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

Updated by Ivan Spasojevic on October 24, 2024
– new game added

As an avid survivor of countless apocalypses (well, virtually at least), let me tell you about my top picks for survival games on iOS and Android!

Survival games are a relatively recent phenomenon when it comes to gaming, it certainly wasn’t around until very recently, but now there are elements of it which are permeating into other genres all the time. As a matter of fact, if you look at some of the most popular current games, even Battle Royale games like Bandlanders or PUBG, you’ll find them rife with mechanics which first found their feet in the survival genre. Therefore, we believe they deserve a list of the best survival games for iOS.

Indeed, if you find yourself gathering resources, accumulating items, or creating structures, it’s likely the origins of such activities in your game can be traced to the survival genre, and the game that made this theme widely recognized: Minecraft.

In simpler terms, Minecraft revolutionized the survival game genre by introducing a unique blend of randomness, crafting, scavenging, and environmental threats that required players to manage their resources carefully. This innovative approach inspired numerous other games in the industry, many of which focused on intricate inventory management and detailed environmental exploration, even within pre-set map boundaries.

What are the survival games, and what can you expect?

With our list of best mobile survival games for iOS, you’ll be picking clean the environment and choosing whether you should fight or flee a variety of enemies. The odds will be stacked against you as you explore the
zombie-infested USA
, an alien filled with dinosaurs, or a deadly radioactive island.

As a passionate enthusiast, I can’t help but get excited about survival games, whether it’s navigating through an apocalyptic world or simply maintaining the livability of a small island. While many of these games today focus on zombies, we’ve curated an exceptional collection that also includes titles with unique characters such as dinosaurs, ominous creatures from the dark, and mythical beings.

Go ahead and tap the large button situated below to discover our top picks for survival games on iPhone and iPad! If you believe we’ve overlooked any titles, feel free to share your thoughts in a comment. We periodically update our lists to ensure they remain current.

1 Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition

Developer:
Klei Entertainment
Available on: iOS + Android + PlayStation Vita
Find out more about Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition

In a chilling survival game titled Don’t Starve, your mission is to endure in a harsh environment, where you must construct essential items for your survival. The ultimate objective is to return home safely. Each area within this world is procedurally generated, offering unique creatures to encounter and biomes to explore as you gather the necessary resources to survive the cold nights.

In our comprehensive review of Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition, we delved into the intricacies of getting lost, feeling hungry, cold, tired, and experiencing various other challenges you’d anticipate in a survival game. Despite these difficulties, the game’s captivating charm and visual appeal earn it the number one position among our top picks for best survival iOS games.

By the way, here are some handy hints on how to make it through the early days in Don’t Starve. Be sure not to skip them!

2 Fallout Shelter

Publisher: Bethesda Game Studios
Available on: iOS + Android
Find out more about Fallout Shelter

For those new to the Fallout series, Vaults are subterranean shelters designed to protect the population during a nuclear catastrophe. Since Fallout takes place in an imminent future where disaster has occurred, humanity has survived and adapted to a world filled with hostile raider groups and mutated creatures that scavenge for resources across the desolate wasteland. As the vault overseer, your mission is to safeguard and nurture your shelter from potential threats.

In simpler terms, you’ll manage a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic setting, assigning them tasks, helping them grow and develop skills. Some may venture out for exploration, while others take care of essential needs like medical care, food supply, power, and other necessities. As more survivors join your community, you’ll expand the living space, ensuring a continuous cycle of survival management in this post-apocalyptic world!

3 Minecraft – Pocket Edition

Developer: Mojang
Publisher: Mojang
Available on: iOS + PlayStation Phone (Xperia Play) + Android + Windows Phone
Find out more about Minecraft

It’s unlikely that such a list of survival games would exclude Minecraft from the top 3. For those who may have been isolated for the past 15 years, Minecraft is an adventure and construction game where you navigate a pixelated universe, confronting zombies, spiders, explosives, and other creatures as you construct your own settlement, uncover secrets, and persist in a seemingly infinite world made of blocks.

4 Westland Survival

Available on: iOS + Android
Find out more about Westland Survival

As a lone cowboy roaming the unruly frontier, I’ve found myself stranded in Westland Survival – a world where survival is a law unto itself. After an unfortunate encounter with ruthless bandits that left me high and dry in the wilderness, my only goal now is to stay alive and rebuild a sanctuary of my own.

This game might not possess the mind-blowing, cutting-edge qualities of the series “Westworld,” but it certainly offers an engaging, Wild West-themed experience blended with role-playing and survival elements that set it apart from other games. In our opinion, it’s a top-tier survival game for iOS devices.

5 This War of Mine

Publisher: 11 bit studios
Available on: iOS + Android + Steam
Find out more about This War of Mine

2014 saw the debut of “The War of Mine,” a challenging survival game set amidst a devastated urban landscape, where you assume the role of ordinary citizens battling to stay alive. The city’s scarcity of essentials such as food, shelter, and other supplies makes each day a struggle for existence.

The War of Mine distinguishes itself through its authenticity. In this game, you’re tasked with making crucial decisions about resource management, crafting essential items, and devising strategies to stay alive. To make it even more engaging, the game incorporates a day-night cycle and multiple characters, adding layers of complexity.

The game is available on both platforms – Google PlayStore and App Store.

6 Vampire Survivors

Available on: iOS + Android + Steam
Find out more about Vampire Survivors

If you’re into roguelike survival games, the upcoming choice on the list could be perfect for you. The game, Vampire Survivors, offers an engaging experience as you battle hordes of enemies and bosses. It boasts a fluid gameplay style that harmoniously blends with adorable pixel art and fantastic soundtracks. You’ll find numerous weapons to customize your character, resulting in a powerful playstyle.

