17 best offline games for iPhone and iPad

Are you hampered by a limited data plan or traveling to places where you can't connect to the Internet? Whatever the reason, you'll be offline from time to time, but that doesn't mean you're bound to get bored, stuck somewhere without the Internet.

iPhone and/or iPad are powerful gaming devices and you don't even need Internet access to use them. This is because iOS games can be played offline. Here are the best offline games for iOS.

1. Alto's Adventure

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Alto's Adventure is an endless skiing adventure game. You take control of Alto and ski along the slopes of the Andes. Collect the coins and avoid obstacles in the process. Use touch controls to make Alto jump and increase score by performing tricks. The entire game can be played offline, so enjoy your Andean adventure while riding the metro, for example.

 2. Alto's Odyssey

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The sequel to Alto's Adventure, Alto's Odyssey, keeps everything you liked about the original and adds a little new flavor. Changed characters, locations and music, plus a few new mechanics make this game feel more like an expansion than a true sequel. However, if you like Adventure, you will also love Odyssey.

3. Monument Valley

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Have you ever seen one of MC Escher's surreal paintings and wanted to explore them? That's what Monument Valley is all about.

You play as Ro, a little girl who wanders through colorful buildings and solves complex puzzles. Your primary tool is the ability to change the perspective of the screen, which opens up new paths.

Beautiful visuals and a mysterious setting make this game one of the most thrilling and engaging experiences you can have on your phone. Even better, you can play the game completely offline, without using the Internet.

 4. Monument Valley 2

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In this sequel to Monument Valley, you play as Ro's daughter, navigating through everything in an attempt to find her. The concept is essentially the same, but the visuals are much more striking, the puzzle solving much more subtle and nuanced. The beauty of the graphics really shines on a larger screen, making these two games the best offline iPad games.

5. BADLAND

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BADLAND is a challenging puzzle game that takes the character through a world full of dangerous traps and hazards.

Use touch controls to keep the ball in the air, while watching out for spinning blades, spikes, and many other dangerous objects that can pop it. Many things can help the ball get bigger, smaller, multiply and more.

This challenging game will captivate you. The creepy music and beautiful gothic visuals will keep you entertained. There is a local multiplayer mode, but all gameplay can be experienced offline.

6. BADLAND 2

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 BADLAND 2 adds some new mechanics, especially for moving the character left and right, which should relieve some of the pressure. However, the essence of the game remains the same. There's an online multiplayer mode, but like its predecessor, this game really shines when played offline, such as on an iPhone, alone with a headset and immersed in the experience.

7. SevenBloks

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This innovative puzzle game is like a combination of Tetris and Sudoku. The rules are very simple. You have a 7x6 grid, filled with blocks with numbers on them, from 1 to 7. Whenever a numbered block is in a column or a row with the same value, it is removed. If cleared next to a white block, the white block will crack, revealing a numbered block.

The goal, like Tetris, is to keep the blocks from rising upwards and score points while doing so. The game is simple, but very attractive with endless challenges. You can experience everything except the leaderboards offline, making SevenBloks a great game to play while waiting for an appointment or taking the train through an area without WiFi.

Download SevenBloks (Free, in-app purchases)

8. Mini Metro

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Another puzzle game with a nice interface, Mini Metro, allows you to build your own mass transit system. Using maps of real-world cities, you can draw your own routes to connect different stations.

You have a limited number of lines and trains, as well as an ever-increasing number of stations, so you have to place everything wisely. If people wait too long at any one station, you lose.

The maps, as well as the layout in the game, are simple and beautiful, with an aesthetic similar to the minimalist maps found in many major cities.

9. Civilization VI

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 Civilization VI, the latest installment of this epic strategy game, is finally available on iOS. In Civilization VI you, as the leader, strive to dominate the world throughout history.

Using real-world leaders, place names, and historical sites, Civil is a turn-based game that's easy to play in no time. This makes it the perfect option for iOS.

While you can engage in online and local multiplayer, an offline AI campaign is an incredibly fun option on a subway ride or long flight.

If Civilization VI doesn't appeal, there are other ways to play Civilization on your phone.

Download Civilization VI (Available for free, in-app purchases).

10. Stardew Valley

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Stardew Valley lets you escape all the troubles and run your own farm in a small town.

