Best Console Games On iOS That iPhone Owners Must Play

The emergence of mobile games over the past decade has created a multi-million-dollar industry. Game studios are now centring their focus around the freemium model of gameplay experiences and utilising the concept of multiplayer to its full potential.

While titles like Call of Duty: Mobile and Genshin Impact showcase a promising future for mobile titles, they are nowhere near as immersive and comparable to the video games we have on consoles and PCs.

Thankfully, the mobile phones of today are capable enough to run these console games directly without needing major changes. Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro series, which is currently the best phone it makes, utilises its 3nm A17 Pro chip to play mildly optimised versions of blockbuster AAA titles like Resident Evil 4, Death Stranding Director’s Cut, Assassin’s Creed Mirage and more.

But you need not have the most cutting-edge iPhone to enjoy console games on the move. The vast app library of Apple’s App Store hosts a large collection of console video game gems from the past, enhanced and adapted to the iPhone’s touchscreen interface.

Scroll through the list and you are going to find cult video games like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Hitman: Blood Money, Max Payne Mobile and more. Unlike the ones promoted by Apple, these old titles get retouched graphics and textures along with mobile-friendly controls to improve upon the classic gameplay.

Hence, if you are willing to give mobile gaming a go this summer, why not start with video games that don’t compromise on the immersion factor? Check out our list of the best console games on iOS that you can download and play on your iPhone.

Keep in mind that most of them require you to pay after completing the initial demo while others can be downloaded only after paying upfront.

Best console game on iOS

Resident Evil 4

Compatible devices: iPhone 15 Pro series
Release Year: 2023
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Survival horror, third-person adventure

Resident Evil 4 is one of the biggest AAA titles available for the iPhone 15 Pro series. It became one of the first console video games to be directly ported to the platform instead of getting adapted to a watered-down mobile port. Apple’s A17 Pro chip allows the game to be rendered in all its gorgeous yet horrifying details, including the nightmarish undead.

Developer Capcom has baked-in touch controls to get going but a wireless controller is highly recommended for the optimal experience.

Resident Evil Village

Compatible devices: iPhone 15 Pro series
Release Year: 2023
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Survival horror, third-person adventure

Resident Evil Village is another title from Capcom’s survival horror series that made it to the iPhone in 2023. Available as a free download, you get to experience the first chapter for free, before paying a price. The game brings the same levels of graphics and physics as the console version, thereby showing what the A17 Pro chip can do.

Although Capcom has given this horror fest touch controls on the iPhone, a controller is recommended to get the best experience. If you are into the horror genre, Resident Evil Village on the iPhone 15 Pro series is a must-have in your library.

Death Stranding Director’s Cut

Compatible devices: iPhone 15 Pro series
Release Year: 2024
Developer: 505 Games
Genre: Role-playing adventure

The critically acclaimed Death Stranding is now available on iOS. The adventure of Sam Bridges and his ordeal with the mysterious creatures has been directly ported over from the PS5 to the iPhone without a dip in the overall gameplay experience. Since this is the Director’s Cut edition, it boasts enhanced features like high frame rates for smooth gameplay and a dedicated photo mode to get your creative juices flowing.

As usual, the developer recommends a controller for the best experience but you can make do with touch controls as well.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

Compatible devices: iPhone 15 Pro series
Release Year: 2024
Developer: Ubisoft
Genre: Role-playing adventure

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is coming to iOS just months after its release on consoles and unlike some of the past mobile titles, this is the real deal – the same game available on consoles. You get to step into the shoes of Basim and his adventure in a ninth-century Baghdad, the latter rendered in gorgeous details and full of life. There’s lots of parkour and combat to experience here.

The game will come with optimised touch controls but we recommend a wireless controller for the best experiences.

Wreckfest

Compatible devices: All iPhones on the latest versions of iOS
Release Year: 2022
Developer: HandyGames
Genre: Racing

Wreckfest is highly recommended for those who want to witness demolition derby at its finest! Ported from the PC and console versions, Wreckfest brings the exact experience with all the drama of metal-bending crashes and the adrenaline thrill of surviving a race. From brutal head-ons in battered sports cars to racing in lawnmowers and surviving in a caravan, Wreckfest brings your wildest dreams alive.

You even get all the customisation options and performance upgrades to tinker with. Although you get touch controls for playing on your iPhone, a wireless controller is recommended for the best experience.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Compatible devices: All iPhones on the latest versions of iOS
Release Year: 2013
Developer: Rockstar Games
Genre: Open-world role-playing adventure

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (GTA: SA) has been around on iOS since 2013 and even after a decade, it continues to be one of the best action adventure titles you can play. With the processing power of the current-gen iPhones, GTA: SA runs like a charm. You get to re-live the world of CJ and his adventures across the entire state of San Andreas to undo the wrong.

