Best games
Best iOS games of 2012
The 40 best iOS games released in 2012, ranked from 14,592 critic and player ratings.
The best iOS game of 2012 is Journey, with a critic score of 94/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2012.
- 40 games are listed on this page, carrying 14,592 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 40
01
Journey
A third-person adventure game in which the player, controlling a robed figure, makes a pilgrimage through a desert landscape to a rugged mountain with a beacon of light in the distance while uncovering the history of their people, rescuing and cooperating with friendly creatures, avoiding predatory ones and communicating with other travelers.
94
/100
02
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
XCOM: Enemy Unknown will place you in control of a secret paramilitary organization called XCOM. As the XCOM commander, you will defend against a terrifying global alien invasion by managing resources, advancing technologies, and overseeing combat strategies and individual unit tactics. The original XCOM is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made and has now been re-imagined by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games. XCOM: Enemy Unknown will expand on that legacy with an entirely new invasion story, enemies and technologies to fight aliens and defend Earth. You will control the fate of the human race through researching alien technologies, creating and managing a fully operational base, planning combat missions and controlling soldier movement in battle.
88
/100
03
Fez
Gomez is a 2D creature living in a 2D world. Or is he? When the existence of a mysterious 3rd dimension is revealed to him, Gomez is sent out on a journey that will take him to the very end of time and space. Use your ability to navigate 3D structures from 4 distinct classic 2D perspectives. Explore a serene and beautiful open-ended world full of secrets, puzzles and hidden treasures. Unearth the mysteries of the past and discover the truth about reality and perception. Change your perspective and look at the world in a different way.
86
/100
Journey
A third-person adventure game in which the player, controlling a robed figure, makes a pilgrimage through a desert landscape to a rugged mountain with a beacon of light in the distance while uncovering the history of their people, rescuing and cooperating with friendly creatures, avoiding predatory ones and communicating with other travelers.
94
/100
02
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
XCOM: Enemy Unknown will place you in control of a secret paramilitary organization called XCOM. As the XCOM commander, you will defend against a terrifying global alien invasion by managing resources, advancing technologies, and overseeing combat strategies and individual unit tactics. The original XCOM is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made and has now been re-imagined by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games. XCOM: Enemy Unknown will expand on that legacy with an entirely new invasion story, enemies and technologies to fight aliens and defend Earth. You will control the fate of the human race through researching alien technologies, creating and managing a fully operational base, planning combat missions and controlling soldier movement in battle.
88
/100
03
Fez
Gomez is a 2D creature living in a 2D world. Or is he? When the existence of a mysterious 3rd dimension is revealed to him, Gomez is sent out on a journey that will take him to the very end of time and space. Use your ability to navigate 3D structures from 4 distinct classic 2D perspectives. Explore a serene and beautiful open-ended world full of secrets, puzzles and hidden treasures. Unearth the mysteries of the past and discover the truth about reality and perception. Change your perspective and look at the world in a different way.
86
/100
04
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
The follow up to Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. The main character, Hajime Hinata, a new 'Ultimate' student at Hope's Peak Academy. On their first day, Hajime and all of his classmates are taken on a field trip to the mysterious Jabberwock island by their anthropomorphic rabbit teacher, Usami. Usami explains that on this island the students are to have fun together and become friends to gather Hope Fragments. Usami's field trip does not go as planned when Monokuma appears and begins a new Killing Game. Anyone that wants to leave the island must commit a murder and get away with it. If the murderer is successful, he/she is allowed to leave the island, while everyone else is killed. When a murder occurs, the player investigates. After the investigations, a trial commences to determine who the culprit is.
85
/100
05
S
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead: Season One (also known as The Walking Dead: The Game) is an episodic interactive drama graphic adventure video game developed and published by Telltale Games. Based on Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic book series, the game consists of five episodes, released between April and November 2012. It is available for Android, iOS, Kindle Fire HDX, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game is the first of The Walking Dead video game series published by Telltale.
84
/100
06
FTL: Faster Than Light
In FTL you experience the atmosphere of running a spaceship trying to save the galaxy. It's a dangerous mission, with every encounter presenting a unique challenge with multiple solutions. What will you do if a heavy missile barrage shuts down your shields? Reroute all power to the engines in an attempt to escape, power up additional weapons to blow your enemy out of the sky, or take the fight to them with a boarding party? This "spaceship simulation roguelike-like" allows you to take your ship and crew on an adventure through a randomly generated galaxy filled with glory and bitter defeat.