Beautiful 8-bit graphics, simple, non-competitive gameplay, and oddly engaging dungeon crawling make this game one of the best ways to kill time on a long subway ride. When city life gets you tired, escape to Pelican Town, where all you have to do is harvest your pumpkins on time.

11. New York Times Crossword

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New York Times Crossword, edited by Will Shortz, is the gold standard for daily puzzles. Get access to the latest crosswords every day, as well as the entire archive of past crosswords with the New York Times Crossword app.

In addition to quizzes, the app also has several other features. Keep track of your solved puzzles on the Stats page, go to the Archive to solve puzzles from the past or buy special crossword packs.

You can sign up for a New York Times Digital Subscription or just subscribe to a crossword puzzle. Without registration you will only have access to the Daily Mini crossword. This may not be a problem, but there's nothing quite like a full puzzle.

Although Internet access is required to download new crosswords, an unlimited number of crosswords can be stored offline for later play.

Download New York Times Crossword (Free, in-app purchases).

12. Ticket to Ride

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Ticket to Ride helps you and your friends become railway tycoons, competing to be the first to link countries by train.

 You can play in Pass-And-Play mode, but this is also the perfect game to play in solo mode. Each game takes 15 to 20 minutes, perfect for spending time on a real train.

Download Ticket to Ride ($4.99/in-app purchase available).

13. Minecraft

The global phenomenon - Minecraft - is available on all platforms, including your iPhone or iPad. The build and explore sandbox that transitions to smooth iOS controls is perfect if you want something online or offline.

While you can play with other friends and work together in the same world, you can also play the game without using any data or WiFi connection after purchase. Whether it's your first time playing or returning after years away, you're bound to spend hours creating a world right from your phone.

Download Minecraft ($6.99)

14. Plague Inc.

Plague Inc. is an iOS and iPad game where you try to infect the world with various diseases. It's the perfect game to play while waiting and runs quite smoothly regardless of your phone's specs.

Plague Inc. will take some getting used to, depending on the difficulty you play on, giving you a challenging experience that you can return to again and again to try different strategies.

Download Plague Inc ($0.99)

15. Jetpack Joyride

A fast-paced game that you can play anytime, anywhere, Jetpack Joyride has fun mechanics, a cool and engaging art style, perfect for fans of runner games.

In Jetpack Joyride, you fly along maps, trying to collect as many coins as possible while avoiding missiles and lasers by flying high or low. Over time, your character will speed up, and the game's difficulty will also increase.

Get Jetpack Joyride (Free, in-app purchases available)

16. Combat Master Mobile

If you are a fan of the first-person shooter genre and are looking for an exciting experience that you can enjoy without an Internet connection, then Combat Master Mobile is the game you should check out, more specifically, Its offline mode. In this mode, you'll find yourself pitted against "tough" bots, which do a good job of creating a level of unpredictability and skill among human players.

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You can unlock new weapons and accessories even when playing offline, a feature uncommon on many mobile shooters. This makes Combat Master Mobile the top choice among the best offline games for iPhone.

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The technical aspects of Combat Master Mobile are equally impressive. The game boasts high-level performance with outstanding AAA graphics that run smoothly across multiple devices. Add to that a diverse map design that caters to a variety of combat styles, from close combat to long-range sniper shootouts, and you have a game that is both versatile and fun.

 Download Combat Master Mobile (Free)

17. Kingdom Rush

Kingdom Rush, an award-winning defense game, tasks you with defending your kingdom and castle against evil forces. With a huge arsenal of towers, spells and heroes at your command, each battle requires careful planning and the execution of the right strategy.

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The game is set in a diverse setting, forcing players to adapt their tactics to a variety of environmental conditions and enemy types. For example, forests require a different approach than rugged mountains, while desolate wastelands require a different strategic angle.

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With over 60 achievements to unlock and additional game modes that test your tactical skills, Kingdom Rush is guaranteed to keep you entertained for a long time. If you pause for too long, you can rely on the in-game encyclopedia to help you get back on track.

Download Kingdom Rush (Free)

The article introduced some of the best games you can enjoy offline on iOS, and it's easy to find more iOS games worth playing.

If you want to play games offline on your iPhone but still have fun with friends, you should play group games on your iPhone.

And if you're looking for more ways to save data, use these 5 mobile data management apps on iOS, Android to reduce your mobile data usage.

Hope you find the right options for yourself!

Micah Soto

Update 07 December 2023