7 Gorgeous and Incredibly Immersive Games Optimized for the iPad Pro

Most of the focus on the iPad Pro has been on its productivity capabilities and its value as a tool for creative professionals. But with all of that extra processing power, the beautiful 12.9″ Retina Display and the updated speakers on the iPad Pro, this device makes a fantastic gaming machine.

If you’re just getting started with the iPad Pro, here is an overview of our favorite games that have been optimized for the iPad Pro.

Rayman Adventures

Rayman Adventures is the third mobile Rayman game Ubisoft has released and it was selected as one of the Best Games of 2015 and has been an Editor’s Choice on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. The game features engaging visuals that take full advantage of the iPad Pro’s massive screen.

If you have played any Rayman games before, you will be familiar with the basic 2D gameplay except for a few tweaks Ubisoft has added in this new game. In the first two Rayman games, you had no control over Rayman, who moved automatically, other than jumping and attacking. Ubisoft has added some user control, which allows you to change direction. This addition is especially helpful when you miss something because you can now go back in the level to pick it up.

The basic controls have changed a bit in this version as well. In the previous games, one side of the screen performed a jump when tapped and the other side was reserved for attacking. This version of the game focuses more on swiping. You can swipe to change directions, tap the screen to jump and swipe in the direction you are going to attack.

Incrediballs are maybe the biggest addition to this game. They are little creatures that you rescue throughout the game who become companions and can help you do various things during gameplay. Each have different abilities from finding hidden treasure to protecting you from damage when you are attacked.

If you are a fan of the classic Rayman games, you won’t be disappointed with this one, although the swipe controls do take some getting used to. Using a physical controller with this game would make things easier, but support is listed in the Settings as “coming soon”.

The best part about this game is the visuals. The game just looks amazing and comes alive while you’re playing. The game also features excellent sounds that can really be appreciated on the iPad Pro. It is free on the app store with optional in-app purchases and it’s definitely worth checking out.

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved

Geometry Wars 3 is the third installment of the award-winning arcade shooter franchise. If you have ever been a fan of the classic arcade shooter style, you will be hard pressed to find a better modern iteration than Geometry Wars 3, which is the first game in the series developed by Lucid Games.
Geometry Wars 3 may be the simplest game on this list, but it packs a ton of fun. You play as a crazy shaped spaceship with two virtual sticks. The stick is for navigation and the right stick is for firing weapons. Unlike with Rayman Adventures, Geometry Wars 3 supports physical controllers for iOS gaming, which makes playing this game that much more engaging. Your goal is simple, rack up as many points as you can by shooting everything in sight. The trick is to stay alive while enemies are constantly firing back at you.

For quick thinkers with even quicker reflexes, this game will present a challenge that most games for the iPhone and iPad just don’t. The visuals can best be described as psychedelic, and along with the electronic soundtrack, this game is a pleasure to play. It does cost $9.99 on the App Store, but after the first minute of gameplay you will see that it is well worth the investment.

Oceanhorn

Oceanhorn is obviously a Zelda inspired fantasy-adventure game for iPhone and iPad, but the game has many of its own original qualities which help it stand out on its own. Oceanhorn really finds its identity in its story. You play as a young boy who leaves the safety of a small island to search for his missing father. The family element present in this game is more engaging than the cliché rescuing a princess storyline found in Zelda.

Another component of the game that is especially nice on the iPad Pro is the soundtrack, which was originally created by composers Nobuo Uematsu and Kenji Ito, two of the most highly regarded video game composers in the industry. Uematsu, for example, has composed a majority of the scores found in the Final Fantasy series, which is one of the most successful video game series of all time.

The top-notch music and lively 3D visuals tie in perfectly with the story to make this game one you could lose yourself in for hours. It is also compatible with iOS game controllers so you can make this game feel even more like Zelda while you play. You can download Oceanhorn for $8.99 on the App Store.

Shadowmatic

Shadowmatic is one of the most innovative iPhone and iPad games I’ve played in a long time. The game has both won an Apple Design Award and was featured in the App Store Best of 2015. Shadowmatic takes shadow puppets to the extreme in this imaginative puzzle game where it’s your job to rotate abstract objects to create recognizable silhouettes.

The gameplay is straightforward, but it does take a little while to get the shapes to move just how you want them to. You rotate the shapes by dragging them around an axis with your finger. You can also use two fingers to move the shape around without rotating it, which comes in especially handy when you are dealing with more than one object. The game does an excellent job explaining the controls and after a few short minutes of learning it’s a breeze to play.

