Top 25 best sci-fi games for iPhone and iPad (iOS)

It doesn't get more sci-fi than putting you in control of the many varied systems on your very own starship. Actually, it does, as FTL also sets you off on a brilliantly brutal space adventure. This iOS space game may be old, but it's as good (if not better) as many of the new releases.

Since it is a roguelike in its essence, not everyone will like it. You'll certainly fail at least a few runs before you get used to the gameplay since it's very unforgiving but fair. The world (space?) is completely generic, so each run is different, and especially when you get other ships.

In case you start playing, you will definitely be interested in how to unlock every ship in FTL.

Yep, that's right - it's time for some Star Wars mentions! This much-loved RPG lets you be a Jedi in an original Star Wars story, so its place on this list was assured. After all, when it comes to sci-fi, Star Wars is an 800-pound lightsaber-wielding gorilla.

KOTOR has all the right elements to be among our top picks for this list, but we'll leave that up to you to decide. You can read our Knights of the Old Republic review, or you can try it out yourself. Either way, there's no wrong choice here.

KOTOR feels good on the bigger touchscreens, and it's not only a good RPG, but also one of the best sci-fi games on iOS of all time. Period.

A brilliantly dark slice of dystopian sci-fi, all wrapped up in a taut platform-puzzler. Inside creates one of the most eerily beautiful sci-fi worlds in gaming. Some features might seem familiar, especially if you are accustomed to playing Limbo - after all, it's from the same developers!

Inside feels a tad darker though, and this dark project that you find yourself soon tangled up with proves to be a rather eerie and exciting adventure. If you love a good adventure game, make sure to try this one out. You should also read our Inside review if you would like to learn about our experience playing it.

This next game is a fairly similar one to another we've already mentioned, but equally (if not more) exciting. We're talking about, of course, Out There. This iOS space game is a little bit like FTL, but with less micromanagement and more narrative impact. It's basically a brilliant, lonely choose-your-own space adventure of epic proportions.

The comic book-like features only enhance the experience, making you feel like you're reading through a sci-fi story, except it's a lot more lively and you are the one who dictates in what direction things are deaded.

Make sure to also read our Out There review!

Star Traders: Frontiers is a staggeringly accomplished RPG, ported successfully from PC. Given how well it plays on mobile, you would've probably never guessed that. However, it has some console-quality features that have remained, but that only makes it better.

This is an ambitious open-world sci-fi adventure that lets you mould your own adventure as the captain of your ship. Fight, trade, steal, explore - it's entirely up to you. Since it's all a matter of space and principles, you can assemble your very own crew and start navigating the galaxy. It's a fantastic role-playing game that every sci-fi enthusiast should try.

The mere prospect of a follow-up to Bastion, one of the most distinctive action RPGs of the past decade, was tantalising enough. That Transistor turned out to be a completely original and thoroughly compelling slice of sci-fi is just an extra dollop of gravy on top.

Since action RPGs sometimes tend to get over the top, you might expect this one to be like that too. Well, it's not. In Transistor, you can really enjoy the role-playing part a lot, given that you control everything. We wrote a Transistor review if you're eager to see how our experience was playing it.

Let's be honest for a second - when you think about sci-fi, you're probably picturing a world led by robots, AI and all sorts of androids. Well, that, and flying cars. All in all, you wouldn't be too far off. In The Talos Principle, you basically wake up in a strange, strange world and have to solve various puzzles in order to get out.

It is an inventive first-person puzzler where the plot touches on classic sci-fi subjects like philosophy, VR, and AI. The touch controls feel natural, and everything else is just... good. The Talos Principle simply screams odd, the very first second you dive right in. And if you're not completely sure what we mean by that, you should read our The Talos Principle review.

It's probably one of the best sci-fi games you'll get your hands on if you love AI.

In Gemini Rue you have a brilliant pixelated game with classic point-and-click adventure elements, and where an alluring future-noir plot takes the lead. This mobile adaptation is done exceptionally, so if you are wondering about the quality of the gameplay and whether or not it's missing some key features, worry not - it's not the case.

All in all, Gemini Rue features some top-quality attention to detail, narrative, and a plot that twists and turns in unexpected ways. You can swap stories, and complete them as you see fit, and generally makes for a great sci-fi adventure to delve into. We wholeheartedly recommend you give it a try!

You can also read our Gemini Rue review if you want to learn more about the gameplay!

EVE Echoes is an online space simulator. The game is a space sandbox that gives you access to hundreds of different activities. Moreover, all activities in EVE Echoes can be done in cooperation with other players, teaming up with them in small squads and alliances or corporations with hundreds and even thousands of members.

In EVE Echoes, you can fight in space battles, trade resources, and do many other activities. In this game, you will be able to find a suitable role for yourself. You can choose your spaceships from a list of hundred unique units. In addition, each type of transport can be upgraded at your own discretion with the help of various additional modules and improvements.

