15 Must-Have Games for iPad

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15 Must-Have Games for iPad

The Loop » Games » 15 Must Have Games for the iPad

By Peter CohenJune 30, 2010, 10:49 am PT

Last winter we presented 30 Must Have Games for the iPhone and iPod touch. That garnered your attention and plenty of comments, so we’re happy to present its natural sequel, 15 Must Have Games for the iPad.

As with the first feature, let us underscore that we do not consider this to be a list of the best games for the iPad, or superlative games in any specific category. Instead, this is a collection of games vetted by The Loop as being fun to play and standouts for one reason or another. So please don’t take umbrage if you don’t see your favorite game listed. But by all means use the comment section below to share with other readers your thoughts on this list and any other iPad games you think are excellent.

Flight Control HD

Firemint wasted no time, hitting launch day for the iPad with a release of Flight Control HD, an updated version of its eminently popular iPhone air traffic control game. You rack up points by safely landing a variety of airplanes and helicopters onto their runways and landing pads. If any of them collide, the game is over. Firemint did more than just scale up the graphics to work on the iPad, however – Flight Control HD also adds new maps and a fun, quirky “3D” mode that provides the illusion of depth if you wear a pair of red/blue “anaglyph” glasses (not included, of course, but available in online, novelty shops and elsewhere).

Flight Control HD

Warpgate HD

Freeverse had been working on its ambitious action/RPG game Warpgate initially as an iPhone game, but the iPad caused them to pause the iPhone version and rework it initially as an iPad release. Envisioned as a touch-based variant on Elite or as a latter-day Escape Velocity for you Mac game enthusiasts, Warpgate puts you in the pilot’s chair of an interstellar spacecraft as you seek your fortune. You can deliver cargo, become a pirate, participate in missions that move a storyline along and more. The game’s graphics are exquisite, its scale is immense – three dozen star systems, each chock-full of planets and space stations to interact with, tons of different starships to control and lots more.

Pool Pro Online 3

Despite the name this is the first installment of this long-running franchise to come to iOS. Namco’s Pool Pro Online 3 enables you to play pool – eight-ball, nine-ball and snooker – against computer controlled players or other gamers playing from iPads, iPhones, other smartphones and computers, thanks to Namco’s own proprietary multiplayer underpinnings. The game has a ton of unlockable content like new tables and background environments, new ball sets, new cue sticks and more. Guides help you line up your shot, and realistic physics let the balls carom around the table just like you’d expect.

Pro Pool

We Rule

Ngmoco sought to capture a bit of Zynga’s Farmville mojo with We Rule, a kingdom-building game that heavily leverages Ngmoco’s Plus+ Network social networking apparatus. You build a kingdom full of shops that your friends can place orders in, and you do the same – as you interact with each other, you gain experience and increase each others’ coffers. As your levels increase, you’re able to populate your kingdom with better and more elaborate services. We Rule on iPad is much easier to use than We Rule on the iPhone because of the increased screen size, and like its iPhone counterpart, it has the virtue of being free (unless you buy “mojo” which enables you to complete orders and construction instantly).

We Rule

LED Football Player vs Player

Long-time readers know there’s a special place in our heart for TouchGrove’s LED Football, which recreates the ancient LED-based Mattel Football game from the 1970s on the iPhone. So it should be no surprise then, that TouchGrove’s LED Football Player vs Player also made the list of iPad games. This game builds on the original Mattel Football-style gameplay concept by introducing a head-to-head game that two players can play on opposite sides of the iPad simultaneously. Obviously you have to be a retro-gamer (or in your 30s or 40s) to appreciate this fully, but it’s a heck of a nostalgia trip and lots of fun head-to-head play to boot.

Geometry Wars Touch

We’ll admit that we were skeptical when we first downloaded Geometry Wars Touch for the iPad. Could a game that originated on consoles, and one that seemed to be so fixed for dual thumbstick-based controllers, do well on the iPad? Color us impressed. Geometry Wars Touch is a fast and frantic arcade-style action game that features colorful and spectacular vector-style graphics. You move and fire in different directions by placing your thumbs at the bottom of the screen – “virtual” sticks are created wherever you place your fingers. It’s a clever setup that works well, and several different game modes, online leaderboards, and a new gameplay mode called “Titans” will keep you busy for quite some time.

Plants vs Zombies HD

Popcap Games’ incomparable Plants vs. Zombies has already had a hugely successful run on the Mac, PC and iPhone, so it only makes sense to bring the game to the iPad as well. And the iPad version doesn’t disappoint – it’s the same casual tower defense game we’ve all loved from the start, in which you protect your house (and your brains) from a zombie onrush by planting decidedly hostile vegetation in your yard. But truth be told, if you already have the other versions of PvZ, this isn’t a must-have – Plants vs. Zombies HD isn’t substantially different than its predecessors. It does make a fine iPad game, however, so it deserves your attention.

