feed your family and keep your house. Do you follow the rules and shut the door, or try and get desperate people to safety?

Click here to read our Papers, Please review


Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp

- download for iPhone

It might not be the most original game in the world, but Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp has one big thing going for it - charm. And it's the sort of charm that only Nintendo can do. Everything about the game is filled with a calming sort of joy, and you'll want to keep playing just to see all the adorable things that you can unlock.

Click here to read our Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp review

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Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP

- download for iPhone

There are plenty of odd games on the App Store, but this is one of the best of them. It's an esoteric adventure game that sees you working your way through a gorgeous pixel-art world, solving strange puzzles, meeting weird characters, and trying to get to the bottom of what's going on. This is the sort of game you're likely to steal hours of your life, and we'd highly recommend letting it.

Click here to read our Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery review


Leo's Fortune

- download for iPhone

A platformer that involves getting the gold of the titular character back. There are shades of plenty of other games here, but Leo's Fortune wraps them all up with a bunch of its own ideas. It's one of those games that manages to be familiar and fresh at the same time, and if you're looking for a platformer to sink your teeth into over the next few days then there's definitely a lot to like here.

Click here to read our Leo's Fortune review


Ticket to Earth

- download for iPhone

Puzzling RPGs are all the rage on the App Store at the moment, but Ticket to Earth does things a little differently. You're matching shapes together, but your characters are on the grid, moving around, trying to get in prime position to attack your foes. The extra level of strategy makes for a far more expansive experience. You might have sniffed at this one when it first came out, but it's got so much more going for it than your first glance might suggest.

Click here to read our Ticket to Earth review


Invisible Inc

- download for iPhone

One of, if not the best stealth game that's currently available on the App Store. In a cyberpunk future you need to work your way through a number of levels, getting involved in some pretty deep corporate espionage along the way. Everything that Invisible Inc sets out to do, it does brilliantly. Even if you're not a fan of the stealth genre, there's so much fun and thinking here that you're unlikely to mind.

Click here to read our Invisible Inc review


Into the Dead 2

- download for iPhone

If you were going to pick two things that defined the App Store you may well go for zombies and auto-runners. Well, Into the Dead 2 is both of those things - it's all about pegging it through a field of flesh-eaters, shooting them when you can, but for the most part doing your best to avoid them. It's a decidedly mobile game, and while hardcore gamers might find it lacking, there's plenty of fun to be had for the more casual player here.

Click here to read our Into the Dead 2 review

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Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition

- download for iPhone

Here's something we'd love to see more developers doing. This is Final Fantasy XV, Square Enix's massive JRPG, but demade to fit in your pocket. The graphics might not be as flashy, but the game still has that Princely swagger that made the console version so popular. And you can get the first chunk for free, so if you don't like it, you've not lost anything.

Click here to read our Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition review


The Battle of Polytopia

- download for iPhone

There aren't that many truly great strategy games on the iPhone, but this is definitely one of them. It offers some of the very best tactical multiplayer that iOS has to offer, and it's the sort of game you're going to slowly but surely find yourself obsessed with. It's fine though, because it's an obsession that'll leave you with a smile on your face.


Inside

- download for iPhone

The spiritual successor to Limbo doesn't rest on its laurels. Sure it's creepy, tough, and you're going to die a lot, but there's a more realistic feel to the game. Okay, not that realistic since a lot of it involves mind control, but where Limbo was about exploration, this one's about escape. And it's a better game because of that.

Click here to read our Inside review


Oceanhorn

- download for iPhone

The App Store's answer to every modern Zelda game. It might not have very many original ideas, but it's so beautifully put together, and every inch of it has been handled with such love and care, that it's hard to be mad at it for that. Even if Nintendo releases a Zelda game for mobile, it's going to have some stiff competition from this homage.

Click here to read our Oceanhorn review


Old Man's Journey

- download for iPhone

A really intelligent mix of a puzzler and an adventure game. You need to lead the titular old man from A to B, but you do it by slicing up the landscape he's walking through. It's a super smart concept, and it's one of those games that makes you realise how perfect mobile phones can be for gaming if the dev understands the platform.

Click here to read our Old Man's Journey review

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Reigns: Her Majesty

- download for iPhone

While Reigns: Game of Thrones might be capturing all the headlines at the moment, if anything this middle game in the Reigns series might be even better. It's all about playing as a queen, and making the big decisions. How these affect your subjects, and the land under your control, will determine how long you stick around for. There's a deep, intriguing story here too, but you're going to have to put the work in to find out everything.

