All the best iPad apps rated, reviewed and ready for download.
Proto is a very basic wireframing tool with some great features including gesture-based controls, but its lack of export and workflow shortcomings make it difficult to wholeheartedly recommend.
£6.99
Not as original as it first appears, but nonetheless a beautiful and absorbing physics puzzler.
£1.99
Luxor virgins will delight in the pleasures of Amun Rising, but existing fans won’t find much to entice them.
£2.99
Book Creator is limiting for professionals, but for playing around with creating books, it’s well-made, easy to use and packed with potential.
£2.99
The same compelling gameplay, but with plenty of innovations and new levels to make it worth a second visit
£1.99
The control system is a failed experiment, but otherwise, Dead Space is technically brilliant.
£5.99
Only of real use to the ardent Lightroom fan prepared to put up with all the file transfer obstacles.
£10.99
The story creator is the star of the show here, turning your child into the author, which is much more fun than the weakly animated story.
£2.49
A big bag of space goodies to experiment with, culminating in truly eye-popping space carnage. Ka-pow!
£6.99
Agenda Calendar is a brilliant replacement for the built-in equivalent, with a better design and more features, without adding extra interface clutter.
£0.69
Control issues aside, Warrior Within really is a magnificent sequel.
£2.99
A wonderful way to explore the world – you’ll be travelling and investigating for hours.
FREE
Much better for multi-playing rather than on your own.
£4.99
4oD comes to the iPad at last – and getting it is a complete no-brainer while it’s free.
FREE
The world’s most influential current affairs magazine comes to the iPad, and makes a beautiful initial impression
£2.99
An Inca-redibly fun multiplayer experience, though you Maya not find the single-player game as engrossing.
£1.49
Fans of skeuomorphism, scrapbooks, and flowery photo frames will be delighted. Otherwise this app is fairly limited in its usefulness.
£1.99
The insane-looking rabbits raise frequent chuckles and the well-designed levels provide a satisfying challenge
£1.99
Could become an excellent tool in the future, but this first release is patchy.
£5.99
Shows enormous potential, but there’s a long way to go before the app will be worth your time.
£2.49
A helping hand for when you’re caught short in unfamiliar settings
£1.19
A good, well-featured notebook for your iPad that’s let down by the lack of real syncing.
£17.99
An excellent update to what was already a fine match game — recommended even if you own the original.
£1.99
A blast-’em-up blast from the past that irons out some kinks, but avoids steamrolling what made the original such a classic.
£1.99
Frequently frustrating, but a novel and surprisingly exciting take on a top-down racing game.
£1.99
Great looks, great level design and spectacular crashes lift this bike game above the norm
£1.49
Unrefined mechanics tarnish this original iOS platformer, but luckily the stellar concept and aesthetics shine through.
£1.99
Gluddle has the looks and sounds perfectly nailed, but sadly, its frustrating controls bounce off-target.
£0.69
A neat plaything, and slick with it, but the substance doesn’t match its brilliant looks.
£1.99
Has its moments, but this mixture of platforms and drawing doesn’t work as well as it thinks it does.
£2.99
Inventive and charming; if only control issues didn’t drag it down. Be wary on iPad and avoid on iPhone.
£1.99
A fast, extremely fun strategy game with a fantastic sense of humour.
FREE
A mite frustrating at times, and very short; but also sweet, with engaging visuals and simple, addictive gameplay.
£0.69
Perfect for anyone even vaguely interested in 2D animation. A great tool for experienced animators to jot down concepts on the go
£2.99
Good looking as Bladeslinger Ep. 1 might be, it’s a hollow and oft-miserable slog. Hit the saloon, instead.
£1.99
A great app to read with your children that explains the mysteries of the universe.
£9.99
A slick flick game that’s fun and addictive, but the whole concept needs to evolve next time out.
£2.99
Even a decade on, GTA 3 remains a superb game. Yes, it’s violent and amoral, but it’s only for adults.
£2.99
Setting up isn’t for the faint of heart, but this is a great app for transferring files.
£2.49
Educational, but strangely old fashioned. We expect more from iPad apps these days
£5.49
Incredibly easy to use and will make you animate inanimate objects in seconds, as long as you own an iPad 2.
£2.99
FIFA 13 is the best football sim we’ve played on iOS, and is great for the price, even if there’s still room for improvement.