Beholder 2 tells a rich, dystopian sci-fi story about state surveillance, as you bring a repressive regime's advanced gadgetry to bear on its citizens. It's essentially 1984: The Game but with an expressive art style and a dark sense of humour.

You may find some elements that resemble real-life situations, but that's exactly what gives it the appeal. You have a sci-fi creation that knows exactly what it aims to achieve, and does so in an impressive way. Beholder 2 is one of the best iOS sci-fi games even in 2024, and it's not just us being biased, but a fact.

Code Atma is set in a faraway tech world, where humans have to fight a sort of secret war to keep humanity afloat. In reality, the game combines a beautiful narrative with anime graphics and a brilliant battle system. You have a clash between the mystic and tech, and that's enough to land a high spot in our book already.

This RPG also features all the mandatory features of anime role-playing games, and that includes a gacha system. So, if you're not a fan of that, you might want to skip this one. However, if you like everything so far, you will probably love Code Atma. We've even written a Code Atma tier list of the best characters, so if you want to have a better experience playing it, make sure to check it out.

From the name alone, you can probably guess that you've got an outer space sci-fi strategy meant to challenge the universe. And that's exactly what it is. Pixelbite takes the militaristic sci-fi world of Xenowerk and applies it to a deep turn-based strategy experience. The result is tense and tactical, like you're plotting the advance of the marines in Aliens.

Oh, and you also have some stunning graphics to go along with it. The best part, however, would have to be the fact that you can connect with other players and develop a wide variety of strategies. You can recruit people and complete missions, and while it may sound simple in theory, in reality, it's so much more. Just check it out, we're positive you will quickly find its appeal.

Since we're mentioning sci-fi games, we cannot overlook the slightly simpler ones and go just for the big and complicated names. That brings us to SpacePlan. SpacePlan is a clicker with a difference - it also spins a cracking sci-fi yarn, with a healthy dose of silliness.

This space clicker is so much fun, you won't believe it is actually a standalone title and not just us rambling about in an article about it. Just check our SpacePlan review - it has a rich and compelling narrative, idle/clicker mechanics, upgrades and enhancements, planet-expanding and virtual paradoxes.

If you believe you are ready for it, make sure to check it out. We were genuinely surprised by how well it feels and plays, and probably so will you.

Ticket to Earth is an exceptional puzzle RPG with an entertaining sci-fi plot concerning mutant insects and rampaging robots - all rendered in an entertaining comic-book style. It is a brilliant creation with a unique approach, so you really want to take your time and learn the mechanics behind it, especially if you love deeply strategic games.

Oh, and you shouldn't let yourself be taken aback by the intro - everything will soon make sense if you just take your time and enjoy the ride. After all, you have the ticket (mind the pun).

We also have a Ticket to Earth review, so if you want to read about our experience playing it, make sure to check it out.

Void Tyrant is a single-player card battler that leans on the basic premise of Blackjack/21 for its key hook. But it's also an entertaining choose-your-own-adventure-like sci-fi romp. There are hundreds of cards, countless strategies to be discovered and the turn-based battles only intensify the more you learn.

The graphics are nothing to write home about, but they are trying their best to make this intense game feel less... challenging. In my opinion, it doesn't - it's a title that forces you to make decisions in the most unlikely moments, and plan ahead every step of the way. Still plenty of fun for TCG and sci-fi aficionados alike!

We are already familiar with some of Klei's creations, and this one is a clear contender for the top. Invisible, Inc. is a remarkable stealth strategy game that has you sneaking through some incredibly tense missions in a stylish cyberpunk universe.

It closely resembles a spy game - it actually is one, just an incredibly well-disguised one. Disguised as a tactical creation with strong James Bond vibes. You wouldn't wanna miss it. We've also put together an Invisible, Inc. review to give you a clearer idea of what to expect from it. So, if you're up for a piece of high-stealth action, check it out.

Playing Spaceteam makes you feel like you're flying the Starship Enterprise with your buddies - if the Starship Enterprise was 2 million light years past its last service and being crewed by imbeciles. In Spaceteam you have to lead the ship by completing various tasks (kinda like in Among Us, except, worlds apart?) which are not at all intuitive at times.

In our Spaceteam review, we've mentioned that there are some instances where you've got comically bad encounters - these are perfect if you're all about games that provide great gameplay while not taking themselves seriously at times.

What's that I hear, you like sci-fi shooters? Then how about this twin-shooter space game where you can blast through enemies with laser guns, all while trying to keep away from evil robots? Is that good enough? Well my friend, look no further because Neon Chrome has it all - and probably much more than you'd expected.

