With the iTunes holiday freeze upon us, we’re finally able to close the books on mobile gaming in 2016 with a massive list of the 100 best games released this year. Instead of just listing off the highest scoring games of the year, we tried to put together 100 of the best games spread across every genre we can think of, with an fairly even split between both mobile exclusives as well as fantastic multi-platform titles. We’ve reviewed the vast majority of these games, and this list represents the culmination of hundreds of man hours of work through 2016 as we consistently strive to make TouchArcade the place to go to find awesome games to play on your phone. While all the links are to the App Store, practically all of these games are also available on Android and can be found via searching whatever storefront you prefer.

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This list of 100 games was whittled down from a list of thousands of incredible games we covered this year, and the whole staff pitched in on writing the descriptions to fill out the list. Next week we’ll be publishing our own personal ten favorite games, so if you don’t see a particular niche title in this list, there’s way more year-end “best of" coverage to come.

Adventures of Mana, $13.99 – Review – Forum Thread – It’s often the case that remakes change a game so much that the parts you originally loved aren’t there anymore. It’s a pain that fans of Square’s Game Boy classic Final Fantasy Adventure know too well thanks to the Game Boy Advance remake, Sword of Mana. Well, it took another 15 years, but Adventures of Mana finally gives us an authentic remake, all done up with modern visuals and a remastered soundtrack. That slavish accuracy sometimes makes the game feel somewhat aged, but overall, this is a fantastic action-RPG that plays great on mobile. -SM

Apollo Justice Ace Attorney, $0.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Apollo Justice Ace Attorney isn’t exactly a a favorite of many Ace Attorney fans, but even a middling game in this series is worth checking out. This was the first game in the series to debut on hardware more powerful than the Game Boy Advance, and the upgrade was put to good use in adding more detailed animations and interesting gimmicks. It also debuts a new hero, taking some of the focus off of Phoenix Wright. For mobile fans, the important thing is that we finally have the strange gap between the Phoenix Wright Trilogy and Dual Destinies filled. Thankfully, this port turned out more like that of the latter than the former. -SM

Assassin's Creed Identity, $1.99 – Launch Announcement – Forum Thread – Assassin’s Creed Identity toes a very interesting line as a mobile entry of a fairly popular console series. The visuals are pretty impressive and the controls and general gameplay very much feel like a streamlined mobile version of the real thing (complete with short, mobile-sized missions to boot). It’s the freemium trimmings, such as timers and premium currency where it becomes very clear where Identity falls on the gameplay spectrum. Still, it’s an excellent example of a title that can offer a core experience in a freemium world. -EF 

Assoluto Racing, Free – Update Announcement – Forum Thread – There are actually a ton of great racers on the App Store, plenty of them released this year, but for our money Assoluto Racing is the best all-around racer released in 2016. It straddles the perfect line between racing simulation and the more approachable arcade style of racers. It’s also full of real licensed vehicles, has gorgeous graphics and fun tracks, and somehow also manages to be a free to play game that doesn’t completely offend all of your senses. –JN

Atomic Super Lander, $2.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Atomic Super Lander combines the fun of jetpacking around and blowing up asteroids, two of TouchArcade’s favorite pastimes. The game doesn’t take itself seriously in the slightest and is filled with a ton of humor. Most importantly of all though is that this is just a fun game to play, jetting around and trying not to die on the myriad of deadly hazards. Coupled with an almost rogulike “see how many levels you can beat in a row" hook and Atomic Super Lander became a go-to game to find a reliable source of silly fun. –JN

Avadon 3: The Warborn HD, $9.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Avadon 3: The Warborn is a worthy conclusion to the Avadon trilogy that Jeff Vogel’s Spiderweb Software has been working on lately. Excellent writing, a fairly deep character customization system and a smooth, mission-based storyline complement the CRPG visuals that Spiderweb’s RPGs are known for. It’s an excellent title in a niche genre that’s worth checking out. -EF

Banner Saga 2, $9.99 – Review – Forum Thread – The incredible sequel to Banner Saga hit the App Store earlier this year and our excitement was tempered by a few annoying technical issues with the port which… Have slowly been fixed through updates. If you’re looking for a tactical adventure filled with viking battles and a surprisingly gripping storyline, look no further on Banner Saga 2. The game is playable on iPhones, but really shines on the larger screen of the iPad. -EH

Batman - The Telltale Series, Free – Review – Forum Thread – We’re not sure if it’s the result of a monkey’s paw wish, a deal with the devil, or what, but Telltale has been on fire with fantastic narrative-driven game releases this year. Their spin on Batman is fascinating to play through, as the balance between the decisions you make as Bruce Wayne impact your nights as Batman and vice versa. Most (all?) Batman games seem to focus primarily on playing as The Dark Knight, so if nothing else, playing so much as Bruce Wayne feels like an incredibly fresh spin. -EH

Blitz Breaker, $2.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Reece Kelly made a fantastic speedy platformer in Blitz Breaker. The midair dashing is fun to play with, and lends itself to a ton of fun challenges. With tough timing windows, interesting boss fights, and devious optional objectives, the air-dashing is put to its test here. But part of what makes Blitz Breaker so memorable is its unique color palette. Plenty of games have pixel art, but few look quite like this. -CD

Bullet Hell Monday, Free – Review – Forum Thread – Last year, some of the best shoot-em-up action to be had came in the form of the two .Decluster games from developer Masayuki Ito. You would think that would entitle the guy to a break, but he came out just as strong this year with Bullet Hell Monday. Packed with stages and a variety of ships that actually feel quite different from one another, this is a delightful shoot-em-up that nails the core of what makes this genre work so well: tense action, score attacking, and enough near-misses to send you to a fainting couch. -SM

Bully: Anniversary Edition, $6.99 – Review – Forum Thread – If you missed the original release of Bully, and its remake, perhaps the third time is the charm for this year’s annual Rockstar release. Bully is basically a Grand Theft Auto game without cars, set at a private boarding school with a setting and plot line that manages to totally capture the nostalgic feel of what it was like dealing with cliques at school. This iteration of the game is enhanced further beyond the Scholarship Edition that was released a few years ago, making Bully: Anniversary Edition the definitive version of the game. -EH

