The iPhone is a device that we carry with us all day, and modern smartphones are powerful enough to play AAA games. Dozens of games are released on the App Store every day, many of which are completely free to play. While most free iPhone games have some form of microtransactions, they usually offer a satisfying gaming experience where you don’t have to spend a dime. If you’re comfortable paying a premium for even better mobile ports, check out our list of the best Apple Arcade games.

Some big games like Fortnite aren’t available on iPhones because of Apple’s revenue sharing model, but there are plenty of games that can offer high-quality experiences you can’t get anywhere else.

Here are the best iPhone games you can play for free, according to us and the hundreds of hours we’ve put into each one.

Zenless Zone Zero

Hoyoverse rarely misses with its gacha games, and Zenless Zone Zero is no different from its other efforts. The urban fantasy RPG features spectacular action combat and elements of living simulator and dungeon crawling, so you’ll always have something to do in New Erid. Its narrative draws from a variety of genres, from anime to comics to visual novels, which combined with its stellar voice acting make it one of the best gacha games on the market. While it’s also available on PC and PS5, ZZZ is a game best played in short bursts, and that’s where its excellent iPhone port comes into play.

Pokemon TCG Pocket

The Pokémon Company brings its addictive card collecting to mobile with the fully digital version of the Pokémon TCG. The game lets you open two decks of cards per day for free, and you can use them to build powerful decks and battle against friends. TCG Pocket’s fully immersive cards add a new dimension to the beautiful artwork on them. Use our tips and tricks to create a winning deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket once you’ve downloaded it.

Call of Duty Mobile

The world’s greatest shooter is available for iPhone as Call of Duty Mobile brings the same fast-paced action that players know on PC and consoles. COD Mobile features many of the franchise’s classic game modes, including domination, team deathmatch, and a 100-player battle royale mode. COD players get an even bigger reward with the mobile port of COD Warzone.

Stormy waves

Wuthering Waves is very similar to Genshin Impact, but this can be good for those new to the genre. Kuro Games’ open-world gacha RPG features a flashy battle system that never gets old, even if its storytelling isn’t the best in the business. However, if you can look past the shoddy localization, you can have a good time with it.

Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact may look like Breath of the Wild, but make no mistake – this is a gacha game through and through. It also has amazing characters and a vibrant world, and its visual style works well on iPhones. With fun combat mechanics and frequent updates that add new characters to the mix, Genshin Impact offers players a lot for free. Its microtransactions can creep up on you quickly, but if you’re patient, you’ll be able to enjoy its story for free.

Honkai: Star Rail

Honkai: Star Rail comes from developers Genshin and moves away from the fantasy aesthetic to something more sci-fi. Combat is also different, with turn-based battles where every move counts with flashy animations. Like Genshin, Honkai: Star Rail is frequently updated with new gameplay elements.

Marvel Snap

Marvel Snap is an addictive card game with a unique rotation of characters from the Marvel universe. Frequently updated with new game modes and characters, Marvel Snap will appeal to fans of games like Hearthstone. With a simple gameplay system that takes a long time to master, Marvel Snap will keep you connected to your iPhone.

Pokémon GO

Pokémon GO set the world on fire when it was released in 2016 and remains one of the best stand-alone Pokémon games on the market. It’s one of the few mobile games that actually encourages you to leave the comfort of your game room, and its AR game mechanics successfully live up to the “Got to catch ’em all” tagline. It’s one of the few games that uses augmented reality in a meaningful way, and it’s surprising that we haven’t seen many other companies emulate it in any significant way.

Between us

The iconic game Innersloth is available on all platforms, but the instant access it provides on a smartphone makes it a regular release. It is an amazing party game with many different modes. Between Us will make or break your friendship with your crew in the funniest way possible. Among Us sees players trapped in a spaceship as they complete various tasks while keeping an eye out for an impostor on board.

Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis

Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis covers the entire story of the FF7 compilation, which is a tall order considering how many games there are in this universe. With classic turn-based combat and redesigned character designs with modern graphics, Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis resembles a remake closer than the actual FF7 Remake. Please be patient as this is an episodic adventure with additional story arcs and characters being added regularly.