Hey there! I wanted to share some exciting news – we’ve got an article all about the top-notch builds in Vampire Survivors, complete with a handy tier list to guide your choice of character. Enjoy leveling up and dominating those waves!

7 Unkilled

Publisher: Madfinger Games
Available on: iOS + Android
Find out more about Unkilled

In UNKILLED, you’re thrust into New York City after a zombie infestation, with monstrous creatures roaming the streets everywhere. Your mission is to collaborate as a team to locate the source of the outbreak, patient zero, and eliminate it. Simultaneously, you must defend yourselves against any threats trying to take you down first. The game offers numerous bosses and missions to conquer.

The game might look like a typical shooter, which it is, but it also revolves around survival, thus making it a worthy addition to our list. You can read more about it in our Unkilled review!

8 Organ Trail: Director’s Cut

Developer: The Men Who Wear Many Hats
Publisher: The Men Who Wear Many Hats
Available on: iOS + Android
Find out more about Organ Trail: Director’s Cut

In this instance, we’re talking about a different kind of zombie game – Organ Trail: Director’s Cut. Instead of focusing on high-definition graphics, it offers a unique, less realistic art style. The goal here is survival as you escape the city, battling zombies, scavenging for weapons, and amassing artifacts along the way. You’ll encounter challenging bosses and the game dynamically changes weather and time to maintain excitement.

This retro survival is so good and so fun it’s hard not to mention it on the list. So, if you need further convincing you should read our Organ Trail: Director’s Cut review – it’s zombie greatness!

9 Survivor.io

Developer: Habby
Available on: iOS + Android
Find out more about Survivor.io

On mobile platforms, Survivor.io stands as one of the top choices for roguelike gaming experiences. If you’re up for a thrilling ride, this game is worth checking out. Prepare yourself for intense battles against numerous types of adversaries and defend your city from hordes of zombies.

To enhance your game character’s power, select the top-notch equipment, abilities, and advancements. You can find our comprehensive guide to the finest gear in Survivor.io right here, so remember to take a look. Additionally, we have compiled a list of codes for Survivor.io that grant you free gems and coins.

10 Grim Soul: Survival

Available on: iOS + Android
Find out more about Grim Soul: Survival

In Grim Soul, you find yourself in a gloomy MMORPG fantasy setting devoid of traditional zombies, yet grappling with a pervasive illness that threatens everyone. Your mission is to endure and flee the disease, gather resources, fortify your position, and ensure your sanctuary remains secure. This game requires significant combat to sustain your own survival!

This game is incredibly impressive, and given its strong similarities to the Dark Souls series, it’s safe to say that it will be quite difficult too. To assist you, here are some tips for Grim Soul: Survival.

11 Ocean Nomad

Available on: iOS + Android
Find out more about Ocean Nomad

Instead of living on solid ground, Ocean Nomad presents the difficulty of staying alive while stranded on a raft amidst the vast ocean. However, there’s an island nearby that brings its own set of perils. The ocean itself poses dangers, primarily from sharks. To survive, you’ll have to find resources, create tools, and hone your skills to fend off these sea creatures.

Game Drifter’s Seasong – A Floating Voyage captivates numerous gamers, and it’s not hard to see why. Once you embark on this adventure, you might find it tough to disembark. It bears a resemblance to Minecraft in that respect. The essence revolves around creativity and expertise. As of 2024, it remains one of the top survival games for iOS devices.

12 Last Day on Earth: Survival

Available on: iOS + Android
Find out more about Last Day on Earth: Survival

Final Day on Earth: Existence – In this game, you’ll be battling against a zombie apocalypse, one of the few remaining humans left on earth. Your mission is to construct a secure shelter where you can attempt to survive. You can set up traps, manufacture weapons, and gather resources that will help you endure in a world overrun by the undead.

If you’re ready to embark on your zombie apocalypse adventure, don’t forget to check out our tips for Last Day on Earth: Survival. We’ve compiled a useful guide filled with vital information to ensure you have a fantastic start in the game.

13 Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead

Available on: iOS + Android
Find out more about Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead

Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead is a turn-based survival game that immerses you in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has ceased to exist. Every playthrough offers a unique experience as the environment is procedurally generated, but you’ll encounter dangerous creatures and scavenge for essentials like food and fuel. As you progress, you can develop skills to aid your survival, although luck plays a significant role in the world you find yourself in.

In a game like Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead, which is randomly generated, you’ll often encounter the unpredictable. This unique survival game for iOS offers a significant replay value, making it stand out from other games in its category. It’s definitely worth giving a try!

14 Survivors: The Quest

Publisher: G5 Entertainment
Available on: iOS + Android
Find out more about Survivors: The Quest

If you prefer a less action-packed experience and enjoy survival strategy games, then “Survivors: The Quest” might be ideal for you. After finding yourself stranded on a deserted island, your goal is to establish a camp, endure the challenges, and uncover the secrets of the previous inhabitants who lived there long ago. This game offers numerous quests and mini-games!

In reality, it’s got a lot of match-three minigames that will fill up a majority of your time. However, there are also more than enough narrative-rich points to make it worth your time.

15 Day R Survival

Available on: iOS + Android
Find out more about Day R Survival

In addition to your struggle for survival, Day R Survival also tasks you with finding and rescuing your family. Since you can’t just stay in one place when there’s a loved one to locate, you’ll need to scavenge resources and journey across the country. This trek won’t be easy as you’ll encounter mutants along the way, but finding temporary shelters is also crucial. The events unfold after a nuclear power plant accident redefined the world’s path.

As a devoted gamer, I must say this title stands out among the base builder genre with its clever integration of survival aspects. It’s a game that requires patience and dedication to see through to the end, but if you appreciate a more leisurely gaming pace, it’s absolutely worth giving it a try.

2024-10-24 16:19