Burrito Bison: Launcha Libre, Free – Forum Thread – We’re not really sure what it is about these sorts of “see how far you can go and constantly upgrade things" games that gets their hooks in us so severely, but Burrito Bison: Launcha Libre is the latest and greatest installment of what once started out as an incredibly popular Flash game. The concept of launching from a wrestling ring and smashing as many gummy bears as you can makes almost no sense, but, that’s fine, because there’s always another upgrade around the corner and just think of how many gummy bears you’ll be able to smash once you get it. -EH

Chameleon Run, $1.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Already winning an Apple Design Award, Chameleon Run has proven its mettle when it comes to being worthy of any best games list this year. We loved how well this game nails a color switching platforming mechanic, and it has an impressive amount of replay value through encouraging players to run through the same courses over and over with slightly different objectives. It’s great on mobile, but also a ton of fun on the Apple TV as well. -EH

Circa Infinity - GameClub, Free – Review – Forum Thread – 2016 brought us even more simple one-tap games, and Circa Infinity is a fabulously weird entry in that genre. I think of this game as like the title sequence of the movie Twelve Monkeys meets a circular platformer where you jump between levels of a endlessly expanding circle. The primary mechanic is interesting enough on its own, but it’s spiced up significantly with all sorts of enemy types, multiple obstacles, and more. -EH

Clash Royale, Free – Review – Forum Thread – Supercell had huge shoes to fill as it searched for a followup to Clash of Clans, the game which effectively rewrote what success on mobile is. They found it in Clash Royale, a real-time player versus player card battler that has practically been glued to the top grossing list since it was released. There are many (very valid) criticisms to be made both on how the game is structured and how the F2P elements come into play, but if you haven’t at least tried Clash Royale you’re really missing out. -EH

Crashlands, $6.99 – Review – Forum Thread – In this post-Minecraft world we live in, you’d think the crafting game genre would be totally saturated, then Butterscotch Shenanigans comes out of the blue with Crashlands. Even those of us at TouchArcade who don’t typically like crafting games couldn’t put this one down, as they succeeded in removing practically everything that can make crafting games annoying and instead offer a super-pure experience that’s enjoyable to both hardcore and ultra-casual gamers alike. Loads of post-launch support has only made Crashlands better and better, making this game as must-have as it gets. -EH

Crypt of the NecroDancer, $3.99 – Review – Forum Thread – This is is absolutely one of the most original roguelikes you’ll ever play, as you have to move to the rhythm while crawling through deadly dungeons. But even for the rhythmically-challenged, alternate game modes and upgrades help make this an accessible experience. There’s so much to do, and mastering the game is incredibly rewarding. The mobile port also brought along iCloud syncing, controller support, and Apple TV play. Pretty much the only thing missing from this excellent port was dance pad support. This is one of the most fun and original games of recent vintage. -CD

Dan The Man Platformer, Free – Review – Forum Thread – Based on a series of YouTube videos, Halfbrick’s Dan the Man is a great action platformer that manages to be free to play without being obnoxious. With graphics that remind us of the Monster World series of old Sega games, Dan the Man is fun from start to finish. The only down-side is it’s a little on the short side, but we’ll take a great experience over a game that drags on forever any day. -EH

Day of the Tentacle Remastered, $4.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Day of the Tentacle might be the most representative of classic adventure games, released at the peak of the LucasArts era, with many notable names including Ron Gilbert and Tim Schafer who worked on this one. If you’re revisiting the classic, you get a port that smooths over some of the rough spots of the original, modified for the touchscreen. If you’re playing for the first time, the time-travel element makes for some unique puzzles. The dialogue and story holds up rather well, even for first-timers. For newbies and veterans, this is a great point-and-click adventure game. -CD

Deus Ex GO, $4.99 – Review – Forum Thread – While Deus Ex Go feels a little same-y when compared to other games in Square Enix’s Go lineup, the formula works so damn well we hardly care. These turn-based games manage to distill enough of the original game into a puzzle formula that still oddly make it feel like you’re playing a Deus Ex (or Hitman, or Tomb Raider) game. This time around, a hacking mechanic comes into play, which will twist your brain as you attempt to solve each level. -EH

Dog Sled Saga, $3.99 – Launch Announcement – Forum Thread – What initially seems like a simple side-scrolling timing-based racing mini-game quickly explodes into shocking levels of dog management in Dog Sled Saga. We couldn’t get enough of tweaking out our dog racing team and min/maxing everything that goes into winning races and staying ahead of the competition. Once you master the racing mechanics, Dog Sled Saga turns into a hardcore simulation game, which will keep you coming back race after race. -EH

Don't Grind, Free – Review – Forum Thread – One of the prominent game types on the App Store are the “keep up" games, like where you tap to kick a soccer ball and try to keep it in the air. Pretty fun concept, but shallow. This is where Don’t Grind comes in. It takes that keep uppy simplicity but adds the ability to move left and right around the screen, collect starts for points, and try to dodge all manner of zany hazards that will inevitably chew you to bits. On top of those strong mechanics is a cast of hilarious unlockable googley-eyed characters that are so darn cute you *almost* feel bad when they get caught in the ol’ grinder. –JN

Dungeon Warfare, $2.99 – Launch Announcement – Forum Thread – Dungeon Warfare, the trap-laying dungeon defender with old-school visuals, makes a smooth transition from Steam to iOS. Great visuals, plenty of trap variety and a large amount of replayability make this twist on the genre well worth checking out. As if that wasn’t enough, the lack of a connectivity requirement combined with the full premium game experience (i.e. no IAP) adds even more of an incentive to play. -EF

Ember, $9.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Ember is an excellent take on the old-school RPG genre complete with over 30 hours of content, plenty of character customization via stats and inventory and a story worth playing through. Supplemental activities such as leather working, cooking, alchemy and smithing makes Ember as close as you can get to the classic PC RPGs while still maintaining an approachable play style for mobile. The only detraction is the game’s controls on iPhone devices. Otherwise, if you play on an iPad, you’re looking at a top notch, original RPG. -EF

