Best iPad games: 25 ranked (2026)
53 iPad games ranked by the GamingPickz Score, a published composite of player sentiment and critic reception. The formula is below in full, and no placement on this page can be bought.
The iPad games on a map
Compare the whole catalogueThe same 25 games, plotted rather than listed. The two axes below are the ones the ranking is built from, so a game sitting high and right is a game the formula placed near the top. Change either axis to see the field a different way. Where we hold a publisher wordmark, the game is drawn as its mark rather than a dot.
25 games have both
Axes are fitted to these 25 games rather than the full 0 to 100 scale, because a filtered list shares a narrow band and would otherwise sit in one corner. End values are marked. A point on the left edge is the lowest of thesegames, not a low score.
Players. The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000.
Popularity. A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it.
- Mobile
Every point links to that game's entry. The value map and the reception map are fixed views of the same data.
How positions are decided
No paid placement, no favouritism, live third-party data
- Placed by the published method, not by us. Every coordinate is computed from the axis definitions and weights printed on this site. Nobody moves a point. See the axes.
- Nothing here is paid for. No sponsored placements, no promoted slots, no arrangement of any kind affects a position. If that ever changes it will be labelled and sit outside the ranking.
- No favouritism, including our own. The 16 games we have written full reviews of are scored by exactly the same formula as the other 1,510, from the same third-party inputs, and they land where it puts them. Our own opinion of a game does not enter its coordinates.
- A position is not an endorsement. It says how a game was received and what it costs, not that we recommend it. Where we do recommend something, it carries a written review with a name on it.
- Fetched from live third-party data. Player sentiment from Steam, critic aggregates as published on store pages, prices checked hourly, attention from Wikipedia. Each figure carries its source and the date it was read, and we do not adjust any of them.
The short version
- Top pick: Stardew Valley, GamingPickz Score 8.8/10 from 1,035,189 player reviews and a critic aggregate of 89.
- 5 score 8.5 or above out of 53 ranked iPad games.
- Price range free to $49.99, median $11.99, with 5 free to play.
- 23 are Steam Deck Verified by Valve's own testing.
- 8 declare six or more accessibility features. Listed per game below.
At a glance
The top 12 side by side. Full entries below.
| # | Game | Best for | Score | Players | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stardew Valley | Handheld play, small install and Deck verified | 8.8 | 98% (1,035,189) | $14.99 |
| 2 | Terraria | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 8.7 | 97% (1,550,032) | $9.99 |
| 3 | Resident Evil 4 | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 8.7 | 97% (274,646) | $39.99 |
| 4 | Tomb Raider | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 8.5 | 96% (269,385) | $2.99 |
| 5 | BioShock | A consistently well-received pick in this category | 8.5 | 94% (32,145) | $4.99 |
| 6 | Subnautica | Handheld play, small install and Deck verified | 8.4 | 97% (379,053) | $29.99 |
| 7 | Life Is Strange | Trying the genre without spending anything | 8.4 | 96% (175,705) | Free |
| 8 | Papers, Please | Handheld play, small install and Deck verified | 8.4 | 97% (80,337) | $9.99 |
| 9 | Geometry Dash | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 8.3 | 93% (637,714) | $4.99 |
| 10 | Steins;Gate | A consistently well-received pick in this category | 8.3 | 97% (26,892) | $29.99 |
| 11 | Limbo | A consistently well-received pick in this category | 8.2 | 92% (62,016) | $12.49 |
| 12 | The Wolf Among Us | A consistently well-received pick in this category | 8.2 | 98% (40,158) | $14.99 |
25 best iPad games, ranked
Ordered by GamingPickz Score. Every figure links back to the source that produced it.
- 1
Stardew Valley
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.8GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceStardew Valley at a glance Released 2016 Studio ConcernedApe LLC Player sentiment 98% positive of 1,035,189 Critics 89/100 Price $14.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 0.49 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 98% shrinks to 98.0 on 1,035,189 reviews, then blends with the 89 critic aggregate, giving 8.8.
