Seven iOS games we want to see on Apple TV: the best iOS games ready for the big screen
If there was an App Store exclusively for games on the Apple TV, how would they be controlled One idea is to use MFI (Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod) controllers, as they can already interact with many iOS games thanks to the Game Controller framework that was introduced with iOS 7. The Game Controller framework allows any third party controller, as long as its part of the MFI licensing program, to be used with compatible iPhone or iPad games.
The real question is, if there is a new App Store for the Apple TV on the way, which games would we like to see transferred to the big screen
See also: The 111 best iPhone & iPad games
Seven iOS games we want to see on Apple TV: GTA San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is, in our opinion, one of the best Grand Theft Auto games available and is perfect for the Apple TV. Why Because it came from a games console originally, not a phone or tablet. Five minutes of playing and you'll see that GTA: San Andreas is exactly the same as the console version released back in 2004, with the exception of high resolution graphics built specifically for mobile devices.
Even with a high resolution, the authentic GTA 'look' is still apparent as the graphics are still blocky and the driving controls are slightly questionable - just like it was when it was first released. But it doesn't matter about the graphics or controls, it's about the level of enjoyment and the feeling of nostalgia that you'll get from playing it.
If you didn't get round to playing GTA: San Andreas when it was first released, you take on the role of CJ, a thug from Grove Street, Los Santos. It's open world and you can drive/shoot/eat/cycle your way around the streets of Los Santos, with many challenges ahead of you. You can take on rival gangs, get fit at the gym (or fat in the fast food restaurant) and generally cause GTA style havoc.
If anything, it's a look at how far we've come in the past 11 years - 11 years ago, you needed a dedicated console to play GTA: San Andreas. Fast forward to today and it can be run on an iPad or even an iPhone. Who'd have thought that we'd be able to do that 11 years ago
Seven iOS games we want to see on Apple TV: Does not Commute
Another game that would look great on the big screen is a relatively new and fairly innovative game called Does Not Commute. Does Not Commute starts you off with a simple driving challenge: get a car from point A to point B before the time runs out. (The car runs automatically: you just tap the left or right side of the screen to steer.) But as soon as you achieve this, the game rewinds time and asks you to repeat the trick with a second vehicle on the same course.
Only this time you need to contend with another driver on the road: yourself, screaming recklessly across the map in the first car. This repeats until the screen is chocka with high-speed illustrations of your own inability to drive.
There are so many neat touches: the dangerous ramps, jumps and shortcuts that you're encouraged to use in order to avoid traffic, but which nearly always end in disaster; the desperate rush to beat the clock and pick up the extra-time powerups; and, best of all, the challenge of adapting to a vehicle that handles completely differently within a space of seconds.
So why would it be great on the Apple TV Not only do we think that Does Not Commute has great graphics that contribute towards an all round fun game, the style is one that's unique and can be appreciated with a larger screen. Also, it may make the game more exciting to play as you'd have a better view of the roads, ramps and shortcuts.
The best part Does Not Commute is free to download from the App Store, with an optional £1.49 in-app purchase to unlock checkpoints. You can't say fairer than that really, can you
See also: 63 of the best Mac games
Seven iOS games we want to see on Apple TV: Vainglory
Vainglory is staggeringly well presented, with some of the best visuals seen on the App Store: colourful and lushly detailed environments and well-animated fantasy characters. But this isn't a case of form over function.
The game spotlights three-on-three team-based action with (and against) fellow online players, and each squad must destroy the crystal at their opponents' base. It's not just a matter of overpowering your foes in head-to-head battle - instead, you must work together to take down enemy turrets, use minion creatures as living shields and generally make smart decisions in every phase of the game.
The free-to-play design thankfully puts no limits on gameplay: you can play as much as you want, but only with the certain free characters offered at any given time. If you want to use a non-free warrior, you'll have to pay a one-time fee with in-game currency.
Vainglory has the heart of a full-bodied multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) experience. And like the top PC genre entries, it's a remarkably fair and fun free game that doesn't penalise players who opt not to shell out. The overall quality of the game, from the game mechanics to the animation and graphics, is fantastic and would make a great addition to an Apple TV App Store.
Seven games we want to see on Apple TV: Minecraft (Pocket Edition)
Minecraft, if it gets its hooks into you, will consume your free time to the point where your job is the casual game, squeezed in between marathon Minecraft slogs.
Those in the know call Minecraft a "sandbox" game, part of an emerging class of entertainments that offer users a set of tools and few rules. After that, it's up to you how you play. You can build in this world by collecting materials and assembling blocks, but whether you want to use your building skills to simply create, or to defend yourself from zombies, is up to you. There are randomly generated surprises in store for players too!