FINAL FANTASY â…¨, $20.99 – Review – Forum Thread – After last year’s release of Final Fantasy 7, we were all expecting Final Fantasy 8 to be the next game in the series to hit mobile. Instead, Square Enix took a short hop over to Final Fantasy 9, the last game in the series to release on PlayStation 1. It was designed to be a send-off to many of the traditions of the series, making this a bittersweet experience for long-time fans. The port, done by Silicon Studios, is easily the best work done yet for this series on mobile platforms. A massive, fantastical adventure with an excellent soundtrack and tons of memorable characters, they just don’t make them like Final Fantasy 9 anymore. Make sure to check it out. -SM

Flappy Golf 2, Free – Game of the Week – Forum Thread – While Super Stickman Golf 3 has the more robust arcadey physics golf corner of the world covered, its offshoot Flappy Golf 2 has the frantic flappified version covered. Just because things have gone all flappy doesn’t mean this game is less challenging or strategic though, and making it through Flappy Golf 2’s levels is a feat in itself. However, the bananas multiplayer mode is what really gives this legs and will be the reason to keep this around on your device. Busting out Flappy Golf 2 at a party is a guaranteed hit. -JN

Galaxy on Fire 3, Free – Launch Announcement – Forum Thread – Potentially once of the most controversial releases in our community this year, Galaxy on Fire 3: Manticore takes the Galaxy on Fire formula and refreshes it into a game that makes more sense on the App Store of 2016. If you’re looking for a direct sequel to the Galaxy on Fire you remember from years ago, you’ll likely be disappointed. Without any of that baggage in mind, we found ourselves totally lost in one of the coolest (and best looking) space games we’ve seen in a while. -EH

Goat Simulator Waste of Space, $7.99 – Launch Announcement – Forum Thread – All the Goat Simulator games are great exercises in absurdity, but Waste of Space takes things to another level. Not just because it adds in all sorts of wacky space shenanigans, including a pilotable spacecraft, but because the game serves as a parody of the Star Citizen crowdfunding debacle. It’s hard to tell where Goat Simulator‘s going to go next, but this entry was perhaps its most amusing yet. -CD

Goo Saga, $1.99 – Review – Forum Thread – As the title hints, Goo Saga is a game that puts you in charge of a cute little blob of goo. Platforming mechanics that revolve around the physics of goo as well as the abilities of your goo such as inflating, deflating, and other tricks create some clever challenges as you play through the game. The production values of Goo Saga are incredibly high, with a host of great animations that truly bring your adorable little goo to life. -EH

Guild of Dungeoneering, $5.99 – Review – Forum Thread – In this day and age it feels like every variety of roguelike has been done, and we’ve since moved on to other games that utilize clever mechanics that still play inside of the familiar randomized dungeon universe. In the case of Guild of Dungeoneering, you’re assembling a dungeon to traverse via a card mechanic. It’s difficult to succinctly describe because there’s really nothing like it. When you play it, be sure to have your sound on, the soundtrack is a real treat. -EH

Guns of Infinity, $7.99 – Review – Forum Thread – We reviewed a lot of gamebooks this year, and from a pure narrative standpoint, Guns of Infinity is easily the top of the pile. While the ChoiceScript engine isn’t big on bells and whistles, in the hands of a good author and designer, it’s surprisingly flexible. From a gameplay perspective, learning to effectively manage your unit is quite enjoyable. The plot tackles the topic of war in an unusually pragmatic way, and while you may be tempted to further your character’s personal life, you’ll have to do so knowing full well that it will cost lives. Simply a wonderful example of a solidly-constructed and superbly-written gamebook. -SM

Hatoful Boyfriend, $4.99 – Review – Forum Thread – The ever-expanding genre of human-animal love got a lot of attention this year on mobile. Even setting aside the silly gimmick, however, Hatoful Boyfriend is a fascinating game. It’s a semi-serious parody of romance visual novels, and the more you play it, the stranger and more compelling it gets. The presence of the birds might seem like a toss-away visual gag at first, but there’s been a lot more thought put into this game than initial appearances reveal. -SM

Human Resource Machine, $4.99 – Review – Forum Thread – The best way to describe Human Resource Manager is as a cleverly constructed puzzle game that serves as an educational trojan horse of sorts. You think you’re just solving puzzles, but in actuality, the tasks the game asks you to complete are teaching you the fundamentals of low-level programming. If/then statements, loops, math operators, and more will be tying your brain in knots, particularly if you’ve never worked with those things before, and the whole thing is wrapped in a mysterious narrative that’ll keep you powering through levels to reach the ending. -EH

I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream, $3.99 – Review – Forum Thread – As we mentioned in our review, the worst problem of I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream is that the game, and horror stories by Harlan Ellison are criminally under-known. Originally released in 1995 and resurrected for the App Store in 2016, I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream is a point and click adventure puzzle game set in a crazy cyberpunk universe where computers built to manage wars have become self-aware. Loaded with incredibly adult themes, I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream is a dark treat from start to finish. -EH

Imbroglio, $3.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Michael Brough knows how to make some truly intriguing games, and Imbroglio maintains his standards nicely. Like his popular 868-HACK, this game is a twist on the popular roguelite genre, but the player is given a lot more control over the variables here. Gameplay largely revolves around positioning on a board, and while each character in the game comes with their own board, you’re eventually allowed to customize it. From there, an enjoyable game quickly becomes an obsession. -SM

Jade Empireâ„¢: Special Edition, $9.99 – Review – Forum Thread – While we were all waiting on an announcement for an iOS version of Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic 2, Aspyr Media came out of nowhere with this gorgeous port of the classic Bioware martial arts fantasy Jade Empire. This was something of an experimental game for the developer, and combined with its late release during the Xbox’s waning years, a lot of people missed out on it. The controls can be a little tricky to wrestle with at times, but it’s worth a few problems here and there to be able to enjoy this classic on the go. -SM

