If you own an Apple device and enjoy gaming, you're in luck: the Cupertino ecosystem is experiencing one of its best moments in terms of native games and its catalog of Apple Arcade and game streaming optionsWe're no longer just talking about "little games" for your mobile phone, but about very serious productions that you can enjoy on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and even Apple Vision Pro.
In the following lines you will find an extensive guide with the Best games for iPad, iPhone, and MacThis includes top App Store titles, Apple Arcade gems, recommendations from expert journalists, and games designed for both quick sessions and extended play sessions. All of this is organized by device, service, and experience type so you can get the most out of your subscription and hardware. Let's dive into the list. The best games for iPad, iPhone, and Mac: native options, Apple Arcade, and streaming.
The best apps and games for iPhone, iPad, Mac and the rest of the Apple ecosystem
Each year, Apple publishes a selection of apps and games that it considers particularly outstanding for their design, accessibility, or cultural impact, and that list includes proposals for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Vision ProIt's a good starting point if you want to know what's worth downloading, and there's also speculation about a standalone app for games that centralizes these proposals.
On iPhone, some of the best apps include BandLab for recording and mixing music, LADDER as a daily companion for strength training, and Tiimo as a powerful visual planner. In the gaming department, Apple's phone shines with Capybara Go!, Pokémon TCG Pocket and Thronefall, three very different styles ranging from cute adventures to strategic defense with a very polished touch interface.
Looking at the iPad, Apple focuses on creativity and organization tools. Detail stands out as a video editor with AI integration, Graintouch has won over many artists who use Apple Pencil, and Structured is ideal for those who need to visualize their tasks on the large canvas of iPadOS. As for games, the list is filled with more immersive experiences such as Dreedge, Infinity Nikki and Prince of Persia Lost Crownwhere the large screen and controllers make it almost look like a traditional console.
On Mac, the company is focusing on productivity and content creation apps. Acorn 8 carves out a niche as a powerful and easy-to-use photo editor, Essayist simplifies the search for academic articles, and Under My Roof helps you keep an eye on everything happening at home. And for desktop gaming, they're making a big splash. Assassin's Creed Shadows, Cyberpunk 2077 and Nevademonstrating that Macs with Apple Silicon can now handle top-tier productions.
Beyond these three pillars, Apple also selects apps and games for Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro, in addition to a list of culturally impactful titles. We find tools like GO Club for better hydration, Pro Camera by Moment for shooting photos controlled from your wrist, and Strava with its powerful fitness community. In the living room, HBO Max, PBS Kids Video, and Super Farming Boy demonstrate that Apple TV has room for both series and casual games; furthermore, The new Apple TV will focus on video games.
In Vision Pro, although there is still no Spanish App Store, highlights include Camo Studio for streaming, App D-Day as an immersive experience, and Explore POV for exploring 360° scenes. In games, Fishing Haven App, Gears & Goo and Porta Nubi They show what can be done with mixed reality and puzzles in your living room; furthermore, some reports indicate that Apple Arcade will add games for Vision Pro.
Finally, Apple recognizes a group of apps and games that contribute something special on a social or cultural level: from Art of Fauna, which offers accessible nature puzzles, to Venba, an interactive culinary novel, and including Be My Eyes, Chants of Sennaar, Despelote, Focus Friend, Is This Seat Taken?, Retro, StoryGraph, Whoscall, and Yuka, all of them with a strong component of inclusion, well-being, culture and digital security.
Apple Arcade: how it works and why it's worth it
Apple Arcade is the company's offering of a catalog of games without ads or in-app purchases, with a fixed monthly price and unlimited access to over 200 titles. To find it, simply go to the App Store on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, or tvOS and tap the tab Apple Arcade that appears at the bottom or top, depending on the device.
Once inside, the games are installed just like any other app: you tap "Get" and they are downloaded to your device, using local storage because the idea is that you can play them. even if you don't have an internet connectionIt is important to monitor the free space and the size of Apple Arcade gamesespecially on devices with less capacity or if you download several large games at once.