What the data supports- 98% positive across 1,035,189 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 0.49 GB.
- 2
Terraria
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.7GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceTerraria at a glance Released 2011 Studio 505 Games Player sentiment 97% positive of 1,550,032 Critics 83/100 Price $9.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 1,550,032 reviews, then blends with the 83 critic aggregate, giving 8.7.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 1,550,032 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 97 against 83. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- 3
Resident Evil 4
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.7GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceResident Evil 4 at a glance Released 2005 Studio Capcom Player sentiment 97% positive of 274,646 Critics 91/100 Price $39.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 274,646 reviews, then blends with the 91 critic aggregate, giving 8.7.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 274,646 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Nintendo GameCubeiOSAndroidiPadAndroid TabletPlayStation Portable
- 4
Tomb Raider
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.5GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceTomb Raider at a glance Released 1996 Studio Core Design Player sentiment 96% positive of 269,385 Critics 86/100 Price $2.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 269,385 reviews, then blends with the 86 critic aggregate, giving 8.5.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 269,385 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 5
BioShock
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.5GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceBioShock at a glance Released 2007 Studio Irrational Games Player sentiment 94% positive of 32,145 Critics 96/100 Price $4.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 94% shrinks to 93.9 on 32,145 reviews, then blends with the 96 critic aggregate, giving 8.5.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 6
Subnautica
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.4GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceSubnautica at a glance Released 2014 Studio Unknown Worlds Entertainment Player sentiment 97% positive of 379,053 Critics 87/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 20 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 379,053 reviews, then blends with the 87 critic aggregate, giving 8.4.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 379,053 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- 7
Life Is Strange
Best for: Trying the genre without spending anything
8.4GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceLife Is Strange at a glance Released 2015 Studio Don’t Nod Player sentiment 96% positive of 175,705 Critics No aggregate Price Free Steam Deck playable Install size 5 GB Accessibility 4 declared features Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 175,705 reviews, giving 8.4. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 175,705 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Free to download, so trying it costs only time.
- Small install at 5 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 8
Papers, Please
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.4GamingPickz Scorehigh confidencePapers, Please at a glance Released 2013 Studio Lucas Pope Player sentiment 97% positive of 80,337 Critics 85/100 Price $9.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 0.1 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 97% shrinks to 96.9 on 80,337 reviews, then blends with the 85 critic aggregate, giving 8.4.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 0.1 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 9
Geometry Dash
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.3GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceGeometry Dash at a glance Released 2013 Studio RobTop Games Player sentiment 93% positive of 637,714 Critics No aggregate Price $4.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 0.1 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 93% shrinks to 93.0 on 637,714 reviews, giving 8.3. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 93% positive across 637,714 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Small install at 0.1 GB.
- 10
Steins;Gate
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.3GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceSteins;Gate at a glance Released 2009 Studio 5pb. Inc. Player sentiment 97% positive of 26,892 Critics 87/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 13 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 96.8 on 26,892 reviews, then blends with the 87 critic aggregate, giving 8.3.
What the data supports- Small install at 13 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
iOSAndroidiPadAndroid TabletPlayStation PortablePlayStation Vita
- 11
Limbo
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.2GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceLimbo at a glance Released 2010 Studio Playdead Player sentiment 92% positive of 62,016 Critics 88/100 Price $12.49 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 5 declared features Raw 92% shrinks to 91.9 on 62,016 reviews, then blends with the 88 critic aggregate, giving 8.2.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 12
The Wolf Among Us
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.2GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceThe Wolf Among Us at a glance Released 2013 Studio LCG Entertainment, Inc. Player sentiment 98% positive of 40,158 Critics 85/100 Price $14.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 2 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 98% shrinks to 97.9 on 40,158 reviews, then blends with the 85 critic aggregate, giving 8.2.
