Black Friday and the whole Thanksgiving weekend now sees a whole bunch of iPhone and iPad games go on sale, so we’ve spent some time browsing the App Store to find our which games have gone free or cheap for the next few days. Here’s our top choices!
Essential games
Broken Age ($9.99 > $2.99) – 70% off
We’ve put this in the essential pile not because it appears on numerous best of lists like the others but because it really is quite a feat of a game. It’s a hand-animated, family-friendly puzzle adventure games with some massive names in the voice cast like Elijah Wood and Jack Black. More importantly, it has a hefty price-tag and never gets as cheap as this – definitely worth a shot.
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Downwell ($2.99 > $0.99) – 67% off
Great adventure game where you play a young boy venturing down a well. Make your way further into the darkness and see what you find.
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Lara Croft GO ($4.99 > $2.99) – 40% off
An incredibly well-produced mobile device-focused imagining of a Tomb Raider game. Brilliant turn-based action which has not only dropped in price, has also had a whole bunch of new levels added. (Read our review).
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Rules! ($2.99 > $0.99) – 67% off
This little beauty of a puzzle game is fast and challenging. It also won Best of 2014 in the App Store. (Read our review)
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Threes! ($2.99 > $0.99) – 67% off
Another brilliant puzzle game, widely regarded as one of the best. (Read our 5-star review!)
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Games gone completely free
Infinity Blade ($6.99 > Free)
One of the earlier blockbuster iOS games, Infinity Blade is long in the tooth – but it’s still a great sword-fighting action game. It’s a premium title, but it often drops in price, though rarely to completely free. Give it a shot right now!
Platform: iPad & iPhone
To-Fu Fury – ($1.99 > Free)
Amazon Games Studios has gotten into games development – it has four titles out now, but this one has gone completely free. Weird puzzle-style game requiring the player to move a block of tofu around various levels to reach the goal. Great fun!
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Other notable drops
Alone… ($1.99 > $0.99) – 50% off
Handcrafted survival journey through space. Super-charged procedural runner.
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Fotonica ($2.99 > $0.99) – 67% off
First-person arcade game based on speed. Multi-layered level design with procedural endless mode gives users plenty to get stuck into. The wireframe-style landscapes are great and give the game a real retro feel.
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Hitman: Sniper ($4.99 > $1.99) – 60% off
Play a sniper in this highly rated fixed position shooting game. A brilliantly designed game by big game studio Square Enix – grab it while it’s cheap.
Platform: iPad & iPhone
HoPiKo ($3.99 > $0.99) – 75% off
Slightly crazy platform game – pixel and wireframe graphics meet in this retro title. (Read our review)
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Lost Within ($6.99 > $1.99) – over 70% off
Premium game from Amazon Games Studios offers up a tense, atmospheric adventure game with plenty of jumps and scares.
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Pac Man Championship Edition DX ($4.99 > $1.99) – 60% off
There’s a few iterations of the vintage arcade favorite on the App Store but this was the best received critically. Reignite your love of Pac-Man for less than half the regular price. (Read our review)
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Prune ($3.99 > $1.99) – 50% off
TIME’s Game of 2015, described as “a love letter to trees”, players can grow and shape trees into the sunlight while avoiding the dangers of a hostile world. Sounds pleasant, right?
Platform: iPad & iPhone
PUK ($1.99 > $0.99) – 50% off
Fast-paced pure action puzzler requiring skill dexterity, nerve and endurance. Pull back and ping to obliterate targets in 1000 unique, quick-fire levels that are endlessly generated and different every time.
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Super Sharp ($1.99 > $0.99) – 50% off
This great little puzzler requires the player to cut shapes with their finger to complete puzzles. Super-simple, super-fun. Only recently released but already half price! (Read our review)
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Tales from Deep Space ($3.99 > $1.99) – 50% off
Comedic adventure set on Big Moon, an eccentric space station. This Amazon Game Studios produced game is a great little RPG-style game.
Platform: iPad & iPhone
Til Morning’s Light ($6.99 > $1.99) – over 70% off
Rich, well-designed and lengthy haunted house adventure. Kinda like Resident Evil without the gore or terror. Another Amazon Games Studio game. (Read our review)
Platform: iPad & iPhone