£4.99
It’s a big old bit of software, but this is a great app for Jack White fans.
£3.99
Several missed opportunities here but, as on TV, C4 News gives excellent perspective on in-depth stories
FREE
Children can play as they learn in this wildly imaginative and flawlessly immersive learning experience
£2.99
A fun set of minigames that’ll keep the little ones occupied for hours. Postman Pat fans will be especially excited.
£1.99
A pleasant way to explore Kew and the wonders of the plant kingdom – and Attenborough is as captivating as ever.
£7.99
This is a great app if all you need to do is read a Final Draft script on your iPad without needing to make notes or amendments.
£5.49
Initially off-putting, but perseverance and a little patience reaps rewards, revealing one of the best quickfire platform games for iOS.
£1.49
A beautiful solution to a very real iPad problem. Will be better for a few tweaks, though.
£2.99
There’s enough good stuff here to make it worth a purchase, but it’s not up to the standard we expect.
£2.99
Without doubt the finest kart racer on iOS, and also one of our favourite iOS games in any genre.
£1.49
A comprehensive score creation/editing tool with beautiful sound, but let down by stability issues.
£10.49
Not actively bad, but not good enough, either. You’d be better off with Flipboard, The Early Edition or Reeder, instead.
FREE
A terrific tool for bloggers that makes it a cinch to add images and video to posts, and is a bargain to boot.
£2.99
The In-app Purchase content makes this expensive for the completist, but this is a nicely constructed app
£4.99
Does little to further the tower defense genre, but few titles will ever reach the quality and longevity found in Fieldrunners 2.
£1.99
A fun, free and simple way to share information between young children and teachers, but its juvenile interface may alienate older kids.
FREE
Certainly not the most original use of a licence, but Mazes of Time’s enjoyable enough.
£0.59
Beautiful photography and a few handy features make this a great ambient app for your iPad.
£0.69
Broadcast your virtual sounds around the world and check in on the competition
£0.59
Curious about building games on your iPad? Codify offers a terrific sandbox to do exactly that
£5.49
A nice idea, but it’s too easy, and the level design is not nearly clever enough.
£0.69
Eternal Legacy is enjoyable enough, but it’s a pale imitation of the games it’s attempting to emulate.
£2.99
We were impressed with Coach’s Eye; it’s hard to see how athletes and coaches wouldn’t benefit from it. With a bit of TLC from the magic sponge and it will be up and running with the pros in no time.
FREE
Snake! SNAAAAAAKE! Oooh it’s a snake! Ah, no, it isn’t – it’s a flawed but loveable bit of rhythmic lunacy.
£0.69
Ignore the slightly gimmicky pitch – iFontMaker offers plenty of flexibility and options to create a custom typeface.
£4.99
A beautifully animated storybook mainly targeted at little girls, but nothing that particularly jumps out as unique.
£3.99
Thanks to the fantastic interface children will love exploring this atlas, but watch out – it’s a large app to download.
£5.49
Great fun, wildly intuitive, filled with classic sounds, but marginally outclassed by apps only slightly more expensive.
£5.49
One of the most feature-rich and versatile image editing and creation apps on the market, but lacks the focus of its main rivals.
£2.99
A fairly straightforward mapping/maze game with a twist that adds plenty of atmosphere.
£1.49
For bookmarking clips, this will do the job. It’s not quite the ‘Instapaper for video’ we wanted, though.
£1.79
A new way of experiencing video that’s capable of an astonishing level of immersion. The iPad was made for apps like this!
FREE
Stunningly complex turn-by-turn strategy-based SIM redefines expectations for the iPad as games platform
£2.99
A very handy portable office application that allows you to do all your office work on the move.
£6.99
We applaud the effort to do something new, but mixing traditional tower defense with first-person shooting isn’t without its problems.
£0.69
Get out the world map, table and pointer: this is a veritable treat for the control freaks out there.
£0.69
Not as comprehensive as we’d expect for the money, but still a very handy tool for amateur film-makers.
£10.49
You know when people bang on in a tiresome way that sequels are never as good as the originals? Well, um, that.
£3.99
An innovative image editor that offers the freedom to experiment. Slick, fast and fun to use.
