Apple has sold over 3 million of their new third-generation iPads at retail over its first weekend available. Even more since, I'm sure. And while most people aren't buying an iPad for gaming (there are 3DS and PlayStation Vitas for that), downloading a few great games for the device is not only an option, but a must for anyone looking to get the most out of the new iPad's new Retina Display.
Now that many of the iPad's top games have been updated to support the new Retina Display's added resolution, we've decided to offer our top five recommendations on the best Retina Display-compatible iPad games you can get.
Infinity Blade II
Price: $6.99 – Download from iTunes
Publisher: Epic Games
Developer: Chair Entertainment
Size: 791MB
Chair Entertainment and Epic Games' on-rails hack-'n'-slash RPG, Infinity Blade II, took home a number of mobile "game of the year" awards, and has been privy to a lot of buzz. The game features multiple classes of swords, armor, and spells, as well as some stunning enemy design. But most of all, the game is gorgeous. In fact, it's the best-looking mobile game on any device. Period. But now it looks even better on the new iPad's Retina Display.
Mass Effect: Infiltrator
Price: $6.99 – Download from iTunes
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: IronMonkey Studios
Size: 647 MB
Infiltrator is a completely original and separate Mass Effect storyline created by the developers behind the amazing Dead Space iOS title. Instead of playing as Commander Shepard, you take the role of Randall Ezno, a Cerberus Operative gone rogue. Fair warning: This isn't the Mass Effect you know and love. The story is almost non-existent, and the controls take a lot of getting used to. But hey, it looks amazing and the ending has to be better than Mass Effect 3's, right?
Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation
Price: $6.99 – Download from iTunes
Publisher: Gameloft
Developer: Gameloft Montreal
Size: 1.05GB
Sure, Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation is no Modern Warfare 3, but it's easily the best mobile first-person shooter on the market. It's got everything you could want in a FPS: single-player story mode, up to 12-player multiplayer, online leaderboards, and stunning graphics. It's even AirPlay-compatible, letting you stream the on-iPad gameplay to an Apple TV for big-screen play. But you really won't even need to, because it looks even better on the new iPad's Retina Display.
Real Racing 2 HD
Price: $7.49 – Download from iTunes
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Firemint
Size: 444MB
Real Racing 2 HD is one the nicest-looking racers you can find anywhere. It may not be as jam-packed or as realistic as Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport, but it's not all that far off, which is amazing considering that this is a mobile game. Steering works by tilting the iPad left or right, while tilting away gives it the gas, and pulling toward yourself hits the brakes. There's a full-fledged career mode with 120 races, and the game boasts 30 licensed cars. It was beautiful before, but the game has been updated to take advantage of the new iPad's 2048×1536 resolution with 4x anti-aliasing. If you've got the new iPad, definitely take this one for a spin.
Flight Control Rocket
Price: $0.99 – Download from iTunes
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Firemint
Size: 31MB
Flight Control Rocket is the follow-up to Firemint's original Flight Control game that has graced a number of different platforms, including the PlayStation 3. After the success of the first game, it was only a matter of time before a sequel arrived. Flight Control Rocket not only improves upon the already solid formula, but adds some of the most vibrant and colorful visuals available on the new iPad, as well as a new Sci-Fi theme. The new ships add a layer of strategy, while still remaining fun as hell. There is one caveat: The game constantly asks you to purchase coins, freemium-style. But the game isn't free, it's $0.99, so it's a bummer to be bombarded with microtransactions. However, when comparing Flight Control Rocket to the rest of the games on our list, $0.99 is a steal—and enough to have you not mind those pesky microtransactions as much. Hopefully, EA smartens up and creates a more expensive version (can you believe I'm wanting a costlier version?) that does away with the microtransactions.