Click here to read our Reigns: Her Majesty review


Arena of Valor

- download for iPhone

We're still waiting for that definitive, fully-fledged mobile MOBA. There are other games in the genre with some really interesting ideas, but in the end it's Arena of Valor that gets closest to being perfect. It's got a huge player base, a load of characters, and the sort of action that MOBA fans have been clamouring for for a long time.

Click here to read our Arena of Valor review


Limbo

- download for iPhone

A sad, ghoulish platformer about the place in between life and death. It's heartbreaking and horrifying, often at the same time, and the giant spider you meet near the start of the game has become something of an icon. There have been a lot of games that have tried to ape Limbo's style, but none of them have managed to do it with the same skill as the original.

Click here to read our Limbo review


Super Mario Run

- download for iPhone

It's Mario, and it's on your phone. Maybe it isn't the fully-fledged Mario game that some people were hoping it would be, and maybe its pricing model needed some more time on the drawing board, but in the end one salient fact really smashes down any objections you might have. It's Mario, and it's on your phone.

Click here to read our Super Mario Run review


Fowlst

- download for iPhone

This one came out in the wake of Downwell, so it's easy to see why it got a little forgotten. At first glance the two games look pretty similar. But that's not the case. They each contain different subtleties you need to get to grip with. Plus Downwell features a small man with guns for shoes, and Fowlst features an angry chicken that enjoys headbutting demons to death. So, y'know.

Click here to read our Fowlst review

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Chaos Reborn: Adventures - download for iPhone

The turn-based strategy game has always felt at home on touchscreen. Because you can take your time with your moves, there's less chance that the limitations of mobile control are going to kick in. Chaos Reborn: Adventures has much more going for it than that. Designed by the creator of the original Xcom, it's a really interesting game of wizards, cards, and strategy.

Evergarden - download for iPhone

A wonderfully intelligent puzzler that's all about making plants grow. Well, actually it's about a lot more than that. There are some really great ideas here - some from other games, but the majority from Evergarden itself. It's calming, it's charming, and it's chock full of secrets to discover and mysteries to explore.

Click here to read our Evergarden review

PUBG - download for iPhone

In the world of the battle royale game on mobile, it's a dogfight at the top. In fact, it's the same dogfight there is everywhere else. The 90s had Mario and Sonic, nowadays we have PUBG vs Fortnite. Both of them are really good, and it pretty much comes down to personal preference as to which you go for. Personally though, I've got a penchant for PUBG.

Click here to read our PUBG review

Minecraft - download for iPhone

It might not grab the headlines in the same ways it used to, but Minecraft is still a pretty big deal in the world of gaming. This mobile version is chock full of things to build, things to hide from, and friends you can make. If you love to create more than you love to destroy, then Minecraft is always worth checking out.

Click here to read our Minecraft review

Device 6 - download for iPhone

Simogo doesn't make games so much as it makes weird experiences. Device 6 definitely fits into that category. It's a text adventure that sees you waking up on a strange island. You need to figure out what's going on, and how to get back home. There's so much ingenuity here that a single paragraph isn't enough to even start to scratch the surface - this is unlike anything else you've ever played before though.

Click here to read our Device 6 review

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Tiny Wings - download for iPhone

A classic of the smartphone era, as elegant in its simplicity as it is endearing. It's all about getting a bird to fly. But the bird isn't very good at flying, because of its tiny wings. What follows is a game we've all played loads of time before, but it was Tiny Wings that set the template. And it's Tiny Wings that still does it best.

Click here to read out Tiny Wings review

Does not Commute - download for iPhone

A game about controlling traffic shouldn't be all that madcap should it? Well Does not Commute is a puzzle game about making sure 15 cars get to their destinations. Without smashing into each other. It's also got a story about time travel and terriers. So as far as we're concerned all games about controlling traffic should be madcap.

Click here to read our Does not Commute review

Rayman Jungle Run - download for iPhone

The first game that really got the triple A platformer right on mobile. It's super slick, super fast, and while there's a straight line linearity here, there's also room to explore and express yourself. It still looks stunning even now, and for our money it gives Super Mario Run more than a run for its money.

Click here to read our Rayman Jungle Run review

Pac-Man 256 - download for iPhone

The original Pac-Man arcade games borked when you got to level 256. This game, built by the developer behind Crossy Road, asks what happens once the game breaks down. The answer is a mix of classic pill-gobbling gameplay and an endless runner, with some chaotic twists thrown in to keep things fresh.

