10 Must-Have iPad Games That Won"t Kill Your Wallet
When the App Store debuted with the iPhone 3G, it brought with it the $.99 game. But as the devices have become more powerful, allowing for better graphics and game play, the prices have gone up. Nowadays, games often have a $4.99 price tag, or worse, they are free but are packed with so many intrusive in-app purchases that they aren't worth the absence of a price tag. Still, there are deals to be had, and there are still developers who do in-app purchases right.
Please Note: App Store prices may vary over time. The prices listed here reflect the price of the app at the time of this writing.
Temple Run 2 remains a shining example of how to do freemium right. While this list is about cheap games -- there's a free game list available elsewhere -- it'd be a shame not to put Temple Run 2 on any best of game list. Not only will it not kill your wallet, but it's the best endless runner no matter how much you want to spend. Get Tips for Temple Run 2.
Price: FreeMore »
From the best endless runner to one of the best all-time puzzle games regardless of platform, The Room is a must-have game for anyone who loves Myst or enjoys a great puzzle. Not for the claustrophobic! As the name suggests, you will be spending a lot of your time in the room. Be prepared! More games like The Room.
Price: $1.99More »
Easily one of the best hack-n-slash action games on the iPad, Pocket RPG provides an endless amount of fun with its rogue-like random dungeons. One of the best games of 2011, Pocket RPG continues to be maintained, and better yet, it hasn't been dragged down with a bunch of in-app purchases. If you liked Diablo, check this one out.
Price: $.99More »
A great mixture of platformer and role-playing game, Swordigo was named one of PCWorld's top 10 video games of 2012. The game will have you running,jumping and fighting your way through its gigantic world as you level up and gain new skills. This one is great no matter if you only have a short amount of time or if you want to get engrossed for hours at a time.
Price: $1.99More »
Once they decide to make an iOS Hall of Fame, Plants vs Zombies HD will be one of the first inductees. This one is Angry Birds-good. There are 22 different mini games, which gives you a lot of ways to battle zombies. About the only thing wrong with playing this game is the amount you could become addicted to it.
Price: $.99More »
The best racing game for a buck, Asphalt 7: Heat features fast cars and nice graphics. The controls aren't as clunky as some of the earlier iPad racing games, and as you would expect, there are different upgrades and new cars to collect as you race through tracks and complete different challenges.
Price: $.99More »
Do you miss the classic platformer? Sonic CD will bring back the days of playing on your Sega console. OK, well perhaps very few people actually owned a Sega CD for their Sega Genesis, but Sonic CD was the gem of that accessory, and its implementation on iOS is very good. If you miss Sonic the Hedgehog, this will be the best buck you've ever spent.
Price: $.99More »
Speaking of classic games, Sword of Fargoal was one of the best games of the early 80s. That's back when RPGs were more about the text on the screen than the graphics, and sometimes, the graphics were text. Now, Sword of Fargoal is one of the best RPGs on the iPad, allowing old gamers to relive their glory days and new gamers to discover a time when imagination, not hyper-realistic graphics, fueled the role-playing.
Price: $1.99More »
Let's not forget the word games! Words With Friends allows you to play a Scrabble-like make-a-word game in turn-based fashion with your friends. You can start up multiple games and play through turns in one while you wait for other friends to finish their turns, which is really good if you have one of those friends that takes forever to decide on their word. If you want to try-before-you-buy, there's a free version, though you are likely to be overly annoyed with the ads in that version.
Price: $1.99More »
Redwind Software took the winning formula for Movie Challenge and transformed it into easily the best music trivia game on the iPad. You'll find all kinds of categories from pop music to music of the 60s and 70s, and instead of giving you the same old tired questions, there are different mini-games you'll need to complete. The cool part about Music Challenge is that it can take your own music and turn it into a category.
Price: $1.99More »
Please Note: App Store prices may vary over time. The prices listed here reflect the price of the app at the time of this writing.
Temple Run 2
Temple Run 2 remains a shining example of how to do freemium right. While this list is about cheap games -- there's a free game list available elsewhere -- it'd be a shame not to put Temple Run 2 on any best of game list. Not only will it not kill your wallet, but it's the best endless runner no matter how much you want to spend. Get Tips for Temple Run 2.
Price: FreeMore »
The Room
From the best endless runner to one of the best all-time puzzle games regardless of platform, The Room is a must-have game for anyone who loves Myst or enjoys a great puzzle. Not for the claustrophobic! As the name suggests, you will be spending a lot of your time in the room. Be prepared! More games like The Room.
Price: $1.99More »
Pocket RPG
Easily one of the best hack-n-slash action games on the iPad, Pocket RPG provides an endless amount of fun with its rogue-like random dungeons. One of the best games of 2011, Pocket RPG continues to be maintained, and better yet, it hasn't been dragged down with a bunch of in-app purchases. If you liked Diablo, check this one out.
Price: $.99More »
Swordigo
A great mixture of platformer and role-playing game, Swordigo was named one of PCWorld's top 10 video games of 2012. The game will have you running,jumping and fighting your way through its gigantic world as you level up and gain new skills. This one is great no matter if you only have a short amount of time or if you want to get engrossed for hours at a time.
Price: $1.99More »
Plants vs. Zombies HD
Once they decide to make an iOS Hall of Fame, Plants vs Zombies HD will be one of the first inductees. This one is Angry Birds-good. There are 22 different mini games, which gives you a lot of ways to battle zombies. About the only thing wrong with playing this game is the amount you could become addicted to it.
Price: $.99More »
Asphalt 7: Heat
The best racing game for a buck, Asphalt 7: Heat features fast cars and nice graphics. The controls aren't as clunky as some of the earlier iPad racing games, and as you would expect, there are different upgrades and new cars to collect as you race through tracks and complete different challenges.
Price: $.99More »
Sonic CD
Do you miss the classic platformer? Sonic CD will bring back the days of playing on your Sega console. OK, well perhaps very few people actually owned a Sega CD for their Sega Genesis, but Sonic CD was the gem of that accessory, and its implementation on iOS is very good. If you miss Sonic the Hedgehog, this will be the best buck you've ever spent.
Price: $.99More »
Sword of Fargoal
Speaking of classic games, Sword of Fargoal was one of the best games of the early 80s. That's back when RPGs were more about the text on the screen than the graphics, and sometimes, the graphics were text. Now, Sword of Fargoal is one of the best RPGs on the iPad, allowing old gamers to relive their glory days and new gamers to discover a time when imagination, not hyper-realistic graphics, fueled the role-playing.
Price: $1.99More »
Words With Friends HD
Let's not forget the word games! Words With Friends allows you to play a Scrabble-like make-a-word game in turn-based fashion with your friends. You can start up multiple games and play through turns in one while you wait for other friends to finish their turns, which is really good if you have one of those friends that takes forever to decide on their word. If you want to try-before-you-buy, there's a free version, though you are likely to be overly annoyed with the ads in that version.
Price: $1.99More »
Music Challenge HD
Redwind Software took the winning formula for Movie Challenge and transformed it into easily the best music trivia game on the iPad. You'll find all kinds of categories from pop music to music of the 60s and 70s, and instead of giving you the same old tired questions, there are different mini-games you'll need to complete. The cool part about Music Challenge is that it can take your own music and turn it into a category.
Price: $1.99More »
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