Apple has done its part in growing the mobile gaming market, and the iOS store is full of great and original titles for Apple’s mobile devices. Perhaps more challenging than creating an original game, however, is porting an existing PC or console game to a mobile device.
As iPhone hardware has become increasingly powerful in modern generations, running graphically demanding PC games on iOS has been less challenging, with more optimizations focused on touchscreen controls and gamepad support.
In this article, we’re going to list the best PC games with incredibly iOS ports that you should try.
XCOM
The popular PC strategy game XCOM™: Enemy Within has a great iOS port compatible with iPhone 5 and up. It is played as an isometric tactical strategy game, set in a sci-fi world. Each mission requires thoughtful coordination of your units, and you have a bevy of weapons, equipment, and customizable upgrades at your disposal.
XCOM™: Enemy Within is $4.99 on the iOS app store, which is much cheaper than $29.99 for the PC version, yet offers a fantastic port experience.
Forza Street
Released in 2019 for Windows PC, Forza Street is a graphically gorgeous street-racing game that received an incredible mobile port. The iOS version supports any iPhone with iOS 10 or higher, but the graphics are rather demanding, especially on older iPhones.
Since Forza Street is a big installation, you may want to check out similar car games on CrazyGames to test your device’s performance in 3D games like Madalin Stunt Cars 2 and Derby Crash 4.
Talos Principle
If you’re a fan of first-person puzzle games like Portal or The Room, where you interact with objects in the environment to solve puzzles, Talos Principle is a rich and rewarding gameplay experience.
It is played from the perspective of an AI robot tasked with solving puzzles, while also asking existential questions as to the robot’s purpose in life. It’s a remarkable title that blends addicting gameplay with a thought-provoking narrative on self-awareness in artificial intelligence. Talos Principle currently costs $4.99 on the iOS store.
For more great puzzle games, you can play here a wide selection of .io titles on your iOS device, like Slither.io and Build Royale.
Star Wars KOTOR
Get ready to make plenty of “vhoosh-vhoosh” lightsaber noises on your iPhone, Jedi fans, as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a critically acclaimed mobile port of the 2003 PC classic. It is not slimmed down in any way for mobile devices, presenting the full PC / console experience on your iPhone, and the graphics hold up remarkably well on iPhone screen sizes.
Like any good mobile port, Star Wars: KOTOR has a wide range of gamepad support, such as the SteelSeries iOS Controller. If you miss playing this fantastic title on your Xbox or Windows XP computer, the mobile port will surely bring back memories.
Civilization VI
Sid Meier’s critically-acclaimed Civilization series is known for its “one more click” gameplay, and it transfers to iOS as you’ll promise yourself “one more tap!” in this mobile port. As a turn-based strategy and building game, Civilization VI is well optimized and feels almost native on iOS devices, with none of the UI or gameplay elements being difficult to navigate on a touchscreen.
Interestingly, Civilization VI is entirely free in the iOS store, while the PC version costs $59.99 currently on Steam. It’s a great time to be an iPhone owner.
Baldur’s Gate
Released in 1998 for PC, Baldur’s Gate set the standard for isometric Dungeons & Dragons style games, influencing titles like Diablo and Path of Exile for years to come. The iOS version has been lovingly ported with graphical enhancements and gameplay improvements for the modern era of gaming.
The party-based dungeon crawler offers 60+ hours of campaign gameplay, with plenty of customizations available for your hero, with dozens of NPCs to join your party, or you can fill your party with player-created heroes!
Call of Duty
The Call of Duty franchise is one of the most popular first-person shooter series on PC and console, and Call of Duty: Mobile is proving to be an exceptional mobile experience. Graphics and gameplay are comparable to last-gen console titles such as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, with gameplay mechanics being much the same.
The game is optimized well for iOS, with gamepad support and tons of unlockables as a reward for competing in multiplayer matches.