What the data supports- Small install at 2 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 98 against 85. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 13
Fate/stay night
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.1GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceFate/stay night at a glance Released 2004 Studio Type‐Moon Player sentiment 96% positive of 4,865 Critics 89/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 16 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 95.1 on 4,865 reviews, then blends with the 89 critic aggregate, giving 8.1.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Alien: Isolation at a glance Released 2014 Studio Creative Assembly Player sentiment 93% positive of 66,658 Critics 81/100 Price $11.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 35 GB Accessibility 6 declared features Raw 93% shrinks to 92.9 on 66,658 reviews, then blends with the 81 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 15
Five Nights at Freddy's
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceFive Nights at Freddy's at a glance Released 2014 Studio Scott Cawthon Player sentiment 94% positive of 59,195 Critics 78/100 Price $4.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 0.24 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 94% shrinks to 93.9 on 59,195 reviews, then blends with the 78 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 0.24 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 94 against 78. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- 16
Sonic Mania
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceSonic Mania at a glance Released 2017 Studio Christian Whitehead Player sentiment 94% positive of 28,802 Critics 84/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 0.39 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 94% shrinks to 93.9 on 28,802 reviews, then blends with the 84 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 0.39 GB.
- 17
Red Dead Redemption
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.0GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceRed Dead Redemption at a glance Released 2010 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 92% positive of 21,331 Critics No aggregate Price $49.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 12 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 92% shrinks to 91.8 on 21,331 reviews, giving 8.0. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Small install at 12 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 18
Machinarium
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceMachinarium at a glance Released 2009 Studio Amanita Design Player sentiment 95% positive of 20,634 Critics 85/100 Price $3.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 94.8 on 20,634 reviews, then blends with the 85 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- 19
Max Payne
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceMax Payne at a glance Released 2001 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 89% positive of 15,818 Critics 89/100 Price $3.49 Steam Deck unknown Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 89% shrinks to 88.9 on 15,818 reviews, then blends with the 89 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 20
Journey
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
7.9GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceJourney at a glance Released 2012 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 94% positive of 38,401 Critics No aggregate Price $3.74 Steam Deck verified Install size 4 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 94% shrinks to 93.9 on 38,401 reviews, giving 7.9. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 4 GB.
The Sims 3 at a glance Released 2009 Studio Maxis Player sentiment 86% positive of 34,337 Critics 86/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck unsupported Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 86% shrinks to 86.0 on 34,337 reviews, then blends with the 86 critic aggregate, giving 7.9.
Worth checking first- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
- 22
Hitman: Blood Money
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
7.9GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceHitman: Blood Money at a glance Released 2006 Studio Feral Interactive Player sentiment 94% positive of 16,066 Critics 82/100 Price $9.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 94% shrinks to 93.7 on 16,066 reviews, then blends with the 82 critic aggregate, giving 7.9.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 23
World of Goo
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
7.9GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceWorld of Goo at a glance Released 2008 Studio 2D Boy Player sentiment 94% positive of 6,589 Critics 90/100 Price $14.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 94% shrinks to 93.4 on 6,589 reviews, then blends with the 90 critic aggregate, giving 7.9.
- 24
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm
Best for: Players who trust other players over critics
7.8GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceLife Is Strange: Before the Storm at a glance Released 2017 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 93% positive of 37,879 Critics 77/100 Price $16.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 14 GB Accessibility 4 declared features Raw 93% shrinks to 92.9 on 37,879 reviews, then blends with the 77 critic aggregate, giving 7.8.
What the data supports- Small install at 14 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 93 against 77. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 25
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
7.8GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic at a glance Released 2003 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 91% positive of 33,918 Critics No aggregate Price $9.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 91% shrinks to 90.9 on 33,918 reviews, giving 7.8. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
How to choose between these
25 entries, six things that separate them
The ranking answers "which is best received". It cannot answer "which is best for you", because that depends on things no formula knows. Here is what actually separates these 25 iPad games, in the order worth thinking about it.
Check the sample size before the score
A score is only as good as the evidence under it. 11 of these have more than 50,000 player reviews, which makes their number very hard to move.