Click here to read our Pac-Man 256 review

Hidden Folks - download for iPhone

Games don't have to be chaotic to really sing on mobile though. Just look at Hidden Folks, a game about finding hidden folks. Essentially this is a monochromatic Where's Waldo, but it's got some other ideas up its sleeve as well. Then there's the charming art style and soothing sounds. It's a bit different, but it's well worth spending some time getting to know it.

Click here to read our Hidden Folks review

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Tomb of the Mask - download for iPhone

There's something utterly compelling about Tomb of the Mask. Sure, a recent update has seen it stuffed full of adverts, but there's still so much to enjoy in the tightly-packed, fast-paced platforming adventure. You can control the whole thing with your thumb, and every second somehow manages to feel like it's life and death.

Alphabear 2 - download for iPhone

Bears, words, and a cheeky sense of humor? What's not to like. Alphabear 2 might not stray too far from the template set out by the original, but when it's a template as good as this one it's sort of hard to complain. There are some really interesting ideas here, and even if you're not a huge fan of word games you're going to have a good time playing this one.

Click here to read our Alphabear 2 review

Mind Cards - download for iPhone

A super-short, super-smart card-based dungeon crawler that you can run through in a few minutes. A clever challenge system, and new cards that you can unlock with your winnings, mean there's always a reason to jump back in once you've finished a run. And you will, because Mind Cards isn't just simple, it's a lot of fun as well.

Click here to read our Mind Cards review

Afterpulse - download for iPhone

There are plenty of shooters on this list, but there's a purity to Afterpulse that makes it stand out from the rest. Not only has the action here been refined to a razor sharp edge, the violence is balanced enough that first-time players aren't going to feel like they don't have a chance at winning.

Fortnite - download for iPhone

There's no denying the change that Fortnite has made to the mobile gaming landscape. It's a game that a lot of people didn't think would work on Touchscreens, but Epic has proven that where there's a will there's a way. Build, kill, and try and be the last person standing when everyone else has died. It's hard to think of a game that does tension better.

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Scalak - download for iPhone

Scalak is a game about building things. 3D shapes have pieces missing, and you need to choose the right one and slot it in. It doesn't sound that challenging, but as the game progresses you won't just need to match shapes, you'll need to connect colored dots, attach wireframe models, and slot together lines. It's fun, it's smart, and some of the puzzles will stump you in the finest possible ways.

Click here to read our Scalak review

Grid Autosport - download for iPhone

Hands-down, this is one of the best racing games for mobile that we've seen in a long time. It's got triple-Q polish, but it's also accessible, thanks to some clever mechanics that let you tailor how difficult things are. It might be a little on the expensive side, but to be honest, there are few games on the App Store that live up to their price tag, and this is definitely one of them.

Click here to read our Grid Autosport review

Holedown - download for iPhone

Holedown is, to all intents and purposes, a hypercasual game. It's just a hypercasual game that's had some more regular indie magic sprinkled all over it. It's all about smashing blocks with a ball, mining your way through stars and planets as you do. It's not the most action packed game in the world, but the slick play is going to keep you coming back for more over and over again.

Click here to read our Holedown review

Juanito Arcade Mayhem - download for iPhone

A wonderful homage to the golden days of the arcade, wrapped up with modern controls, ideas, and style to make sure that it's rose-tinted in the best possible ways. It's fast, it's fun, and there's an awful lot to do. Perhaps most importantly though, it's a game that's clearly been made with love, and that's nothing to sniff at.

Touchgrind BMX 2 - download for iPhone

The Touchgrind series basically moves from strength to strength. This second bite at the BMX cherry builds on everything its predecessor gets right, but also adds some interesting new ideas to make sure veteran players still have a reason to jump in. It offers up a decent challenge, but the rewards for getting to grips with the game are big enough you won't mind.

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Pocket City - download for iPhone

There are plenty of SimCity-style games on the App Store, but a lot of them rely on free to play mechanics. This one's premium all the way through, and that means a lot of people are going to be drawn to it. And rightly so, because it's really rather good. Probably one of the best ways to to build your own city on the go.

Click here to read our Pocket City review

Beat Street - download for iPhone

Everyone loves violence in videogames, right? I'm pretty sure that's the case. Beat Street lets you punch, kick, and otherwise harm cartoon people with just one hand. It's wonderfully slick, and the brawler controls work really well with just your thumb. If you love Streets of Rage, then give this one a try.