The service has an official price of €6,99 per month in many regions, although in some markets it remains at €4,99. It can be shared with up to six members via Family Sharing, and is often included in bundled plans. Apple One, where it's more cost-effectiveThere are often promotions that allow you to try it for free for several weeks or even months when you buy certain devices.
One of the most interesting advantages of Apple Arcade is that its catalog is designed to work on most of the brand's products: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro. Many games offer progress syncing via iCloud, so you can start a game on your mobile device and continue on your Mac or TV with a controller. And yes, a good portion of the catalog does. It is compatible with Xbox, PlayStation, and other Bluetooth gamepads.However, it's also worth knowing that At least 15 Apple Arcade games will no longer be playable, a factor to consider when deciding what to download.
In addition to the general catalog, some specialized websites have compiled age-based selections, highlighting the best Apple Arcade games for children and adults. These include classics like Monument Valley, Murder Mystery Machine, and adventures like SpongeBob SquarePants: The Krabby Patty Hunt, designed for kids to enjoy without encountering microtransactions or intrusive ads.
The 32 must-have Apple Arcade games for iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Among the hundreds of titles on Apple Arcade, there are about thirty that consistently appear on all the recommended lists. These are games that make excellent use of the touchscreen, controller, or mouse, and that you can play on both... iPhone as well as iPad, Mac, Apple TV and, in many cases, Apple Vision Pro.
Jet Pack Joyride 2 It takes the Halfbrick classic even further: more levels, more weapons, and a revamped art style. Perfect for quick matches, it retains the arcade spirit of the original and adds enough new features to keep you hooked even if you already mastered the first installment.
For those who enjoy management games, Mini motorways And its "brother" Mini Metro+ are practically a legal drug. The first puts you in the shoes of an urban planner who has to design roads, roundabouts, and bridges to keep traffic flowing, while the second does the same with subway lines. At first, they seem relaxing, but as the city grows, you start to feel the pressure of every decision.
If pure action is your thing, Exit the gungeon It picks up where the legendary Enter the Gungeon left off with a frenetic roguelike formula, packed with crazy weapons, unfortunately tough bosses, and absurd situations. Meanwhile, Shovel Knight Dig and TMNT Splintered Fate offer a blend of exploration, platforming, and combat that works particularly well with a controller.
Among puzzle and relaxation games, Arcade's catalog shines with Cut the Rope 3, Stitch and GrindstoneThe first brings back the endearing Om Nom and his rope-cutting mechanic for stars. Stitch proposes "embroidering" patterns with digital thread in a challenge that demands patience but is also relaxing, and Grindstone transforms the typical mechanic of joining colored pieces into a bloody and colorful festival, with a very well-thought-out progression system.
There is no shortage of charming adventures like Lego Star Wars Castaways, Tamagotchi Adventure or Oceanhorn: Chronos DungeonIn Castaways, you create your own LEGO character and immerse yourself in the Star Wars galaxy with action and role-playing gameplay, while Tamagotchi Adventure takes you to a kingdom full of puzzles and adorable characters. Oceanhorn, meanwhile, continues to draw inspiration from classic Zelda-style adventures, but with its own unique twist.
If you prefer more narrative experiences, Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, Gris+ and Creaks These three are must-sees. Alba features a Mediterranean island that you must clean and protect, with a powerful ecological message. Gris+ is an interactive work of art that combines music, color, and emotions in a way that's hard to describe. Creaks, from the creators of Samorost, takes you to a hidden world behind your bedroom wall with ingenious puzzles and a distinctive aesthetic.
Sports also have their place: NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition and Football Manager 2023 Touch They cover basketball and soccer for those who prefer managing teams or competing in entire leagues. In basketball, you can customize players down to the details of their tattoos, and in soccer, you'll have to deal with transfers, egos, and tactics if you want to lead your club to glory.
For short, highly mobile games, the catalog is full of brilliant suggestions such as What the Golf?, Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat, Outlanders, Hidden Folks+ or Rayman MiniHere you'll find everything from absurd humor with improvised golf mechanics to Japanese rhythm games, relaxed town building, "Where's Waldo?" puzzles, and fast-paced platformers starring Rayman.
