It’s time for part four of our list of the 100 best iPhone games. We’re now at number 40, so you can be sure that every one of these titles is a must-download classic. On the list we have a point ‘n’ click adventure from the 90s, a spruced-up version of a genre-defining brawler, an all-new casual smash and an innovative take on Sudoku, this time with numbers.
There’s just one more part to this iPhone gaming journey, which will be up on the site tomorrow morning. For now, give your eyeballs a workout with the rest of our round-up –
100 Best iPhone games 100-81
100 Best iPhone games 80-61
100 Best iPhone games 60-41
100 Best iPhone games 40-21
100 Best iPhone games 20-1
40. Street Fighter IV Volt
By Capcom
Released June 2011
Street Fighter IV Volt is a cynical move on behalf of Capcom – it’s a minor update to the original Street Fighter IV, but if you don’t own that one-on-one brawler, this is the edition to go for. It features 17 classic characters (Volt’s extras include Balrog, Cody and Vega) and the classic beat ’em up action you may – no, should – remember from the classic Street Fighter titles. It was the first game of this genre to prove that the beat ’em up can work on a smartphone touchscreen.
39. Doom Classic
By id Software
Released October 2009
Few lists of classic games, regardless of platform, are complete without a spot of Doom. Originally released in 1993, this was many gamers’ first experience of a full-3D first-person shooter. Boy, was it exciting. And scary. Wolfenstein 3D may have come out the year before, but Doom made it look rather silly in comparison. The iPhone port is a faithful translation of the original, featuring four episodes comprised of 36 levels. Grab that shotgun and get blasting, we say.
38. Tilt to Live
By One Man Left
Released February 2010
It’s not hard to imagine the gaming equation that resulted in Tilt to Live. Boiled down to the basics, the game’s an accelerometer-controlled take on Geometry Wars. You control a little cursor by tilting your iPhone, as hordes of little circular enemies creep towards you. With no weapons of your own, you have to roll over power-ups to destroy these enemies before they hit you. Difficult, addictive frustrating – Tilt to Live is one of the most compulsive “high score” games on iPhone.
37. Civilization Revolution
By 2K Games
Released August 2009
Once upon a time, Civilzation was a game that would suck days from your life, as you progressed from a meandering settler in 20,000BC to a nuclear nation complete with a space travel programme. Civilization Revolution takes the best bits of this geekiest of gaming classics and make it accessible for newbies and consumable on a mobile device like the iPhone. It looks and feels the same, but it’s simpler and a lot quicker. For those who remember the old days of Civilization II, it’s one to get downloading now.
36. iBlast Moki
By Godzilab
Released September 2009
iBlast Moki is a game that proves cute graphics and casual gameplay don’t mean a game can’t challenge your grey matter. In each level, you have to blast a little moki creature into a portal elsewhere – by placing bombs right under him. How the blighters survive without being able to move on their own is anyone’s guess. After the first few levels you’ll need multiple bombs to get the moki moving to the right place too, requiring split-second timing of each of the bomb’s fuses. A perfect blend of cute and clever.
35. Drop7
By Area/Code
Released December 2008
Drop7 was a huge viral hit, and all without the help of cute characters or funny sound effects. This, dear readers, is a maths game. A very, very addictive maths game. Think of it as a blend of Sudoku and Tetris, and you’re half-way there. Numbered blocks fall from the top of the screen, and if the number on the block matches the number of blocks in the same row or column, it’ll disappear Give it a go and that’ll make a lot more sense. There’s a free ad-funded version of the game available on iTunes.
34. Mirror’s Edge
By EA
Released September 2010
Although rendered with high-quality 3D visuals, your interactions in Mirror’s Edge are curiously simple. Your character, Faith, runs automatically, leaving you to simply jump, duck and change direction. A fancy take on Canabalt, that Mirror’s Edge is now available for just 69p seems a big ridiculous to us. Stylish, fun and fast it mixes the gameplay style of a casual title with the production values of an AA game.
33. Game Dev Story
By Kairosoft
Released October 2010
What gaming fan hasn’t one day wished they could make their own game? Game Dev Story tickles – if not quite satisfies – these dreams. It charts the life of a game studio, from the early days of gaming right up to today’s consoles. You hire a team, buy a dev license, pick the type of game you want and work your way through a 20-year career in the industry. A remarkable array of elements are included, from annual awards to a selection of different marketing types.
32. Bejeweled 2
By Popcap
Released August 2008
Bejeweled 2 isn’t just a game, it’s the perfect encapsulation of a gaming archetype. It’s a pure match-3 puzzler at its core, but in true Popcap form the game mechanics have been sharpened and perfected so that it’s virtually impossible to better. There are just the right number of special bonus gem types to spice up the gameplay without weakening its rock-solid central mechanics.
31. Broken Sword: Director’s Cut
By Revolution
Released January 2010
Ahh, 1996. ‘Twas a simpler time. Broken Sword was released as the adventure game genre was just at the beginning of its dwindling. We still had Grim Fandango to look forward to, but otherwise the big adventure game players had already made most of their best games. Broken Sword was a surprise entry to the graphic adventure hall of fame, coming not from the usual suspects of LucasArts and Sierra but relative newbie Revolution. Broken Sword had beautiful graphics, full voice acting and a riveting story. It still does. The iPhone edition has new character graphics for conversations and better-looking, more readable text.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.