What are some games to play on my iPhone?
May 19, 2022 12:19 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for games to play on my phone at work during slow times. Any suggestions? In the past I've enjoyed Reigns: Her Majesty, Stack the States, I Love Hue, and Duolingo (not technically a game, I know, but it feels like one).
The games should be relaxing; nothing at all twitchy. I need to be able to pick up and drop the game without any repercussions (e.g. no being attacked by aliens because my phone is unattended). No ads, and I will happily pay for the app. Nothing that involves seeing teeny details on the phone, as that will give me a headache. The wifi is lousy and so is cell service, so it's best if that's not a necessity.
The games should be relaxing; nothing at all twitchy. I need to be able to pick up and drop the game without any repercussions (e.g. no being attacked by aliens because my phone is unattended). No ads, and I will happily pay for the app. Nothing that involves seeing teeny details on the phone, as that will give me a headache. The wifi is lousy and so is cell service, so it's best if that's not a necessity.
This may be a silly mention as you likely know this one, but the sequel to I Love Hue is great! Shadowmatic is pretty relaxing, too.
posted by Torosaurus at 12:34 PM on May 19, 2022
posted by Torosaurus at 12:34 PM on May 19, 2022
Meteorfall is a card game with a left/right control scheme very similar to Reigns.
Grindstone is fun, but I found it got samey after a few dozen levels.
Polytopia is like Civilization stripped over everything except combat. That sounds horrible, but it works really well.
posted by Eddie Mars at 1:11 PM on May 19, 2022
Grindstone is fun, but I found it got samey after a few dozen levels.
Polytopia is like Civilization stripped over everything except combat. That sounds horrible, but it works really well.
posted by Eddie Mars at 1:11 PM on May 19, 2022
I’m impressed you play I Love Hue on an iPhone. I’ve been playing it on an iPad for a couple of years, and I can’t imagine trying to play it on a smaller screen.
My wife likes Redstone Games Crossword on her iPhone. As the name suggests, it’s crossword puzzles. Just crosswords. It’s very well done, with a clean, attractive interface. There are multiple levels of difficulty to choose from as well as multiple board sizes. They have a large stable of crossword puzzle creators, and that helps keep things fresh. It’s a free app, with single ads between the completed puzzle and your next puzzle. If you pony-up $15 (I think) you can go adless. I done find the ads to be a problem, so haven’t paid.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:16 PM on May 19, 2022
My wife likes Redstone Games Crossword on her iPhone. As the name suggests, it’s crossword puzzles. Just crosswords. It’s very well done, with a clean, attractive interface. There are multiple levels of difficulty to choose from as well as multiple board sizes. They have a large stable of crossword puzzle creators, and that helps keep things fresh. It’s a free app, with single ads between the completed puzzle and your next puzzle. If you pony-up $15 (I think) you can go adless. I done find the ads to be a problem, so haven’t paid.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:16 PM on May 19, 2022
I love the Swedish game Dox (sorry no link). Best not to say anything about it before, I think, because discovery is part of the process. I think it’s the best phone game I’ve ever played; there’s something very pure about it.
posted by Merricat Blackwood at 2:26 PM on May 19, 2022
posted by Merricat Blackwood at 2:26 PM on May 19, 2022
I've adored threes for over a decade, which is kind of embarassing. Caveat/genre: casual puzzle.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 2:32 PM on May 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Jack Karaoke at 2:32 PM on May 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
My go-to game is Word Stacks It's a word search, but you find words until all the stack is gone. I find it very soothing.
Terrarium: Garden idle is a clicker game, but I enjoy seeing the plants grow (and then arranging them in colour order)
posted by stillnocturnal at 2:53 PM on May 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Terrarium: Garden idle is a clicker game, but I enjoy seeing the plants grow (and then arranging them in colour order)
posted by stillnocturnal at 2:53 PM on May 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Cultist Simulator. The UI metaphor is a card game, but it's really about running a 1920s Lovecraftian Occult Cult. You can pause and pick it up and put it down. Super fun.
posted by MythMaker at 3:22 PM on May 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by MythMaker at 3:22 PM on May 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
80 Days! Really really well written Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Jules Verne story set in a steampunkish alternate history. The pacing and atmosphere feel a little similar to Reigns to me, although it really isn't the same game at all.
posted by yeahlikethat at 3:33 PM on May 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by yeahlikethat at 3:33 PM on May 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
It's not really a game, more of a casual project, but try Townscaper.
posted by lhauser at 5:59 PM on May 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by lhauser at 5:59 PM on May 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Knotwords is a crossword puzzle but mixed with sudoku instead of clues. It's good, lots of free stuff and if you want the full game it's like $11 to unlock, no microtransactions
It's an older game but I really like Hoplite. Descend to the underworld to retrieve the Fleece of Yendor fighting off demons along the way. Kind of a roguelike in that it's turn based and run based; simple rules, but challenging to master, sort of how imagine chess puzzles would be.
posted by JDHarper at 6:51 PM on May 19, 2022
It's an older game but I really like Hoplite. Descend to the underworld to retrieve the Fleece of Yendor fighting off demons along the way. Kind of a roguelike in that it's turn based and run based; simple rules, but challenging to master, sort of how imagine chess puzzles would be.
posted by JDHarper at 6:51 PM on May 19, 2022
Royal Match
Yes, it uses a standard match 3 mechanic, but it is extraordinarily well designed!
