10 Must-Play Games for Your New iPhone 6
Are you one of the lucky ones whose iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus arrived today? Or maybe one of the crazy ones who lined up outside your local Apple Store? Either way, congrats!
Our first tip: Don’t drop it. Our second tip: Get some games that showcase the bigger screen and improved guts. Only a handful have thus far been optimized for the Metal graphics processor — we mention them below — but there are plenty of others that still deserve a spot on your shiny new i-device.
1. Asphalt 8: Airborne
The Asphalt series has always been a looker, jam-packed with spiffy, speedy cars that elicit oohs and aahs from onlookers. Gameloft not only polished up the graphics with its Metal update, but it also tossed in a Metal-exclusive season with three times as many opponents as any other Asphalt game.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE.
2. Epic Zen Garden
OK, this isn’t a game, technically. It’s more of a tech demo. But hot damn, is it a pretty one! The developer behind Gears of War and Unreal put together this soothing experience (complete with a koi pond and sand raking) using the same engine that’s being used to power Fable Legends on the Xbox One.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE.
3. Monument Valley
If M.C. Escher made a video game, this would be it. This winding, brain-warping puzzler routinely ignores gravity and the laws of physics, creating a dreamworld that is positively surreal and drop-dead gorgeous.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE.
4. Plunder Pirates
This free-to-play title from the company behind Angry Birds is cartoonishly goofy, letting you recruit a pirate army and sail your galleon into battle against other players. If you’re familiar with games like Clash of Clans, you get the gist.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE.
5. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite
You want a big game? They don’t come much bigger than this. Capcom’s 2008 PSP and PS Vita game made a big splash in the iOS world with a seemingly endless supply of missions and monsters. Perfect for the bigger screen of the iPhone 6 Plus, but be sure to also grab a Bluetooth gamepad for this one.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE.
6. Valiant Hearts: The Great War
It’s not Metal-optimized, but this World War II-themed puzzle/adventure game makes up for that with a terrific, emotional story. It’s just as good as the console version that came out earlier this year — maybe better, since you can take it wherever you go.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE.
7. 80 Days
A steampunk twist on a Jules Verne tale? Sign us up! Try to recreate Phileas Fogg’s journey around the globe, racing the clock and other players. It’s interactive fiction at its very best.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE.
8. Modern Combat 5: Blackout
Yeah, it’s a Call of Duty clone, but it’s not a bad one. And with its Metal optimization, you’ll get bigger, better explosions and some seriously impressive weather effects, including a very cool heat haze. Mobile warfare has never been so pretty.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE.
9. The Room Two
Like its predecessor, this app is atmospheric and brooding. It’s a bit like the classic PC game MYST, featuring challenging puzzles and crisp, beautiful graphics.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE.
10. Vainglory
It won’t be out until next month, but make a mental note to download this multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game ASAP. Apple believed in it enough to make it the gaming focal point of the iPhone 6 announcement. That’s a serious endorsement.
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