Look at where critics and players disagree
The widest gap here is Five Nights at Freddy's, where players sit above critics by 16 points. A gap that size usually means the game changed after launch, or that it does something critics undervalue. It is worth reading why before deciding which number you trust. The disagreement map plots this across the catalogue.
Decide what you are actually willing to spend
The median here is $12.49, and the cheapest paid entry is Tomb Raider at $2.99. Prices move constantly, so a game a place or two down the list is often the better buy this week. Filter by price below rather than assuming the top pick is the right purchase.
Match it to the hardware you own
13 of these are Steam Deck Verified by Valve's own testing, and install sizes vary by more than an order of magnitude. If you are choosing for a handheld or a drive that is nearly full, that narrows the field faster than any score.
Check it supports how you want to play
Solo, with a friend online, or two people on one sofa are different requirements, and a well-reviewed game that does not support yours is the wrong game. The filters below answer this directly.
Look for the things a score hides
1 declare six or more accessibility features, and 0 carry in-game purchases. Neither shows up in a review score, and both change the experience substantially. Each entry lists its own.
Choose one if…
Tick what matters to you. This filters the ranking above rather than reordering it, so the order you see is still the order the formula produced, minus the games that do not fit. Every filter reads a field from the game's own store listing.
Nothing selected, so all 25 iPad games are shown below. Pick one or more above to narrow it.
The best iPad games for a specific need
The ranking answers "which is best overall", which is rarely the actual question. These are the answers to the narrower ones, computed from the same scores, so a single pick is named for each.
- What is the best cheap iPad game?
- Stardew Valley, top of 20.
- What is the best co-op iPad game?
- Stardew Valley, top of 4.
- What is the best iPad game for the Steam Deck?
- Stardew Valley, top of 13.
- What is the best iPad game for a small hard drive?
- Stardew Valley, top of 13.
- What is the best iPad game to play with a controller?
- Stardew Valley, top of 15.
- What is the best iPad game with the most reviews?
- Stardew Valley, top of 11.
- What is the best cheap co-op iPad game?
- Stardew Valley, top of 4.
- What is the best single-player offline iPad game?
- Stardew Valley, top of 24.
- What is the best cheap iPad game for the Steam Deck?
- Stardew Valley, top of 10.
- What is the best Steam Deck co-op iPad game?
- Stardew Valley, top of 4.
- What is the best highly rated cheap iPad game?
- Stardew Valley, top of 9.
Why trust this list
Most "best games" lists are either one person's taste presented as fact, or an affiliate feed with the highest commission at the top. This is neither. It is a ranking of 53 iPad games computed from two third-party signals we did not generate, using a formula printed below.
Our team has played and reviewed games for over twenty years, somewhere around 3,000 titles across every generation since the PS1. A good number of the iPad games on this page are among them, and that experience is what lets us tell you which of these numbers are worth trusting.
It is not, however, what set the order. The formula did, and we think that is the right way round: a list ordered by one person's memory is a list you have to take on trust, and this one you can check line by line.
The order comes out of the grid. Every game in the catalogue is placed on eighteen measured axes, each one a number read from a named source rather than an opinion: player sentiment and its sample size, the critic aggregate, review volume, Wikipedia language editions, price, install size, Steam Deck rating, accessibility features. A ranked list is that grid collapsed to one dimension. The map at the top of this page plots these same 25 games on two of those axes, so you can see the position the ranking gave each one and check it against where the game actually sits. If the list and the map ever disagreed, the list would be wrong, and they read the same numbers so they cannot.
None of the entries on this page carry a full written review from us yet. The score reflects how other people received the game. Where we do publish a review, it is marked and linked.
Update history 1
- First published with 25 entries ranked.
How we chose these
This ranking is a projection of the same axes the grid plots, not a second scoring system sitting alongside it. The grid answers where a game sits on two chosen measures; a ranked list needs one number, so the axes are collapsed using published weights. A game cannot be high on the grid and low here for a reason nobody can point at, because both read the same values.