Need for Speed Shift

While there are more realistic racing games for the iPad, such as Firemint’s Real Racing HD, We’re more fond of EA’s Need for Speed Shift, simply because it’s so much fun to play. You can get behind the wheel of a variety of real-world cars – everything from your basic ecoracer Volkswagen Golf GTI to superexotics like the Koenigsegg CCX, earning money by winning races so you can buy new cars and upgrade them with new performance parts. You race across four circuits – Chicago, London, Tokyo and a World Tour – and can play in single-player or multiplayer races (local only, either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi).

Need For Speed: Shift

Labyrinth II HD

Illusion Labs’ Labyrinth II HD is one our favorite ways to show people unfamiliar with the iPad how intuitive gameplay can be, thanks to the built-in accelerometer. Designed to look like a wooden maze game, you tilt the iPad back and forth to maneuver a steel ball through the maze, around pitfalls of all conceivable shapes and sizes – from the mundane, like holes in the board, to the esoteric, such as lasers and magnets. Labyrinth II HD features single player and multiplayer levels and expandability – you can download dozens of new levels to continue the gameplay.

Labyrinth 2

Foosball HD

In our continuing quest to find games that are fun for players to go head-to-head on, we present Foosball HD. From the same developers who brought us Labyrinth II HD comes Foosball HD, a recreation of the classic table soccer game found in pubs, family rooms and arcades the world over. The game lets you play alone or with another person, and gameplay is simple and intuitive (you give each handle a flick to send your men spinning, kicking a soccer ball across the table pitch and hopefully into the opponent’s goal). There are six rods (three for each team), compared to eight on the full-sized tables we’ve seen, but that doesn’t diminish the game play or the fun.

Foosball

The War of Eustrath HD

A tactical strategy RPG with strong anime overtones, The War of Eustrath HD puts you in control of giant fighting robots called “GEARs.” The game sprawls across 50 campaign stages with over 40 units to command, special abilities and upgrades, plus plenty of cutscenes and dialogue to keep the story moving. To that end, the dialogue is a bit stilted (and error-prone at times), but it’s a lot of fun for fans of tactical strategy.

The War of Eustrath HD

Words with Friends HD

The folks behind Ngmoco’s We Rule also created a Scrabble-style multiplayer crossword game called Words with Friends HD. All the features you’d expect are here – double word and triple letter scores, the ability to play against friends and complete strangers, a pass and play mode that lets you use a single iPad between two players, and simple drag-and-drop mechanics. For $3, it’s a fraction of what the “official” Scrabble game costs, and just as fun.

Twin Blades HD

A gun-wielding nun killing zombies. Need we say more? This side-scrolling action game has an iPhone variant as well, but Twin Blades HD positively shines on the iPad, with rich-detailed cartoon-style graphics and animation. You have to save the town from a horde of brain-chomping zombies using weapons ranging from a scythe to a machine gun to nukes. There are bosses to confront, 10 different environments, and online score tracking through the popular OpenFeint service. If you’re a fan of kawaii-style manga or anime, you’ll love the graphics here – big heads, big eyes and adorably cute characters.

Espgaluda II

Let us say at the outset that Espgaluda II is not a native iPad game – it’s an iPhone game. It’s the only such game on our list, in fact. But that doesn’t mean it’s not awesome to play on the iPad. It’s a “bullet-hell” style shooter originally developed for the Xbox 360, and later adapted for the iPhone 3GS and third-generation iPod touch. Pixel-doubled graphics don’t diminish how awesome Espgaluda II is to play on the iPad – it’s a real arcade-style Japanese manic shooter that’s actually more fun to play on the iPad than the iPhone.

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Discussion
188 comments so far

188 Responses to “15 Must Have Games for the iPad”

There’s clearly been some sort of printing error in the article as it has somehow omitted Angry Birds HD. Sure it’s on every gaming platform known to humankind, but on the iPad is best.
- its actually not good at all… it crashes, the fps is terrible, and on release it didnt have all the levels that were on the iphone version, which was actually one fifth the price.
  - no i agree with watthew powell ipad version is ALOT better than iphone version
- You didn’t read the instructions.
  - Angry Birds HD plays very nicely on iPad. Get the free upgrade(s).
    - I’m sorry Angry Birds is one of the best games on the Iphone and Ipad – bloody brilliant and soooo much playability! Its definitly worth the mention.
      - I totall agree it was a an awesome Game. I also loved fieldrunners.
      - i agree with you man. Angry birds is awesome. It takes days to finish and helps pass the time, plus it never gets boring.
- This List should be called.. 15 iPad games Everyone already has! (except Angry Birds) might as well Add Tetris, Trism. How about great games that people haven’t yet heard of Like Spinder Blocks, or Fieldrunners or Critter Crunch. It would be nice to have reviewers take risks and talk about games that are not already on everyone else’s “MUST HAVE” list. But Games that they discover and recommend, not just write “hey these are popular, so I going to just remind you that they are popular”
  in short: tell us about games we haven’t heard of but really should check out.
  Thanks
  - My money is on Spinder Blocks as well! Great on the iPad. Perfect addition to my action games. Also very good use of multi-touch game play. http://bit.ly/deqw0o
- Angry Birds is by far one of the best, most addictive games for the iPad (and iPhone). I love playing it…when I can pry my iPad out of my wife’s hands…because she’s playing Angry Birds!
EA does not need more publicity, but the Scrabble game is fantastic, including the ability to use iPhones as wifi digital tile racks. A must buy, and I tend to be difficult… Now, if it were also possible to play with people outside of North America, that would be fabulous (as in… “scrabulous”). Why can’t Hasbro and Mattel come to a mutually beneficial agreement in this digital age is anyone’s guess. What a bunch of dinosaurs!
- … only that iPhones and iPod Touches DON’T work as wifi tile racks … only Bluetooth devices do! I didn’t catch that one before getting it for my 1st gen iPod Touch. The Scrabble game itself is great, though!
  - iPhones are Bluetooth devices.
    - He didnt say they weren’t..
      - Yes he did he said iPhones don’t work implying they are not a bluetooth device
      - technically he did, When he said
        
