Augmented Reality(AR) has become a major part of our lives in recent years. With the rebranding of Facebook as Meta and the introduction of the Metaverse, we are headed towards a future where the digital world will merge with the real world. Thankfully, we’ve already had a taste of augmented reality through various games on the iPhone and iPad.
With the introduction of iOS 11, we were given a peek into the ARKit as well. This allowed developers to code the experience of augmented reality into their apps. Now, we have a whole host of augmented reality games on the iPhone and iPad. Let’s have a look at them below:
- Pokemon GO
- Angry Birds AR
- Five Nights at Freddy’s
- Kings of Pool
- AR Robot
- Jurassic World Alive
- Warhammer 40,000
- Thomas and Friends Minis
- Zombies, Run!
1. Pokemon GO
I can’t start off this list without mentioning the most obvious entry first. Pokemon GO was released in 2016 and blew everybody’s minds. It was a clever way to introduce augmented reality to the new generation of mobile phone users. To this date, it continues to receive new content and updates from developers.
The objective of the game is quite simple. You walk around different areas (in the real world), and your in-game map will show you where you can find and catch Pokemon. Once you reach the location, your real-world location will be shown on the phone’s screen, and you can find the Pokemon dancing around; waiting to be captured and added to your collection.
With this, your childhood dream of becoming a Pokemon Master can be realized. Whether it’s finding a Raichu in your living room or a rare Mewtwo in a suburban location, there’re many Pokemon to be found. Oh, besides, if you’re lazy like me and can’t get your daily steps in, Pokemon Go can be a great motivator for walking and completing those 10,000 steps!
Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $0.99)
2. Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs
Angry Birds has been a fan favorite ever since it was released. There have been numerous updates, including a sequel that improved the original game. It’s even had a movie released, which is quite an achievement for a video game, initially meant for casual playing. Now, you can enjoy flinging these funny-looking birds across your bedroom to the pigs on the other side too!
As you walk around, with the augmented reality mechanic of the game activated, you can find more complex structures around your bedroom, living room, and even bathroom. You have to destroy the structures and the pigs to progress to the next round. The augmented reality mechanic allows you to analyze the structures and find weaknesses in them, allowing you to topple the entire structure with the pigs on top.
The game is being constantly updated, and new levels will be added in the future. For now, there are 40 levels to progress through and different birds with special characteristics to try. If you thought Angry Birds was fun in two dimensions, you’re going to have a blast when you play this through AR!
Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $3.99)
3. Five Nights at Freddy’s
Fans of survival horror can truly appreciate the addition of augmented reality into the horror genre and its various sub-genres. While watching a well-made three-dimensional horror movie can be quite an experience, playing a horror game through augmented reality, where you feel like the entity can almost touch you, is another experience altogether.
Since 2014, Five Nights at Freddy’s has been constantly scaring people across the spectrum of ages with its combination of psychological horror and jumpscares. In this augmented reality rendition of the game, the fear and scares are doubled in amounts. You have to manage the job of being a security guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. The animatronics in the pizza joint come to life in the night, and try to attack you.
You can use the security cameras to keep an eye on them so that they can’t do any harm to you. However, the cameras require power. You’ll have to save as much power as possible, as from the third night onwards, things can get a bit messy. Your main objective is to survive all five consecutive nights.
Sounds interesting? That’s because it is. I wouldn’t recommend this game to a beginner though. The augmented reality added to the game gives it a sense of realism, and you may not be able to sleep for five nights (no pun intended).
Price: $2.99
4. Kings of Pool
Pool has been a classic game that people have enjoyed even before the digital game versions were released on mobile phones. It’s a great game for passing the time with friends and family. If you’re a fan of the game’s physical version, you’re going to love the AR version of it too.
Most of the two-dimensional pool games on mobile tend to be restricted in their field of view. You have to make certain adjustments and do plenty of guesswork when you take shots. In Kings of Pool, AR puts a three-dimensional pool table to make you feel like you’re at an actual pool game. This makes it much easier to take shots, just as you would in a real game.
You and your friends can connect to a local network and play the game amongst yourselves. If you want to test yourself against the best players all over the world, you can play the multiplayer version for higher stakes. The better you get at the game, the higher the chances of you getting an admission to the high-stakes table. Build up enough in-game cash and you will become the best.
Give Kings of Pool a shot with your friends if you’re still skeptical about it. This game is a perfect substitute if you and your friends can’t make it to a pool bar to play the physical game.
Price: Free (In-game purchases start at $1.99)
5. AR Robot
I’m sure you’ve watched the Transformer movies. There’s even a possibility that you’ve watched the two Pacific Rim movies. There’s nothing more exciting than watching two giant robots fight against each other, or against a huge monster. In AR Robot, you can’t fight monsters, but you can definitely fight against other robots.