The offering is rounded out with curious formulas such as BEAST: Bio Exo Arena Suit Team, a team-based shooter in 3 vs 3 matches designed for all ages; Overland, which combines turn-based strategy and post-apocalyptic survival; Reigns: Beyond, a kind of card game in which you decide the fate of your space gang by swiping left or right; or Cypher 007, where you accompany the most famous agent in cinema on a mission to escape the mental traps of his archenemy.
At the most frenetic extreme, Sayonara Wild Hearts It offers an audiovisual experience based on high-speed racing to the rhythm of a soundtrack composed specifically for the game. It's one of those games you can enjoy in one sitting with headphones, and then you'll want to replay it for pure visual and musical pleasure.
The best games for iOS according to expert editors
In addition to Apple's official selections, several technology media outlets have compiled their own. Favorite games for iPhone and iPadHere the criteria are more personal, but precisely for that reason you discover less obvious gems that deserve a place on your screen.
One of the names that is repeated most often is Alto's OdysseyIt's an endless runner on a snowboard where you chase escaped llamas as you descend through dunes, ruins, and forests. Its blend of scenery, relaxing music, and simple yet deep mechanics makes it the perfect "just one more round and I'm off to bed" game.
Another regular on these lists is ArcheroA highly addictive roguelike where you control an archer facing waves of enemies in successive rooms. As you progress, you unlock abilities and characters, and although the premise is simple, the combination of powers leads to very varied gameplay.
For puzzle lovers, BlockuDoku and Bloons TD 6 They represent two different sides of the genre. The first combines the logic of Tetris with the structure of Sudoku: you place pieces on a static board, trying to form lines and complete quadrants without running out of space. The second is a classic tower defense game, with monkeys shooting balloons of different types, increasing difficulty, and a multitude of maps and challenges that make it a highly replayable experience.
Among the classics brought to iOS, Castlevania Symphony of the Night It's carved out its own niche. The adaptation maintains the spirit of the legendary PlayStation title, with its pixel art graphics, iconic music, and Metroidvania level design that remains a benchmark decades later. It's playable with a controller and vibration, making it perfect for the couch.
In the realm of casual, Original Cut the Rope and Crossy Road Castle They continue to demonstrate why they sparked the craze for simple games on the App Store. The first has been a benchmark for physics-based puzzles with ropes and candy for years; the second transforms the original "cross the road" mechanic into an endless vertical climb with local and online multiplayer.
There is no shortage of "niche" proposals such as Egunean Behin, a trivia game in Basque with a daily set of 10 questions about news, general knowledge and mathematics, with rankings and seasons; or Rummikub, an adaptation of the classic board game that works surprisingly well on a touch screen and allows you to play against friends online or against the AI.
Fans of well-known sagas will also find recommendations: Fallout Shelter It remains one of the best-balanced free-to-play simulators, focused on managing a post-apocalyptic shelter with inhabitants, resources, and expeditions. Fortnite, PUBG Mobile, and Battlelands Royale appear on the lists as benchmarks of the battle royale genre, each with its own tone: from the lighthearted, cross-platform aesthetic of Fortnite to the somewhat more "realistic" experience of PUBG or the fast-paced, user-friendly approach of Battlelands.
Among the most narrative and emotional experiences, Florence and Thimbleweed Park They stand out for very different reasons. Florence tells the story of a romantic relationship using simple mechanics and visual metaphors, in a short but memorable hour. Thimbleweed Park, on the other hand, is a graphic adventure in the classic style of the 80s and 90s, with the humor and intricate puzzles that many gamers associate with the creators of Monkey Island.
Mental training games like Lumosity, which proposes daily sessions with memory, calculation and reaction exercises; nor strategy titles like The Battle of Polytopia, which adapts the essence of Civilization or Age of Empires very well to turn-based games from the mobile, with civilizations, maps for several players and the possibility of playing offline.