£5.99
Three stars, purely for the wonderful first half — but later levels are for the bloody-minded only
£1.49
A fresh perspective view on tower defense gaming, refreshingly offering an engaging plot and fascinating RPG elements. Bring on the hordes!
£0.69
It’s very easy to use, but if you’re looking to playback 720p MKV files, you’d be better off looking elsewhere.
£1.49
Strikes the perfect balance between pro features and usability. By no means will it replace the desktop version but, should the need arise, Final Draft Writer provides just the right tools to create an entire script from start to finish.
£34.99
Basic yet satisfying platforming fare, wrapped in an atmospheric mythological setting.
£0.69
Want a more socially focused web browser than Safari? Then you need this on your iPad.
FREE
Perfectly sized scores, lag-free page turns and brilliant value for money makes this a winner, though extra In-App Purchases would have been nice
£2.99
A beautiful coffee-table app that will inspire you to revisit, or discover, ’60s classics.
£5.99
Not quite a champion, but far from a double bogey, this mini-golf game easily makes the cut.
£2.49
A brilliantly compact, well constructed and atmospheric puzzler that’s likely to give you chills. This is iOS gaming at its best.
£1.49
Is it worth the exclamation mark? This strategy conqueror’s nothing original so perhaps not, but it is fun, nonetheless.
£1.99
More Asphalt 7: Reheated than Asphalt 7: Heat, but if you don’t own its predecessor, this is a must-buy.
£0.69
On paper, Rockmate shouldn’t work this well, but it’s actually a fun way to make music with friends.
£1.99
A neat, way of navigating NASA’s content, and to check out when the ISS will be hurtling overhead.
FREE
Exquisite graphics and professional narration make for a charming bedtime app for your child.
£1.49
Almost a good game, but undone by terrible pacing, which commits the cardinal sin of making a blasting game dull.
£0.69
Everyone who owns an iPad should get this app. And other developers should watch and learn
£3.99
Without question, it’s the best media player for iPad. If you’re a video fanatic, it’s the app to buy.
£1.99
Fun for fans of Angry Birds and Star Wars alike, but the few new gimmicks mean The Force is merely strong(ish) in this one.
£0.69
A nice app, and one well-designed for its purpose, but we’re not sure that its purpose really warrants the cost.
£1.49
Fast, free-falling fun that tried a bit too hard to be cool and ends up being a bit of a jerk. A loveable jerk, though.
£1.99
Addictive multiplayer gaming that will only increase in competitiveness
£1.19
You’ll be left switching between smart and stupid faster than the titular shapes. Ideally, approach while clutching a stress ball.
£0.69
If you want to be a record breaker, dedication’s what you need, and this app might help
£0.59
A perfectly inoffensive time-waster, but if you’re after thrills and excitement then look elsewhere.
FREE
The visual splendor is somewhat spoilt by the dark tones, and levels are too slow-paced and repetitive to really grip you.
£1.99
A slick-looking app that makes some rather bold claims, but doesn’t quite live up to them.
£1.49
An encyclopaedic knowledge of history’s greatest sayings awaits in this insightful app
£1.79
A minigame collection best left to play with kids, since adults will tire of it too quickly.
£1.89
A great foundation for a mirthful arcade racer, but even shallower than its ancestors from 30 years ago.
£0.69
A fun idea for kids, although multiple user accounts would be good for families with more than one child.
FREE
A simple idea, beautifully coded. A, must-have title for, the iPad.
£1.99
A friendly yet challenging turn based strategy game that delivers fresh content every 24 hours.
£4.99
A fantastically enjoyable reunion of the characters, straight back into action.
£1.99
A fun, and occasionally inventive rhythm-action game, but the IAP system leads to repetition and feels distinctly like gouging.
£0.69
A promising start and very close to bringing home the bacon, but this game’s sometimes a bit of a boar.
£0.69
A useful app that’s developing quickly, but can still be hard to use.
£2.99
Poorly implemented touch controls sap some of the fun from this otherwise delightfully bizarre RPG romp.
£0.69
Dramatic scenery and great detail, all organised in an easy to follow way. Superb.
£1.99
Merely unleashes a raging fury when you realise you could have been playing a better racer instead.
£2.99
There’s some real power here, but compatibility with the Mac version has yet to manifest.
£5.99
A good, challenging tower defence game. But not a great Final Fantasy spin-off.