84
/100
07
Super Hexagon
Super Hexagon is a minimal action game by Terry Cavanagh, with music by Chipzel.
83
/100
08
Angry Birds Space
Play over 300 interstellar levels across 10 planets! Whether it’s the icy orbs of Cold Cuts, the volcanic explosiveness of Red Planet, Utopia – a planet made entirely of junk food, or the new Brass Hogs episode ruled by evil Hektor Porko, each episode offers intergalactic fun at every turn! And the low-gravity environment of space results in spectacular gameplay ranging from slow-motion puzzles to lightspeed destruction. With brand new birds, special abilities, and a whole galaxy to explore, the sky is no longer the limit!
83
/100
09
Need for Speed: Most Wanted - A Criterion Game
82
/100
10
Legend of Grimrock
What is Legend of Grimrock? Old-school dungeon crawling game inspired by Dungeon Master, Eye of the Beholder and Ultima Underworld. Explore a vast dungeon riddled with hidden switches, pressure plates, sliding walls, trapdoors and more. Discover secrets, cast spells with runes and craft potions with herbs. Fight murderous monsters and seek lost artifacts in ancient tombs. Create a party of four characters and customize them with different races, classes, skills and traits. Legend of Grimrock is a dungeon crawling role playing game with an oldschool heart but a modern execution. A group of prisoners are sentenced to certain death by exiling them to the secluded Mount Grimrock for vile crimes they may or may not have committed. Unbeknownst to their captors, the mountain is riddled with ancient tunnels, dungeons and tombs built by crumbled civilizations long perished now. If they ever wish to see daylight again and reclaim their freedom the ragtag group of prisoners must form a team and descend through the mountain, level by level. The game brings back the oldschool challenge with highly tactical real-time combat and grid-based movement, devious hidden switches and secrets as well as deadly traps and horrible monsters. Legend of Grimrock puts an emphasis on puzzles and exploration and the wits and perception of the player are more important tools than even the sharpest of swords could be. And if you are a hardened dungeon crawling veteran and you crave an extra challenge, you can arm yourself with a stack of grid paper and turn on the Oldschool Mode which disables the luxury of the automap! Are you ready to venture forth and unravel the mysteries of Mount Grimrock?
82
/100
11
Botanicula
82
/100
12
Dust: An Elysian Tail
82
/100
13
LEGO The Lord of the Rings
80
/100
14
Game Dev Tycoon
80
/100
15
Plague Inc.
80
/100
16
Chaos on Deponia
80
/100
17
B
Hitman: Absolution
79
/100
18
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
79
/100
19
Cook, Serve, Delicious!
79
/100
20
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
78
/100
21
FIFA 13
78
/100
22
Thomas Was Alone
77
/100
23
Sine Mora
77
/100
24
The Unfinished Swan
77
/100
25
McPixel
76
/100
26
S
Clash of Clans
75
/100
27
Scribblenauts Unlimited
75
/100
28
LEGO Batman 2 DC Super Heroes
75
/100
29
Nihilumbra
75
/100
30
Deponia
74
/100
31
Organ Trail: Director's Cut
73
/100
32
The Room
73
/100
33
Dear Esther
72
/100
34
A New Beginning - Final Cut
72
/100
35
Subway Surfers
71
/100
36
King Oddball
71
/100
37
Little Inferno
65
/100
38
The Amazing Spider-Man
64
/100
39
Angry Birds Star Wars
59
/100
40
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II
54
/100
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
The follow up to Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. The main character, Hajime Hinata, a new 'Ultimate' student at Hope's Peak Academy. On their first day, Hajime and all of his classmates are taken on a field trip to the mysterious Jabberwock island by their anthropomorphic rabbit teacher, Usami. Usami explains that on this island the students are to have fun together and become friends to gather Hope Fragments. Usami's field trip does not go as planned when Monokuma appears and begins a new Killing Game. Anyone that wants to leave the island must commit a murder and get away with it. If the murderer is successful, he/she is allowed to leave the island, while everyone else is killed. When a murder occurs, the player investigates. After the investigations, a trial commences to determine who the culprit is.