This quirky puzzle game causes you to really use your imagination, which makes it feel more worthwhile than something like Angry Birds. The original music is also relaxing and puts you right into the atmosphere of the game, which is again an excellent experience with the iPad Pro. As an added bonus, the soundtrack is also available separately on iTunes. Shadowmatic is available for $2.99 on the App Store with no in app purchases.

Alto’s Adventure

If I told you that a 2D endless runner style game that features a snowboarder, a mountain and a whole bunch of llamas is one of my favorite games to play on the iPad Pro, I know that you’d probably laugh. But, if you haven’t played Alto’s Adventure yet, you are really missing out. The game was named by Apple as one of the 15 Most Beautiful Games on the App Store, and its rightfully deserved. The flat graphics combined with a subtle parallax effects gives the game an extremely pleasing aesthetic. Add on the relaxing original soundtrack and you may lose a few days to this addictive game.

Gameplay is as simple as tapping the screen. You start out as Alto, although you gain more player options along the way, and tapping on the screen makes him jump over hazards or onto rails to grind. Holding down on the screen makes Alto rotate backwards so you can perform backflips to earn points. The game focuses on minimalism, which heavily contributes to its Zen effect and is what makes this game so addicting.

Monument Valley

Monument Valley is not so much of a game as it is a puzzle. Winning the award of Apple Game of the Year in 2014 has done a number on its popularity and if you haven’t at least heard of this game by now, I’d be surprised. If you haven’t played, or better yet experienced, Monument Valley I would recommend giving this one a shot as soon as you get the chance. I would describe this game as a brain twisting 3D illusion that requires you to think outside the box in order to get through the different puzzles.

You play as the silent princess, Ida. In each level, you usually have options to rotate the perspective or twist different components of the level, which is a requirement to get through the story. After you get the hang of it, the levels are not terribly difficult as the gameplay almost seems like it’s just something for you to do while you enjoy the design, relaxing sounds, and the story.

This game is an absolute work of art and is well deserving of the Game of the Year award. At $3.99 it’s worth the price of admission to experience the stunning architecture and innovative illusions created by the team behind Monument Valley.

Vain Glory

You may be familiar with Vain Glory from the appearance it made during the iPhone 6 keynote address back in 2014. The game has won various awards over the last year, and experiencing it on the iPad pro has made it feel brand new again.
Vain Glory is the best MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) style game on the iPhone and iPad and more than any other game on this list is focused more at serious gamers. These styles of games have been around for a while on PCs, but Vail Glory has set the bar for the genre on iPhone and iPad.

In this game, players choose from different heroes, each with their own unique abilities, and join two other online players to compete in three on three team battles. The goal of each battle is to capture the enemies’ base by taking out what’s called the Vain.
Vain Glory is available for free with optional in app purchases, which primarily focus on upgrading your hero. Since this one is free there is no reason not to go check it out and even if it’s not the game for you, it’s still impressive to experience the quality of gaming that is now available for mobile devices.

Honorable Mentions

The Room 3: This engaging puzzle game expands on everything right about the first two wildly popular games. Available for $4.99 on the App Store.

Fallout Shelter: A post apocalyptic themed game where it’s your goal to manage an underground vault of survivors. Available for free on the App Store.

Prune: A soothing experience in tree trimming that’s a lot more enjoyable than it sounds. Available for $3.99 on the App Store.

Conclusion

Gaming continues to become more and more popular on iPhone and iPad, to the point where most every major game developer has released at least one title on the iPhone and iPad. A few of the games on this list have been published by companies like Ubisoft and Activision, both of which have a rich history of creating premium console games.

I hope there were at least a few games in this list that caught your eye. The two primary things all of these games have in common were incredible aesthetics and high quality soundtracks that take advantage of the iPad Pro’s gorgeous display and impressive speakers. The power that is packed in the iPad Pro runs each of these games with zero hiccups. Keep in mind that these titles are available on other iPad models and the iPhone, so you can still enjoy them without an iPad Pro, the experience just isn’t quite as immersive.

As the iPad Pro becomes more ubiquitous, expect for game developers to take advantage of the iPad Pro’s power and release titles that can more closely compete with consoles like the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 and push the iPad Pro to its limit.

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