        “… only that iPhones AND iPod Touches DON’T work as wifi tile racks … only Bluetooth devices do!”
        
        should have left the iPhone part out don’t you think?
      - Way to tell ‘em, Joe! He didn’t SAY they weren’t. He only IMPLIED they weren’t. DARN TOOTIN’!
        
        Glad you saved a period on your ellipsis, too. That’s environmentally sound!
      - he didnt say he didnt like penis
      - These comments are better than the article. Thank you.
- The only problem with Scrabble, is that the dictionary is terrible and it restricts your moves to the words it has in the dictionary. This really hinders playability.
  - Yeah well, imagine an iPad app that takes 10gb…. not the best app ever, a good scrabble game needs A LOT of memory for the dictionary
    - Words are very “small” to computers they just need 1 byte per letter (and that is uncompressed). So if english has 1,000,000 words and that is a generous number it is closer to half that, and if each word was 10 letters long. The entire english language spelling dictionary (without definitions) would fit in just 10 megabytes. The entire Oxford English Dictionary with full definitions is only 540 MB. The Official Tournament and Club Word List is only 178,691 words or about 1.8 MB.
      - lol you realy are a muppet
      - One word, two words, three… One hundred seventy-eight thousand six hundred and ninety one words.
        Ah! Ah! Ah!
Galcon Fusion..!! Enough said.
I agree. WHY ISN’T ANGRY BIRDS PART OF THE LIST?
Seriously? No Angry Birds. That’s practically criminal.
- They just wanted to make the birds more Angry by omitting them.
  - hahaha.. :” )
I agree with Matthew. Angry Birds is the best. I can’t believe it wasn’t mentioned. what’s up with that?
- ANGRY BIRDS!!!!!!! Its so much fun i have already beat the game… twice
  : )
Ya agree with Matt, Angry Birds HD and also Spinder Blocks and Tetris for sure on the iPad both highly addictive
- not so sure about Angry Birds… its okay at best. kinds screws up sometimes. Spinder’s fun though. saw it on the new and featured last week and was kinda surprised at how fun it was.
Broken Sword HD! We need more adventure games with puzzles to solve. Mystery of Monkey Island. More like these please. When is 1011v1 and 1011v2 going to iPad? Where’s the Nick Chase iPad version and for that matter, the sequel? Same for Dream Chronicles.
- totally agree with Andrea! adventure games rock! (So do cooking games. free sundae maker is fun!)
The Foosball application is graphically very very similar to Foosball3D.
For a retro person like me, Ace Omicron is the best survival shooter game out there on the iPad. It’s a mix of old-school Asteroids meets new school insanity of death all over the place.
- Yeah, Ace omicron is sweet on the iPad! One of the games my boys can’t beat my score at! (Give ‘em time though. They still need to realize that there’s strategy to the Shooting and Shield systems.)
HELLO! I agree with Matthew, Davis, Beth, John and Alex. Not having Angry Birds is like not having popcorn at a movie theater. I was at my family reunion this weekend and of all the iPhone users, which was alot, had Angry Birds and Words with Friends. We came from all over the US and had those games in common. You must add a 16th game to your list!
I would say for great use of the multi-touch of the iPad Multi-Pong and Spinder Blocks! Tho Angry Birds is a given
- Multi-Pong really really is a must have game!
How about the basics something like “Spider Solitaire”