£4.99
Everything you already love (or hate) – only with a few more niggles.
FREE
You’ll like girls, robots, pies, moustaches – in fact, the majority of what this charming puzzler has in store.
£1.99
Quite simply, the most charming and entertaining interactive book currently available on the iPad. Although it’s not the cheapest!
£5.49
An extremely satisfying blend of tower defense and card collecting. There’s amusing gory bits, too.
FREE
A fantastic RPG with an engaging story, slick combat and satisfying character development.
£3.99
We’ll sing this in our loudest and proudest voice: this turn-based game gets an Editor’s Choice.
£1.99
Comes across more like a tech demo than a game. Visually quite impressive, but otherwise pedestrian
£3.99
Eye-searing, slightly unnerving, but different, engaging and highly recommended
£1.49
A terrific companion to your camera and iPad, if not the complete Photoshop killer we’re still waiting for.
£0.69
A lovingly created homage to Charles Schultz’s iconic characters that makes a wonderfully charming app for kids of all ages.
£1.99
A nice idea that’s crying out for some added features, but it’s definitely worth having.
FREE
One of the newsstand’s most recognisable names comes to iPad in a straight up digital transfer
£1.79
With Twitter clients so common now, Quip’s new twist on the regular Twitter timeline view, smart features and great design make for refreshing viewing.
£1.99
A window into some gorgeous photography; a source of inspiration for photographers and of delight for everyone.
FREE
It’s enormous fun and tests the old grey matter, even if you do find yourself shouting at the game on a regular basis.
£2.99
A collection of lovely interactive books – but you might want to choose your own individual collection from the App Store (some Seuss apps are bargains at the moment).
£7.99
A first-rate and surprisingly accessible strategy game. Worth invading a medium-sized country for.
£2.49
Data analysis just got good on the iPad. Still, the iWork apps need a better file sync system.
£6.99
Some hugely impressive tools and an interface ideal for artists make this a great painting app.
£2.99
It’s Space Invaders with a twist! A great take on a classic.
£1.49
A great way to redesign your home, but would benefit from some more furniture.
£2.99
Short, but extremely sweet, and with a personality to melt even the stoniest of hearts
£1.99
Minecraft meets Mario. Junk Jack has ideas aplenty, but needs to better work out what it wants to do with them.
£1.99
It’s an unusual way to present a travel app, but one that works so much better for it!
£2.99
An app with lots of good ideas, streets ahead of the competition, but it’s not perfect
FREE
Although struggling to come up with 14 hockey playing nations this game is a successful example of the iPad’s possibilities
£2.99
It’s a simple idea, but this is great-looking game with challenging levels that’s thoroughly addictive.
£0.69
Compelling, and with endless hilarity. The sheer range of possibilities with different partners means there’s longevity here, too.
FREE
New York Times leads the way with Editors Choice app that could change the way we enjoy news
FREE
We love this app. It lets you create brilliant works of art, is highly original and a whole load of fun.
FREE
A superb update of a classic adventure that still delivers.
£3.99
It may not replace your dedicated RSS reader, but it’s a lovely way of browsing news and social network updates.
FREE
It seemed promising, but this ponderous attempt at a puzzle adventure is just Layton the side down.
£1.99
There’s not a wide range of sounds in it, but this is a well-featured app at a great price.
£2.49
A challenging game, which shines out among a crowded sea of similar line-drawing titles.
£1.99
One of the finest videogaming experiences iOS has to offer. Brilliant in every conceivable way.
£2.99
BudgetBook doesn’t have the prettiest interface, but it does allow you to track business and personal budgets, which is a bonus.
£0.69
A great mix of practical tools and fun creative effects, that more than lives up the Photoshop monicker
£6.99
The brilliant do-it-all Twitter widget makes an early debut on the tablet and makes an instant impact
FREE
A beautifully constructed RTS with pleasant brain-ticklers that’s almost enough for us to wish the summer away.
£4.99
Initially raucous, smashy fun, but we soon tired of the game’s mechanics and awful sound, despite its good looks and humour.
£1.49
An interactive, immersive book app that lets you control the plot. A fantastic read, looks great and could well point to the future of books on iOS.
£1.49
A time-saving app for those that use Facebook and Twitter equally, but it’s undone by some sloppy elements.
