The iPad is a versatile gaming platform.
Those words may cause hardcore gamers' eyes to bleed, but Apple's App Store hosts a wide variety of titles that are available for download to an iPad or iPad mini. The game selection is so much more than Angry Birds.
Just a few years ago, the gaming industry was dominated by Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony—no other company made a significant play. Then Apple's iOS mobile platform, rapid App Store growth, and millions of iPads in consumers' hands created the perfect environment for Cupertino to get in the mix. And it's done so marvelously.
The
iPad$589.98 at Amazon and
iPad mini's
$299.00 at Apple Storegorgeous displays give gamers a more open, visual experience that isn't as restricted as the iPhone/DS/3DS/PlayStation Vita's relatively small displays. This makes it an excellent device for any number of games, but it especially benefits those with large footprints, such as board games like Catan and Carcassone.
Initially, many iPad games fell into the casual and diversionary categories (Angry Birds, Temple Run), but an increasing number of the best iPad games are aimed at the dedicated, or "core," audience. Gameloft, for example, has excelled at creating "inspired" mobile versions of hit console games (9MM is a rather entertaining Max Payne close). The Infinity Blade series sports graphic fidelity rarely seen in the mobile space. Cave delivers ports of insane bullet-hell shmups (DoDonPachi Resurrection, Espgaluda II HD) that will obliterate the Angry Birds crowd with their intense twitch gameplay.
Many iPad games fall within the $2 to $10 range, but you can find titles that are free (Temple Run), or carry price tags that approach the $20 mark (such as the $14.99 SoulCalibur). Still, that's about the half the price of your typical DS/3DS/3DS XL/PlayStation Vita title.
iPad gaming has one significant drawback, however: Unlike traditional video-game portables, the iPad lacks physical controls, which can make gameplay less than intuitive on certain titles that weren't built from the ground up with iOS in mind or that demand intricate controller inputs (such as fighting games like The King of Fighters-i, though they usually have a streamlined iOS-friendly control scheme).
If you're ready to iPad game, check out our story to discover what we consider to be 75 can't-miss games that will keep you entertained at home or on the road. The majority is dedicated iPad games, but we also include a few iPhone games that look great when played in 2X mode. Think we missed a game? Be sure to let us know in the comments so we can consider it for our next update.
