The 13 best iPad games to try in 2023

Want to know which are the best iPad games for 2023? Over the past two decades, the number of options on the iPad has evolved massively. This is the reason why it is difficult to rank the best games on the iPad. In order to provide an accurate overview of unbeatable titles, including the best free iPad games, we’ve divided our picks into categories.

Today almost all games optimized for mobile devices are also compatible with the iPad. Very few games are designed specifically and only for iPads.

With tablets offering as much processing power as smartphones, anything optimized for iOS or Mac can be read on an iPad. In 2022, for example, the latest iPad offered screen size options of up to 12.9 inches with a resolution of 1640 x 2360 pixels.

If we add to these characteristics a Hexa-core processor (2×3.0 GHz Firestorm + 4×1.8 GHz Icestorm) and a separate quad-core Apple GPU, the iPad is quite capable of running complex games. So the best games on iPad are comparable to those you can run on smartphones, as well as Mac computers and consoles.

The best iPad games in 2023

What are the best iPad games ever made? Here are our four candidates:

1. Divinity: Original Sin II

Some love action games on the iPad, and others prefer puzzles. However, judging by popularity and feedback from veteran gamers, Divinity: Original Sin II is often considered one of the best iPad games in history.

Gamers tend to download this iPad game because of its nuances. The main objective is to lead a character through the void and save Divinity.

Every choice you make influences the outcome of the game thanks to an artificial intelligence (AI) engine. There are over 200 combat skills to master and you can play in teams of up to four people thanks to split-screen mode.

2. XCOM: Enemy Within

Winner of Game of the Year in 2012, the sci-fi sequel XCOM: Enemy Unknown was expected to become one of the best iPad games of all time. XCOM: Enemy Within was released in 2013 and brought a whole new array of alien weapons and threats to this tactical combat game. You will need XCOM: Enemy Unknown to play XCOM: Enemy Within. If you’re a fan of tactical strategy games in multiplayer mode, it’s worth installing both.

3. Where Shadows Slumber

Puzzle games aren’t expected to be among the best iPad games in history, but Where Shadows Slumber is an exception. Here, you have to navigate various environments to find the exit. Anything that is not bathed in light can change. In short, the solution you had initially found may no longer be relevant due to the changing environment!

4. Alien: Isolation

If you want a game that exemplifies the power of modern iOS devices, Alien: Isolation is one of the best games for iPad. Released in 2014, this game is still dazzling by today’s standards. It is for this reason that it is always ranked among the best Mac games . The storyline and gameplay are excellent, but it’s its atmospheric quality and suspense that will totally immerse you in the game.

What are the best free iPad games?

Our picks for best free games for iPad are:

5. Oddman

Oddman plays at a blistering pace, and that makes it one of the best iPad games for adrenaline junkies. The goal is simple: fight everything that stands in your way to be the last character standing. Those who fight well and long enough will avoid the piranha-infested waters and advance to the next level. It is hands down one of the most addictive free iPad games.

6. Williams Pinball

Rotate your iPad to portrait mode and experience retro gaming with Williams Pinball. The fact that you can hold your tablet and press buttons as if it were a real pinball machine puts it among the best games for iPad. Add to that hundreds of visually impressive levels and you have a must-play game.

7. Up the Wall

For a different auto-runner, try Up the Wall. Through colorful and creative mazes, you’ll have to take tight turns and climb walls to reach your goal. Of all the best free iPad games we’ve listed, Up the Wall really puts your reflexes and mastery of your gaming tablet ‘s internal gyroscope to the test .

What are the best new iPad games?

The leaders on our list are:

8. Tomb Raider Reloaded

The latest Tomb Raider installment hit the iPad gaming world in February 2023 and, as expected, it quickly captured the imagination of its fan community. New maps and content are planned over time. There’s also a ‘rogue’ mode that literally lets you sidekick Lara Croft. If you like downloading games , Tomb Raider Reloaded is what you need. Plus, it’s free.

9. Honkai: Star Rail

3D RPGs often earn a place among the best iPad games because they combine aesthetics, action and strategic elements . Released in 2023, this game for iPad follows Honkai Impact 3rd and invites you to take Welt Yang to a parallel universe. This title has a deep story and it is for this reason that it is one of the best iPad games of 2023. The main objective is to explore an open world system and shoot down enemies trying to topple the Herta space station.

10. Desta: The Memories Between (Dream Team Edition)

To make it to the list of best iPad games 2023 has to offer, it takes more than fancy visuals and flashy features. It takes heart and soul. Desta has these characteristics.

This strategy game asks you to work with other players to navigate an imaginary world and reach enemies without getting hit in dodgeball games.

The originality of this kind of game ? You will move forward by reconstructing fragmented memories. No wonder this title is among the best games for iPad.

Best of the Rest: Must-Have iPad Games

Rounding out our roundup of the best iPad games that are also available as PC games , we’ve added our top three picks you absolutely must try.

• Alto’s Odyssey

A staple of iPhone games released in 2018, Alto’s Odyssey has become one of the best iPad games of 2023. Side-scrolling games are always fun, and the ergonomics of an iPad suit this genre well, as you hold the tablet like a steering wheel, that is to say that you metaphorically drive the character forward. Then, with a simple tap, he jumps. It is thanks to its stunning aesthetics that Alto’s Odyssey is among the best games for iPad.

• Among Us

Among Us may look simple, but its gameplay is sophisticated. You will play in space with astronauts with strange human appearance. Your task is to join other players and assume one of two roles: teammate or impostor. If you are the first game character , you have to discover the impostor. If you are the second, you must avoid being spotted.

• Pale

Blek might not be one of the most complex games for iPad, but it gets you thinking. Created to be part of iOS games , Blek takes full advantage of the iPad’s touch screen. The object of the game is to draw a line in the shape of a snake which animates as soon as you remove your finger from the screen. The line then moves in the direction you have defined in order to eliminate colored dots. For us, this game is an excellent test of logic and creativity.