DR
LOL looks like some developers promoting their games here in comments! Good for u guys but I think people are little bit smarter to know its a developer e.g. “Oh this game is addictive!” if its not part of the 20 its not Addictive!
- Are you guys serious? Peter here has provided you with a bunch of games that are fun and that you should get, and you guys bash him for leaving out a game that everyone has already, so there’s no point in listing anyway!
Can’t see why Angry Birds is missing. I’m not a big game player and I play WAY too much Angry Birds. And Godfinger can be addictive, even though it’s repetitive.
These are all great games but I still think the more casual games rule – my favoriteright now is Spinder Blocks, a kind of Tetris style game, so addictive and quick, I really wish more games had 2player modes
2cents
uh. angry birds is the reason i copped an ipad.
major cred loss with this one son.
I’m sure everyone has a favorite game but to leave out the (possibly) highest rated/ranked game in history in the entire iTunes app store is criminal. Leaving Angry Birds off of this list is like Consumer Reports doing a story on washing machines and because the editor likes some random one they rate it in the top 3 completely ignoring logic. I just checked and AB has almost 240,000 people rating it with a perfect 5 Star ranking!!! Crazy! I’m completely hooked. And on the iPad it’s even better!
- You apparently missed the second paragraph, in which I clearly write, “let us underscore that we do not consider this to be a list of the best games for the iPad, or superlative games in any specific category. Instead, this is a collection of games vetted by The Loop as being fun to play and standouts for one reason or another.”
  
  In other words, simply because Angry Birds didn’t make the list doesn’t diminish the purpose of the list.
  - well pete. we can’t discount the angry lynch mobesque madness goin on here. care to share with us why you left it off the list? especially when that game is the main reason such a popular game was left off? (off the 5 people i know with an ipad? angry birds was a MAJOR resaon)
    - You CANNOT be serious … £600 so you can play Angry Birds….you guys have just wayyy too much money!
- It’s 147,000 (approx.) total! Where’d you get 240,000? That’s for the iPhone/iPod Touch version.
ANGRY BIRDS…ANGRY BIRDS…ANGRY BIRDS…i used to get so upset with my hubby and son spending so much time playing this stupid game until i started playing myself – NOW I LOVE ANGRY BIRDS – and i’m ANGRY – just like the other posters that it was omitted from this list – are you kidding
- Go Deb – totally agree!
Angry Birds HD is awesome

Although the current version 1.3.4 doesn’t launch. I tried resetting the iPad to no avail. I have yet to delete and reinstall … because I won’t want to lose my score and I think the developers will fix it soon.
- I had the same problem, with the game not launching after I got the update. I simple emailed the developer and within 12 hours the problem was fixed. I didn’t expect the hear back so soon. Wonderful job, Thumbs up to, Jennifer!!!!! My family loves Angry Birds and HD is the best!!!!! Its obvious to me why they omitted Angry Birds from the list and sound upset that people keep bringing it up. Its to promote the games on their list, I haven’t even heard of half of the games they mentioned and I won’t be buying any of them either. Angry Birds HD is the best!!!!!!!!!
I saw the headline of this article in my RSS reader and opened it solely to find Angry Birds on your list. You sir, have failed.
How about field runners? It’s not the cheapest game ever but it’s one of the funnest if you like tower defense games.
- I agree Fieldrunners rules
  - Thank god someone mentioned Field Runners. Absolutely agree.
The Angry Birds are VERY ANGRY right now.
apple needs to learn from the gaming industry.. the best games comes from oversea… i’d say 4 of these games are utter trash except the few under publicized one.. look at REAL gaming platform and see where the REAL games are coming from… I love US games from names like blizzard but most utilizes heavy graphics and mobile platform aren’t there yet. so either give us wwc capable device or open up the international store.
I’m so tired of hearing about Angry Birds…..if you like diablo style games try Underworlds, it’s cheap and alot of fun. I’m also really enjoying Burgertime….soo awesome, oh and Mr. Onions is pretty cool….
- “I’m so tired of hearing about Angry Birds”
  
  I’m pretty bloody tired of hearing about it as well.
  - By saying this means you’re really very narrow minded, I suggest you go back and edit your article, so you won’t spend another week reading all the complaints on not having ‘angry birds’, it simply, is the best ipad game ever, it’s just insane to not have included it.
    - Oh who cares about angry birds… it sounds like a game for cultists… everyone talking about it is stupid… tell me 5 other people that didn’t post about it. I think plants vs zombies is MUCH better, and I will NEVER try Angry Birds… go Peter Cohen
Admit it Peter. You messed up by not listing Angry Birds! It is the one game my wife, myself, and my daughter all play. Tired of hearing about it or not, you dropped the ball on this one buddy! ANGRY BIRDS are ANGRY for a REASON!!! >:(
Let’s Golf HD so should have been in their!!! it’s the most addicting game I have ever played other than Modern Warfare 2.
what about tower MAddnesss!!?!?!?! =(
I’m not a big gamer but I am totally hooked on Plants vs Zombies for iPad. I love games that I can pick up and play for a few minutes at a time.
I have to say that I am extremely curious to check out Angry Birds after reading all of these comments….
Angry Birds SUCKS!

