If you’re like me and love games regardless of the platform, you’re probably up to date with everything new that comes out, especially if you prefer certain genres over others.
However, this doesn’t apply for the large majority of those who play games on mobile, the so-called “casual gamers” who just want to kill some time while commuting.
Thankfully, if you’re an iOS user, Apple has just revealed this year’s most downloaded games on the App Store in the United States, so if you’re wondering what to play next, here are some of the most popular titles according to Apple.
Balatro+ for iPhone | Image credits: Apple
Let’s start with the most downloaded Apple Arcade games, which are premium titles that don’t feature ads or in-app purchases. While these games require an active Apple Arcade subscription to play, many of them are available without Apple Arcade membership, although they do come with in-app purchases and, sometimes, with ads too.
Top Apple Arcade games
NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition
Snake.io+
Hello Kitty Island Adventure
Sneaky Sasquatch
Bloons TD 6+
Sonic Dream Team
NFL Retro Bowl '25
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Cooking Mama: Cuisine!
Solitaire by MobilityWare+
Moving on to what’s probably the biggest category of games in the App Store, free games, here are the most downloaded free iPhone and iPad games in the US:
Top free iPhone games
Block Blast！
MONOPOLY GO!
Roblox
Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile
Township
Last War:Survival
Royal Match
Brawl Stars
Subway Surfers
My Perfect Hotel
Top free iPad games
Roblox
Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game
MONOPOLY GO!
Subway Surfers
Brawl Stars
Geometry Dash Lite
Block Blast！
Among Us!
My Perfect Hotel
Royal Match
AFK Journey for iPhone | Image credits: Apple
Opposite to the games above, the lists below include the most downloaded paid iPhone and iPad games in the United States. These are premium titles that require a one-time purchase to access all content.
Top paid iPhone games
Minecraft: Play with Friends
Heads Up!
Geometry Dash
Papa's Freezeria To Go!
Bloons TD 6
Five Nights at Freddy's
Plague Inc.
MONOPOLY: The Board Game
Stardew Valley
Red's First Flight
Top paid iPad games
Minecraft: Play with Friends
Geometry Dash
Five Nights at Freddy's
Stardew Valley
Bloons TD 6
Papa's Paleteria To Go!
Five Nights at Freddy's 2
Poppy Playtime Chapter 1
MONOPOLY: The Board Game
Ultimate Custom Night
In related news, Apple also revealed 2024’s most downloaded iPhone and iPad apps on the App Store in the US, so if you’re not really a gamer, you might be interested in checking out some of these very popular free iOS apps.
Top free iPhone apps
Temu: Shop Like a Billionaire
Threads
TikTok
ChatGPT
Google
Instagram
WhatsApp Messenger
CapCut - Video Editor
YouTube: Watch, Listen, Stream
Gmail - Email by Google
Top free iPad apps
YouTube: Watch, Listen, Stream
Netflix
Max: Stream HBO, TV, & Movies
Calculator - Pad Edition
Disney+
Google Chrome
Peacock TV: Stream TV & Movies
Amazon Prime Video
TikTok
Goodnotes 6
Moises for iPad | Image credits: Apple
The apps below are not just this year’s most downloaded iOS apps on the App Store, but they’re also premium apps, so you’ll have to pay to actually take advantage of their features.
Top paid iPhone apps
Shadowrocket
HotSchedules
Procreate Pocket
75 Hard
AnkiMobile Flashcards
AutoSleep Track Sleep on Watch
Paprika Recipe Manager 3
TonalEnergy Tuner & Metronome
Goblin Tools
Forest: Focus for Productivity
Top paid iPad apps
Procreate
Procreate Dreams
Shadowrocket
forScore
Nomad Sculpt
ToonSquid
Bluebeam Revu for iPad
AnkiMobile Flashcards
Teach Your Monster to Read
Endless Paper
Kino for iPhone | Image credits: Apple
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If you missed last year’s announcement, Apple revealed the winners of the 2024 App Store Awards. A number of 17 exceptional games and apps have been recognized by the App Store Editorial team.
iPhone App of the Year: Kino (Lux Optics) iPad App of the Year: Moises (Moises Systems) Mac App of the Year: Adobe Lightroom (Adobe) Apple Visio Pro App of the Year: What If…? An Immersive Story (Marvel Studios, ILM Immersive, and Disney+) Apple Watch App of the Year: Lumy (Raja V.) Apple TV App of the Year: F1 TV (Formula One Digital Media Limited) iPhone Game of the Year: AFK Journey (Farlight Games) iPad Game of the Year: Squad Busters (Supercell) Mac Game of the Year: Thank Goodness You’re Here! (Panic) Apple Vision Pro Game of the Year: THRASHER: Arcade Odyssey (Puddle) Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Balatro+ (Playstack)
Cultural Impact Winners
Oko (AYES BV)
EF Hello (Signum International AG)
DailyArt (Zuzanna Stanska)
NYT Games (The New York Times Company)
The Wreck (The Pixel Hunt)
Do You Really Want to Know 2 (Gamtropy Co.)
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Cosmin, a tech journalist with a career spanning over a decade, brings a wealth of experience to PhoneArena. His expertise lies in brands like Samsung and Nokia, and he has a keen interest in innovative technologies. After a brief stint in PR, Cosmin returned to tech journalism in 2016, committed to delivering clear and objective news. When he's not writing or appearing as a guest on TV and radio shows, Cosmin enjoys playing RPGs, watching Netflix, and nurturing his passion for history and travel.
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