Kathy Rain, $2.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Clifftop Games paid homage to the 1990s in Kathy Rain, from the game’s setting to its old-school point-and-click adventure gameplay, featuring a 4:3 aspect ratio and chunky pixel art. And it stands up well with the greats of its genre, thanks to a story with full voice acting that is compelling to the very end, and left us wanting more from the smart-aleck young detective. -CD

King Rabbit - Classic, Free – Review – Forum Thread – The followup to Furdemption, King Rabbit shares most of the same mechanics in that you’re still guiding a rabbit through a series of increasingly treacherous trap-filled levels with a seemingly endless array of different challenges as the game progresses. The difficulty curve of King Rabbit rises flawlessly, as it really eases players in to how the game works before shifting gears and asking you to solve even more elaborate puzzles with all the blocks traps you’ve already learned how to conquer. Sequels rarely get better than this. -EH

Le Parker Extraordinaire, Free – Review – Forum Thread – Chef Parker has a strange talent: Making a meringue so light it literally floats. He entrusts his recipe with his best gal The Princess, but unfortunately the evil King wants to use the recipe for nefarious purposes and snatches up Parker’s lady in the process of stealing it. This classic platformer plot falls right in line with the classic platformers of old that Le Parker Sous Chef Extraordinaire pays such perfect homage to. A beautiful color pallette and tight controls make this one of the more enjoyable retro-style platformers released this year, and also one of the most challenging. –JN

LEGO® Star Warsâ„¢ - TFA, Free – Review – Forum Thread – If nothing else, LEGO games provide some reliable fun and excellent fan service. While the original LEGO Star Wars was ported to iOS from the console version, that wasn’t going to be a realistic outcome for LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Fortunately, the handheld/mobile versions of this one were quite good, offering a solid adaptation of the popular film and plenty of side content and bonus characters from outside the story of the movie. The famous LEGO sense of humor is firmly in place here, making this a lively way to revisit the biggest box office smash in American film history. -SM

Leap Day, Free – Review – Forum Thread – Nitrome was on fire with awesome game releases this year, but few stuck with us like Leap Day. They turned the often exploited freemium mechanic of daily challenges into an entire game, which each new day bringing a whole new level that everyone plays. Movement is handled automatically, which initially seems sort of weird but it quickly lends itself to loads of depth that otherwise wouldn’t be as easy to execute with touchscreen controls. Do not miss this game. -EH

Leap of Fate, $3.99 – Review – Forum Thread – It’s not often we get fast-paced action games that feel like they’re not compromising anything by being made for a touchscreen. That’s exactly what Leap of Fate offered with its natural-feeling control scheme and bursts of intense bite-sized action. Its ultra slick cyberpunk theme and interesting characters and lore made this the type of game that you just felt cool playing. It’s also a satisfyingly challenging game that’s peppered with plenty of long-term progression built around its roguelike core. –JN

Legend of the Skyfish, $3.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Making a Zelda-style game can be tough, because you’re trying to imitate some of the masters of game design. Mgaia Studios decided with Legend of the Skyfish to focus just on one aspect, the hookshot, and base the entire game around that. The protagonist’s fishing rod opens up unique puzzles to solve, and interesting combat technique. Its inspirations are apparent, but it’s a fun and original game worthy of recognition. -CD

Looty Dungeon, Free – Game of the Week – Forum Thread – We saw loads of verby noun games get released this year, and few stood out as much as Looty Dungeon. Paying a hefty homage to Crossy Road, you’ll navigate through dungeons and deal with all sort of delightfully cliche traps and enemies. Gameplay is spiced up further through an extensive array of unlockable characters, each with totally different abilities and play styles which often significantly change the entire way you approach playing through the game. -EH

Lost Frontier, $2.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Mika Mobile have built a name for themselves on the App Store with incredible animation and art design in their game, and while Lost Frontier definitely falls in line with that, it’s not as instantly approachable as other classics of theirs. Doing well in this wild west universe of gunslingers requires way more tactical thinking than than we were used to with other Mike Mobile titles like Battleheart and Zombieville USA. It’s a welcome change of pace with a surprising amount of depth, and hopefully it’s representative of what we can expect out of Mika Mobile in 2017. -EH

Lost Socks: Naughty Brothers, Free – Review – Forum Thread – If you fancy yourself a Real Gamer, Lost Socks: Naughty Brothers is a game you need on your phone. It’s a platformer with attention to details in its animation rarely seen on mobile, but what makes it really stand out is the game’s brutal difficulty through the exacting platforming required to successfully make it through each level. If you want to have your platforming mettle truly tested, look no further than Lost Socks. -EH

Love You To Bits, $3.99 – Game of the Week – Forum Thread – Veterans of Tiny Thief came together to make an adventure game that was almost too charming for its own good. The art is gorgeous, and the puzzles are clever too. But the story of the young lover trying to rescue his robotic girlfriend’s body parts that have been scattered all over the galaxy, is the star here. It perfectly walks the line between silliness and sweetness. -CD

LUMINES PUZZLE & MUSIC, $2.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Still shining bright after all these years, Lumines has once again made a splash on mobile with its latest installment, Lumines Puzzle & Music. Featuring a selection of new tracks, classic hits, and extra purchasable albums, Puzzle & Music has plenty of stuff to keep you busy. The visuals are a treat, and the music even more so. Most importantly, the controls work quite well in this version, enabling you to match to the beat as fast as you can move your fingers. The stylish puzzle gameplay of Lumines inspired a lot of the competition it now faces, but it holds its own just fine. -SM

Mekorama, Free – Review – Forum Thread – On the surface Mekorama is a very quirky and entertaining puzzle platformer, but its value extends well beyond the set of levels it comes bundled with. With its dead-simple-to-use level editor Mekorama is almost like a toy that you never get tired of playing with, and with its similarly simple QR code level sharing system, it makes it easy to amass a deep library of clever creations from the player community. –JN