Thank god you had the sense to NOT list it in this article.
- Really? In whose opinion….. oh, just yours!
  Angry Birds is the ONLY game I play on my ipad at all, and it looks like a lot of people agree that it’s a pretty amusing way to waste time
  I wonder if you even tried it.
Angry Birds ROCKS! I cannot believe it’s not on the list. I don’t trust Mr. Cohen’s other picks as a result of this glaring omission. Guess we know Mr. Cohen is in the pockets of some of these companies, or has had his head stuck in a bird house.
Thanks for the list! While I’m not a big game player, but I do like Flight Control HD and Need for Speed Shift. I don’t own an iPad so far but played these games when I got a chance to play with my friend’s iPad. It’s really nice and in a short time it has lasted a great fun experience.
How did Angry Birds not make this list? *confused face*
I have to put my hat in for angry birds. Wow how did they miss that one, unbelievable. That kind of puts this whole article into question, now don’t it.
There are just 14 games . where is the 15th game ?
- This is the best comment here. Great catch. I guess he’s got room to add Angry Birds now.
What I would realy like to know is how to buy the iPad in Portugal, we have games, apps, Apple PT sells here all the accessories for the iPad, BUT NOT THE DAM IPAD

Im starting to get a bit tired of all these news about something I really want but cant find
- u can probaly order online, if not check out a local applestore and ask one of the employies how
- Carlos, from what I read when the iPad was made available in some European countries and Australasia, it will be available in all the other countries in October. Then Portugal should be included.
  BTW, out of subject, but I miss Lisboa, my dad’s country! I had fabulous time there and in Obidos where we have a summer house:)
Thanks for the list AND the comments. I am only an occasional game player (on iPhone) and just have bought an iPad. So, apart Angry Birds (…again) ) – I found a lot of interesting other games I can try now on the iPad.
Im curious how Hippo Chomp didn’t get on the list as well. It was a pretty cool iphone game.

http://itunes.apple.com/ph/app/hippo-chomp/id375587993?mt=8
Uh, Angry Birds HD wasn’t on the list. Big deal. If you like the game, you like the game. The game not being there shouldn’t effect your life at all. It’s not as if the game magically gets better just because it on a list of good games. The writers might not have liked Angry Birds HD as much as some other games. Besides, I see no difference between the iPhone/iPod and iPad versions of the game, apart from graphics.

By the way, I’m not saying I don’t like Angry Birds, although it is a bit hard.
And what about Civilization? is everyboby sleeping?
not choosing angry bird makes me questions your judgment
I’m shaking my head at Pool Pro Online 3, and doubting that the author has played much pool. Virtual Pool comes leaps and bounds closer to simulating the real physics of a pocket billiards table on the iPad, and remains the best pool simulation program that I’ve seen on any platform. The only benefit I can see to using Pool Pro on the iPad is that it does offer online play.
Judging by the vitriolic hate, you’d think Angry Birds was the second coming of [insert name here].

Funny that no-one I know’s heard of it.

Excellent list, by the way. The urge to buy an iPad just for the HD games is both (I admit) wasteful and appealing. Mostly appealing. Really quite appealing. Indeed.
- Really, you have never heard of angry birds, cause it has been #1 on the Itunes paid store for what seems like forever.
I LOVE Angry Birds. It’s extremely clever, including the sound file.
I found spinder blocks to be incredibly addicting. Can’t seem to get past the 3 columns.
No pinball HD? Come on!!!
WHERE IS FARMVILLE ON THIS LIST???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Good question! I play Farmville on my iMAC, and noticed that it’s impossible to play on the iPhone, so I was wondering how good it was on the iPad.
  
  Opinions?
The article is just one person’s personal opinion, all valid points and good games, not nearly a complete list. Though I’m finding suggestions in the comments equally as good as the article! Fieldrunners, and Spinder Blocks. Any other suggestions? (I already have Angry Birds)
- Agreed! Fieldrunner!! and checked out Spinder too, better than I thought
Real Racing HD. Is a must have for racing fans.
@peter thompson – i just got to 4 columns in spinder blocks on HARD last night with a buddy’s help, i think there’s some potential there for a 2 player mode – the game sounds like a casino
No prices. No link to phobos. This takes me, and millions of potential users away from your review.
- oh, millions. just millions. And oh, the interplanetary consequences. I’m afraid you can’t just omit links to entire moons in your reviews if you expect to count Martians among your audience.
People with different age, background, careers, life style (and in the global world different continents) – all have different expectations and so it is hard to satisfy every one at the same time. A soccer mom will not be excited about latest and greatest racing game. First person games aren’t for kids. My mom won’t be interested in deep strategy games. so on and so forth ….These are all casual gamers who simply want good entertainment.

I suggest “Star Tic Tac Toe HD” as an example of app for casual gamers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBSgAg-GYRg

It is truely a unique twist on the age old classic.
Great for kids and the kid in all of us.
I checked out Angry Birds HD and it seems all you angry posters better take your angry droppings and poop them elsewhere – at least until the iPad app actually works without crashing! At the moment, it’s no better that a pile of doots.