Simulacra - download for iPhone

One of the most interesting developments in the past few years of mobile gaming has been the number of games that make you feel like you're fiddling with someone else's phone. This one takes that idea and builds a dark and intriguing tale around it. It's the sort of thing you're going to play all the way to the end.

Click here to read our Simulacra review

Bendy in Nightmare Run - download for iPhone

Yes, we know it's an auto-runner, but there's so much to like here that it'd be childish to balk at that. You're pegging it from a giant monster that's trying to eat you, and your only defence against it are the anvils, axes, and other throwable objects that line your track. It's a lot tougher than it looks as well.

Rowdy Wrestling - download for iPhone

The silly wrestling game perfected. You get a few buttons, and you mash them to try and become the greatest wrestler the world has ever known. It's fun, it's fast, and it's filled to the brim with wonderful references and nods to the glory days of WWE. You're going to be hard-pressed not to play this one with a smile on your face.

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New Star Soccer Manager - download for iPhone

There are some games that you're destined to become horribly addicted to. This is definitely one of them. It's about leading a soccer team from the lower divisions all the way to the top. It's about buying players, scoring goals, and upgrading your infrastructure, and once its got its claws into you there's almost no way to shake it free.

Asphalt 9: Legends - download for iPhone

While the Asphalt series might have taken something of a sharp turn in recent years, there's no arguing with its ridiculous arcade racing. This new version is accessible to pretty much everyone thanks to its control options, and somehow the racing here is still guaranteed to push you towards the edge of your seat.

Click here to read our Asphalt 9: Legends review

Isle of Skye - download for iPhone

A game that's a little calmer than Asphalt. It's all about taking control of the titular island through commerce. You're the chief of a tribe, and you need to lay tiles to build your tiny empire and fulfil certain challenges the game throws at you. It's nowhere near as dour as it might sound, and the multiplayer is pretty much perfect.

Motorsport Manager Mobile 3 - download for iPhone

Another management game, but this time it's all about running a racing team. The game expands on the two entries in the series before it in really smart and engaging ways. There's so much meat here that it can be a little intimidating, but the game walks you through pretty well. And once you're up and running, you're going to be hooked.

Click here to read our Motorsport Manager Mobile 3 review

Temple Run 2 - download for iPhone

A bonafide classic of the mobile gaming era. This one sees you pelting it away from an angry monkey after you've stolen its gold. Even now it stands as one of the benchmarks for the endless runner. It's the perfect mix of casual and challenging, and if your mobile gaming happens in little slices, this is going to fill them up perfectly.

Click here to read our Temple Run 2 review

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Sneak Ops - download for iPhone

Stealth games are hard to fit onto mobile, but Sneak Ops proves quite conclusively that not only is it possible, but that the end results can be a true sight to behold. You're sneaking through underground bunkers, getting past cards, shuffling around cameras, and avoiding laser gates. And all with a single finger.

Click here to read our Sneak Ops review

Up Left Out - download for iPhone

It's interesting how puzzle games on the App Store manage to be some of the least inspiring and the most inspiring mobile gaming experiences. Up Left Out is definitely in the latter category. It's a game about sliding blocks, unlocking spaces, and trying to get everything in the right order. And it's a bit wonderful.

Click here to read our Up Left Out review

Where's my Water? - download for iPhone

One of the true classics of the App Store. This is a game about getting water to an alligator so they can have a shower. No, I'm not making that up, this is just what the earlier days of the App Store were like. It's a brilliant, engaging puzzler, but on top of that it's premium and utterly gorgeous.

Click here to read out Where's my Water review

Suzy Cube - download for iPhone

Another recent game that's made it quickly onto our list. It's a 3D platformer in the style of Mario 64, and while it might not have as much charm or ingenuity as that legendary game, it's got more than enough charm and ingenuity to make it stand out on the App Store. Slick, great to play, and with more than one trick up its puffy, polygonal sleeves.

Click here to read our Suzy Cube review

Earth Atlantis - download for iPhone

An epic underwater shooter that mixes ideas from arcade classics, the modern roguelike genre, and metroidvanias of yore to create something really special. Throw in an art style that gives the game a tea-stained-paper, steampunk-feel and you've got one of the best blasters to hit the App Store in ages.