Mikey Jumps, Free – Review – Forum Thread – Like the old saying, there’s nothing more American than Apple Pie, there’s nothing more TouchArcade than the Mikey series of games. They were born in the TouchArcade forums, tested by our community members, and have since become a staple. Mikey Jumps feels like a quick hits “best of" of Mikey mechanics, with levels designed to be played in a matter of seconds. All the Mikey games are worth playing, and Mikey Jumps is no different. -EH

Mini Metro, $3.99 – Launch Announcement – Forum Thread – This absurdly clever puzzler puts you in charge of building out a public transit system with an interface that looks just like a subway map. The only down-side to the game is the supremely minimal UI can be a little confusing at first, as there’s lots of touch points to do various things which aren’t immediately obvious otherwise. Patience of working through these tiny speed bumps will reward you with one of our favorite puzzle games of the year. -EH

Mr. Robot:1.51exfiltrati0n.ipa, $2.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Mr. Robot Exfiltration easily stands out as one of the best choose-your-own-adventure games on mobile, and given how populated that genre is, that says a lot. The game perfectly imitates mobile communication and manages to almost trick you into believing you’re communicating with real people. You’ll hack your way into all kinds of places, tricking and misleading people in highly entertaining – and morally dubious – ways. –TL

Nekosan, Free – Game of the Week – Forum Thread – Nekosan takes all the fun and challenge of platforming games and distills it down to single-screen levels that can be played with a single tap from your thumb. The levels are incredibly well-designed and each can be completed in a matter of seconds, which is far easier said than done. The brilliant way the campaign is linked together by groups of these levels makes it hard to resist giving it “just one more go." For the truly hardcore, fiendishly-placed fish give completionists a reason to go back and truly master each of the game’s levels. And let’s not forget that this is a game starring a cat which automatically gives it bonus points in my book. –JN

NEO TURF MASTERS, $2.99 – Announcement – Forum Thread – The old saying “They don’t make them like they used to" sure seems to be true when it comes to golfing games, particularly on mobile. Neo Turf Masters is a flawless port of the Neo Geo game from 1996, only this port won’t cost you the hundreds of dollars the original cartridge did. The arcade spin on the golf formula really makes Neo Turf Masters shine on mobile, particularly with how quickly you can play through holes. -EH

Neon Chrome, $6.99 – Review – Forum Thread – We weren’t sure how 10tons was going to adapt Neon Chrome‘s fast-paced roguelike-inspired shooter to mobile. Turns out thanks to some control tweaks, and adjustments to the game’s pace, this tactical shooter is good for hours and hours on end. It can be a brutally challenging experience, but one that thanks to its slower pace on mobile, remains remarkably accessible compared to other games in the roguelike genre. That’s not to say that it’s easy – it continues to test us no matter how many times we kill the Overseer. -CD

Party Hard Go, $6.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Originally released on the PC, tons of time went by without a single mention from TinyBuild on a mobile port of Party Hard. Well, good things comes to those who wait in the form of Party Hard Go, a game of… Murdering absolutely everyone and anyone you see. Randomness plays a big part in the game which can result in some hilarious events taking place, as well as a bit of frustration when they don’t. Regardless, if you like killing everything that moves, and partying, Party Hard Go is the game for you. -EH

Perchang: A Portal Puzzler, $1.99 – Announcement – Forum Thread – It’s hard to make a physics puzzler nowadays since the genre has been bursting at the seams since practically the beginning of the App Store. Perchang managed to stand out in the genre with its clean aesthetic and incredibly elaborate levels. The really clever part was how the entire game could be played with just two buttons, meaning anyone could pick up and easily play Perchang and get sucked into its challenges. It’s a satisfying test of timing, reaction, and wrapping your brain around how the crazy contraptions work that make up each level. -JN

Rick and Morty: Pocket Mortys, Free – Review – Forum Thread – The history of the App Store is loaded with the corpses of countless Pokemon-likes which really never saw much traction for one reason or another. We’re not sure if it’s the Rick and Morty tie-in, or if Pocket Mortys is just an outstanding game, but we stuck with this one until we caught ’em all, then came back for more as it was updated. There are a lot of references for fans of the Rick and Morty TV show, but the mechanics inside of Pocket Mortys are solid enough that it’s enjoyable even if you’ve never watched it. -EH

Pokémon GO, Free – Our Insane Amounts of Coverage – Forum Thread – It’s hard to overstate the cultural impact that Pokemon Go had this year, as the response the game saw was absolutely unprecedented. This GPS-based game had people out Pokemon hunting at all hours of the day, meeting up by the thousands, and chasing region-exclusive Pokemon all over the planet. Niantic has been consistently improving the game with updates as well, so it’s worth revisiting if you haven’t played it in a while, and totally a must-have if you’ve never tried it at all. -EH

Pumped BMX 3, $2.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Over the top extreme sports games haven’t fared too well on the touchscreen, but the Pumped BMX series managed to capture the fun and trick complexity of something like the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series and found a way to make it work on a mobile device. Pumped BMX 3 is the culmination of everything they’ve learned making and maintaining the first two games in the series, and it’s chock full of fun challenges and more crazy bike stunts than you can spin a handlebar at. –JN

Punch Club, $4.99 – Review – Forum Thread – It seems like we spent years saying, “I wish someone would take the Kairosoft formula and turn it into something that feels like a modern game." Enter Punch Club, a game which does exactly that as you train up a fighter and manage what feels like quite literally everything that goes into both your performance in fights as well as training outside of them. A recently released “easy mode" tones the game down for people who just want to punch things instead of min/maxing all your stats. -EH

Really Bad Chess, Free – Review – Forum Thread – The title of this game tells you everything you need to know about it. In Really Bad Chess you play, well, really bad games of chess. Ever wonder what it would be like if you could play a game of chess with six queens, five knights, and a random assortment of other pieces that don’t belong? The result is an incredibly clever puzzle game that will have you re-thinking everything you thought you knew about chess, as standard strategies don’t work when you’re facing down the barrel of a half dozen bishops across the board. -EH