There are tons of great games and selection of “top” games is a subjective thing. Peter and the gang merely put their own top list here – not YOURS you birdbrains.

So hereʻs a little flip of the bird to you, angry posters. Now buzz off.
No Carcassonne?!

Hm…OK…
Angry Birds RULES!!!

Can’t forget Doodle jump also.
Lets not forget Brain App XL for the smarter gamers out there.
HEY HOW COME ANGY BIRDS IS NOT ON THE LIST
What do you think of the iPad version of X-Plane? I did not try it on the iPad (I am a fan of the desktop 9.55 version), but it seems very well implemented on the tablet, evidently much better than on the iPhone/iPodtouch! IMHO X-Plane is a game, no?
Peter, get Angry Birds & you won’t need these other games.
Wow!!! you people are really in love with a time waster that you would jump all over someone for not including your personal favorite and admittedly a favorite of many others because you think its the best game ever. I appreciate bloggers who take time out of their day and research things for me and I don’t jump down their throats when they present a broad spectrum of information they have researched. I am not so narrow minded as to think that the author is the authoritative figure in the world that he is going to prophecy what I should do with my life and spare time, and truth be told my bosses time as well to play a game that neither adds to society overall or to my own productivity. I think some apologies are in order in the name of common decency. That being said, I have never heard of Angry Birds until i got on this post, but i sure did hear a lot of angry birds posting!!! Think before you open your digital mouth and post it for the world to record for years to come.
- The fact that you wasted your time responding to our outcry says that you were listening. And a long response it was. Thank You!
  - People notice roadkill as well, but that hardly suggests that it’s attractive.
- You are an idiot -.- ALL GAMES ARE TIME WASTERS… but Angry Birds is oh so fun.
- Right on Jesse! Don’t get me wrong, I am just as addicted to angry birds as the next person but I am going to have to back Peter up on this one. Not including angry birds is not supposed to be a snub to the game. The inclusion of angry birds would totally defeat the purpose of the article. Its supposed to be a list of great games that everyone doesn’t already have, not greatest games ever, or must-have games that everyone already owns.
Thanks much for your game list. Missed mention of some great looking and playing games such as NOVA and BIA2. The IPad experience is much better than the IPhone for other great games like Fieldrunner where the larger screen helps. Have to agree that Angry Birds is also a worthy mention. Ditto with Scrabble.
Orbital HD!!
I can think of one very good reason not to include Angry Birds HD on this list: it does not offer any iPad-specific improvement over the iPhone/iPod Touch version other than graphics. Therefore, it is not particularly noteworthy on the iPad over the iPhone/iPod touch, and did not receive a place on this list.
- I find this a very good point. These are iPad games and clearly stated that it is not a list of the 15 best games it is a list of games that stand out on the iPad
They forgot to put doodle jump, angry birds, mr.space (its free), and a eliminate pro.
Well you have obviously never heard of Angry Birds, well this is angry consumer. I read your whole review and realized you were out of touch when you did not list Angry Birds. List the best and let the reader decide. By leaving out a clear winner you bring into question all your choices. What was your basis. Did you actually play these games?
Angry Birds.
Angry Birds.
Angry Birds.
Angry Birds.
Just wanted to write the words “Angry Birds” on this page a few more times…
I am f%*king tired of these angry birds, months of playing angry birds has made a lot of folks here angry

For what’s worth, I think Asphalt and Call of Duty Zombies are the best out there
I have Angry Birds on my iPhone. But i don’t think it’s that great. I know lots of people with iPhones and only one of them has that game. So give the guy a break. It’s an opinion article for goodness sakes!
I want an iPad though!
Another idea i’d like to put out there is what makes a great iPad app? versus just a great iPhone app?

Do these apps make use of all the greater screen real estate like more features or our they just bigger iPhone games?
What is Angry Birds?

Oh, and I’m totally kidding. It should be on the list… but maybe Peter didn’t put it on the list because it’s obvious. Let’s pretend, just this once, that the title of this article is ’15 Must Have Games for the Ipad… other than Angry Birds’, and be done with it.

Brandy Rigs
- I read your comment and agree with it.
  But you know what else I noticed?
  Your name is an anagram of Angry Birds. Brandy Rigs, Angry Birds. How cool is that?!
  - Good eyes Claire! That’s not my real name, but you cleverly noticed why i used it!
    - Ooo, I’m good.
Well I just bought Angry Birds and it sounds ridiculous (my teen is playing it as we speak and the sound track is, well, you know!) Doodlejump my hubby & I find fun yet stressful, one false step and you’re done, off into the abyss, doomed! A game I enjoy is Memory Cards. It is the classic memory game with cute pictures. Thanks for the lead for Scrabble, I’ll have to down load it if I can pry my iPad from my kid playing those Angry Birds. She says it’s pretty awesome! She is a huge PvZ player.
I’ve been having fun with Tap Tap Radiation…it is beautiful scenery a la borealis while I scream expletives at the pad every time I miss…it is a love hate relationship when I’m in the hard level.
I find it interesting that out of the “15 Must Have iPad Games,” great Puzzle games, like Tetris, Trism, Spinderblocks, and Glass Tower are missing.
If you do count the number of games in the article, there are only 14 games listed. What’s the 15th one?