85
/100
05
S
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead: Season One (also known as The Walking Dead: The Game) is an episodic interactive drama graphic adventure video game developed and published by Telltale Games. Based on Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic book series, the game consists of five episodes, released between April and November 2012. It is available for Android, iOS, Kindle Fire HDX, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game is the first of The Walking Dead video game series published by Telltale.
84
/100
06
FTL: Faster Than Light
In FTL you experience the atmosphere of running a spaceship trying to save the galaxy. It's a dangerous mission, with every encounter presenting a unique challenge with multiple solutions. What will you do if a heavy missile barrage shuts down your shields? Reroute all power to the engines in an attempt to escape, power up additional weapons to blow your enemy out of the sky, or take the fight to them with a boarding party? This "spaceship simulation roguelike-like" allows you to take your ship and crew on an adventure through a randomly generated galaxy filled with glory and bitter defeat.
84
/100
07
Super Hexagon
Super Hexagon is a minimal action game by Terry Cavanagh, with music by Chipzel.
83
/100
08
Angry Birds Space
Play over 300 interstellar levels across 10 planets! Whether it’s the icy orbs of Cold Cuts, the volcanic explosiveness of Red Planet, Utopia – a planet made entirely of junk food, or the new Brass Hogs episode ruled by evil Hektor Porko, each episode offers intergalactic fun at every turn! And the low-gravity environment of space results in spectacular gameplay ranging from slow-motion puzzles to lightspeed destruction. With brand new birds, special abilities, and a whole galaxy to explore, the sky is no longer the limit!
83
/100
09
Need for Speed: Most Wanted - A Criterion Game
82
/100
10
Legend of Grimrock
What is Legend of Grimrock? Old-school dungeon crawling game inspired by Dungeon Master, Eye of the Beholder and Ultima Underworld. Explore a vast dungeon riddled with hidden switches, pressure plates, sliding walls, trapdoors and more. Discover secrets, cast spells with runes and craft potions with herbs. Fight murderous monsters and seek lost artifacts in ancient tombs. Create a party of four characters and customize them with different races, classes, skills and traits. Legend of Grimrock is a dungeon crawling role playing game with an oldschool heart but a modern execution. A group of prisoners are sentenced to certain death by exiling them to the secluded Mount Grimrock for vile crimes they may or may not have committed. Unbeknownst to their captors, the mountain is riddled with ancient tunnels, dungeons and tombs built by crumbled civilizations long perished now. If they ever wish to see daylight again and reclaim their freedom the ragtag group of prisoners must form a team and descend through the mountain, level by level. The game brings back the oldschool challenge with highly tactical real-time combat and grid-based movement, devious hidden switches and secrets as well as deadly traps and horrible monsters. Legend of Grimrock puts an emphasis on puzzles and exploration and the wits and perception of the player are more important tools than even the sharpest of swords could be. And if you are a hardened dungeon crawling veteran and you crave an extra challenge, you can arm yourself with a stack of grid paper and turn on the Oldschool Mode which disables the luxury of the automap! Are you ready to venture forth and unravel the mysteries of Mount Grimrock?
82
/100
11
Botanicula
82
/100
12
Dust: An Elysian Tail
82
/100
13
LEGO The Lord of the Rings
80
/100
14
Game Dev Tycoon
80
/100
15
Plague Inc.
80
/100
16
Chaos on Deponia
80
/100
17
B
Hitman: Absolution
79
/100
18
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
79
/100
19
Cook, Serve, Delicious!
79
/100
20
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
78
/100
21
FIFA 13
78
/100
22
Thomas Was Alone
77
/100
23
Sine Mora
77
/100
24
The Unfinished Swan
77
/100
25
McPixel
76
/100
26
S
Clash of Clans
75
/100
27
Scribblenauts Unlimited
75
/100
28
LEGO Batman 2 DC Super Heroes
75
/100
29
Nihilumbra
75
/100
30
Deponia
74
/100
31
Organ Trail: Director's Cut
73
/100
32
The Room
73
/100
33
Dear Esther
72
/100
34
A New Beginning - Final Cut
72
/100
35
Subway Surfers
71
/100
36
King Oddball
71
/100
37
Little Inferno
65
/100
38
The Amazing Spider-Man
64
/100
39
Angry Birds Star Wars
59
/100
40
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II
54
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best iOS game of 2012?
Journey currently tops the ranking with a score of 94/100 across 1,142 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.