Top 15 best arcade games for iPhone and iPad (iOS)

Updated on July 1st, 2025 – Swapped out 2 games

If you’re on the hunt for top-notch arcade games suitable for both your iPhone and iPad, search no more! We’ve put together a collection of the most thrilling, high-scoring games that are sure to entertain you. Enjoy!

Before the widespread availability of personal gaming devices, arcades featuring straightforward games were highly sought-after. Although arcades continue to exist, many people now have easy access to a multitude of home-based games that don’t require the constant insertion of coins for play.

Deffinition of ‘arcade games’

As time has passed the definition of ‘arcade’ as a genre has changed a little bit, not least due to the games themselves moving out of the clunky, standing machines of yesteryear. However, a lot of the mechanics and ideas behind the games are the same: the games should have short, limited-life runs which you can sometimes extend beyond normal means.

In a practical sense, you should aim for a high score or strive to reach significant achievements ahead, and while these goals don’t necessarily have to be extremely achievable, they should be challenging yet attainable. Modern gaming often categorizes games as arcade-style, which can encompass various genres, sometimes due to aesthetic choices rather than gameplay mechanics.

Why not tap the large button beneath for more details about our top arcade games for iPhone and iPad? If you feel we’ve left out any gems, don’t hesitate to share a comment. We periodically update our lists to ensure they remain accurate and authentic to the genre.

1 Skies of Chaos

Skies of Chaos brings back memories of the classic arcade games I used to enjoy as a kid! It’s an action-packed shooter where your plane advances, firing at anything that approaches. The game is bursting with color, filled with obstacles to dodge and evade, and numerous power-ups to grab. Best part? You can play it for free if you have a Netflix subscription, which let’s face it, most people do these days!

2 Fruit Merge: Match Game

The Fruit Combining Match Game has been very popular lately, and I’ve noticed it in numerous beachfront arcades! This game is easy to grasp; you just have to place fruits that can then touch the same fruit, merging them into another fruit. There’s a larger fruit coming up next, occupying more room within the container, and your objective is to amass as many points as possible before one of the fruits goes beyond the edge and out of the container. It’s not too difficult, but occasionally luck isn’t on your side.

3 Angry Birds 2

I’ve personally experienced playing Angry Birds 2 on a large arcade machine, but even if I hadn’t, it would still rank high among my favorites. Essentially, in Angry Birds 2, you use a slingshot to launch birds at structures housing green pigs, your goal being to eliminate those pesky pigs. The more birds you have, the more destruction you can cause, until all the pigs are gone.

Without a doubt, this engaging game is well-deserving of a place among the top arcade games for iOS. If you haven’t given it a try yet, we recommend checking out our Angry Birds 2 review and prepare yourself for a storm of pigs, bricks, and vibrant avian characters! We also have some handy tips to help you get started.

4 Fruit Ninja 2

Over the years, I’ve had plenty of fun with Fruit Ninja 2 – whether it was in traditional arcades or on my smartphone during high school hours. Essentially, Fruit Ninja 2 is a straightforward game that involves swiftly slicing fruits as they zoom across your screen while skillfully avoiding any bombs that pop up. For an added challenge, you can even compete against other players and personalize your character in the mobile edition of this thrilling game!

You won’t find anything quite as exhilarating as this timeless, speedy fruit-cleaving chaos for an authentic mobile gaming sensation.

5 Crossy Road

Crossy Road is an adorable game that challenges you to navigate various roads, bridges over rivers, and other obstacles, all while keeping your character safe. You can choose from numerous animal characters, and the environment changes each time you die, offering a fresh challenge every time.

Incredibly engaging, extremely enjoyable, and incredibly cute, Crossy Road is among the top arcade games available on iPhones that you can immerse yourself in right now and continue to enjoy indefinitely.

Here’s a guide on acquiring each Crossy Roads character, along with our take on Crossy Roads! Give them a look!

In this way, the sentence becomes more conversational and easier to read.

6 Jetpack Joyride (previously Machine Gun Jetpack)

Jetpack Joyride is an endless running game where you soar through levels on your jetpack, gathering gold coins while riding dragons, utilizing power-ups, gliding in submarines, and more. Each stage is packed with elements like traps, helpful boxes, a dynamic backdrop, and of course, the coveted golden coins. The sheer amount of activity can make gameplay sessions brief due to their fast-paced nature!

The game offers such an abundance of play and repeat value that its creators determined it needed a follow-up, featuring the excitement of blasting at floating asteroids! And guess what? We’ve also published a Jetpack Joyride review!

7 Cosmic Express

In this vibrant pastel-themed game called Cosmic Express, you’ll embark on an interstellar adventure where you manage a space-traveling vehicle, transporting various alien passengers across an exotic planet. Your task is to plan the most effective route for each journey, deciding which aliens disembark at their destinations and who remains aboard. Along the way, you’ll encounter challenges, complex levels, and a myriad of intriguing extraterrestrial beings!

If you haven’t heard of Cosmic Express yet, give it a shot! It’s an engaging game bursting with action and ranks high among its genre peers. For further insights, check out our Cosmic Express review!

