Great for airplanes or saving bandwidth
It seems that every mobile game these days requires an online connection, but when you’re stuck on a plane or don’t want to waste your bandwidth, any of these excellent offline iPad and iPhone games will see you through.
1. Resident Evil 4 Remake ($29.99 Excl. DLC)
Resident Evil 4 Remake is a console-quality port of the remake of one of history’s most beloved action horror games. Unfortunately, you need at least an iPhone 15 Pro or M1-equipped iPad to play this game, but on the plus side, this is a current-generation console game running on your mobile device! The game has a free demo to play if you’re not sure you’ll like the mobile experience.
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2. Resident Evil 8 Village (Free Demo/$39.99)
This is another title that needs an iPhone 15 Pro or an M1 iPad at a minimum, but Resident Evil 8 Village is such an astounding game that you owe it to yourself to try it. Fight through a village of werewolves, vampires, and more in this horrific adventure that once again set a new standard in horror video games.
Like Resident Evil 4, you can try the game for free to ensure it runs and looks how you want. Unlike Resident Evil 4, this port has almost complete customization in its graphics settings. So you can dial it in if you have the latest device, and of course, it will work even better on future models! Also, this is the one with the big vampire lady everyone memed when the first game launched.
3. Civilization VI ($9.99 Excl. DLC)
The turn-based grand strategy title that invented the “just one more turn” gameplay loop shines on iOS devices, with the only real cutback being the strange absence of the wonderful national leader animations. Other than that, this is a full-fat civilization-building game that can go in any direction. It’s also perfect for picking up and playing mobile gaming since you can leave or drop back in anytime!
4. Company of Heroes ($13.99 For Base Game)
A modern port of the real-time strategy classic on PC, Company of Heroes takes you back to the Second World War and puts you in command of two companies of soldiers fighting to survive and defeat the Axis of Evil.
RTS games are rare enough on platforms other than the PC, so it’s fantastic that this title has made it to touchscreen devices where the gameplay can shine. While there is an iPhone version of the game, playing on a large iPad screen is much more comfortable. But don’t be dissuaded if you only own an iPhone and not a tablet. It’s still a fantastic experience.
5. Grand Theft Auto Definitive Edition – Netflix (Free to Netflix Subscribers)
This amazing GTA San Andreas remaster is currently only available to Netflix subscribers. You should definitely check out this landmark open-world crime simulator from Rockstar. While the Definitive Editions caught a lot of flack for being substandard efforts when they first launched, many patches have ironed out most of the rough patches in the meantime.
6. Divinity Original Sin II (iPad Only) ($29.99)
Before Larian Studios made Baldur’s Gate 3, they had a massive decades-long career of top-tier CRPGs (Computer RPGs). Original Sin II is the pinnacle of their original IP, and many would consider it a better game than Baldur’s Gate 3, mainly because it uses Larian’s own ruleset rather than Dungeons & Dragons. Either way, both are excellent games, but only DOS2 (as it’s fondly known) is on iPad, and it’s a must-play either way!
7. Vampire Survivors (Free With IAP DLC)
Games that define a whole new genre are rare, and Vampire Survivors is a landmark in gaming history if you ask us! In Vampire Survivors, you start with a weak character assaulted from all sides by monsters. As you level up, you get better at surviving, but the waves of creatures become relentless. You can upgrade your characters between runs by earning in-game currency and completing challenges.
Vampire Survivors is addictive, and we’ve lost entire evenings glued to this game. You have been warned!
8. Fantasian – Apple Arcade
Fantasian, a JRPG by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, is exclusive to Apple Arcade subscribers. The game stands out in the JRPG crowd thanks to its use of digitized dioramas for background art. The story of an amnesiac hero trying to recover his memories is a little cliche. But in every other way, this is a quality JRPG that fans of the genre are sure to love, and you get to say you’ve got an exclusive game if that sort of thing matters to you.
9. Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance ($9.99)
This mobile port of a PlayStation 2 is the perfect way for those who don’t like the turn-based or active-pause RPG playstyle of the mainline Baldur’s Gate games to dabble in its world. One of two action RPG games set in the Baldur’s Gate universe, Dark Alliance has a cult following, and if its brand of action clicks with you, you’ll be hooked to the end.
10. Alien Isolation ($14.99)
The Alien franchise has had some great and not-so-great video game adaptations. Still, the survival horror game Alien Isolation stands above them all. You play as the daughter of Ellen Ripley, the protagonist of the film, as you fight to survive on a derelict space station filled with rogue robots and very angry aliens.
The art direction and overall production are a masterclass in how to replicate the look and feel of a franchise, and the actual game is clever and pulse-pounding. Best of all, the mobile version of this game looks just as good as its console version, making it the perfect title to show off some of that iOS muscle.
11. GRID Autosport ($9.99)
Until the likes of Forza Motorsport or Gran Turismo make the leap onto iOS and iPadOS, GRID Autosport remains the last word in “simcade” racing on Apple’s mobile devices. With multiple racing disciplines, gorgeous graphics, and oodles of content, this will satisfy anyone interested in realistic racing.
