iPad games have come a long way since the first tentative apps that came out with the first iPad in 2010. In fact, with all the processing power of the newest iPad models, you can do some serious gaming on your device. Make sure your iPad is safely stowed away in an iPad Air 10.9 case— or whatever case is relevant to your model— and you’ll be able to get your game fix on the go. Whether you’re into virtual worlds or more about passing time during the fifteen-minute wait at the dean’s office, here’s everything you need to know about the best games/apps in 2022.
Asphalt 9: Legends
Here’s a racing game that will make you really appreciate the sharp, high-resolution display your shiny new iPad has to offer. With 149 detailed race car graphics and a nice selection of racing tracks, this free game is definitely one you’ll want to have on your device. There are three different control modes on the iPad: tilt to steer, tap to steer, or touch drive.
As a new player, you begin with the most basic race car model: a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. You choose the color, and once you’ve starred up you can deck out your ride with custom paints and other bling. What you probably actually want, though, is a better car, and you can unlock one by collecting enough blueprints for the one you want. Have your eye on a Mercedes-AMG GTS? You can have it, but you’ll have to earn it.
Stardew Valley
If you’re looking for a more relaxing, simulation role-play game, Stardew Valley may be for you. Begin by inheriting a tumble-down farm from your grandfather, then go on to make it a commercial success. The game is open-ended and allows the player creative freedom to take the farm in any of a number of directions. Whatever you do, you’ll have to work hard clearing boulders, brush, stumps, and weeds, then doing what it takes to make your dilapidated inheritance feed you and those you gather around you.
The game offers a multiplayer mode, and you also have the potential to interact with non-player characters in Pelican Town, the nearby settlement. Marriage, children, and extensions into desert or greenhouse game mechanics are all options that open the doors to new opportunities and features.
Journey
Into relaxing role-play but not so much about farming? Maybe Journey is for you. This much-lauded Playstation original came out with an iPad version in 2019, and fans say it’s definitely worth the purchase. You, a hooded figure making your way toward a far-distant mountain, face dangers and adventures and find your way through them all. The soundtrack is magnificent; the graphics are on point.
Downside? It takes two or three hours, maybe four, to get through the game; and then you’re done. Of course, you can always start over again. It’s worth a repeat.
Dead Cells
When you don’t want to relax, try this action platform game that has been labeled “breakneck motion” and ‘rouge-lite’ with ‘punishing difficulty’. It’s not easy to play, but there’s a reason it’s still up there in the chart. If you play well, you’ll be reward.
Make a victorious dash through the castle, amassing weapons and jumping, dodging, and interacting with on-screen characters that come out when you least expect them. You control movement from the left side of the iPad, and you’ve either got a floating or fixed touchpad (your choice). If you win, go on and do it again: you’ll never get the same quest twice.
Minecraft
If you’re into Minecraft you probably already know about the more basic edition adapted especially for the iPad. Do your building, mining, and exploring from anywhere you can take your iPad. Soak up that vitamin C even while you’re deep in another, more pixelated world.
Let’s be honest here: You won’t be getting the full Minecraft experience. The iPad app is about where the PC version was 12-15 months ago, developmentally. That said, it’s still Minecraft, and you can still have plenty of fun with this sandbox version.
Threes
This number game is all about the number three. Working with cards (all ones and twos) arranged in a matrix, you give your brain a workout making numbers that are divisible by three and bringing up your score.
No special skills are required: math is so easy a fourth grader could do it. That said, the game gets harder and harder the further you go, and it won’t be long till you’re using every last brain cell you can muster.
Hidden Folks
For a different kind of puzzle game, try Hidden Folks: a black-and-white game that nonetheless brings out the best of your iPad. Amazingly detailed hand-drawn art encourages you to exercise your brain as you find hidden folks in every screen. The drawings are fun, whimsical, and just might make you laugh at loud even as you put that detail-oriented perspective to use finding all the hidden figures.
Think of it as Where’s Waldo, just a craftier, more charming, interactive modern version. Because yes, these black and white masterpieces move! The interaction comes out every time you click on an object, and you get silly sound effects to go with it all.
Santorini
This roundup wouldn’t be complete without a board game, and Santorini is one of the best. This Greek-mythology-based game is easy to learn, but not quite so easy to master. Each turn, you get to build one level of a building or move your character to one space. The goal? To get one of your characters up on the third story of a building.
Simple though it sounds, Santorini ends up becoming a complex strategy-based game that gives your brain a workout. On the way, you get to enjoy gorgeous graphics and an inviting, aesthetically-pleasing landscape that never loses its interest. Get the best iPad pro 11 inch case and iPad 9.7 case by zugucase.
Which game is your favorite, or is there another one that’s not on this list? Let us know in the comments!