8 Subway Surfers

Among many endless runners such as Subway Surfers, this one happens to be my current favorite. In Subway Surfers, you’re tasked with continuously running forward, evading oncoming trains to keep going. There are numerous coins to gather, ramps for jumping, signs to dodge, and more that contribute to surviving the game!

In Subway Surfers, you’ll consistently encounter fresh updates, special events, and an assortment of new characters to gather, ensuring the game remains engaging and far from monotonous! It’s undoubtedly one of the top-tier arcade games available on iOS devices.

Check out our Subway Surfer coupon codes, you might find something that suits your needs! If not, consider reading our review of Subway Surfers or browsing through our growing collection of other Subway Surfers tutorials.

9 MUJO

In this game called MUJO, your mission is to join together tiles to create larger ones which can then be used to defeat monsters. By holding down three or more connected tiles, you can assemble a strong tile that gains more strength as it grows in size. After creating these tiles, you can utilize them to eliminate monsters appearing at the top of the screen. Meanwhile, your heroes will progress and level up at the game’s bottom.

Among the numerous games I’ve come across, nothing quite compares to MUJO. It stands out with its simplicity, fun factor, and high interactivity, making it an excellent pick for any gamer. Don’t hesitate to give it a try! If you’re still uncertain, be sure to read our review on MUJO – I promise, it won’t disappoint!

10 Lanota

As a music enthusiast and gaming fanatic, let me share my take on Lanota: This rhythm-based adventure immerses you in a world where syncing your taps and holds with the melodies keeps the magic flowing. Your quest is to restore the vibrant hues of a planet ravaged by natural disasters, giving it a chance to thrive for just a little while longer. Despite its straightforward gameplay, it’s strikingly reminiscent of those rhythm games I used to enjoy at arcades!

I highly recommend you to give it a shot, especially since you usually avoid rhythm games. There’s a good chance that Lanota could completely alter your perception of them (it’s truly exceptional)!

11 Death Road to Canada

Death Road to Canada is an engaging zombie-slaying adventure in which the goal is to navigate your way to Canada by strategizing, scavenging for supplies at various locations, managing a dynamic team, and fending off hordes of the undead. It’s a captivating game with a fun twist – it features zombies!

DRTC offers an enjoyable throwback to bulky arcade shooters, but with a delightful pixelated aesthetic that makes it more approachable. If you haven’t given it a spin yet, I strongly recommend doing so without delay – you don’t want to miss out on one of the finest games available (trust me!).

If you’re unsure about the kind of experience this game offers, I’d recommend checking out our review of Death Road to Canada as well.

12 Candy Crush Saga

In this collection, we’ve got the reigning champion, Candy Crush Saga, hailing from the category of match-3 games. Match-3 games are a type of arcade games where if three or more identical blocks are close together, you can simply tap to eliminate them. What sets Candy Crush Saga apart is its adorable visuals and vibrant gameplay, making it a distinctive choice within this genre.

Among countless variations and imitations, this game stands as one of the timeless classics, joining the ranks with Pinball Arcade, Pac-Man, Angry Birds, and Fruit Ninja. It’s an outstanding arcade game for iOS devices, though our review of Candy Crush Saga doesn’t delve deeper, it’s still worth a play if you enjoy match-three games.

13 Pinball Arcade

Have you ever visited an old-school arcade with pinball tables? If so, you might enjoy playing pinball on your smartphone! A great option for this is Pinball Arcade, which offers numerous classic pinball games digitally transformed and accessible right from your device.

In simple terms, you can bounce the ball off various parts of the playfield, earning points, until it eventually escapes the bumpers. It’s undeniably among the top arcade games for iPhones, still holding its ground in 2021. As you may have surmised, there’s nothing more evocative of an arcade experience than a classic pinball game! And let me tell you, this game plays exceptionally well on mobile devices. For a comprehensive take, feel free to read our Pinball Arcade review!

14 Basketball Arcade Machine

Arcade Basketball Machines are equally important for an arcade setting, which is why the term “Basketball Arcade Game” seems fitting. The game resembles the machines commonly found at arcades and offers a fun, effortless playing experience compared to real-life basketball. It also includes achievements and eliminates the risk of balls being stolen, ensuring fair play throughout the game.

If you’re a basketball enthusiast like me but find yourself reluctant to step outside, give this game a try! Feeling boastful about your three-point shooting skills among friends? This is definitely the game for you! It’s entertaining, challenging, and most importantly, tons of fun!

15 Sonic Dash 2: Sonic Boom

Sonic Dash 2: Sonic Boom is an engaging arcade game where you run continuously while dodging obstacles and gathering rings in various beautiful worlds. You can choose to play as different characters from the Sonic universe or opt for Sonic himself, each with their unique appeal. Both options are fun choices!

In terms of the backstory for this character, chances are you’re already familiar with Sonic being around for quite some time. Given that an arcade game featuring Sonic the Hedgehog is not surprising, right? For more in-depth information about it, I recommend checking out our Sonic Dash 2: Sonic Boom review. It offers a detailed look at this outstanding iOS arcade game!

2025-07-01 13:20