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The Room - download for iPhone

Sure, The Room: Old Sins might already be on our list, but there's something so wonderfully pure about the original that it deserves a place of its own. Solve tactile puzzles with your touchscreen, swiping, poking, sliding, and manipulating a box in order to get at the secrets within. And those secrets are wonderfully dark and creepy.

Sorcery - download for iPhone

Inkle might be best known for the really rather wonderful 80 Days, but it also adapted the Sorcery game books to mobile. They're far more traditional in their outlook, but don't let that put you off. These sword and sorcery epics have been spruced up for mobile, with added extras that focus on the game bit rather than the book.

Click here to read our Sorcery review

Space Marshals 2 - download for iPhone

This one sees you playing as a lone ranger, out to snag bandits and bring them to justice. But you're in space. It's a tactical and smart shooter that's full of action and intrigue as well. It's sort of like if Xcom was made by really big fans of Firefly and stetsons. And to be honest anything described like that is going to be brilliant, right?

Click here to read our Space Marshals 2 review

Eisenhorn: Xenos - download for iPhone

In the grim dark future of Games Workshop's Warhammer 40K universe, there is only Arkham Asylum-style combat. Actually there's loads more than that. This is probably the best third person action adventure game you can get for your phone. It looks incredible, it plays pretty well, and there's loads of aliens and heretics to shoot and punch right in the face.

Click here to read our Eisenhorn: Xenos review

Lara Croft GO - download for iPhone

It might be the second GO game to be added to this list, but there's an argument to be made that Lara Croft's turn as a board game-ish puzzler is the best of the trio of games that Square has made. It's another brilliant distillation of the source material, and you're going to want to finish every challenge that it throws at you.

Click here to read our Lara Croft GO review

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Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth - download for iPhone

If you're looking for a game that's going to give you value for money, then this might be a good place to start. There are tens if not hundreds of hours of gameplay in this classic JRPG. And they're all pretty damn good too. While the Final Fantasy series might get all the attention, Square Enix's back catalogue is ripe with games that shake up the RPG formula like this one.

Zero/Sum - download for iPhone

A game about math that's also an explosive riff on the action B-movie? Sounds like utter nonsense, but that's exactly what Zero/Sum is, and it's damn brilliant. Silly cut-scenes bookend the adding and subtracting, making for a puzzling experience that's dripping with new ideas and laughs.

Candleman - download for iPhone

Is it a man? Is it a candle? I mean it's clearly both. This is a game about exploring the darkness, lighting your own path through, and discovering the source of the light that you love so dearly. It's thoughtful, well designed, and it plays really well on mobile. What more do you want?

Click here to read our Candleman review

Dig Dog: Treasure Hunter - download for iPhone

It's always nice when a game does exactly what it says on the tin. This one sees you controlling a dog, which can dig, and who is looking for treasure. It's part roguelike, part platformer, and all fun. Throw in retro graphics and the fact that it's got a dog in it, and you're onto what can only be described as a winner.

Click here to read our Dig Dog: Treasure Hunter review

Hoppenhelm - download for iPhone

With just three buttons at your disposal, you need to make your way through a dungeon, killing monsters, grabbing loot, and trying to stay alive for as long as possible. There are shades of Nitrome here, and some really smart ideas that distill a dungeon crawl into a simple to play but surprisingly difference. Plus its name is fun to say. Go on, give it a go.

Click here to read our Hoppenhelm review

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Antihero - download for iPhone

A digital-first board game that sees you running a crew of thieves and vagrants in a steampunk Victorian London. There's plenty of tactics, choices to make, and more besides. The game has a swaggering cartoon look all of its own, and once if gets its claws into you it's nigh-on impossible to get them out.

Click here to read our Antihero review

Galaxy of Pen and Paper - download for iPhone

A game within a game, from the developer behind Knights of Pen and Paper. This time round you're in space though, playing a version of a tabletop RPG. It's super slick, super fun, and it captures the heart of pen and paper gaming with great aplomb. It's the sort of game that you can tell was made with a good deal of love and reverence, but it isn't afraid to shake things up either.

Click here to read our Galaxy of Pen and Paper review

A Hollow Doorway - download for iPhone

This one's a bit of a strange one, but it's well-worth checking out. It's a mixture of twitchy gameplay and existential philosophy. And quite frankly if that's not the sort of thing you'd like to play, then I don't know what more I can do for you. There's nothing like A Hollow Doorway on the App Store, and for that reason alone it's well worth checking out.

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