Yes, it is a dreaded freemium game, but it is entirely possible to play the entire game without spending a cent - - in fact that's part of the fun!
Note: some levels are impossible... until they aren't. ;)
posted by fairmettle at 10:44 PM on May 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Yes, it uses a standard match 3 mechanic, but it is extraordinarily well designed!
Yes, it is a dreaded freemium game, but it is entirely possible to play the entire game without spending a cent - - in fact that's part of the fun!
Note: some levels are impossible... until they aren't. ;)
posted by fairmettle at 10:44 PM on May 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've been getting into Duotrigordle
thanks to a thread on the blue - while there's a daily puzzle there's also practice mode.
posted by freethefeet at 11:01 PM on May 19, 2022
thanks to a thread on the blue - while there's a daily puzzle there's also practice mode.
posted by freethefeet at 11:01 PM on May 19, 2022
I have pretty much the same criteria for games, including the need to avoid headaches.
Word Stacks, mentioned upthread, is new to me, and oh yes, that's very soothing. It has annoying video ads (I consider video ads annoying by default), but hidden behind the shopping trolley in the top right is a one-off purchase to get rid of them.
More word games: My current favourites are Pangram (like the NYT Spelling Bee, but highly customisable) and Clueless Crossword Puzzles, both by the same developer. I think they also both had a small one-off fee to get rid of ads.
The Sporcle app is long overdue an update, but... well, it's Sporcle, on your phone. You can turn the game timer off. IIRC from using this on the train, you do need internet access to load a quiz in the first place, but if the connection drops while you're actually playing it, that's fine.
The PathPix games are easy to pick up and put down: join pairs of coloured circles with paths of the right length until you've filled the gameboard and made a picture. No time pressure, no moves you can't undo.
Drop7 has vanished off the App Store again since I last changed phones, but the original 2048 (Gabriele Cirulli / Solebon) is still around. Again, one-off purchase to remove ads.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 4:36 AM on May 20, 2022
Word Stacks, mentioned upthread, is new to me, and oh yes, that's very soothing. It has annoying video ads (I consider video ads annoying by default), but hidden behind the shopping trolley in the top right is a one-off purchase to get rid of them.
More word games: My current favourites are Pangram (like the NYT Spelling Bee, but highly customisable) and Clueless Crossword Puzzles, both by the same developer. I think they also both had a small one-off fee to get rid of ads.
The Sporcle app is long overdue an update, but... well, it's Sporcle, on your phone. You can turn the game timer off. IIRC from using this on the train, you do need internet access to load a quiz in the first place, but if the connection drops while you're actually playing it, that's fine.
The PathPix games are easy to pick up and put down: join pairs of coloured circles with paths of the right length until you've filled the gameboard and made a picture. No time pressure, no moves you can't undo.
Drop7 has vanished off the App Store again since I last changed phones, but the original 2048 (Gabriele Cirulli / Solebon) is still around. Again, one-off purchase to remove ads.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 4:36 AM on May 20, 2022
I liked the first Alphabear, but found the second one less charming. And Projekt is good but a little bit too short, I'd love more levels.
posted by harriet vane at 7:58 AM on May 20, 2022
posted by harriet vane at 7:58 AM on May 20, 2022
I have spent way too much time playing Alto's Adventure and the sequel, Alto's Odyssey. Pay once, play forever games that work without a wifi connection, and I can hit the pause button at any time.
I wish more games were like this.
posted by cleverevans at 11:16 AM on May 20, 2022
I wish more games were like this.
posted by cleverevans at 11:16 AM on May 20, 2022
I also enjoy Royal Match. It's tricky enough to keep your attention, but you can put your phone aside and pick up the game later if you want. You'll get 5 free lives every few hours, but there are lots of opportunities for other free play. I've never spent a cent on the game, and there are no ads either. It's similar to Candy Crush in its mechanics.
posted by hydra77 at 11:35 AM on May 24, 2022
posted by hydra77 at 11:35 AM on May 24, 2022
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posted by sacrifix at 12:26 PM on May 19, 2022 [4 favorites]