Best No Wi-Fi iPad Games

Gone are the days when the iPad gaming experience was limited to slicing fruits and shooting birds to blast pigs. At this point, the iPad has become a gaming gadget to be reckoned with and the experience can be compared to that of Nintendo Switch, for example.

However, most of the games use Wi-Fi to connect to the platform and provide real-time interactive gaming. But are there titles you can play offline? Of course, there are and we’ll give you a quick rundown of the ones that deserve your attention.

Plants vs. Zombies

Did you know that Plants vs. Zombies is already ten years old? Being an EA classic, this is one of the coolest and most addictive games on iPad. Of course, it doesn’t require Wi-Fi and if you’ve ever played Plants vs. Zombies before, “Brainzzz” keeps echoing in your head while you are reading this.

For those new to iPad gaming, Plants vs Zombies is a take on the good old tower defense concept and it ushered in an era of cartoony and fun, yet complex iOS games. On the surface, the principle is simple. You are in the role of a gardener whose goal is to strategically position the plants to ward off hordes of zombies.

As you progress to higher levels, the zombies get faster, more cunning, or they use some sort of defense. For example, there are buckethead, pole-vaulter, and linebacker zombies, plus 26 more and each one has a special trick up its sleeve to make the gameplay that much harder and engaging.

Smash Hit

There is something calming and oddly satisfying about this game. Smash Hit takes you on a journey across the dreamy dimension as you break glass objects that come your way. The game itself can be regarded as a combination of an obstacle course and an endless-runner.

As indicated, your goal is to accurately throw balls at glass objects and smash them. At first, the objects are few and far between, but you move faster and there is more glass to break on higher levels. All in all, Smash Hit has 50 rooms and 11 futuristic styles to create one of the most relaxing and unique gaming environments.

Music and the in-game physics are the things that really go in favor of this game. The breaking glass looks very realistic and the tunes make the gaming experience really immersive.

Jetpack Joyride

At the time of this writing, Jetpack Joyride ranked 30 in the action games category and it had about half a billion regular players. But where does the popularity of this no-Wi-Fi iPad game come from?

First of all, Jetpack Joyride lives up to its name. The game is fun, action-packed, and challenging enough to keep you glued to the iPad for hours on end. Then, it borrows the design and styling cues from the classic Nintendo games and offers engaging linear gameplay.

You play the character of Barry Steakfires and the aim is to traverse the futuristic world with the help of jetpacks and behind the wheel of crazy vehicles. There are coin-pooping birds as well as numerous vehicle and outfit upgrades. The game is free, but it offers various per-pay upgrades.

Temple Run: Classic

When it came out, Temple Run topped the charts for quite some time and for a good reason. To this day it is among the most demanding endless-runners and it borrows the looks and storyline form the well-known adventure movies.

The best thing about this title is the gameplay itself. You need a sharp focus and quick reflexes to navigate the dizzying world of Temple Run and jump or skip the ever-trickier obstacles. All the while, there are diamonds and special rewards to be collected.

Pick up the ultra-fast power and the character will start running at the speed that’s hard to keep up with. The only downside of this game is the music. The soundtrack does follow the gameplay pace, but it’s too repetitive and you could feel compelled to turn it off after some time.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

This iconic Rockstar Games title doesn’t really need introduction. The GTA series has a cult following and the remastered San Andreas is perfectly suited for iPads. The open-world you already know includes San Andreas, Las Venturas, Los Santos, and San Fierro.

The graphics have been enhanced and adapted for mobile devices. That being said, you’ll see there is still room for improvement, especially if you play it on newer iPads with retina display. However, the storyline and the open-world gameplay of this Rockstar classic are still as engaging as ever.

Unlike some other games, GTA: San Andreas supports all iOS controllers and gives you the option to save the progress to cloud and continue on another iOS device. As you might expect, the game is per-pay and there are no in-app purchases.

It would be interesting to know if any of the old cheats work on the mobile version. Feel free to give them a try and tell us how it went in the comments below.

Stretch Your Fingers and Hit Start

We’ve just scratched the surface with these titles. There are many more great games that don’t require Wi-Fi connection. Do you know any good ones? Are they keeping your mind away from work?

Share your preferences with the rest of the community and feel free to suggest games you’d like us to review.