1. Flight Control HD
2. Warpgate HD
3. Pool Pro Online 3
4. We Rule
5. LED Football Player vs Player
6. Geometry Wars Touch
7. Plants VS. Zombies HD
8. Need For Speed Shift
9. Labyrinth II HD
10. Foosball HD
11. The War of Eustrath HD
12. Words with Friends HD
13. Twin Blades HD
14. Espgaluda II
15. (Missing)

You could put Angry Birds in the 15 spot. (I love that game!)
- How ’bout X-Plane for iPad?
Wow, I’m surprised that nobody has mentioned that Angry Birds isn’t on that list yet; it’s a pretty good one.

@Peter – Have you heard of that one, Angry Birds?
How could you leave out Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition. I am not even a game person and I stay up past midnight on work days with this game. Ipad makes it feel like the board game it originally was.

Seriously how could you!!
What about CastleCraft ?
What’s all this about Angry Birds, these comments persuaded me to try it and its rubbish, I did 3/4 of it in a couple of hours hoping something better would happen , it didn’t, then when I went back to it it hadn’t saved the completed levels, I would have had to start from the beginning! . . . now deleted.
So what’s going on? Are the developers flooding comments to support their game to take in mugs like me. I’m annoyed, unless you like pseudo skill games, avoid it and don’t be taken in.
Yeah I hear ya, Angry Birds was okay. I don’t think its rubbish but its not as great as I thought it was going to be. I’m more a fan of the simple and addictive games like Tetris, Line up and Spinder Blocks. Although, I still play plants vs zombies a lot too.
Love this list! I did a survey last week of all my readers of the “most addicting” iPad games! I got some great and surprising results. Here’s my list:

http://www.ipaddaily.com/top-10-most-addicting-ipad-games/
The Birds is coming.

And boy, are they Angry !!!
Just FYI, a simple Command+F search shows 75 instances of the phrase “angry birds” (76) on this page, I think the point has been taken & noted and then crossed the line. The game is fun but I wouldn’t say it’s the best iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad game of all time, ever, as people would have one believe.
Hey Peter, did you know you left Angry Birds off of here?
What about X-plane for the ipad? I LOVE X-Plane desktop, and the iPad app seems amazing! It’s actually just like the desktop version, with a built-in joystick!

Just a thought, and how many apps have you tried?
I’m with Jonno, Angry Birds is awesome!!! The zombie one is cool, 2!!!
Never played angry birds but am certainly going to give it go. All this fuss has certainly made me curious.
why isnt spore on that list?
Funny that after reading through 15 ‘must have’ games in the article – the only game I intend to go check out is not in the article! Angry Birds as it is clearly the one true ‘MUST HAVE’.
I’m somewhat envious. None of these are available to us in South Africa.
- Spinder is! great on the iPad! http://itunes.apple.com/app/spinder-blocks/id361497586
Just a note to the iPad game lovers… check out Veggie Samurai. Sooooo epic!
Is the iPod Touch worth the expense for trading and investment pursuits? Also, where is the apps store?
I’ve been looking for games that have some meat to them, not casual games, not tower defense.

I did buy Angry . . . I mean WarpGate HD. And it’s excellent. But now I’m stuck. I’ve looked for walkthroughs to no avail.

Does anyone have any hints for me? I’ve found a decent ship with thousands of shield whatever and a 30 ton capacity. I’ve gone everywhere I could find. But a couple warpgates are still locked. To the pirates (bottom of map) and something in the upper-left of the map. Sorry, it’s not in front of me, so I can’t be more specific.

Peace.
Long live the ipad!

Defintiely the biggest revolution in the digital world since computers appeared back in the 80s. I tried a few of those games and I couldn’t believe my eyes. I belong to the Atari and Konami coin up generation…
Like your choice. The Flight Control HD is utterly fun and truly, it is one of the best games you can have on an iPad.
Where’s Charadium?
ok fine! I finally bought Angry Birds to see what all the fuss was about.. it’s cute, the sounds are great. not really worth the 5$ tho IMHO. Plants vs. Zombies is way more addictive and fun, and worth the 10$.

Also picked up Doodle Jump and Spinder Blocks both games I’ve played more than AB..
I’ve already got the We Rule game on my ipod touch, but I never really understood it. I’ve only got a castle and a couple of farms. Personally, I don’t think it’s that great a game, but if I understood how to play it might go over better.
Hey !! What about 112 HD ??
I agree with Basia on Angry Birds,
not for me, slow… and the whole idea – pigs vs birds seems kinda weird and not funny,
may be my sense of humor is off, don’t know.