There are some slight changes with the iOS version, namely the lack of online functionality. You can travel to another friends world, but only if you're connected to the same Wi-Fi network. This means that you'll have to wait until you play on the PC or consoles (its available on almost every major platform) before you can visit other worlds and see what your friends have been creating.
Why should it be ported to the Apple TV If the developers include iCloud syncing, it'd allow iOS gamers to be able to play Minecraft on the big screen at home, while still having the ability to go out and be able to carry on creating your virtual world on your iPhone/iPad. That's not something that's possible on any other platform (unless you Share Play from a PS4 to the PS Vita, but it's not a great experience) and would make the iOS Minecraft experience a unique one.
Minecraft's blocky appearance may appear primitive compared to the current generation of PS4/Xbox One first-person shooters, but the gameplay is gloriously cutting edge. You could happily play it forever. And might.
Seven iOS games we want to see on Apple TV: Oceanhorn
Oceanhorn is a game reminiscent of traditional Zelda games, that many hail to be one of the best games available on iOS. You start the game by waking up one morning to discover your father missing, with only a necklace and a notebook left. You explore a cluster of islands within the Uncharted Seas, solving puzzles and fighting creatures to try and find more clues as to your fathers whereabouts. Even though it may look fairly simple, there are challenging parts that could even stump experienced iOS Gamers - we've had one or two of these experiences ourselves!
Many games focus on one main element - graphics, gameplay or soundtrack. Once one is chosen, the other two usually suffer, but that's not the case with Oceanhorn. Oceanhorn is a combination of fun gameplay, amazing graphics and a great soundtrack. It runs at 60fps on the iPhone 6, 6 Plus and iPad Air 2 and the soundtrack was created by renowned video game composers Nobuo Uematsu (composed Final Fantasy soundtrack) and Kenji Ito. With this level of detail, it's clear why Oceanhorn would be great on the Apple TV - because it would provide a great experience, both visually an aurally.
The best part is that it already has support for MFI controllers and iCloud progress syncing, so a crossover to the Apple TV shouldn't be as much work as it could be for other developers. We feel that Oceanhorn is one of a small number of apps that could work well on both small screens and large screens alike, and hope that we're proven right one day soon.
See also: 14 of the best free iPhone games
Seven iOS games we want to see on Apple TV: 9mm
This hugely entertaining third-person shooter, starring detective John Kannon, is very much a case of 'shoot first, ask questions once the bad guys are dead'.
9mm's graphics are superb, the dialogue is hilarious and the optional gyroscope-based controls, while initially tricky, make those first few kills all the more satisfying. The buttons are conveniently placed, with crouch/stand and the virtual joystick on the left, and shoot and run bottom right, next to a cool button that allows you to dive in slow motion, which can come in handy when there are six or seven thugs trying to shoot you at once.
There are numerous firearms to choose from, and a shop for upgrades. The shop in the main game isn't really needed though, as you can pick up both guns and cash from the guys that you shoot. The money should be saved for the online gameplay, where you'll want to buy some better weaponry right away to keep up with the competition. The multiplayer experience includes the standard features including upgrades, a levelling system and a kill to death ratio.
9mm looks like it would translate to TV pretty well, with great graphics and audio and generally fun gameplay. Plus everybody loves a good 'shoot-em-up', right 9mm is a funny, great-looking game that's kept fresh by the gyro controls and we hope to see it on the big screen one day!
Best iOS games we want to run on the Apple TV: Tiny Wings
For those who haven't played it before, Tiny Wings is a side-scrolling game based on a single control. Touch the screen and your cute little bird furls her stunted wings and speeds downwards at a rapid lick. Raise your finger, and she flaps them and soars briefly, if you've gained sufficient momentum. Racing against the sun (when it sets your bird goes to sleep and the game is over) you have to press and release at the right moments to navigate a series of hilly, undulating islands as quickly as possible, achieving 'flight' as much as you can.
The basic gameplay mechanics are simple but exquisitely crafted, and the game is an aesthetic delight, from the crayony backdrops to the charming music and effects. But it was a recent update that catapulted an already fine game to the top of our hit parade. Aside from now being available optimised for iPad, the best new feature is a mode called Hill Party: a split-screen, knee-to-knee local multiplayer mode that's quite brilliant (but only for iPad).
So, why would a simple side scrolling game be a good choice for the Apple TV It's gorgeous - you can tell that every graphic has been meticulously created and playing on a big screen will showcase that. Apart from the fact that it's simple and addictive, the use of the multiplayer mode in a social environment brings a different kind of challenge that anyone can join in with. Tiny Wings is wonderful, charming, inventive, simple, beautiful, fun. Pick an adjective.
See also: How to get Pokemon (and other Nintendo games) on your iPhone