Hands-on: Three of my favorite games for iPhone and iPad

There seems to be an infinite number of games available on the app store, with the list growing on a daily basis. Games in different genres, different price points, and different use cases. I have spent a minimum of 100 hours, if not more, playing these three games I am about to mention, both on my iPhone and on my iPad Pro. So if you’re an iOS or iPadOS user looking for some great games to play, then these are 100% worth a try.

Before we start

As someone who does not have a ton of time to play console video games, I have found that these more “casual” games have satisfied my urge to play video games in any capacity. None of these games require you to sit down with a console controller or really require 100% of your attention, but somehow I still catch myself playing these games for hours!

1. Marvel Strike Force

If there was an hour counter for this game, this might be my most played game on an iPhone of all time. If you told me I had played this for over 1000 hours, I would not be surprised.

Marvel Strike Force is a turn-based RPG game that lets you assemble your team of Marvel superheroes and villains to save the world. If you have played anything like Final Fantasy or even Pokemon, then you will be very familiar with the gameplay. You take your five best and most powerful characters and take on missions and even play against other players. The game features over 100 characters from the Marvel Universe including Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wolverine, and they are constantly adding more. You can upgrade and customize your characters, level them up, and add items to them. The game features both PvE and PvP modes, and the graphics and animations are stunning.

One of the best things about Marvel Strike Force is that there is no real ending to the game. The idea is to infinitely continue to level up your characters and your team overall, eventually topping some leaderboards. If you like the marvel universe, like RPG-based games, and want to play a game that is technically “unbeatable,” then give this a try!

2. Retro Bowl

I am a huge American Football fan. I love watching and physically playing and of course, I was always a fan of console games like Madden. Taking a subpar team and building them up to eventually win a Superbowl, is something I love doing. But the iOS version of Madden has never ever been fun for me, it’s more of a cash grab to pay money for building teams. There is no real season mode or “be a player” mode, and that’s what I enjoy. So when I found Retro Bowl two years ago, I fell in love immediately.

This game takes you back to the days of pixelated graphics and simple gameplay. You play as the head coach of a football team, and you have to lead your team to victory by making strategic decisions and calling the right plays. It has a simple interface and is very easy to learn to play.

What makes this game incredible is that even though the graphics are watered down and in this retro style, the parts that make season mode fun are all there. You can draft players, get free agents, hire coaches, keep stats, win MVP of the league, use actual NFL teams, play a full 18-week season, and win the RetroBowl (their version of the Superbowl).

Retro Bowl community

The game is incredibly addictive, and the community behind it is insane. There are Reddit groups that have started their own online leagues, which I am a part of. Even though there is no real online feature directly in the game, fans and users have found ways to still create leagues which is amazing to see.

If you are an NFL fan and want to manage and play with your favorite team, then give this a try. I have spent countless hours playing this game; you can see just how many seasons I have played with the image below! It is free to download but costs just 99 cents to unlock all the features forever. No other payment is needed.

3. Caste Crumble

Now, this is the newest and most casual of the three games for me. I like to have a vertical-oriented, one-handed, casual game to play on commutes to work. Whenever I have 10 minutes to kill, this has been my new go-to.

The gameplay reminds me of Angry Birds. The idea is to crumble castles using the equipment given to you like TNT, cannon balls, and more. What I like about this is that it’s incredibly engaging, and the graphics and sound effects are top-notch. Also, as the castles crumble, you get great haptic feedback from the phone as bricks and wood are falling over.

There are four kingdoms to defeat, each with over 150 levels in each kingdom, so it is going to take a while to beat. As the levels progress the castles get bigger, with more defense and your weapons get smaller with less power, making it increasingly difficult. So if you have a 10-20 minute train commute, or are waiting at a doctor’s office, this is the perfect game to play for that. One thing to note is that this game is only available on Apple Arcade.

Wrap-up

So, if you’re looking for some great games to play on your iOS device, Marvel Strike Force, Retro Bowl, and Castle Crumble are three games that you should definitely check out. Each game offers something unique and engaging, and they’re all incredibly fun to play. If I had to pick one to recommend, I would say Retro Bowl (even if you don’t care about football!).

What do you think of these games? Are there some games that you would recommend I try? What would you say is your most-played iOS game of all time? Let’s discuss this in the comments!