The early days of the iPhone were a golden era for mobile gaming, where one-off purchases and simplicity reigned supreme. Thankfully, many of these games are still alive and well today.
Tiny Wings
I probably played more Tiny Wings than any other game on my iPhone 4, and for good reason. This endless runner is easy to pick up and difficult to put down, with a simple tap-and-hold control scheme. Use the hills to build up speed, then release to maintain flight.
Figuring out the best time to dive and chaining smooth landings make the game just as addictive now as it ever was. Buy the original Tiny Wings for $1.99, or subscribe to Apple Arcade to get access to Tiny Wings+.
Plague Inc.
Back in the day, there was a Flash game called Pandemic which tasked you with infecting the world with an illness (you can still play it on Newgrounds). Cut to 2012 and Plague Inc. arrived on the iPhone (followed by an Android version a few months later) which takes the simple premise and adds a layer of complexity that’s positively infectious (sorry).
The game has persisted on the App Store ever since, so if you already own it there’s no need to pay again or deal with free-to-play mechanics. Grab Plague Inc. for $1.99, and upgrade it with expansions if you want.
Angry Birds
Once upon a time,_Angry Birds_ was inescapable. Rovio’s humble mobile gaming property has gone on to spawn whacky spinoffs, movies, and many more avian-themed puzzle games. But it’s the original physics puzzler that captured hearts and minds back in the day. People were buying iPhones just so they could get in on the action.
The original Angry Birds has been rebranded as Red’s First Flight, a $0.99 one-off purchase that’s true to the original from its gameplay to its pricing model. There’s also an Apple Arcade version called Angry Birds Reloaded, and free-to-play sequel Angry Birds 2 that relies on gems (perhaps best avoided).
Temple Run
An endless runner in which you must make it out alive with an ancient relic, Temple Run launched as a $0.99 one-off purchase app but switched to a free-to-play freemium model as early as 2011. It’s a simple game in which you must tilt and swipe your device to collect coins and avoid obstacles.
The original game was rebranded as Temple Run Classic when the sequel, Temple Run 2, released in 2013. Both games are still alive and well, playable on modern devices, with the same throwback visuals and simplistic gameplay.
Doodle Jump
Doodle Jump is a platformer in the simplest sense of the word. Tilt your iPhone left and right to guide a four-legged creature up an endless stream of platforms, collecting power-ups and avoiding monsters along the way. While the game debuted on the iPhone in 2009, it was ported to virtually every platform including Windows Phone, the Xbox 360 Kinect, and arcades.
You can download the original Doodle Jump for $1.99 or grab the free-to-play Doodle Jump – Insanely Good! version for free. Sequel Doodle Jump 2+ is available on Apple Arcade without adverts or in-app purchases.
Plants vs. Zombies
PopCap’s smash hit Plants vs. Zombies is one of those games that has strayed far from its early formula in subsequent releases. While modern versions take the form of 3D shooters, the original was a simple lane-based tower defense game that sucked up all of your free time (originally debuting on Windows and Mac).
The game arrived on the iPhone in 2010, which is how many people first encountered it. You can still play this humble original, with in-app purchases, by downloading Plants vs. Zombies free on the App Store. If you’d rather own the game outright, there are still buy-to-own versions available for almost every platform including Steam.
Fruit Ninja
In 2010 Fruit Ninja burst onto the mobile gaming scene, proving that sometimes all you need for a winning mobile formula is a single satisfying swipe mechanic. The game tasks you with hacking and slashing edible items to earn points and rack up combos, with plenty of gratuitous fruit violence to boot.
You have two options if you want to play the game on a modern iPhone. You can grab Fruit Ninja Classic which maintains the “simpler, streamlined experience” (and requires a sign-up) or you can go for Fruit Ninja which modernizes the game somewhat. Both are free-to-play, so in-app purchases abound. There’s also a sequel in the form of Fruit Ninja 2.
Cut the Rope
Cut the Rope is a simple physics puzzler that tasks you with cutting a series of ropes in the right order to feed a cutesy green monster called Om Nom. Progress through increasingly more difficult levels (425 to be exact) while collecting stars and hidden secrets.
The original, untouched game is available in the form of Cut the Rope GOLD, a $1.99 purchase with no adverts (and only a handful of in-app purchases). Alternatively, grab free-to-play Cut the Rope and deal with the freemium model instead. You can also grab Cut the Rope 2 ($1.99) and Apple Arcade exclusive Cut the Rope 3.
Game Dev Story
A personal favorite, Game Dev Story originally debuted way back in 1997 for Windows. In 2010, it appeared in a touch-friendly iPhone format, while also seeing releases on Android and Windows Phone. The game is a simple tycoon-esque simulation that tasks you with designing and releasing video games in order to turn a profit.
Incredibly, that original iPhone version has been maintained for the past 15 years and counting. You can still buy Game Dev Story for $4.99, and the formula still works as you attempt to crack the industry and roll your successes into even greater follow-ups.
Jetpack Joyride
Another endless runner (or flyer to be more precise), Jetpack Joyride might have the most recognizable mobile gaming app icon of all time. Collect coins and avoid obstacles by tapping the screen to trigger your jetpack’s thruster. Survive as long as you can to get further than you did before.
Developers Halfbrick has two versions of the game available for download, with the ad-free Jetpack Joyride Classic edition being limited to a 30-minute trial (before you need to pay for a Halfbrick+ subscription). Alternatively, there’s a standard Jetpack Joyride release complete with adverts and in-app purchases.
The Room
The Room offered a break from the usual frantic five-minute mobile game formula when it arrived on the iPhone in 2012. This 3D puzzler tasks you with solving four puzzle boxes, each more difficult than the last, by manipulating the camera and poking your way around.
The game was visually impressive at a time when most mobile games used simple 2D graphics, and was notable for its challenging gameplay. Grab The Room Pocket for free from the App Store, which offers the first puzzle for free and costs $1.99 thereafter. The game hasn’t been updated for a few years, but we tested it and it still works on iOS 18.
Infinity Blade
Arguably the most technically impressive mobile game of its time, Infinity Blade set standards with its “console quality” graphics when it first arrived in 2010. It’s an action roleplaying game that centers on relatively simple one-on-one fights that rely on swipes and on-screen controls.
The game was removed from the App Store in 2018, due to compatibility issues. Fortunately, it found new life in 2024 with a PC release based on the original (publicly available) source code. You can download the game from the Internet Archive for free to play on Windows. Apparently the game also works on Linux or Mac via WINE and on the Steam Deck thanks to Proton.
I’ve probably missed your favorite obscure iPhone hit from back in the day and possibly reminded you of a few games that you’d forgotten about. Unfortunately, many of the best are now missing from the App Store and seemingly unplayable. While game preservation gets more press than ever, mobile game preservation often takes a backseat.