Reigns, $2.99 – Review – Forum Thread – The core concept of “Game of Thrones meets Tinder" was intriguing enough to make this worth checking out. And sure, running a kingdom through sometimes-goofy binary choices remains a fascinating system that’s tough to duplicate. But the long-term aspect of Reigns, the way the game expanded over its sessions, and the mysteries that players were tasked to unfold, helped make it one of the best games of the year. -CD

Retro City Rampage DX, $4.99 – Review – Forum Thread – We may have actual Grand Theft Auto games on iOS, but Retro City Rampage still stands on its own. It’s a remarkably dense world for a top-down game that is also available on MS-DOS. There’s a ton of things to do, including cameo minigames and challenges that push the game’s systems to their limits. Oh, and the sheer amount of gaming and pop culture references is itself a masterwork as to how one developer could squeeze them all into one game. -CD

Road Not Taken, $4.99 – Launch Announcement – Forum Thread – Spry Fox games are all worth instantly downloading, and Road Not Taken is no different. Inspired by the Robert Frost poem of the same name, in Road Not Taken you make your way through randomized puzzle levels saving children who lost their way. The art style and overall vibe of the game is incredible, and it’s always great to play puzzle games that don’t have any IAP shenanigans to speak of. -EH

Rodeo Stampede: Sky Zoo Safari, Free – Review – Forum Thread – The way I’ve described Rodeo Stampede stampede throughout the year is, “Imagine Disco Zoo but with a really fun 3D animal-hopping mini-game that’s good enough to stand alone without the whole zoo management back-end," and I think that still holds water. Rodeo Stampede has been ridiculously popular this year, and for good reason, the core gameplay loop is so sticky that you’ll be totally sucked in by the time the tutorial is over. -EH

RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic, $5.99 – Release Announcement – Forum Thread – This one might be just hot off the presses, but a combo package of the classic first two RollerCoaster Tycoon games simply has to be included in any best games list. Avoiding the free to play shenanigans that have plagued the series in years past, RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic is a straight up version of the originals, with expansion packs being the only IAP available. That sort of IAP is always A-OK by me. Along with the graphically more advanced but inferior in ways third entry in the series, there’s no lack of RollerCoaster Tycoon love on the App Store in 2016. –JN

ROME: Total War, $9.99 – Launch Announcement – Forum Thread – Rome: Total War is a beautiful beast of a strategy game that has left its mark on PC and now resides comfortably on iPad screens. The developers managed to bring the game onto tablets whole, and although the touchscreen controls can occasionally get a bit fiddly, being able to play the full Rome: Total War – with its Campaign map and wonderful real-time battles – is a dream come true for many mobile gamers. -TL

ATOMIK: RunGunJumpGun, $2.99 – Review – Forum Thread – The runaway winner of the 2nd Annual “Best Game Featuring Shooting Bullets as Transportation Method" after Downwell last year, RunGunJumpGun is as tough to master as it is to say five times fast. The “shoot or go upward" mechanic means that you have to do some nimble finger-tapping to make it through many of the difficult, hazard-filled levels. Plus, RunGunJumpGun has a sense of style that’s just so cool in everything it does. -CD

Rush Rally 2, $0.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Rush Rally 2 is a dream come true for fans of rally racing, arcade racers, or anyone who enjoys a good drive. Its launch version was already more than worth the asking price, but developer Brownmonster has continued to add more and more, making this one of the finest racing games on iOS. If you have fond memories of games like V-Rally or SEGA Rally Championship, you’ll want to have this marvelous racer in your collection. -SM

Samorost 3, $6.99 – Launch Announcement – Forum Thread – Easily Amanita Design’s biggest and most impressive title to date, Samorost 3 is a point and click puzzle adventure game that takes place inside of a mystical world that at time feels more like you’re playing a piece of art rather than a video game. Like previous installments in the series, there’s still a lot of pixel hunting to be done to find the next thing you can interact with, but even if you use a walkthrough Samorost 3 is still an experience you need to have. -EH

Severed, $0.99 – Review – Forum Thread – It’s easy enough to call Severed a hybrid of Infinity Blade and a Metroidvania, and it’s not wrong. But it does the game a disservice, as it features intense multitasking combat that has players expertly fending off multiple enemies at one time. There were plenty of secrets to backtrack and find. And the atmosphere of Severed‘s world is intense and engaging. A one-of-a-kind game, one of 2016’s best, and a natural fit for mobile. -CD

Shadow Blade: Reload, $4.99 – Review – Forum Thread – The number one thing that a game about ninjas has to do is to make the player feel really cool. Shadow Blade Reload pulls that off quite well, what with all the wall-jumping and acrobatic combat that is possible to perform. Reload adds and improves so much compared to the original Shadow Blade that it feels like a massive leap forward. -CD

Sky Force Reloaded, Free – Review – Forum Thread – Infinite Dreams has been making Sky Force shoot ’em ups for well over a decade now, and they just keep getting better. Sky Force Reloaded not only features challenging and varied levels, but its structure does a great job at forcing players to learn how to be good at the game by mastering the levels, not just surviving them. The regular dispatches of new content and features only helped to make this game bigger and better. -CD

Slide the Shakes, Free – Launch Announcement – Forum Thread – Prettygreat continues their trend of releasing pretty great games through 2016 with Slide the Shakes. It’s a game with a simple slingshot-like mechanic where you’re sliding shakes across a countertop, executed flawlessly. Slide the Shakes is a great example of just how far you can take a single, simple mechanic. -EH

Snakebird, Free – Review – Forum Thread – When it comes to puzzle games that will make you feel like an idiot for spending so long trying to figure out such a simple solution, Snakebird easily takes the cake this year. You play as a snake, or bird, or something and make your way through levels by collecting fruit utilizing a mechanic where you can snake your body on top of itself to climb higher or reach other areas. It sounds simple, but trust me, your brain will be in knots in the first few levels. -EH

