All the best iPad apps rated, reviewed and ready for download.
A challenging game, which shines out among a crowded sea of similar line-drawing titles.
£1.99
A great app to read with your children that explains the mysteries of the universe.
£9.99
Good, wholesome cartoon-like fun for kids that won’t send parents insane either
£0.69
A brilliantly compact, well constructed and atmospheric puzzler that’s likely to give you chills. This is iOS gaming at its best.
£1.49
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
A promising start and very close to bringing home the bacon, but this game’s sometimes a bit of a boar.
£0.69
A fun – sometimes frustrating – mix of tower defense and godly destruction that’s a good option for blowing off some pent-up steam.
FREE
An Inca-redibly fun multiplayer experience, though you Maya not find the single-player game as engrossing.
£1.49
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
Good looking as Bladeslinger Ep. 1 might be, it’s a hollow and oft-miserable slog. Hit the saloon, instead.
£1.99
A positively beautiful action-RPG with heavy-hitting action, smart writing, and more personality than the rest of its genre put together.
£0.69
A time-saving app for those that use Facebook and Twitter equally, but it’s undone by some sloppy elements.
£0.69
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
An intriguing strategy game – enjoyable and ambient, but it feels rather simple, despite all its options.
£2.99
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
Beautiful photography and a few handy features make this a great ambient app for your iPad.
£0.69
A fun, and occasionally inventive rhythm-action game, but the IAP system leads to repetition and feels distinctly like gouging.
£0.69
Thoughtful puzzling that requires a careful approach, but the slow-paced gameplay keeps things from ever being truly compelling.
£0.69
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
On paper, Rockmate shouldn’t work this well, but it’s actually a fun way to make music with friends.
£1.99
Snake! SNAAAAAAKE! Oooh it’s a snake! Ah, no, it isn’t – it’s a flawed but loveable bit of rhythmic lunacy.
£0.69
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
An impressively modern catalogue, but not a comprehensive one. That, and a few teething problems, make its monthly price seem too high.
£0.69
Get out the world map, table and pointer: this is a veritable treat for the control freaks out there.
£0.69
A pleasant way to explore Kew and the wonders of the plant kingdom – and Attenborough is as captivating as ever.
£7.99
Minecraft meets Mario. Junk Jack has ideas aplenty, but needs to better work out what it wants to do with them.
£1.99
A lovingly created homage to Charles Schultz’s iconic characters that makes a wonderfully charming app for kids of all ages.
£1.99
You’ll like girls, robots, pies, moustaches – in fact, the majority of what this charming puzzler has in store.
£1.99
The visual splendor is somewhat spoilt by the dark tones, and levels are too slow-paced and repetitive to really grip you.
£1.99
Poorly implemented touch controls sap some of the fun from this otherwise delightfully bizarre RPG romp.
£0.69
Fans of skeuomorphism, scrapbooks, and flowery photo frames will be delighted. Otherwise this app is fairly limited in its usefulness.
£1.99
Solid and respectable old-skool twin-stick action that’ll provide a challenge, whatever the weather.
£1.99
Unique, amusing and often comically dark, Ghost Trick is a thoroughly entertaining tale.
FREE
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
We’ll sing this in our loudest and proudest voice: this turn-based game gets an Editor’s Choice.
£1.99
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
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
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 neat plaything, and slick with it, but the substance doesn’t match its brilliant looks.
£1.99
A fun idea for kids, although multiple user accounts would be good for families with more than one child.
FREE
Is it worth the exclamation mark? This strategy conqueror’s nothing original so perhaps not, but it is fun, nonetheless.
£1.99
We applaud the effort to do something new, but mixing traditional tower defense with first-person shooting isn’t without its problems.
£0.69
A beautifully animated storybook mainly targeted at little girls, but nothing that particularly jumps out as unique.
£3.99
Initially off-putting, but perseverance and a little patience reaps rewards, revealing one of the best quickfire platform games for iOS.
£1.49
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
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 blast-’em-up blast from the past that irons out some kinks, but avoids steamrolling what made the original such a classic.
£1.99
An extremely satisfying blend of tower defense and card collecting. There’s amusing gory bits, too.
FREE
Great fun, wildly intuitive, filled with classic sounds, but marginally outclassed by apps only slightly more expensive.
£5.49
Good clean fun and a superb introduction to the possibilities of loop manipulation, but not suitable for addition to a pro DJ setup.
FREE
A nice app, and one well-designed for its purpose, but we’re not sure that its purpose really warrants the cost.
£1.49
Three stars, purely for the wonderful first half — but later levels are for the bloody-minded only
£1.49
A fun set of minigames that’ll keep the little ones occupied for hours. Postman Pat fans will be especially excited.
£1.99
A nice idea, but it’s too easy, and the level design is not nearly clever enough.
£0.69
It seemed promising, but this ponderous attempt at a puzzle adventure is just Layton the side down.
£1.99
You’ll be left switching between smart and stupid faster than the titular shapes. Ideally, approach while clutching a stress ball.
£0.69
More Asphalt 7: Reheated than Asphalt 7: Heat, but if you don’t own its predecessor, this is a must-buy.