This entertainingly hardcore roguelike shooter has you running and gunning in a dystopian future dominated by corporations and neon signs. Which is typically a good thing to do, in our experience. The cyberpunk approach fits perfectly into Neon Chrome's atmosphere, and if you're a fan of that approach, you should read our Neon Chrome review before diving in - we've covered all the basic stuff you should expect beforehand.

Every sci-fi and strategy game enthusiast probably knows about the XCOM series by now, and rightfully so. Each title in the series has stunning graphics, a compelling narrative, and super entertaining gameplay. Such is the case with XCOM: Enemy Within too, a brilliant turn-based tactical game with an entertaining sci-fi B movie plot.

Here, Aliens are invading Earth, so you'd better outflank them. All you need to do is come up with a solid strategy and stick to it. There will be stages where more than just a strategy is needed - luck has to be on your side, but that's the fun part of it. If you haven't played any XCOM game before, make sure to read our XCOM: Enemy Within review first - it'll give you all the details you need to on why you need to play it right now. We are suggesting you begin with part one and then proceed to XCOM 2, as its story continues.

A reboot of the game that put the team behind Pokemon GO on the map (pun unintended), Ingress Prime is a slick real-world AR adventure with a thrilling sci-fi premise. You basically have a similar approach to Pokemon GO - you need to go around the city, collect information and slowly (but surely) piece everything together into something bigger.

Consider yourself warned though - at the very start, not much will make sense. Bear through this because once it starts to really unfold, it's a brilliant and unique experience that is well worth diving into. If you want to better understand how to play the game, you should read our Ingress Prime review.

Punishing: Gray Raven is a game with so much potential that it'll be hard not to love it the moment you lay hands on it. This RPG takes place in the far future, in a world where civilisation is led by Mechanoids, and the Punishing virus is trying to take over.

You have several characters to play and unlock their story, and then play secret chapters, and missions and collect all sorts of next-gen weaponry to aid you in the battles against the Corrupted. It's a truly magnificent game, and despite some backlash it received some time ago, it is still worth mentioning in our list.

If you want to learn more about it, you should check our PGR tier list and use all of the redeem codes for Punishing Gray Raven to get a good headstart.

What first appears to be a fairly simple space-cruising game, soon turns out to be much more than meets the eye. Full of Stars combines classic multiple-choice narrative fiction with enjoyable tappy-tappy arcade gameplay as you guide your spaceship across the galaxy.

In our Full of Stars review we mentioned that it has a couple of issues, but nothing that couldn't be overlooked. All in all, it's a tiny little game where a lot of attention has been put into the audio and visuals, and not only.

It is a great choice for every casual sci-fi addict who just wants to cruise and enjoy a casual stroll in their spaceship.

You've probably heard of NieR Automata in the past, or any kind of NieR game - it's a highly popular post-apocalyptic, cyberpunk-ish title that many quickly fell in love with. Well, that game is not available for mobile in NieR Reincarnation, and it's as awesome as one might expect.

The touch controls feel exactly the way they should, and the gameplay features stunning battles making this RPG a great choice for fans of the title. You have console graphics at your fingertips, and characters that will impress you, whether you like it or not.

Oh, and it might be worth mentioning that in a way it's similar to Punishing: Gray Raven and Genshin Impact - you have a gacha that is as unforgiving as any other RNG pull, so that's something you should know ahead of time. Nonetheless, it's a beautiful game that is worth trying if you want a brilliant RPG sci-fi game for iOS. If that's your cup of tea, you should take a look at the Nier Reincarnation tier list and a reroll guide.

We wouldn't have a complete sci-fi list without even a slight mention of Star Trek. That leads us to our next iOS space game, Star Trek: Fleet Command. If you're even vaguely familiar with the name, you probably know what to expect - if you guessed a battle between ships, civilisations, and territory, all set in outer space, you'd be correct.

Star Trek: Fleet Command is a well-designed and deeply immersive 4X mobile strategy game, but its true value is its Star Trek IP and Kelvin Timeline setting. And if you don't know what that means, you should probably read the Star Trek: Fleet Command guide for beginners to give you a rough idea.

The PC game has a ton of fans worldwide, and this mobile version doesn't come short of that either.

The last but clearly not the least game to delight us with a mention on this list is Infinite Lagrange. This brilliant sim has you building a base in outer space, forming fleets, and exploring the universe in order to get stronger and be able to conquer even more. Simple, right?

The graphics, however, are something quite out of this universe. The realistic approach places Infinite Lagrange in a tier of its own, especially since the gameplay is fairly casual. You have an absolutely stunning game, with good controls, that doesn't scream pay-to-win every step of the way. That's quite a rare sight nowadays, especially when it comes to online games.

We've even put together a list of Infinite Lagrange beginner tips to help you out! So if you want to start on the right foot, make sure to check it out!