Best of all, if you have one of the newer Apple gadgets, you can enjoy high frame rates and even better, crisper visuals, as GRID will take advantage of all the horsepower your device has.
12. Darkest Dungeon: Tablet Edition (iPad Only) ($4.99)
A Roguelike with more than a few twists, Darkest Dungeon lets you recruit and send adventurers into the deeps. Who knows if they’ll make it back alive or even with their sanity? This is not the type of game to brighten your day, but once you’re hooked on the game loop and the urge to delve deeper and deeper no matter the cost, you’ll be glad you gave Darkest Dungeon a try.
13. TMNT Shredder’s Revenge (Netflix Exclusive)
This game requires a Netflix subscription to play, at least at the time of writing, but it’s so good it’s worth subscribing to Netflix just to give it a go. It builds on the foundation of the arcade classic Turtles in Time.
We strongly recommend you use a controller with this one. Still, other than this small proviso, Shredder’s Revenge offers an awesome new story for existing turtles fans and a spectacular beat ‘em up for everyone, fan or not.
14. Rush Rally 3 ($4.99)
There are so few good Rally games that any half-decent attempt is to be applauded, but Rush Rally 3 is far more than half-decent! All of the games in the series have been worth playing, but the third game polishes the racing experience, and it’s hard to believe that this is the result of such a small development team. If you’re a fan of rally racing at all, Rush Rally 3 is a must-have.
15. The Talos Principle ($4.99)
As we write this, The Talos Principle 2 has just been released, so it’s the perfect time to revisit or play the first game for the first time. There’s nothing quite like the Talos Principle, with this mind-bending first-person puzzler offering a tremendous story and truly creative puzzle rooms.
While designed to work with a physical controller, the touch controls are surprisingly good, and you can toggle the camera to third-person mode to make things easier. It’s beautiful, engaging, and deserves a spot on every iPad or iPhone.
16. Return to Monkey Island ($9.99)
The Monkey Island series of point-and-click adventures is legendary, with some of the best puzzles, characters, and writing in the genre. Return to Monkey Island is the latest installment and heralds the return of the original creators, Ron Gilbert and Dave Grossman.
Once again, you play Guybrush Threepwood—a mighty pirate! Even if you aren’t someone who’s played the other games in the series, you’re bound to love the hilarity and wit of Return.
If you did play the other games, especially the first and second titles, the Return does some very clever things with the lore, but wherever you’re coming from, this is one Carribean trip you should not skip.
17. FTL – Faster Than Light (iPad Only) ($9.99)
Roguelike games are having a heyday with titles like Hades and even AAA takes on the genre in the form of Returnal and God of War Ragnarok Valhalla, but FTL is still one of the absolute best examples on iOS. Sadly, this game is exclusive to iPad in the iOS ecosystem, but it makes sense, given how it all works.
You’re the spaceship’s captain in a race to save the galaxy. With every jump, a new disaster might strike, and you’ll need quick thinking to deal with whatever comes your way! FTL has endless replayability and scratches that itch for anyone who daydreamed about being a captain in Star Trek.
18. Immortality (Netflix Exclusive)
This is another game where you need a Netflix account to access it, but if you DO have a Netflix subscription, you should not miss out on Immortality. First, be warned that this game is for adults and contains disturbing horror content, but if you like dark and mysterious horror games Immortality is for you.
Calling it a “game” might be a stretch, but like the excellent Her before it, you play the role of someone who has to scrub through old movie footage clips to uncover what happened when a Hollywood star went missing under strange circumstances. We don’t want to spoil this one for you, but suffice it to say things get weird really fast. If you like stories that mess with your expectations and your mind, Immortality is a must-play.
19. Stardew Valley ($4.99)
Stardew Valley is one of the great inspirational success stories in the video game world. Developed by just one person over many years, this tribute to the Harvest Moon series of Japanese farming sim slash role-playing games has arguably surpassed its inspiration.
You play as someone who inherits a farm in a new town, and you have to develop it into a thriving homestead. At the same time, you get to explore the surroundings, meet people, uncover mysteries, and explore dungeons. It’s addictive, looks absolutely gorgeous on mobile, and is especially great on a big iPad screen.
20 Baldur’s Gate I + Baldur’s Gate II Enhanced Edition (iPad Only) ($9.99 Each)
Baldur’s Gate 3 has swept the game awards shows, coming decades after the last game in the series. We expect that, like Divinity Original Sin 2, Baldur’s Gate 3 will eventually get an iPad version, but if you’re still jonesing for deep roleplaying experiences on your iPad, the Enhanced Edition ports of the original two games are just as enthralling as they were when first launched on PC all those years ago.
This is Dungeons & Dragons done right for a video game, and some people still prefer the old ruleset used in these games rather than the 5th Edition rules used in the latest title. The only real negative thing we can say about this pair of legendary games is that controls can be a little iffy at times, but once you’re used to the conventions, you’ll be sucked in for hours on end.