£0.69
Dredd fans should add another star; everyone else should check out Minotron for superior confined-space shooty thrills.
FREE
An intriguing strategy game – enjoyable and ambient, but it feels rather simple, despite all its options.
£2.99
Thoughtful puzzling that requires a careful approach, but the slow-paced gameplay keeps things from ever being truly compelling.
£0.69
Red Bull’s monthly magazine goes digital with a vast array of exciting new visual content
FREE
Slick looks and flawless operation, but the price limits its audience to enterprise users
FREE
Good, wholesome cartoon-like fun for kids that won’t send parents insane either
£0.69
If you’re an electric guitar player, you really don’t want to miss out on this app’s power and versatility.
£11.99
A little originality in match games can go a long way, but in this case it wasn’t enough to grab us
£2.99
Older children with a passion for dinosaurs will love it, but younger children won’t find enough to keep their interest here
£9.99
A useful, cheap reference app for students with a basic to moderate understanding of the human vascular system.
£2.99
It’s a slick app that promises a decent service once the Big Brother torment is over for another year
FREE
iPutt is off the mark on addictiveness and realism but its free so we can’t complain
FREE
The many puzzles will keep you building and rebuilding for ages, even if the sandbox mode is imperfect.
£1.99
An intriguing strategy game – enjoyable and ambient, but it feels rather simple, despite all its options.
£2.99
Could have been a contender, but in play, AXL veers between being as sterile as its environments or as frustrating as a bug in a pint.
£0.69
It seems pricey, but djay’s layout, waveform display, split output option and sync feature make it feel pro.
£11.99
A well-conceived strategy title with a good balance of depth and immediacy, but also a few quirks.
£1.29
A cracking app for hunting local crashpads and planning holiday stays generally
FREE
A beautifully made app that will immediately fill you with wanderlust.
£1.49
Men’s mag makes iPad debut with stunning Hot 100 issue. Gallerytastic.
£1.79
Expensive, but it works. Serious about photos? You’ll easily find a way of making it worth the price.
£29.99
Spider-Man and Captain America have rarely looked better than on the iPad’s 9.7-inch touchscreen
FREE
Although mildly entertaining, not even as close to raunchy as its name suggests
FREE
A polished (ha!), shiny (oho!) match game to treasure (OK, just stop now). But should it have been Universal? Yeah, probably.
£1.49
There are some minor flaws and omissions, but there’s just so much to love here.
FREE
Reignite the Christmas cheer with this interactive rendition of a timeless classic
£1.19
An attractive way to handle documents for email, but it’s severely lacking in features.
FREE
Good clean fun and a superb introduction to the possibilities of loop manipulation, but not suitable for addition to a pro DJ setup.
FREE
Control issues aside, this is a decent game, and at least you get to be the zombies rather than just shooting at the poor buggers.
£1.99
Definitely no GarageBand, and it stings at four times the price, but for beats you won’t find much better.
£13.99
Discover a wealth of Wikipedia based knowledge in magazine form
FREE
iMockups needs work, but it’s a quick way to sketch UIs. More features are promised.
£4.99
An enjoyable and entertaining app that can genuinely enhance your photographs.
£1.79
Unique, amusing and often comically dark, Ghost Trick is a thoroughly entertaining tale.
FREE
Flawed, but the few stand-out events, combined with single-player cups and a multiplayer mode, ensures value for money
£1.99
Avid Studio for iPad shows a lot of promise, but it has many nagging glitches which could make it frustrating to use over time
£2.99
Spectacular, engaging and complex. Chaos Rings II is the best of the series, yet. Go grab your sword, because this is proper epic adventuring.
£13.99
A focused feature-set, and incredible price make for a great code editor despite the lack of SFTP
£3.99
You don’t get much better pinball for free, and the paid tables are worth a look too.
FREE
Not complex, but a lot of fun; DoInk is an app that lets animators of all abilities get started in no time.
£2.99
A positively beautiful action-RPG with heavy-hitting action, smart writing, and more personality than the rest of its genre put together.
£0.69
The chance you’ve been waiting for to play Fergie, provided stray arrows don’t tip you over the edge towards dishing out the hairdryer treatment.
£1.49
Satisfying for Batman fans, but almost comically short. We hope Batman returns with more foes to fight.
£3.99
A fantastic and sophisticated golf game. It’s just a shame about the lack of online options.
