The Most Popular iPhone Games to Play Right Now (August 2023)

When you have the latest and

1. Minecraft ($7)

Minecraft is one of the most popular games in the world and it’s available to play on Apple iPhone for just $7. It’s a sandbox game where players are free to create and explore the world to climb mountains, unearth caves, and mine precious ore to build homes, weapons, villages, and more.

You can also see our guide to how to play Minecraft for free.

2. Geometry Dash ($2)

Geometry Dash is a rhythm-based platformer where players control shapes to jump from point-A to point-B with unique soundtracks for each level. The game even features a level editor where you can create and share your own levels. The app is just $2 and doesn’t include any in-app purchases, so unlocking new icons and characters is completely based on your skills throughout the game.

3. Monopoly – Classic Board Game ($5)

Now play Monopoly with your Apple mobile device. This is the classic version of the board game with new graphics and fun animations in a fully immersive mobile experience. Roll the dice and travel around the board to buy up properties, build houses and hotels, collect Monopoly Money, and bankrupt friends and family.

You can even play as classic game pieces, including the scottie, cat, T-Rex, rubber duck, and others. And since this is the paid version at only $5, it’s ad-free with no interruptions or distracting pop-ups.

4. Heads Up! ($2)

It’s the game “Who Am I?,” but for the digital age. Created by Ellen DeGeneres, Head Up! is charades with a twist. You place your iPhone (screen out) on your forehead, then a name or title appears on the display, your friends or family have to act out the clues, and then you have to guess the name of the character, movie title, animal, superhero, and more within 60 seconds. You can even play via Apple Facetime or Zoom. Not bad for just $2.

5. Bloons TD 6 ($7)

At $7, Bloons TD 6 is a top-down tower defense where players create defenses made up of hero monkeys, structures, towers, bridges, and traps to stop “Bloons,” balloon-like objects, from exiting each map. Players collect coins to upgrade their defenses.

6. Plague Inc. ($1)

Why live through a pandemic in reality when you can play with one on your iPhone? At $1, Plague Inc. is a strategy game where you must end humanity with a deadly pathogen during a global plague. However, the people around the world are more adaptive than you think, so you have to create and evolve more and more deadly viruses to wipe away all of the people on Earth.

7. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ($7)

For $7, you can play Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on your iOS device. This version offers remastered graphics “including lighting enhancements, an enriched color palette and improved character models,” according to its App Store description page, dual analog stick controls, and more. Explore the open world of San Andreas and its three major cities — Los Santos, San Fierro and Las Venturas — as you unfold the main character, CJ’s, story. See our guide to the GTA games in order to see the full series.

8. Stardew Valley ($5)

Stardew Valley sets your character up in Pelican Town, which is located in Stardew Valley, where you inherit a small house and plot of land from your grandfather. From there, you need to clear the land and build up your own farm, with plenty of livestock and crops. It offers over 50+ hours of gameplay, too, so it’ll keep you busy.

9. Papa’s Freezeria To Go! ($1)

Make the ultimate ice cream sundae with Papa’s Freezeria To Go!. At just $1, play as a worker at a beachfront ice cream shop, as more and more customers come in for a sweet treat during the hectic and hot summer season. Take ice cream orders and build and serve treats, while you earn points and tips for upgrades around the shop.

10. Red’s First Flight ($1)

A remake of the original Angry Birds, Red’s First Flight has you taking on the role of the, well… angry birds, as they fight to survive against the green pigs. Since this new version is paid as well, you don’t need to worry about pop-up ads or microtransactions, which is a bonus!

How to Choose Which iPhone Games to Play

There are millions upon millions of apps and games on the Apple App Store, so it might be intimidating to start with just one to play. While the most popular game lists—either free or paid—are a good place to start, there are some other factors you should consider before you tap download. Here’s what to look for in Apple iPhone games.

First of all, if you have a very old iPhone, you should check if it’s compatible with the mobile game. Most games require your iPhone to run, at least, iOS 8 or higher—which is compatible with the Apple iPhone 4S or higher. This iPhone model was released in October 2011, so any iPhone release beforehand will not be compatible with these games.

You should also be aware of how much space you have on your iPhone. The file size for mobile games can go from a few hundred megabytes all the way up to about 20GB, so if you don’t have enough space on your smartphone, then it won’t be able to download completely on your hardware. If that’s the case, you should consider deleting a few apps to free up some space, get a new iPhone with a larger storage capacity, or think about downloading a new game altogether.

Then, you should consider the price. While there are a lot of free games available, free doesn’t necessarily mean completely free. A lot of these free games offer in-app purchases for upgrades. For example, in the game Royal Match, you have a limited number of lives to play, once you lose a life, you have to wait 30 minutes to regain it. However, if you pay, you can unlock the app to get more lives.

Unfortunately, the same thing can be said for a paid game too. Just because you have to pay for an app at first, it doesn’t mean there aren’t additional in-app purchases available. But, if a mobile game is on the pricey side, then it’s likely that the unlocked version will download to your iPhone.

Additionally, you can also get a subscription to Apple Arcade for $5/mo. to unlock all of the iOS games available with no in-app purchases to play on iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and Apple TV. If you’re an avid mobile gamer, then this is the way to go.

The final thing you should look out for in an Apple iPhone game is if it looks fun to play. If a game looks like a lot of fun or a challenge, then tap download and immerse yourself in a whole new universe and experience.

Upcoming iPhone Games

Wondering what new iPhone games are coming down the pipeline? Take a look at our guide to all of the biggest upcoming iPhone games to see what’s coming in 2023 and beyond. You can also check out our guide to the new iPhone 15 if you’re looking to upgrade your device this year.

Rudie Obias is a contributing freelance Tech writer and editor for IGN with a speciality in all things Apple products.