Every ranked game gets a GamingPickz Score out of 10. It is a weighted blend of the axes below, and these percentages are read directly from the code that computes the ranking rather than written out separately, so the published formula cannot drift from the applied one.
| Component | Weight | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Players | 52% | The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000. |
| Critics | 23% | Metacritic and OpenCritic aggregate, normalised to 0 to 100. |
| Popularity | 20% | A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it. |
| Reader likes | 5% | How many GamingPickz readers tapped the heart on the game, log-scaled to 0 to 100. This is the only signal here that comes from our own readers rather than a third party, so it carries a deliberately small weight and is a snapshot taken at the last build, not a live figure. A per-browser flag stops the same person liking twice; it is a popularity reaction, not a verified poll. |
Shrinkage is the part that matters most. Without it a game with nine reviews at 100 percent outranks Half-Life 2 with 278,000 at 98. Player sentiment is pulled toward the catalogue average of 84 using a 400-review prior, in proportion to how thin the evidence is.
Popularity is deliberately a minority weight. At 20 percent it nudges well-known games up without letting fame decide the order. Weight it higher and the list becomes "games you have already heard of", which nobody needs a ranking for. Weight it at zero and a game almost nobody played can top the list on the strength of a few hundred enthusiastic reviews. Neither is useful, so it sits in between. How popularity is measured.
Where a game has no critic aggregate, that 35 percent is redistributed onto player sentiment rather than counted as zero, and the entry says so.
Games with fewer than 50 reviews are excluded outright. Shrinkage is symmetric, so a game sitting at 0 percent on one review would otherwise be pulled up near the average, which flatters something nobody has actually assessed.
What we deliberately do not do. No paid placement, no sponsored slots dressed as editorial, no hidden weighting. If sponsorship is ever introduced it will be labelled and will sit outside the ranking. The formula above is the whole formula.
iPad games by the numbers
The figures below describe all 53 entries on this page together, not the top pick. They are recomputed on every build, most recently on 18 October 2026, from 6,384,274 player reviews.
What the pricing looks like
46 of the 53 carry a listed US price, with a median of $12.24 and a mean of $15.28. The mean sitting above the median tells you the field is pulled up by a few expensive outliers. The cheapest is Tomb Raider at $2.99, the most expensive Red Dead Redemption at $49.99. 5 are free to download. 4 carry in-game purchases on top of whatever they cost. Prices are read hourly from the US Steam storefront and move constantly.
How much this field agrees with itself
Player sentiment spans 30 points across these 53 entries. That is a wide band, which means the position of an entry here genuinely matters rather than splitting hairs. 33 carry a critic aggregate, averaging 82 out of 100. Players rate this field 8 points higher than critics on average, which is worth knowing before you weigh either number. See where the two diverge.
Who makes them, and what they overlap with
The studios appearing most often here are Square (6), Scott Cawthon (4), Capcom (2), Core Design (2) and Criterion Games (2). The genres these entries also sit in are action-adventure (22), horror (18), rpg (13), strategy (13), puzzle (12) and open-world (11), which is a fair map of what you are actually choosing between.
Which way attention is moving
We track Wikipedia pageviews over 28 days for 53 of these. 21 are gaining attention and 16 are losing it, with the rest flat. Attention is not quality, and we do not feed it into the ranking. The full monitor shows the movements across the catalogue.
The other 96 iPad games
The 25 above are the top of the ranking. These 96 are the rest of the category: games that ranked below the cut, and games with too few reviews or no store listing to be ranked at all, which is normal for console and Nintendo exclusives.
Also catalogued
96 more iPad games, not yet reviewedNone of these carry a review yet. The rest are catalogue records: title, year, studio and platforms, sourced from Wikidata. They are not indexed by search engines, because a record is not a review.
