Tablet Games: The best games for Android and iOS

While Apple has recently introduced a new generation of iPads, Android tablets tend to be overlooked. Not so with us at NextPit, because we still shower attention on large Android devices with articles such as a list of recommended games that play better on a tablet than on a smartphone. It makes perfect sense that we also include the iOS platform. Do take note that this is a subjective list, so your favorite might actually be missing. 

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NextPit's gaming central

The best mobile games for Android & iOS
Best offline games	Best multiplayer games
Best graphics	Best emulators
Best tablet games	Best free games
Best tower defense games	Best FPS games
Adventure games	Best RPG games
Best strategy games	Best racing games
The best gaming smartphones
Gaming smartphones: Do gaming modes actually boost performance?

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So if you have your own list of recommended games that play best on a large display, regardless of whether it is on an iPad or an Android tablet, we look forward to your recommendations in the comments. 

Criteria in selecting tablet-friendly games

Tablets boast of a very special combination of properties for certain games that make them the perfect gaming device. They have a large display and thus offer plenty of visual real estate in addition to providing adequate room for the control system. Apart from that, games that feature fantastic graphics will definitely benefit from a larger display as that offers a greater degree of immersion. Bigger is definitely better in this case. 

However, having the appropriate hardware alone is not enough, as you will still need to hunt down the right game to take full advantage of your tablet. We have added five new titles to the list, with the rest of the list featured before. The older titles are still worth their gaming salt and come across as highly recommended for tablet gaming. Without much further ado, let us dive right into it, shall we?

Jump to:

• Alto's Odyssey
• Rebel Inc
• Kingdom Rush Vengeance
• Levelhead
• Grid
• Bridge Constructor Portal
• Minecraft
• Crashlands
• This War of Mine
• Samorost 3
• Lumino City

Alto’s Odyssey

Alto's Odyssey is considered to be an older title, having been released in 2018, but we continue to include it simply because it looks stunning even until today - and it plays well on a tablet in particular. In fact, this title is commonly found on various lists of top tablet games.

In Alto's Odyssey, you glide through wonderful-looking landscapes on a sandboard. Instead of the snowboard from Alto's Adventure, your primary choice of transport would be the sandboard. When played on iPads and Android tablets, let your eyes feast on the visual extravaganza that is interspersed with light and shadow, in addition to a wonderful background that keeps you glued to the screen.

As if the visuals are not enough, your ears will definitely be more than happy with the fantastic soundtrack, resulting in a great atmosphere.

• 4.5 stars on Google Play / 4.3 stars on the Apple App Store
• Price: Free, with ads (Android) / $4.99 (iOS)
• In-app purchases: Yes (Android) / No (iOS)

Rebel Inc

Rebel Inc is a title from the developer Plague Inc, and those credentials alone should be enough to give you an idea of what kind of triple-A title this is, right? Ndemic Creations reported that they have performed extensive research about the game, having worked with politicians, journalists, and other experts, in order to deliver an extremely realistic and true-to-life title. There are different fictional regions in the game, although its scenarios tend to be very close to reality. 

You will be thrown into the deep end right away, requiring you to solve the respective problems. With Rebel Inc, it is simply a whole lot more fun to play on the tablet than on smaller iOS and Android devices.

• 4.5 stars on Google Play / 4.7 stars on the Apple App Store
• Price: Free (Android) / $1.99 (iOS)
• In-app purchases: yes

Kingdom Rush Vengeance

Kingdom Rush Vengeance is a classic tower defense game, and games of this genre are far more enjoyable to play with a large display as it allows you to have a greater overview of everything. That is why we recommended this title , although we do have a slew of other tower defense games for you to check out in the following article:

• The best tower defense games on your smartphone

Why are tablets extremely suitable for tower defense games? This is because such titles normally look fantastic on smartphones, but you tend to lose the big picture as enemies rush in from different entry points on a small screen. Hence, a larger display will help minimize such oversight from happening. As with titles in this genre, you will have tons of levels, in addition to different towers and heroes to ensure that you glean as much fun as possible. 

• 4.7 stars on Google Play / 4.8 stars on the Apple App Store
• Price: $4.99 (Android) / $4.99 (iOS)
• In-app purchases: Yes

Levelhead

Levelhead is a platformer that is definitely worth checking out, considering how it was released by the same developer behind Crashlands. Of course, while this game is plenty of fun on a smartphone, it simply plays better on a tablet.

You do not only have 90 levels to traverse in Levelhead, but there is also a level editor included to help you explore your gaming creativity. And when it comes to creating your own levels, you are infinitely better off with a large Android tablet or iPad. 

• 4.5 stars on Google Play / 4.7 stars on the Apple App Store
• Price: $6.99 (Android) / $6.99 (iOS)
• In-app purchases: No

Grid

I was of the opinion that we urgently need a racing game in this list, because tablets too, will be able to show off their superiority and provide a better visual experience. Grid also simply looks great on a larger iOS or Android device, which means you can appreciate the amazing graphics better. 

We have already recommended Grid in our list of the best-looking mobile games.

• Feast your eyes on these games that have stunning graphics

Once again, here is a disclaimer for anyone who might wince at the term "racing game" because of previous bad experiences: While you have to fork out $9.99 for the game, that is a one-off payment that will not require you to pour more money to obtain additional tracks or vehicles. 

