Summary
It used to be that PC and console gamers used to turn their noses up at the sight of mobile titles. While there’s still a fair amount of snobbery regarding mobile games, the truth is they’ve gotten a lot better. There are even somegreat AAA mobile games these days.
That being said, finding good games for Apple’s iPad, especially first-person shooters, isn’t easy. Navigating the App Store is a lot like the Wild West, and it can be hard to find anything that isn’t ad-riddled free-to-play bloatware or aCall of Dutyknock-off. The games here have all been chosen based on how fun they are to play and how well-received they’ve been, but we’ve ignored the minefield that is App Store reviews. Included is a mix of free and paid games while trying to avoid entries that feel like clones of each other.
Love it or hate it,Call of Dutyhas been the most popular FPS franchise ever since the originalModern Warfarewas released back in 2007. WhenCall of Duty: Mobilewas announced in 2019, fans were skeptical that a mobile release could recapture thatCODmagic, but the game turned out to be surprisingly good. Years of updates have only made it better.
In a lot of ways, the game feels like a callback to classicCall of Dutybefore the franchise became obsessed with Battle Royale modes and battle passes. It features a handful of classic multiplayer modes, and older fans of the franchise will recognize many of its iconic maps from classic COD games. The game looks great, especially on newer iPads, and the touchscreen controls are serviceable (it’s recommended to use a controller though). The only thing it’s missing is agood single-playerCall of Dutycampaign, but then again, those aren’t even guaranteed with the franchise’s PC and console releases these days.
Not everyone wants to play a competitive FPS on their iPad, which is a bit of a problem when the App Store is awash withCall of Dutyclones. Thankfully, there are a handful of paid FPS games that tackle other genres.Gunfire Rebornis one of these, an excellent FPS/roguelite mash-up that allows for single-player as well as 4-player co-op.
Players can tell straight away from the game’s quality that this is a paid game that was also released on PC and consoles. There’s ahost of heroes to unlock, each with unique abilities and skill trees, as well as dozens of guns and magical scrolls to find. The low-poly art might seem simple, but the Chinese-flavored art gives the game a lot of character. The roguelite structure and procedurally generated levels meanGunfire Rebornhas a ton of replay value to boot. For those who still haven’t got the hang of touchscreen controls, the game actively supports Xbox and PlayStation controllers too.
Developer: Critical Force LTD.
Genre: FPS
Just because a game copies an established formula doesn’t mean it’s necessarily bad.Critical Opsmight be aCounter-Strikeclone, but it’s a really good one. It’s a skill-based, tactical 5v5 shooter that’s one ofthe best FPS games fans can only play on mobile. It includes classic game modes like Defuse, Team Deathmatch, and Gun Game, and rewards strategy and teamwork over twitch reflexes.
The developers have worked hard to build a community around the game, andCritical Opseven has its own esports scene. That means players can expect everything that usually comes with an esports title - optimized performance and controls, ranked matchmaking, and regular competitions and tournaments. Fans ofCounter-Strikewill love it, and it’s entirely possible to spend dozens of hours playing without spending a penny.
Developer: Gameloft
Before there wasCall of Duty: Mobilethe best place to get an FPS fix on an iPad wasModern Combat 5. While it’s a little dated by today’s standards, the title remains one ofthe best mobile games of all timeand, thanks to frequent updates, is still available to play on newer hardware.
These days, the best thing aboutModern Combat 5is arguably its single-player campaign. It tells a frantic, country-hopping story that does a decent job of evokingCall of Dutycampaigns of old, and the controls feel as good today as they did ten years ago. The multiplayer mode is still a blast, but it has fallen behind newer competition likeCall of Duty: Mobile. Despite recent updates, technical hitches on newer iPads also spoil the multiplayer a bit. Still,Modern Combat 5is worth downloading just for the free campaign.
Developer: Madfigner Games
It says a lot about the FPS market on the iPad that so many of the best examples are so old.Dead Trigger 2is another golden oldie that’s just as fun now as it was upon release. Thanks to visual updates, the game still looks great on the iPad, and the FPS controls are about as good as one can find on a touchscreen. There are a lot of free-to-play zombie games to choose from on iOS, butDead Trigger 2remains one of the best.
The game has expanded a lot, adding features like base building and extra missions, but the core gameplay has remained largely the same: run through linear levels, shoot zombies, and then upgrade one’s arsenal using several different currencies. These levels are tied together via a continent-hopping story that’s surprisingly good, even if it’s been left unfinished. The moment-to-moment zombie killing feels great, and enemy types and level designs are varied enough to stop fatigue from setting in too quickly. However, there are some drawbacks. As an old-school free-to-play game,Dead Trigger2features slightly too many ads and breaks up gameplay with irritating countdowns between levels. Furthermore, there are difficulty spikes that require either excessive grinding or splashing out real-world money.
It’s a running joke that, at this point,Doomhas been ported to everything with a screen, and that includes the iPad. In 2019, to celebrateDoom’s25th birthday, Bethesda announced a rerelease of the original game for a host of modern devices.Doomfans were excited until they got their hands on the iPad version. It’s safe to say that it wasn’t a great way to play one ofthe bestDoomgames.
The game looked great and ran well, as should a 25-year-old title on modern hardware, but the controls were bad. Thankfully, they’ve been fixed in updates, andDoomon iPad is a ton of fun.Doomis one of the most important games ever made, and returning to it today feels like an interactive history lesson in game design. Some younger gamers might find it a little difficult, but it has aged extraordinarily well, with its level design in particular still being a highlight.
Genre: FPS, RPG
Shadowgun Legendsis basicallyDestiny 2for iPad. It’s an FPS/RPG hybrid with over 200 missions to play either solo or co-op, with a heavy focus on character customization. There are over 600 weapons and 1,000 armor pieces to collect, each of which can have a drastic effect on the gamer’s playstyle. For a free-to-play looter shooter, there’s a surprising amount of depth to designing the optimal build for each weapon type.
On the iPad in particular, the game looks excellent and, at a glance, is easy to mistake for its clear inspiration,Destiny 2. The story is good, if a bit generic for a sci-fi shooter, and is plenty of fun to play through either solo or with friends. For FPS fans who prefer PVE content to PVP,Shadowgun Legendsis about as good as it gets on the iPad. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for its PVP modes. Too many unlocks for the PVP mode are locked behind paywalls, and the game has a serious hacker problem.
CallingResident Evil Villagean FPS might be a bit of a stretch for some - it’s more of a horror game with FPS elements. However, it’s so technically impressive that it had to be included.Resident Evil Villageon the iPad isn’t some crummy, watered-down port. It’s the same game fans loved from console and PC, ported over thanks to the power of Apple’s M1 (and newer) chips.
Everything fans loved about one ofthe bestResident Evilgamesis here. The visual fidelity is amazing, and while buggy at launch, these days the game runs well, particularly on higher-end iPads. It’s a true AAA experience, with a couple of caveats.Resident Evil Villageis only available on iPads equipped with the M1 chip or newer, and, realistically, it needs a controller to be played properly. It’s the kind of game that gives fans hope that one day the iPad might be able to give the likes of the Steam Deck a run for its money.
