We don’t often do these options this early within the yr, however 2023 has been very sturdy on all fronts. Similar to with my function masking the very best Swap video games of 2023 thus far, I’ve put collectively a listing of the very best iOS video games we’ve performed thus far this yr. This listing consists of new authentic video games, ports, Netflix Video games releases, Apple Arcade video games, and extra. This listing is in no explicit order, and I’ll seemingly do one other one in a couple of months if it helps you discover a recreation you hadn’t tried but that you simply ended up having fun with.
Sid Meier’s Railroads ($12.99) – [Review] – [Interview] – [Forum Discussion] – Sid Meier’s Railroads isn’t what I anticipated to see ported to cellular by means of Feral Interactive, however it’s a good mix of tycoon video games and mannequin trains. The cellular model is the easiest way to expertise the one participant content material on any platform, and it performs like a dream on trendy iPhones and iPads.
Paranormasight ($14.99) – [News] – [Review] – [Forum Discussion] – Sq. Enix has a bizarre historical past on cellular, however the writer typically treats the platform effectively with concurrently bringing video games to cellular alongside PC and consoles. The thriller journey recreation Paranormasight is a gem of a recreation, and it performs finest with contact controls. It’s priced the identical as different platforms, however is excellent on iPad. I don’t wish to spoil the story, however I’d advocate simply shopping for Paranormasight if in case you have the remotest curiosity in thriller and journey video games.
How We Know We’re Alive ($2.99) – [Game of the Week] – [Forum Discussion] – How We Know We’re Alive from Motvind Studios is a brief level and click on journey, however one with wonderful writing, nice music, and wonderful visuals. We don’t see many video games on this style which can be this good on cellular, and How We Know We’re Alive is without doubt one of the finest cellular video games this yr with its impactful story.
Stuffo the Puzzle Bot ($4.99) – [Game of the Week] – [Forum Discussion] – Stuffo the Puzzle Bot is a puzzle recreation about utilizing blocks to succeed in the exit. It has a whole lot of attention-grabbing mechanics with its different blocks, however actually shines due to its beautiful visuals. I didn’t play this when it launched, however I’m glad I lastly bought round to this gem of a puzzler.
TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge (Free) – [Game of the Week] – [Review] – [Forum Discussion] – TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge is a recreation everybody at TouchArcade loves I’m certain. We’ve all performed it throughout completely different platforms, and the Netflix Video games cellular model from Playdigious is without doubt one of the finest additions to the service. It’s a improbable recreation no matter platform, and an ideal match for choose up and play on the go on iPhone or iPad.
Pocket Metropolis 2 ($4.99) – [News] – [Forum Discussion] – I’m nonetheless engaged on my full overview for Pocket Metropolis 2, however it’s greater and higher than the unique in each means. Codebrew Video games’ latest metropolis builder goes above and past with its options, visuals, and content material. It’s a shockingly good recreation that feels underpriced by quite a bit proper now. You owe it to your self to get this one as quickly as doable in the event you’re a fan of the style or trying to get into it.
Extremely Blade ($2.99) – [Game of the Week] – [Forum Discussion] – Kyle Barret’s Extremely Blade is a surprisingly good roguelike RPG that performs brilliantly with one thumb on cellular. Kyle’s video games are often superb for pickup and play, however Extremely Blade is my favourite for certain. It’s a bit obtuse in methods, however comes full of a ton of content material and nice music. It’s a straightforward suggestion.
Joyful Recreation ($5.99) – [Review] – [Forum Discussion] – Amanita Design’s releases on iOS over time have ranged from premium releases to Apple Arcade video games, and the studio’s horror journey Joyful Recreation is a brief however memorable expertise about attempting to assist a boy escape nightmares with puzzles and all kinds of creepy issues. Joyful Recreation isn’t what I anticipated Amanita Design to work on, however it’s a shining instance of how artistic the developer is throughout quite a lot of settings.
Pocket Card Jockey: Trip On! () – [Review] – [Interview] – [Forum Discussion] – Pokemon developer GameFreak’s 3DS gem bought supercharged for Apple Arcade as Pocket Card Jockey: Trip On! earlier this yr. It’s my favourite present recreation on the service, and I hope to see it supported for a very long time. The mix of solitaire, horse racing, and simulation by no means will get outdated, and it hasn’t appeared nearly as good because it does on Apple Arcade earlier than. That is a necessary if in case you have a subscription.
Voice of Playing cards Trilogy (Free), ($11.99), ($11.99), ($11.99) – [Review] – [News] – [Forum Discussion] – Sq. Enix’s Voice of Playing cards trilogy has at all times felt like an ideal match for cellular, and it lastly arrived as three premium video games and one free prologue launch on iOS and Android. Whereas the ports have a couple of points I’ve touched on in my overview of the primary recreation, the decrease asking value than different platforms and nice controls make them value testing. These are mainly turn-based RPGs with a tabletop card recreation aesthetic, and I’d advocate attempting the free prologue to see how you are feeling earlier than shopping for any of them. I’m at the moment engaged on my overview for the second and third video games.
This yr began out stronger than anticipated on all fronts in gaming, and I’m trying ahead to the numerous extra video games hitting cellular this yr. Should you assume I missed one thing, be at liberty to tell us within the feedback, and thanks for studying.