• 4.4 stars on Google Play / 3.9 stars on the Apple App Store
• Price: $9.99 (Android) / $9.99 (iOS)
• In-app purchases: No

Bridge Constructor Portal: The best of both worlds

Bridge Constructor Portal runs well enough on a smartphone, but it plays even better on a large display that is your typical Android tablet. On a tablet, it is even easier to place elements with pinpoint accuracy in order to ferry scientists from one end of the level to the other end, as they travel in a cramped manner on what looks like a golf buggy.

In order to do this, you will not only have to construct simple bridges across numerous levels, but you also have to handle various elements such as the eponymous portals.

• 4.1 stars on Google Play / 4.8 stars on the Apple App Store
• Price: $4.99 (Android) / $4.99 (iOS)
• In-app purchases: Yes

Minecraft: A tablet-friendly title for builders

If you have not heard about Minecraft before, which rock were you living under all this while? This game is Mojang's uber-successful title which was eventually purchased by Microsoft. In this game, you are able to build practically anything - where you are limited by your imagination. 

Minecraft provides a large game world that has virtually endless possibilities. You will have to work on blocks in order to obtain material, construct game objects, build larger structures, dig caves, and defend yourself against zombies. Basically, your imagination's the limit. The best creations in the PC version of Minecraft have even been compiled in a YouTube video.

Minecraft is particularly suitable for tablets since your inventory can grow to a considerable size, and a larger display is easier to organize on such displays. Playing it on a smartphone can be rather restrictive in more ways than one.

• 4.6 stars on Google Play / 4.3 stars on the Apple App Store
• Price: $7.49 (Android) / $6.49 (iOS)
• In-app purchases: Yes

Crashlands: Insane yet entertaining

Crashlands is basically an adventure game played from a top-down view perspective, but it also mixes many other game elements into the gameplay. This makes it a potent mix that delivers a pretty crazy game.

You will have to grind to level up your character as though you were in a role-playing game, tinker with objects, build a base, tame animals, fight opponents, and a whole lot more. There's just a hell of a lot to do to keep yourself occupied in this vast game.

Of course, there is also a story that drives the same forward. An intergalactic trucker and a villain are involved, with the world's fate at stake - it cannot get any larger than that. Thanks to cross-platform support, you can even resume playing the game where you last left off on your PC or smartphone, should you decide to skip using your tablet at that point in time. 

• 4.4 stars on Google Play / 4.4 stars on the Apple App Store
• Price: $6.99 (Android) / $6.99 (iOS)
• In-app purchases: No

This War of Mine: Extremely addictive

This War of Mine is already a terrific game on the PC, and the fun level does not get any less on an Android tablet. While fun might not be the most accurate word to use here as the cruelty of war is horribly exposed in this horror survival game, you will end up in the unenviable position of making some pretty brutal decisions about who lives and who dies.

In order to survive the war with your group of hastily assembled survivors, you will have to manufacture different items, manage your shelter, and search for valuable resources among the rubble and ruins.

Each time the game begins, all characters that you meet are randomly generated. This War of Mine is a dark game that knows how to draw you into its oppressive atmosphere. Unfortunately, it is also one of the more expensive tablet games out there.

• 4.1 stars on Google Play / 4.1 stars on the Apple App Store
• Price: $1.99 (Android) / $1.99 (iOS)
• In-app purchases: Yes

Samorost 3: An adventure game with unique gameplay elements

Samorost 3 is one of those games that you will either love or hate. The developer behind Machinarium has churned out a new adventure that will surely keep you riveted for hours on end. In Samorost 3, you play the role of a space gnome who stumbled upon a magic flute in front of your house one fine day. Where do you go from there? There are many questions that need to be answered by playing the game. 

As the answers become clearer when the game progresses, your beautifully animated space gnome looks great on a tablet. Samorosta can be touted to be a rather difficult game because there is hardly any spoken language involved, but rather, you will have to explore the area using pictures and melodies.

Here's a pro tip: Buy the game and try it out to see if you like it, getting a refund if it is not according to your taste.

• 4.7 stars on Google Play / 4.6 stars on the Apple App Store
• Price: $4.99 (Android) / $4.99 (iOS)
• In-app purchases: No

Lumino City: An intricate puzzler

Lumino City is a game that overwhelms you with its detailed graphics. This is because instead of simply designing the world in a 3D program and integrating the puzzles within, the developer decided to piece it together through real-world images. The graphics in this game imitates the low depth of field found in images captured using SLR cameras. For this novelty alone, it is worth giving Lumino City a shot.

Of course, the game itself is really fun to play! You play the role of a little girl Lumi who is looking for her grandfather. Her grandfather happens to be a caretaker in Lumino, and is called upon to apply his skills at just about everywhere.

To her shock and horror, he disappeared all of a sudden! In the course of the game, you are required to solve puzzles and gradually discover what happened to Lumi's grandfather. There are around 20 levels chock-full with brain-wracking puzzles, but thankfully there is in-game help to assist you.

If you have run dry of ideas on what to do next, you can always take a look at a manual in which Lumi's grandfather has noted down a long list of tricks in the world of Lumino.

• 4.5 stars on Google Play / 4.2 stars on the Apple App Store
• Price: $4.99
• In-app purchases: No

Of course, there are plenty of other games that were developed for Android tablets and iPads. Tell us of your favorites in the comments!

This article will be regularly updated to keep up with the times, therefore existing comments may refer to an earlier version of the article and appear out of context.