Although I must say it is quite popular…
Spinder blocks is ok… maybe a bit too young for me.
Zombies.. sure, all zombies games are great.
NFS – yes.
Sword of Fargoal Legends should have been on that list. It’s meticulously crafted, very playable, and fun. Plus it has the most regular updates of any game I play in iOS.
pahic games i cant stop laughing

on the ipad keynote they showed a much better game N.O.V.A for ipad

but you cannot compare
Burnout Paradise for the PC

it has smooth 60fps stunt run with raceing and takedown
marked-man and road-rage

but apple uses cheap video cards and all there games
lack on frames per second

pathic for a company making 50 billion a year
by useing cheap video card like in my $3500 27inch imac

burnout just runs shithouse on there 2 year old ati hd 4850 slow video card

shame shame shame steve jobs in ripping me and the public off
I’ve never played Angry Birds… I will have to check it out! However, I think that Boggle should have made the list. It is so much fun on the ipad. And Words with Friends??? It is just a rip-off of Scrabble! I’m true to the original.
THE MAIN REASON I HAVE THE iPAD IS TO PLAY ANGRY BIRDS !!!!!!
For multiplayer gaming, how does Scrabble not make the list?? That’s blasphemy.

Anyway, Multipong is also good fun for multiplayer action (up to four can play simultaneously). Try it sometime -bring it to your favorite restaurant and watch how everyone loses track of how long it’s taking for the food to arrive
I think Theseus HD should be on this list. Hours of brain bending gameplay that gets more and more complex as you get further into the game.
i cant believe nobody mentioned angry birds yet
Osmos is completely insane and addictive
Angry Birds HD is a very close second

I was not interested in any of the games on this list.
ummmm…. ok…. i just read this list… and…ummmm… WHAT ??????????????????????? despite the fact that those little buggers (ANGRY BIRDS) are absolutely the most addictive little creatures that snort, and laugh like Beavis & Butthead… this list of games is absurd if they dont “think” or believe that the BIRDZZZZ shouldnt be on it !!!!!! i need a hug
i agree with that, it seems much harder to find games that people dont know about. many of these i have found to be very good although i know i had to do a ver large amount of browsing to find. i would like to hear more about interesting / fun games that everybody doesnt already know about. thanks
NOVA is awesome
Here in Austria the iPad is still unavailable.
Maybe in September.
So I take a look at this game if I have an iPad.

Greetings
Chris
I do not have an iPad but my friend has a game for his Iphone and it is called Jelly Car.
IT IS VITAL. IT IS THE MOST FUN MOST ADDICTING AND AWESOMEST GAME I HAVE EVER PLAYED.
BUT, Potty Racer is fun too.
can you realise one up-to-date must to have games for Iphones? Some new games appears on 2010.
Wow lots of upset aviarians?!?

I do thank the list makers for creating such a controversial post that it’s actually introduced me to some new favs: Spinder blocks, Line-up, and Fieldrunners. Thx!
I’m a big fan of Jewel Quest – How about include some of the updated versions like Jewel Quest III?
I second or third the notion of picking games that aren’t already on the top lists. With over 225,000 apps, a huge percentage games, we need more info on the hidden treasures.

I like DodgeDot
Really cool game.
Doodle Jump is by far the best game ever!
Galcon Fusion would make my list only because I think that Phil Hassey scored a big hit with the original Galcon, and multi tough makes it that much better.

If I include games that work on the iPhone as well I would include Word Warp X which needs a larger or better dictionary, and Pac-Man CE both are fun to play for long periods of time.
You forgot about AstroPhobia! Greatest retro arcade asteroids type blaster designed for iPad!
I just got my I-phone and saw that Angry Birds was one of the most popular games on ITunes. Tried the free version and 2 minutes later I HAD to buy the full version. It is relaxing, frustrating and just plain fun for us puzzle fanatics! The sound track rocks and it definitely should be on the list!
awsome!!!!!
Angry Birds ROCKS! I like the iPhone and iPad versions! The HD iPad one is awesome though. LOL
Apparently, I am the ONLY iPhone owner who doesn’t have Angry Birds…

*surreptitiously accessing the App Store*
So what if he didn’t want to include the Birds? It’s his list of games, not yours. Why on earth are people upset? Folk get so righteous about stuff they read on the internet, it’s a little pathetic! Personally I think the iPad Angry Birds is a waste of money – it’s identical to the original iPhone version except for graphics, and it’s not a Universal App. I think that’s greedy personally, even though all the amazing updates are free.

I also think this list is already hugely outdated.
Hexius is my favourite iPad game. Why weren’t there any puzzle games at all in that list?
what if they made castle crashers for ipad? that game is addicting… also I KNOW for a fact almost everyone i know has need for speed, why not adding cool games that were out but didnt get big because of the stupid mafia wars taking over.. ugh all of that was lame
Did you hear of the game “angry birds” ?