20 Best Options for iPhone Gamers

In the beginning, the idea of mobile phones as a serious gaming platform was laughed off. You might expect to get a Snake game or maybe a Tetris clone if you were really lucky. To say things have changed is an understatement. The iPhone has proven to be an excellent gaming device and there are some awesome iPhone games available.

While many games are now being ported to Android and BlackBerry, amongst other mobile platforms, the market on the iPhone is the most vibrant, and so this is where developers are focusing their efforts. You can get all sorts of iPhone games from puzzle and word games, through to epic RPGs and even FPS titles. Here are the best iPhone games out there. We've got 20 iPhone games for you in the main list and another 15 to check out in our honorable mentions.

Let’s kick off with one of the most recent iPhone game releases, Infinity Blade. Now be honest did you ever imagine you’d see a game this gorgeous on a mobile phone? Developed specifically for the platform by Epic Games’ ChAIR Entertainment studio and running on the Unreal Engine for iPhone, the game is essentially combat action all the way, with a few RPG elements thrown in. Swiping onscreen to attack, will take some getting used to, and you’ll need to master the timing needed to effectively block and counter your opponent’s attacks with big combos.

You can fill your pockets with loot, and upgrade your equipment, or purchase various power ups. You’ll also level up as you progress, but in essence this is a series of straight fights against scary enemies. The production values are top notch. The character models, environments, visual effects and animation combine with a great score and some impressive cinematics, to raise the bar for what is possible with iPhone games. Read our full Infinity Blade review for more.

Price - $5.99 [Download Link]

Run as far as you can is the simple premise of this clever title. It has a stylish retro look and a wonderfully accessible control system. You simply tap the screen to jump, and the longer you press, the higher you jump. There are loads of obstacles to overcome, and it has a powerful “just one more try” hook, which makes it one of the best iPhone games out there. Check out our Canabalt review for more.

Price - $2.99 [Download Link]

It was an inevitable inclusion on this list, having sat in the top paid iPhone games spot for a long time. Challenging you to fire angry birds at structures to destroy the pigs, is the basic idea, but thanks to some satisfying physics based reactions, every game is different. The catapult controls, allowing you to pull back and fire the birds, are beautifully simple, and the variety of types and abilities ,really adds to the overall experience. This is casual gaming at its finest, with a real level of polish, loads of levels to beat, and a powerful addictive pull. Read our Angry Birds review, or check out our guide to Golden Eggs locations to learn more.

Price - $0.99 [Download Link]

Undisputed master of the fighting game genre on console, Capcom’s Street Fighter IV is now available for the iPhone. The obvious problem is controls, and there’s no escaping the fact that touchscreen controls are not ideal for this game. They have simplified things a bit, to make it easier to play on the iPhone, and in terms of action and quality it’s great.

Price - $9.99 [Download Link]