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreassource
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice Citysource
- Grand Theft Auto IIIsource
- Pokémon Gosource
- Pac-Mansource
- League of Legendssource
- Clash of Clanssource
- Space Invaderssource
- Subway Surferssource
- Agar.iosource
- Candy Crush Sagasource
- World of Tankssource
- Battlefield 3source
- Final Fantasy VIIIsource
- Mystsource
- Bullysource
- Final Fantasysource
- Sonic the Hedgehogsource
- Rome: Total Warsource
- Hearthstonesource
- Civilization VIsource
- Minesweepersource
- Chrono Triggersource
- Flappy Birdsource
- Hay Daysource
Common questions
What is the best iPad game?
Stardew Valley ranks first, with a GamingPickz Score of 8.8 out of 10 drawn from 1,035,189 player reviews and a critic aggregate of 89. That is a statement about how it was received, not a claim that it is the one you personally will enjoy most.
How is this ranking calculated?
The GamingPickz Score is 52% player sentiment adjusted for sample size, 23% the critic aggregate published on the game store page, 20% popularity, from review volume and Wikipedia language editions, 5% popularity, from review volume and Wikipedia language editions. Player sentiment is pulled toward the catalogue average of 83.7% using a 400-review prior, so a game with a handful of reviews cannot outrank one with hundreds of thousands. Nothing on this page is paid for and no placement can be bought.
How many iPad games are ranked here?
53 of them qualify. A game needs at least 50 player reviews to be scored, which excludes titles with too little evidence to place fairly.
Why is a game I love missing?
Three likely reasons. It has fewer than 50 player reviews, so it is excluded rather than ranked on noise. It has no Steam listing at all, which is normal for console and Nintendo exclusives. Or it is not in the catalogue yet.
Do you get paid for these placements?
No. Positions are computed from the formula above and nothing else. The site carries advertising, and advertisers can neither see nor influence this page. A position is not an endorsement, it is a measurement of reception.
How current is this?
Recomputed on every build from source data read on a stated date. This page was last rebuilt on 18 October 2026. Player review counts move daily, so positions in the middle of the list shift more than those at the top or bottom.
What is the best cheap iPad game?
Stardew Valley is the best cheap iPad game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 20 of the 25 iPad games qualify.
What is the best co-op iPad game?
Stardew Valley is the best co-op iPad game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 4 of the 25 iPad games qualify.
What is the best iPad game for the Steam Deck?
Stardew Valley is the best iPad game for the Steam Deck, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 13 of the 25 iPad games qualify.
What is the best iPad game for a small hard drive?
Stardew Valley is the best iPad game for a small hard drive, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 13 of the 25 iPad games qualify.
What is the best iPad game to play with a controller?
Stardew Valley is the best iPad game to play with a controller, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 15 of the 25 iPad games qualify.
What is the best iPad game with the most reviews?
Stardew Valley is the best iPad game with the most reviews, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 11 of the 25 iPad games qualify.
What is the best cheap co-op iPad game?
Stardew Valley is the best cheap co-op iPad game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 4 of the 25 iPad games qualify.
What is the best single-player offline iPad game?
Stardew Valley is the best single-player offline iPad game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 24 of the 25 iPad games qualify.
What is the best cheap iPad game for the Steam Deck?
Stardew Valley is the best cheap iPad game for the Steam Deck, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 10 of the 25 iPad games qualify.
What is the best Steam Deck co-op iPad game?
Stardew Valley is the best Steam Deck co-op iPad game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 4 of the 25 iPad games qualify.
What is the best highly rated cheap iPad game?
Stardew Valley is the best highly rated cheap iPad game, ranking 8.8 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 9 of the 25 iPad games qualify.
Reader comments
Comments are not switched on yet. When they are, they will be moderated before they appear: an unmoderated thread on a page carrying advertising is a policy problem as well as a reading problem.
Get the weekly rundown
One email a week: what moved in the rankings, what launched, and what dropped in price. No more than that, and unsubscribing takes one click.
We send the weekly email and nothing else. Your address is never sold, shared or used to build a profile, and it is not readable by anyone visiting this site. See our privacy policy.