Once upon a time, we didn’t all have web-connected wonder devices in our pockets to provide us with endless entertainment. Strangely enough, I spent a good portion of my childhood outside engaging in physical activity! An antiquated practice to be sure. When my parents did allow me to come indoors, it was game time. My two brothers and I loved playing board games, card games and of course, our original Nintendo Entertainment System.
Many of the games that I enjoyed as a child have been re-imagined and brought to life on the single device that keeps me occupied these days: my iPhone. Today we’ll take a nostalgic stroll down memory lane to see what classic games have made their way to iOS.
Tetris
Who among us hasn’t dedicated endless hours of their life to creating solid lines from these entrancing falling blocks? Tetris was and continues to be a global phenomenon that has made its way onto just about every electronic platform known to man.
Tetris has come a long way since I played it on my NES though, in addition to Classic mode, the iPhone version has five new crazy modes that introduce all kinds of interesting ways to play!
Price: $2.99
Tetris
Get It Free
When possible, I’ll scatter in free alternatives of the games so you can make it through this list without going broke! For starters, I recently found a really fun Tetris clone called Ponon! that you should definitely try out.
Monopoly
Boardwalk, Park Place, Community Chest, Free Parking, these terms should instantly bring back visions of rainy days spent sprawled out on your bedroom floor with paper money scattered everywhere.
Monopoly is perhaps the quintessential board game of our time. The iPhone version brings back all the fun of the original game without all the tiny pieces to lose (and it’s a fraction of the price of the physical game). The best feature is multiplayer via pass & play or WiFi so you and your friends can relive old times together.
If you’re looking for a new spin on the old game, check out Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition.
Price: $2.99
Monopoly
Clue
Colonel Mustard, in the library with the wrench! I loved sleuthing around in this classic board game, trying to discover who the murderer was and how he/she went about it. The original game had character and originality that I haven’t really seen mimicked with any success in years since, and that includes the iPhone version.
Unfortunately, instead of reviving the old board game, the creators of Clue for iPhone decided to dramatically change the concept for 21st century gamers. The new version has you traveling from room to room interrogating suspects and looking for clues. It may be a perfectly good game, but it’s definitely disappointing that you can’t play the original!
Price: $0.99
Clue
YAHTZEE Adventures
My grandmother loved Yahtzee and whenever I visited her as a child, it was pretty easier to talk her into playing a game or two. Back then we had to use paper and pencils to do the all the math by hand, imagine that!
Yahtzee Adventures features both the classic gameplay that you know and love and a few new modes to add to the fun. If you’re used to the old paper score cards, the interface might throw you off a bit at first, but scoring works just like it always did and has just been redesigned in a super efficient layout.
Price: $0.99
YAHTZEE Adventures
Get It Free
In all honesty, $0.99 is a great deal for the official Yahtzee game. However, if you’re set on finding a free version check out Yacht Free. Also give iFarkle Free a download for another spin on an old dice classic.
Battleship
I remember the first time I saw a commercial for Electronic Battleship, a high-tech talking version of the classic sea-faring game. As a kid, I couldn’t imagine that Battleship would ever be cooler or more advanced than that. Since I had the old version, my parents didn’t heed my pleas for the electronic update, but I never stopped thinking my life would’ve been so much better if they had.
The iPhone version of Battleship definitely surpasses that old electronic version. Back then I didn’t know what Wifi or Bluetooth was but if I had seen a touchscreen version that you could battle your friends with from across the room, my parents would’ve seen no end to my begging!
Price: $0.99
Battleship
Get it Free
Warships is a great alternative to the official Battleship app. The Ai seems a little too informed for my taste but you can play against a friend over Bluetooth.
Uno
Everyone loves Uno. It’s one of the easiest card games in the world to pick up and learn and can provide hours of solid fun for anyone from eight to eighty years old.
The iPhone version is admittedly a little rough around the edges but it stays true to the Uno experience and is definitely worth the $0.99!
Price: $0.99
Uno
Phase 10
Phase 10 is a little like Uno meets Rummy. Each round you have to collect certain sets in order to proceed, if your opponents finish the round, they advance and you get stuck behind!
I’ve always really liked Phase 10 and this version does a reasonably good job of bringing the game to your iPhone. The lack of a multiplayer with non-computer opponents is a pretty big downfall though.
Price: $2.99
Phase 10
Scrabble
Scrabble was always my favorite board game growing up. I was fairly precocious in my time and could usually best most of the adults that I played! To this day I take Scrabble very seriously and can’t stand losing (which seldom happens by the way).
Scrabble for iPhone is great. Gameplay is perfect and you can connect to the Facebook version and play with any of your friends whether they have an iPhone or not!
Price: $2.99
Scrabble
Get It Free
Just about everyone with an iPhone has heard of Words with Friends. This awesome Scrabble-clone allows you to play online against your friends or randomly selected opponents. The free version is just as good but throws in some ads between turns.
Rubik’s Cube
I have put so much time into trying to figure out my Rubik’s Cube that it’s embarrassing. I simply refuse to look up the solution and am convinced that one day I’ll beat it all in my own.
I can’t really get a feel for the digital versions of the Rubik’s Cube, but there are quite a few, including the official app shown below. If you’re into cheating, this app will also help you solve that cube sitting on your desk!
Price: $2.99
Rubik’s Cube
Get It Free
Most of the free Rubik’s Cube apps limit you to a tiny 4×4 cube. MiCube however gives you the full experience and doesn’t cost a cent.
The Game of Life
Long before The Sims came along, Life was the best virtual life simulation around. You could go to college, get a career and even get married! All accomplished by moving your little plastic car and people pegs around the game board.
The core concept of The Game of Life has been well-preserved in the iPhone version, which lets you play in a fun, toony 3D view. If you’re a big fan of the old version, you won’t be disappointed here. No Wifi, but there’s a pass and play mode that allows you to play with up to three friends.
Price: $2.99
The Game of Life
What Did You Play As a Kid?
The list above represents some of my favorite childhood games that have made their way to the App Store. Many of them are available in both official paid versions and free knock-off versions for the cheapskates out there. Download a few and enjoy some nostalgia courtesy of your iPhone.
Leave a comment below and tell us what games you played when you were little. Is there an iPhone version yet? If not, would you like to see one?