With the year-on-year improvements in the iPad, mobile games are not only easier to play, they are far more popular than ever before.
People are spending longer at home and that means they have time to spare. There is only so much Netflix you can watch and the iPad has now become the entertainment device of choice. The obvious use, after streaming movies, is gaming and the official iOS store offers tons of games. Many games are now designed specifically for the iPad. We found 10 cool iPad games that we think you should look at.
Top 10 iPad Games to Download:
Regardless of how much time you have available to play games, there is something to suit all players. We found five paid and five free games that we think offer great features and value.
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FREE iPad Games
LEGO Star Wars is one of the most popular Free iPad game of all time and is a fantastic game for fans of the movie series.
- LEGO Star Wars
The game takes you through some of the best of every movie, introducing you to some of the most iconic landscapes and no less than 20 cool Star Wars characters. You can play great movie scenes, unlock some cool bonuses and extra content as well, including challenge levels, Arcade Mode and much more. You decide which side you want to be on and you can even create mashups of your favorite characters. In short, you can spend hours immersing yourself in the fun of Star Wars and LEGO.
- Crossy Road
Remember Frogger? Well, Crossy Road is very similar. Another simple yet highly addictive game, Crossy Road gives you many more animals and has much better graphics and visuals than Frogger. It’s also somewhat more intense although the game premise remains the same – get across the busy roads without being smashed by a car or lorry. And you can lay down the gauntlet to other players to beat your score too.
- Clash of Clans
Clash of Clans is one of the more popular free games, a top-rated battle game. The idea is to build up your own fortress as strong as you can and defend it against others. At the same time, you must attack their fortresses and take out their towers. You can recruit your friends, join or form a clan and take part in Clan Wars. It sounds a simple game but it is fast, furious and requires a great deal of strategy but you are guaranteed a game you can immerse yourself in for hours.
- Angry Birds 2
First came Angry Birds and now Rovio has stepped up their game. With Angry Birds 2, the game premise remains exactly the same – use your angry birds to destroy the evil pigs. This time around, though, it’s far more challenging. Not only do you get to choose which bird you use at each turn, you also get to battle bosses – and they won’t go down without a fight. Practice your slingshot skills, beat each level, take out the boss and start the next chapter.
- Vainglory – Free
A popular cross-platform MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game, Vainglory offers hours of fun. Built on the Evil engine, it has some amazing graphics and gameplay is fast and smooth. It’s a simple game – all you have to do is win. To do that, build your troops up, take part in battles and win every battle or pit your troops against others in five-minute brawls. A simple yet highly strategic game that you can easily lose yourself in for hours.
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PAID iPad Games
The first of our paid game recommendations, Monument Valley offers you a puzzle game that is somewhat different from others.
- Monument Valley – $3.99, in-app purchases available
You are a silent princess called Ida and your aim is to get out of the world you are in. As you go, the puzzles get harder, mainly because they have a geometric design. The further you go, the more chance you have to unlock another character but that just makes things more complicated. It isn’t the longest game but you do get plenty of extra missions and there is a lot of downloadable content too. Completed the game? Then try the sequel.
- The Last Remnant Remastered – $19.99
The most expensive game on our list but worth the money, partly because that is all you pay – no in-app purchases or extra content, everything is yours. The Last Remnant originally landed for the Xbox a decade ago and, at that time, it wasn’t great. Now, with the mobile port, you get the very best in graphics and one of the most complex battle games ever launched. The storyline is more than 50 hours long and you need your wits about you as it is a tactical and strategical game. You do need to have at least 8.5GB storage space free though, as it is a large game.
- World of Goo – $4.99
Slime balls – that’s what this game is about. Also called Goo balls, all you have to do is drag them and drop them in place to create structures, weapons, bridges and more to get through each level. Unlock Goo Balls as you go and discover their unique abilities but expect the game to get harder as you progress. And if you want, there is even an online competition to take part in, to see who can construct the largest and wobbliest tower out of Goo Balls. Although it does cost $4.99, that is all you pay – no in-app purchases to worry about.
- Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition – $4.99
This is something completely different, a survival game that has you thinking on your feet. All you have to do is survive and you do it as several different characters. It is a fun game, all you have to do is make past all the obstacles and game elements without going out of your mind and without starving. And you must try to avoid the wicked nighttime creatures too. Search for resources and build a camp, add defenses to it and do whatever it takes to survive. It does require skill and each new day will bring you new challenges and threats. Make it through the seasons to Winter and you should be tough enough to face a whole new level of challenges. This game requires iOS 8 or higher on newer devices – older devices do not have the resources required to play it.
- Gladiabots: AI Combat Arena – $4.99, in-app purchases available
Last but not least is Gladiabots. If you were a fan of the Robot Wars TV show then you will love this game. This is somewhat different – build up an army of robots, train them to use AI and then release them and watch them create havoc. Your robots can be tweaked the further into the game you get and you can change their strategy and skills to make them the toughest robots on earth. Your robot army can be tweaked and sent out to battle as often as you want and the better they get, the bigger the enemy you get to fight. Choose from three game modes and there is even an online multiplayer option too. Skins become available the further you get through the game – it is worth noting that the in-app purchases are only for skins; you do not require them for any gameplay so you can happily settle in for hours with this game.
Ten games – five free, five paid. Hopefully we have managed to find something to suit all tastes and saved you the job of having to search the iOS app store for iPad games and all of them offer great value. So, settle in, switch on your tablet and prepare to spend many happy hours gaming – if you don’t like these, they may give you ideas for other games to try and you might just find a new game genre you didn’t think you would ever find yourself trying.