Solitairica, $3.99 – Review – Forum Thread – We all like roguelikes, but they can be rather stressful experiences. Thankfully, Solitairica is a great game to sit back and enjoy without stressing too much, as the heart of the game is just the basics of solitaire. But the way it all gets wrapped up into an RPG-like combat system is just ingenious. This is the kind of game that the iPad was made for, as it’s too easy to sink hours at a time into Solitairica. -CD

Sorcery! 4, $4.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Looking back at how amazed we were with the first Sorcery! adaptation by inkle, there’s no way we could have guessed that it was merely the opening act for what would ultimately become one of the greatest adventures on iOS. Sorcery! 4 had the unenviable task of following three great games that just kept getting better as they went along, all while having to bring the massive adventure to a close in a satisfying way. If you doubted inkle could do it for a second, you probably haven’t been watching them carefully enough. Sorcery! 4 not only offers up an excellent conclusion, it offers up a bunch of them. Where inkle goes from here, it’s hard to say, but it’s safe to say we’ll all be watching carefully. -SM

Space Food Truck, $4.99 – Launch Announcement – Forum Thread – One Man Left has a remarkable portfolio of games under their belt with the Tilt to Live series and Outwitters, and Space Food Truck, which was originally released for the PC, fits right in to that catalog. It’s a bizarre game of collecting cards throughout the universe to craft a variety of different dishes to build the ultimate food truck. With both local and asynchronous online multiplayer, there’s a lot to love about Space Food Truck. –EH

Space Marshals 2, $4.99 – Review – Forum Thread – The original Space Marshals was a great, stealthy, tactical shooter. Space Marshals 2 at first feels like more of the same, which is just fine, as there’s plenty of fun to be had from the stealthy space cowboy setup. But the little tweaks and additions to the way Space Marshals 2 plays makes it feel decidedly superior to the original game. Plus, not having to wait for future episodes felt so much better than waiting for parts 2 and 3 of the original. -CD

SteamWorld Heist, $0.99 – Review – Forum Thread – A little bit Worms, a little bit XCOM, and all-around an astoundingly enjoyable strategy game, SteamWorld Heist fits mobile hardware like it was born to be here. The mechanics are rock-solid and highly compelling, the story and characters are impossibly charming, and the presentation is excellent. Even if you don’t normally go in for strategy games, there’s a good chance you’ll fall in love with SteamWorld Heist. -SM

STEINS;GATE EN (ENGLISH), $19.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Steins;Gate is a 20-plus hour game where you’ll spend 99% of your time reading and advancing text. The only real agency you have is through sending and receiving emails, and it’s nearly impossible to understand the weight of those choices on your first run through the game. It doesn’t sound like the most interesting of games, to be sure, but the story and characters are so strong that you likely won’t be able to put it down until you’ve finally reached the end. El Psy Kongroo. -SM

Steppy Pants, Free – Launch Announcement – One of the surest bets in gaming is that Halfbrick veterans can turn out some fun titles, and this is no exception to the rule. The silly-walking gameplay is a welcome mix-up in a world full of “Just make Crossy Road, JEEZ" titles. There’s an inordinate number of goofy costumes to be had. Plus, the game’s structure, combining both a progression system with short-burst, high-score chasing, is well-done. -CD

Super Cat Tales, Free – Review – Forum Thread – If you’re a fan of the burgeoning catformer genre, Super Cat Tales is like a bag of catnip. Colorful, cute, and devastatingly challenging in its later stages, this game is a treat for anyone with happy memories of Saturday mornings parked in front of their Super NES console. The controls take a little getting used to, but once you do, you’ll be scampering around the levels like the little fast-as-lightning fuzzball that you play as. -SM

Super Mario Run, Free – Review – Forum Thread – In true Nintendo fashion, Super Mario Run showcased a touch of genius and pure fun saddled with some questionable design decisions and a sad case of overhype. A streamlined touch-centric Mario platformer with PvP time trials and town building elements sounds great on paper, but we had some real concerns regarding longevity and some of the finer points of the game’s Toad Rally mode. Still, despite the issues noted in our review, there’s more than enough here to merit a recommendation of paying the unlock price and enjoying the full game (which is devoid of any of the usual freemium trimmings).  Still in the fence? You can check out the first few levels for free, which is something we’d highly recommend to everyone.  -EF

Super Stickman Golf 3, Free – Review – Forum Thread – Noodlecake’s been busy with all sorts of published titles lately, but they found time to return to the series that put them on the map. Wacky 2D golf will never not be fun. With new powerups, difficult new courses, and some fun multiplayer modes, this is another hole-in-one. And if you get tired of golf, Flappy Golf 2 (Free) features many of the same courses in a flapping style for you to tackle. -CD

Survivalcraft 2, $3.99 – Forum Thread – This is another game that’s hot off the press, but its pedigree has earned it a spot on this year’s list. The original Survivalcraft was doing all the things that the official Minecraft PE wasn’t doing for years. It was a full survival/crafting game, and until very recently was the best and only option for those looking for the complete Minecraft experience on mobile. While Pocket Edition has made some strides, I still feel the Survivalcraft games have enough to offer fans. This sequel features a ton of enhancements over the original and given the hundreds of hours you can easily lose playing its four dollar price tag practically feels like stealing. –JN

Teeny Titans - Teen Titans Go!, $3.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Teeny Titans is a Pokemon-like game that’s based on the hit Cartoon Network show Teen Titans GO. In a testament to how great this game is, being a fan of either of those things is not a requirement to enjoy Teeny Titans. The battling mechanics are simple enough but have a surprising amount of depth, making it fun to simply battle opponents over and over for the sheer enjoyment of it. With a large world to explore brimming with colorful characters and tons of humor, this is one of the standout mobile-exclusive titles of 2016. –JN

Tennis Champs Returns, Free – Review – Forum Thread – A remake of a pretty obscure Amiga game, Tennis Champs Returns harkened back to the days of sports games that didn’t rely on complex button combinations or confusing strategies and simply boils down the game of tennis into a few well-designed commands. It’s hard to overstate just how solid the mechanics are in Tennis Champs Returns, and with plenty of updates an online multiplayer, this is a title that should be a staple of anyone who appreciates great games, whether they’re fans of tennis or not. –JN