AR Robot allows you to create your own augmented reality robot. You can customize it the way you want. From different paint jobs to multiple power cores, design your robot the way you see fit. The power cores have different characteristics that can give your robot its unique spin. Train the robots and upgrade their stats through mini-games. Once your robot is strong enough, you can compete online with the robots worldwide.
AR Robot uses the iOS and its valuable ARKit to the best possible extent to bring our childhood fantasies to life. Until we can actually use powerful mech suits to battle against each other, AR Robot is the closest we’re getting to controlling huge robots. So, you should take advantage of this as soon as you can!
Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $0.99)
6. Jurassic World Alive
Jurassic Park has been a part of my childhood. Watching dinosaurs come alive and wreaking havoc on humankind never seemed a real possibility, but the movies definitely showed the consequences of such a possibility. With Jurassic World Alive, you get to be a part of that possibility.
Jurassic World Alive uses augmented reality to bring dinosaurs to life, and it’s your job to explore your surroundings and find the dinosaurs. You can also connect their DNA and combine them in the in-game lab to create a perfect hybrid.
Once you’ve built your team of hybrid dinosaurs, pit them against another team of dinosaurs that belong to another player, around the world. That’s right!
You can also share pictures of your dinosaur hybrids as the game is connected to your social media handles. After collecting bits of rare DNA, you’re eligible for rewards that can be used in the game to progress.
Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $3.99)
7. Warhammer 40,000: Freeblade
Warhammer 40,000 is a franchise that is known for its strategy-based gameplay, along with elements of action. The franchise has entertained a lot of gaming enthusiasts over the years with its nuanced gameplay mechanics that require you to deep-dive into the game to appreciate its detailed story and the entire package.
With Warhammer 40,000: Freeblade, you’ve got the addition of augmented reality as an extra layer of depth into an already difficult game. The game has an epic single-player story mode that involves you completing over 170 missions. The noble house has been destroyed, and you are responsible for redeeming the honor of the house. You’ll be set on a warpath, rife with difficult enemies and dangerous obstacles as you search for redemption.
The game incorporates iOS’ ARKit to create a 3D touch technology that completely immerses you into the thick of battle. You can upgrade your Freeblade to your liking as you keep gathering resources after each mission. Once you’re done with the story, there’s also a multiplayer mode in which you put up your Freeblade against the machines of other players.
All in all, Warhammer 40,000: Freeblade will provide you with hours of content. The inclusion of augmented reality also increases the immersion, and you’ll find yourself lost on the battlefield as you plow through hundreds of enemies.
Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $2.99)
8. Thomas and Friends Minis
Thomas the Tank Engine was quite a famous kid’s show when I was growing up. To think that talking trains would have problems and emotions to sieve through always seemed like a funny concept to me. Nonetheless, kids today are still fans of the happy-go-lucky train and the other characters of the show. Thomas and Friends Minis can be quite fun to play with your children.
In the game, you can design your train set by gathering pieces as you play through the game and explore the in-game town. Once you’ve created your train set, you can also create your train track and let your (or your kid’s) imagination run free. After the track has been made, augmented reality allows you to sit inside the train and experience how riding on your train track can be like!
The game offers many opportunities to young children for exercising their creativity. If you want to let your inner child run wild as well, this game allows you to do so. Download Thomas and Friends Minis for a very wholesome train journey.
Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $1.99)
9. Zombies, Run!
Sometimes, I think that the post-apocalyptic zombie scenario has been overdone in movies and games. We have way too many movies, TV shows, and video games based around this concept. My mind was changed after I came across Zombies, Run!
We’ve all seen the usual sights in movies and trailers – a runner sets out early morning in a surprisingly empty city for a routine morning jog. Since they have their earphones on, with their favorite running playlist, they don’t realize that an entire city of zombies is running after them. It might seem funny at first, but Zombies, Run! actually puts you into the shoes of that runner.
The developers have cleverly integrated augmented reality to create a game that doubles as a running app. Augmented reality zombies are after you, hungry for your brains. You have to run and outpace them at every step. Your main objective is to not get caught in the middle of the zombie horde.
The game also adds a narrative so that things don’t get too monotonous. With each run, you collect supplies that are used to strengthen your base.
This is definitely an effective way for someone as lazy as me to start running. Maybe it’ll help you change your daily routine of morning jogs as well. After all, you get to strengthen your lungs, heart, and your base with this game.
Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $1.99)
That’s it!
Augmented reality is being integrated and incorporated into our daily lives at a respectable pace. It’s only a matter of time that some of the games listed here grow bigger and explore a new avenue of augmented reality that we hadn’t thought to be possible before this.
Have I missed any of your favorite augmented reality games? Is there any game that you have enjoyed thoroughly, but somehow went under the radar? Let me know in the comments below!
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