From driving across train rooftops (remember “follow the damn train CJ”?) to flying around in jetpacks, GTA: SA on your iPhone delivers the same larger-than-life experience that it delivered two decades ago on PC. This is a must-have video game in your iPhone’s library. Netflix subscribers gain access to the Definitive Edition of GTA: SA with higher-resolution textures and better visual effects for free.

Max Payne Mobile

Compatible devices: All iPhones on the latest versions of iOS
Release Year: 2012
Developer: Rockstar Games
Genre: Action shooter

The neo-noir world of Max Payne is available on iPhone as one of the best video games to be directly ported to iOS. Whether it is the gripping storyline or the jaw-dropping action scenes, Max Payne Mobile lets you relieve this award-winning title from a bygone era. The mobile version features enhancements like better graphics and multiple aiming modes to allow for precise shooting.

Not to forget, the comic-strip-styled cinematic sequences make Max Payne Mobile a great game to enjoy.

Bully: Anniversary Edition

Compatible devices: All iPhones on the latest versions of iOS
Release Year: 2016
Developer: Rockstar Games
Genre: Role-playing adventure

Bully: Anniversary Edition is a rare video game that lets you relive your high-school glory days. You play as Jimmy Hopkins, a mischievous 15-year-old in the ruthless social hierarchy of Bullworth Academy. As Hopkins, you stand up to bullies, attend classes, prank teachers and even win over classmates. The mobile version comes with better graphical textures and superior resolution over the original PC release.

Other than the touch-based controls, Bully: Anniversary Edition also brings multiplayer challenges that let you compete with friends in classroom mini-games.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Compatible devices: All iPhones on the latest versions of iOS
Release Year: 2013
Developer: Rockstar Games
Genre: Open-world role-playing adventure

Before Grand Theft Auto 6 is released to the public, we recommend most young players try Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (GTA: Vice City), the OG game that introduced the neon-lit life of a fictional Miami and the illegal activities it harboured. Stepping into the shoes of Tommy Vercetti, you embark on a mission to take control of the streets and love the Miami Vice-inspired lifestyle of the 1980s. The graphics may not be cutting-edge but the gameplay is extremely fun.

There’s also an enhanced version of GTA: Vice City available to Netflix subscribers with higher-resolution textures and better visual effects.

Grid Autosport

Compatible devices: All iPhones on the latest versions of iOS
Release Year: 2019
Developer: Feral Interactive and Codemasters
Genre: Racing

If Real Racing 3 doesn’t satisfy your thirst for track racing anymore, how about trying a simcade racer directly ported from PC? Grid Autosport on the iPhone brings the exact experience from the PC and consoles, letting you get behind the wheels of serious race cars around real-world race tracks. You get the simulation-style handling but the racing experience is strictly arcade. The stunning 3D graphics enhance the immersion and with a variety of racing disciplines, you will never run out of races to drive.

Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal

Compatible devices: All iPhones on the latest versions of iOS
Release Year: 2023
Developer: Feral Interactive
Genre: Stealth third-person shooter

Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal brings back Agent 47 and his high-profile daring assassination missions to the realm of iPhones. With gameplay that offers a unique blend of stealth and action, you will spend hours choosing the right approach for your mission. Similar to the original PC and console release, you get to disguise yourself and improvise with environmental objects for stealth.

A revamped touch interface alongside gamepad support makes the mobile release more versatile.

Alien Isolation

Compatible devices: All iPhones on the latest versions of iOS
Release Year: 2024
Developer: Feral Interactive
Genre: Survival horror

For fans of the Alien franchise, Alien Isolation is one of the best console video games that can be played on any iPhone running iOS 16 and newer versions. The mobile port brings the same dread-filled survival horror experience while navigating the Sevastopol space station. You have to scavenge for resources and craft weapons. The idea is to stay away from the relentless Xenomorph alien, using your presence of mind and the ambient environment.

The game is available for free and you can play the first two missions. However, the rest of the campaign along with the seven DLC packs are locked behind a paywall.

(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Onur Binay via Unsplash)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

– Which is the best console game available to play on iOS?
Death Stranding Director’s Cut is the best console game available on iOS.

Note:

The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

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Best Console Games On iOS Every Gamer Should Play: ‘Death Stranding’, ‘GTA: San Andreas’ And More