Among the charming oddities, Retro bowl It has won over American football fans by combining retro aesthetics and PC Fútbol-style team management; Pixel Dungeon satisfies dungeon-crawler fans with pixelated graphics and randomly generated levels; and World of Goo, still going strong, continues to surprise with its physics-based puzzles and living structures made of small goo balls.
The best Apple Arcade games for Mac and other devices
The Mac is no longer just for working with Final Cut or writing in Pages: with Apple Silicon and Apple Arcade, it has also become a very capable gaming machine. Many of the games we've mentioned are designed to run on them. both on Mac and on iPhone, iPad and Apple TVAnd the catalog is rounded out with experiences that look especially good on big screens.
Among the titles that shine brightest on a Mac thanks to the screen size and the use of a keyboard, mouse, or controller, we find Mini Motorways, Mini Metro+, Cityscapes: Sim builder, NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition or Football Manager 2023 TouchThese types of games benefit greatly from having space to view the entire map, navigate menus with precision, and enjoy more elaborate interfaces.
For those who prefer puzzles and leisurely adventures, Samorost 3+, Hidden Folks+, Creaks or Tint They look and sound fantastic on an iMac or MacBook connected to a good sound system. These are games where visual detail and soundtrack matter almost as much as the gameplay, so the size difference is noticeable.
If you have an Apple TV connected to your living room television, the experience becomes even closer to a classic console. Titles like Sonic Racing, Angry Birds Reloaded, Crossy Road+, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Krabby Patty Hunt or Lego Star Wars Battles They are ideal for family sessions where one person plays and the rest watch, or for playing with controllers and sharing the screen like always.
There are also some interesting features on Apple Watch, although here we're talking more about small utilities with a playful component, such as GO Club to monitor your hydration with a "gamified" touch; Strava, which turns your routes into challenges with friends; or Pro Camera by Moment, which transforms the watch into a kind of remote control to take better photos with the iPhone.
Looking further ahead to Vision Pro, the situation is different because there's still no App Store for visionOS in Spain. Even so, many games from Apple Arcade is compatible with visionOS in an almost transparent way, so that if you import the device you can enjoy a large part of the catalog as if it were a gigantic screen floating before your eyes.
Accessibility and gaming in the Apple ecosystem
One of the major challenges still facing Apple Arcade and iOS games in general is the accessibility for people with visual impairmentsAlthough iOS and iPadOS have VoiceOver and advanced features like screen recognition, there is still no clear category within the service that groups games that are natively accessible or especially compatible with screen readers.
Several users have requested the creation of a specific section or visible labels that would allow them to know at a glance whether a game is playable with VoiceOver, has descriptive audio, or if the interface is designed with adequate contrast and text size. This is important because, otherwise, blind or visually impaired people are forced to try game by game blindlyliterally, which ends up being frustrating.
Some titles can work reasonably well thanks to VoiceOver's screen recognition, which makes buttons and icons that weren't originally accessible accessible. However, the experience isn't usually as seamless as in apps built with accessibility in mind from the start, and in an environment like Apple Arcade, where Apple prides itself on curation, that extra layer of care is sorely missed.
Although Apple's ecosystem is one of the most powerful in terms of operating system accessibility features, the gaming world still has room for improvement. Initiatives such as awards for apps with cultural impact and inclusion They point to a growing interest from the company in this area, so it wouldn't be surprising if in the future we saw specific filters or compilations of games recommended for their accessibility.
Meanwhile, if you need games playable with VoiceOver, the most practical thing to do is to rely on recommendations from specialized communities, reviews in the App Store that mention accessibility, and experiment by combining iOS accessibility settings with the behavior of each specific game.
Taken together, the Apple ecosystem today offers a powerful mix of native games, the Apple Arcade catalog, and major productions available on Mac or via streaming, with something for everyone, from casual iPhone gaming to immersive sessions with a controller in the living room or in front of your Mac. With a little exploration of official lists, recommendations from specialized media outlets, and the App Store categories, it's hard not to find several titles that will become your new must-haves.
