Best iOS games to play on your iPhone in 2023

Starting as a breakout hit, Vampire Survivors went to take the world by storm with its new kind of arcade-style gameplay. It was first limited to being on computers, but recently made the transition to mobile gaming where it fits quite snugly. In a Castlevania-like setting, you play as one of many warriors with their own stats and starting weapons as they face innumerable hordes of supernatural monsters. Each map has its own layout, secrets, enemy types, and objectives. Since all you're doing is dragging your hero around as they do all the attacking, your job is to keep them out of harm's way as they level up and gain more weapons to unleash.

Super Meat Boy Forever is a huge star in the indie gaming world, still providing a challenge for old and new players. It was followed by the mixed-reception sequel Super Meat Boy Forever which has found a great home on the iOS platform. It's a 2D adventure like the previous game but is an auto-runner. Meatboy will run at a constant space from left to right and you need to time his jumps, punches, and slides in order to navigate the hazards and platforming of each level. The boss fights are actual battles this time around, so I hope you're ready to 'meat' (pun intended) the challenge.

Super Smash Bros. is almost as old as Super Mario 64 and succeeded in creating a whole new kind of fighting game. This style has been emulated by many different titles, but Flash Party has succeeded in bringing it to the mobile platform. The iOS phones can be powerful which is great for running such a colourful and chaotic game. All of the heroes are distinct and unique which gives you a lot to work with when finding one that synergizes with your play style. Enjoy a fighting party against the game itself or jump online to challenge fighters around the world.

The point-and-click genre seems like it would fit very well on iOS phones, which require a lot of pointing and clicking/tapping to use. So, when someone decided to revive one of the most classic titles of the genre, it was well-received for the phone. Return to the life of Guybrush Threepwood, a guy who most wants to be a pirate and could not be less qualified for it. At least he's determined and has the help of his brain and your brain to navigate the perilous lands and waters surrounding the legendary Monkey Island.

The housing market is in a constant state of flux with many still wondering whether buying or renting is the right way to go. Either way, many have struggled with unreasonable landlords in their lives and think about fighting back, hence Luck Be A Landlord. You're just a tenant trying to make it through life, but your Landlord doesn't care and wants to bleed you dry. This is where you need to call on the power of luck and your own strategic mind to defend and counterattack. Part slot machine and part deck builder, use what little money you have to get the stuff you need to stand your ground.

There are a lot of interesting and complex stories involving zombies which means there's more to them than just destroying them in creative ways. Raging Bytes presents such a story along with well-paced RPG gameplay. You play as a group of survivors who are just trying to fight through the zombie hordes in hopes of finding a safe place. The story is set in the '70s USA with quality pixel art that reminds of 2D Final Fantasy games and turned-based combat reminiscent of Earthbound. However, distance and range play a huge part in battles with your characters being much more fragile than expected leading to some very intense encounters.

Vampire Survivors has single-handedly created a new genre of game and Survivor.io has captured it quite well. The main difference is that it was made expressly for the mobile platform and so it works well on iOS. You play as a survivor fighting through a large cityscape that is empty save for the hordes of mutated humans and creatures seeking to feast on you. You automatically attack, so you need to strategically guide the survivor around to eliminate targets, level up, and gain items to improve their stats and the number of attacks they can unleash at once. You're fighting against a ticking clock and boss encounters are plentiful which is why you'll need to make sure your weapons and defenses have good coverage.

Though Stardew Valley is starting to get on in years, its popularity hasn't waned significantly. Since it became available on iOS, its player base has only gotten bigger and works quite well as a casual game. Although there are active elements like fighting in the Mines, there are also a lot of low-maintenance and relaxed activities that you can do. Just tending to your farm can take up a lot of time, especially the bigger it gets. You can become even more involved by raising animals and creating Artisan products as well. If that's not your bag, you can also pass the time by fishing in rivers, lakes, or the sea. There are also numerous farm layouts that you can create, posing as a junior architect!

If there's a game that knows how to start things off with tension high, it's 60 Seconds! Reatomized. The beginning induces a panic but the controls are simple enough that no time will be wasted. It begins by having you run around your house gathering as many supplies and family members as you can within 60 seconds before going into the bomb shelter. Then, the game turns into a strategy affair as you manage resources and character health with risk to ensure you last long enough to be saved. It's all text-based which is perfect for the tapping controls.

There's quite a sizable community of competitive players on iOS and Clash of Clans appeals directly to them. On the surface, the goal is pretty clear: Build your clan up to be the biggest it can be. As you expand your territory, you'll unlock new features and eventually come into contact with other players. This is where the conflict comes into play as you build your army to both defend your home and try to take down other clans. Of course, if you just want to focus on your own stuff, that's a solid way to play actively and passively.

It's not easy to earn the label of "timeless" but Tetris is definitely a game that has earned it after all these years. How such a simple puzzle game has evolved so much without losing its core is quite something. From its humble origins on the GameBoy, this blocky challenge has found a comfortable home on iOS. By swiping and tapping, you can control all the different and colourful block pieces as they fall from the heavens to some catchy music. The way it's built, you can play this game almost anywhere.

When Monument Valley came out, it amazed people with its visuals and interesting puzzle designs, and Monument Valley 2 adds to that. With a new story to follow, you'll find yourself exploring a new series of puzzling structures in a dreamlike landscape. The angle makes everything seem like an optical illusion which is only strengthened by how the characters are able to navigate the different pathways and stairs. No matter how long it takes you to solve each puzzle, you never feel punished lingering around each level environment.

Thanks to Angry Birds, we saw a surge in bird-related content and Tiny Wings provided a nice alternative to the breakout hit. This time around, you're only in control of one bird that wants so desperately to fly. Thankfully, the little guy has been gifted with a smooth base that allows for fast diving and sliding down different slopes. By using the gained acceleration, you need to time the bird's takeoffs so that it soars as far as possible before coming back down. It ends up being a very rhythmic and relaxing game

Zombie games are everywhere in the gaming market just like actual zombies would be everywhere in the world. Still, that doesn't take away the satisfaction of ploughing through the hordes of undead, especially in a cartoon setting like Zombieville USA 2. Like its predecessor, you play an unfortunate but surprisingly resilient citizen trying to fight their way through hordes of zombies. Each survivor has strengths and weaknesses but can gain access to a number of weapons and items as they fight through the city streets. The real challenge is dealing with all the new types of zombies, so be ready to go hard on your iOS phone screen.