The Bug Butcher, $3.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Paying homage to the classic Buster Bros./Pang series of games, The Bug Butcher does them justice in every conceivable way while bringing the entire production into the modern era. Surprisingly solid virtual controls make the fast-paced bug-killing action a joy to play, as well as a considerable challenge. With a silly sci-fi theme and plenty of personality, The Bug Butcher is one that will go down as a classic similar to the games that inspired it in the first place. –JN

The Quest, $7.99 – Review – Forum Thread – For years, iPad owners could only enjoy one of the finest RPGs on iOS by playing it zoomed. As chunky as the pixels are in the original The Quest, that’s not the best way to experience the game. Luckily, Redshift decided to port their PC version of the game back over to iOS. Playing The Quest HD after spending a lot of time with the original is like putting on a pair of glasses for the first time in your life. While some people prefer the more classic feel of the original game, it’s pretty cool to have a choice in the matter. If you’ve never played The Quest before, you really should give this a go. It’s one of the best open-world RPGs you’ll ever find on mobile. -SM

The Walking Dead: Michonne, Free – Review – Forum Thread – The Walking Dead: Michonne is a different narrative than Telltale’s other The Walking Dead series. This one raises deeper, more complex questions about sanity in a post-zombie world by giving us a protagonist literally haunted by her past. The character of Michonne is an intriguing combination of humanity and brutality, and although not all three episodes do the character justice, overall this miniseries is worth your time. -TL

Thumb Drift - Furious Racing, Free – Review – Forum Thread – There’s nothing that feels quite as cool as drifting through turns in some bad ass rides, and Thumb Drift gives you that same sort of great feeling and accomplishes it all with the use of just your thumb. The single-digit gameplay makes this a great game to bust out at a moment’s notice to kill some time, but with its challenging progression system don’t be surprised if you find yourself sitting down with this one for longer than you planned. Also, when your thumb starts to get sore, it might be time to take a break. – JN

TIME LOCKER - Shooter, Free – Review – Forum Thread – This Japanese indie shoot ’em up came out of nowhere and surprised us all by combining the start-stop mechanic of Superhot with a shmup. A clever idea on paper, sure, but it was fun to play again and again. We took out countless loads of low-poly animals while barely outrunning the dark void that threatens to consume us all. And if anything symbolizes 2016, it’s that, no? -CD

Titan Quest, $7.99 – Review – Forum Thread – It’s funny how you can be sitting there hoping for a decent Diablo-like to hit iOS, only to have someone stick a broomstick in a duct somewhere and end up with a bunch of them on your hands. Titan Quest offers up a great single-player experience for those looking for a game with a similar appeal to Diablo, and does so with a totally fresh setting compared to the usual medieval fantasy. DotEmu’s iOS version has a few quirks to it, but it’s still something that fans of hack ‘n slash RPGs won’t want to miss out on. -SM

Tomb of the Mask, Free – Review – Forum Thread – Some of the best mobile games are the ones that figure out how to give you a satisfying play experience while keeping things well-suited to mobile. Tomb of the Mask accomplishes that with its portrait orientation and its slick swipe-based movement, making this a perfect one-hander. While the way you play may be scaled down to a single hand, developer Happymagenta didn’t skimp on the speed and fluidity that makes platformers so much fun. This special combination coupled with a stellar presentation made Tomb of the Mask a game we frequented throughout the year. –JN

Treasure Buster, $0.99 – Review – Forum Thread – Treasure Buster is a great variation on the free-to-play hit Monster Strike. Adapting the basic flinging mechanics of that game into an arcade-style romp proved to be a winning formula. The presentation is a treat all on its own, nicely capturing the feel of a 90s Japanese arcade game. Throw in a few good ideas from the roguelike genre, and you’ve got an unusual game with plenty of appeal for score-chasers. -SM

Warbits, $2.99 – Review – Forum Thread – This is basically Advance Wars but on iPhone, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The core turn-based strategy gameplay is still remarkably accessible to newbies and more casual strategy game fans. Risky Labs went all-out in making Warbits a spectacular package, though. The art and design is wonderful. Plus, there’s online multiplayer with a number of useful features for competitive play. -CD

YANKAI'S TRIANGLE, $2.99 – Review – Forum Thread – When you first start Yankai’s Triangle, it’s hard to know what to make of this little oddball puzzle game. Give it some time to unfurl, and you’ll find something quite brilliant. Sure, it takes about a hundred stages or so to warm up, but when the total number of stages numbers more than a thousand, that seems like an acceptable pace. This game loves nothing more than to have you feeling comfortable with the types of challenges in front of you, only to throw a wrench at your head from a direction you never anticipated. If that sounds like fun to you, then you know what to do. -SM

Ys Chronicles II, $4.99 – Review – Forum Thread – It feels like Ys Chronicles 2 completely slipped in under the radar this year, and that’s too bad. Concluding the adventure started in the first game, Ys Chronicles 2 almost immediately changes things up by giving Adol a ranged attack, turning boss battles into a weird sort of RPG shoot-em-up. As usual for the series, the music is outstanding as well. Few other action-RPGs can match the sheer speed and excitement of Ys, and we can only hope that DotEmu isn’t finished with its mobile ports of this classic series. If it is, at least we went out on a good note. -SM

Phew, that’s a lot of great games released this year, and the crazy thing is, this list could have easily been a top 200, or a top 250, or more. The quality of mobile games has done nothing but increase year after year, and we’re beyond excited to see what 2017 will bring us with games like The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, Deathroad to Canada, and others on the horizon. Next time you hear someone say there’s no good games on mobile, send them this link.

Speaking of which, if you liked this list of 2016’s best games and want to thank us for putting it together, do us a solid and share it on social media. For small sites like ours, sharing links on Twitter, Facebook, and/or Reddit really makes a difference. Thanks again to our community of readers, forum members, and Patreon supporters. Ya’ll are the best.

Happy Holidays!