£3.99
This is a great app for subscribers now, and we hope it’ll get even better with a few more features.
FREE
Vast and beautiful, but lacking that little extra something that would have made it better than nice
£1.99
We were disappointed by Yojimbo’s lack of two-way syncing and bugs. Wait for the next version.
£5.99
A rich, visually appealing and immersive live synth experience with fantastic sounds and plenty of scope.
£20.99
The twitchiness of the app technology used to present the material began to irritate – but the content is out of this world.
£4.99
Gameprom is really getting the hang of this – War Pinball is its best set of tables yet, with plenty to keep you playing.
£1.99
If you’re chatting across platforms or on an older iPad, you should definitely give Skype a look.
FREE
A rich and complex game, but the static screens and overload of information makes it a little dry
£6.99
Some thought-provoking images complemented by fascinating insights.
£2.99
A charming, playable, great-looking undersea adventure, with depth. (And the iPhone version’s just as good.)
£2.99
Yes it’s free, but the selection of films you get in the UK is so limited that this is unlikely to be of interest.
FREE
Transform your iPad into a digital notepad and share all your ideas in any way you choose, including handwritten notes, doodles, sketches and more.
FREE
Shoot-’em-up joy from the masters of bullet hell, albeit at a ludicrous price. One for aficionados
£9.99
There’s a lot to like about Boxee for iPad, and videos stream over Wi-Fi quite happily. It’s also been superbly designed.
FREE
A neat little experiment, but it’s all over when it should be getting into its stride.
£0.69
Simple and fun cartoon battles with an adventurous twist, and yours for a bargain price – get your swag on.
£0.69
Solid and respectable old-skool twin-stick action that’ll provide a challenge, whatever the weather.
£1.99
Hectic and atmospheric, as it should be, but a lack of maps holds this well-made shooter back.
£4.99
Having dominated physical board games and the iPhone, Scrabble now tackles the iPad
£3.99
It’s enormous fun and tests the old grey matter, even if you do find yourself shouting at the game on a regular basis.
£1.99
One of the best iPhone puzzlers is now one of the finest iPad games. Just buy it and thank us later.
£1.79
It’s well designed, but needs to expand the content and features if it’s going to compete with others out there.
£0.69
A thoroughly essential total and utter waste of money for music lovers of a certain age
£1.49
Ever dreamed of owning a classic synth? Treat yourself to one of the finest…
£22.99
A mixed bag: tricksy, fun puzzles surrounded by some needlessly tough-to-navigate platforming.
FREE
Gorgeous, and a great screensaver for a docked iPad. If only predicting the weather was infallible!
£2.99
Stylish, absorbing and challenging, but needs Game Center support and an injection of longevity and jolly.
£1.99
This app could become your first point of call for catching up with what’s going on in the world.
FREE
A well-developed paper-sourced crossword puzzler that should keep addicts happy.
£2.99
A genuinely lovely remake of a classic RPG, but the high pricing is questionable compared to its rivals.
£9.99
Huge fun for amateur daubers and a highly credible app for trad-media artists, too.
£3.99
Despite its all encompassing title, Explain Everything is a well-rounded functional app, but doesn’t quite have all the answers yet.
£1.99
An impressively modern catalogue, but not a comprehensive one. That, and a few teething problems, make its monthly price seem too high.
£0.69
A hugely enjoyable RTS featuring the only ants you won’t want to nuke with powder from the garden centre
£1.99
A stern face at the unnecessary and irksome IAP, but a happy, shark-like toothy grin at everything else.
£0.69
Somewhere between Newton’s cradle and a marble run, this puzzler is as fun as it is archaeologically suspect
£0.69
Almost a fantastic racer – with a bit more polish and better tracks it could have been wheelie good.
£3.99
Great transposition/instrument part functions and lots of scores available, but a few issues currently.
£5.49
Enormous fun, but not perfect yet. However, it’s difficult to argue with the price – or rather, lack of it.
FREE
A fun – sometimes frustrating – mix of tower defense and godly destruction that’s a good option for blowing off some pent-up steam.
FREE
It’s got gritty sounds and a clean interface, but FL Studio Mobile is currently too simplistic for the price
£13.99
The smartest, as well as one of the most affordable, full-features iOS office suites.
£13.99
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