The end of 2025 is here, and Apple has just announced its top picks for the best games and apps of the year! This year's awards showcase a mix of familiar favorites and exciting new releases, offering a glimpse into the games that have captured players' hearts across various Apple platforms. It's a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the standout titles and the talented creators behind them.
Apple's Game of the Year awards are primarily divided by platform, with separate winners for iPad, iPhone, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro. But that's not all! There are also awards for categories like Apple Arcade Game of the Year and multiple Cultural Impact awards.
Let's dive into the winners, shall we?
iPhone Game of the Year: The Pokemon Company's Pokemon TCG Pocket takes the crown! Released in October 2024, this card battler quickly became a sensation, racking up a staggering 30 million downloads in its first two weeks. By October 2025, that number had skyrocketed to over 150 million! Talk about a viral hit!
iPad Game of the Year: Black Salt Games' horror fishing game Dredge reels in the top spot. While Dredge first launched on consoles and PC in 2023, it made its debut on iPad and iOS earlier this year, on February 27th.
Mac Game of the Year: CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, a familiar face, takes home the prize.
Apple Vision Pro Game of the Year: Porta Nubi, developed by Michael Temper, is the winner.
Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Triband's What The Clash wins the award.
But here's where it gets interesting... Apple decided to shake things up with the Cultural Impact award this year. Instead of a single winner, they selected 3 games and 3 apps that demonstrate how games can drive positive change.
Apple explained that these apps and games were recognized for their positive impact, providing users with helpful tools, promoting understanding, and shaping a more inclusive world.
The Cultural Impact winners include:
- Art of Fauna by Klemens Strasser: A puzzle game featuring wildlife illustrations, praised for its accessible design.
- Chants of Sennar from Playdigious: A vivid adventure game exploring the power and complexities of language.
- despelote from Panic, Inc: A slice-of-life game about the camaraderie of soccer amidst national turmoil.
What do you think of Apple's choices? Do you agree with the winners, or were there other games you felt deserved recognition? Share your thoughts in the comments below! I'm particularly curious about the Cultural Impact winners – do you think these games effectively promote positive change, and are there other games you feel should have been included? Let's discuss!
For the full list of winners, head over to the Apple website.