£0.69
A fresh perspective view on tower defense gaming, refreshingly offering an engaging plot and fascinating RPG elements. Bring on the hordes!
£0.69
A big bag of space goodies to experiment with, culminating in truly eye-popping space carnage. Ka-pow!
£6.99
Gluddle has the looks and sounds perfectly nailed, but sadly, its frustrating controls bounce off-target.
£0.69
A fun, free and simple way to share information between young children and teachers, but its juvenile interface may alienate older kids.
FREE
Despite its all encompassing title, Explain Everything is a well-rounded functional app, but doesn’t quite have all the answers yet.
£1.99
A new way of experiencing video that’s capable of an astonishing level of immersion. The iPad was made for apps like this!
FREE
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
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
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
Not actively bad, but not good enough, either. You’d be better off with Flipboard, The Early Edition or Reeder, instead.
FREE
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 great foundation for a mirthful arcade racer, but even shallower than its ancestors from 30 years ago.
£0.69
A stern face at the unnecessary and irksome IAP, but a happy, shark-like toothy grin at everything else.
£0.69
A polished (ha!), shiny (oho!) match game to treasure (OK, just stop now). But should it have been Universal? Yeah, probably.
£1.49
Enormous fun, but not perfect yet. However, it’s difficult to argue with the price – or rather, lack of it.
FREE
A beautifully constructed RTS with pleasant brain-ticklers that’s almost enough for us to wish the summer away.
£4.99
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
Initially raucous, smashy fun, but we soon tired of the game’s mechanics and awful sound, despite its good looks and humour.
£1.49
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
If you’re chatting across platforms or on an older iPad, you should definitely give Skype a look.
FREE
Incredibly easy to use and will make you animate inanimate objects in seconds, as long as you own an iPad 2.
£2.99
Without doubt the finest kart racer on iOS, and also one of our favourite iOS games in any genre.
£1.49
You don’t get much better pinball for free, and the paid tables are worth a look too.
FREE
You know when people bang on in a tiresome way that sequels are never as good as the originals? Well, um, that.
£3.99
The twitchiness of the app technology used to present the material began to irritate – but the content is out of this world.
£4.99
Simple and fun cartoon battles with an adventurous twist, and yours for a bargain price – get your swag on.
£0.69
A window into some gorgeous photography; a source of inspiration for photographers and of delight for everyone.
FREE
Stylish, absorbing and challenging, but needs Game Center support and an injection of longevity and jolly.
£1.99
Some hugely impressive tools and an interface ideal for artists make this a great painting app.
£2.99
Control issues aside, Warrior Within really is a magnificent sequel.
£2.99
Almost a good game, but undone by terrible pacing, which commits the cardinal sin of making a blasting game dull.
£0.69
The smartest, as well as one of the most affordable, full-features iOS office suites.
£13.99
A mite frustrating at times, and very short; but also sweet, with engaging visuals and simple, addictive gameplay.
£0.69
Data analysis just got good on the iPad. Still, the iWork apps need a better file sync system.
£6.99
A comprehensive score creation/editing tool with beautiful sound, but let down by stability issues.
£10.49
Everyone who owns an iPad should get this app. And other developers should watch and learn
£3.99
A well-conceived strategy title with a good balance of depth and immediacy, but also a few quirks.
£1.29
An intriguing strategy game – enjoyable and ambient, but it feels rather simple, despite all its options.
£2.99
It’s enormous fun and tests the old grey matter, even if you do find yourself shouting at the game on a regular basis.
£2.99
A wonderful way to explore the world – you’ll be travelling and investigating for hours.
FREE
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
Thanks to the fantastic interface children will love exploring this atlas, but watch out – it’s a large app to download.
£5.49
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
Compelling, and with endless hilarity. The sheer range of possibilities with different partners means there’s longevity here, too.
FREE
A little originality in match games can go a long way, but in this case it wasn’t enough to grab us
£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 fast, extremely fun strategy game with a fantastic sense of humour.
FREE
A mixed bag: tricksy, fun puzzles surrounded by some needlessly tough-to-navigate platforming.
FREE
Dredd fans should add another star; everyone else should check out Minotron for superior confined-space shooty thrills.
FREE
Unrefined mechanics tarnish this original iOS platformer, but luckily the stellar concept and aesthetics shine through.
£1.99
Older children with a passion for dinosaurs will love it, but younger children won’t find enough to keep their interest here
£9.99
Quite simply, the most charming and entertaining interactive book currently available on the iPad. Although it’s not the cheapest!
£5.49
A great mix of practical tools and fun creative effects, that more than lives up the Photoshop monicker
£6.99
A cracking app for hunting local crashpads and planning holiday stays generally
FREE
Stunningly complex turn-by-turn strategy-based SIM redefines expectations for the iPad as games platform
£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
Everything you already love (or hate) – only with a few more niggles.
FREE
It’s a simple idea, but this is great-looking game with challenging levels that’s thoroughly addictive.
£0.69
Not complex, but a lot of fun; DoInk is an app that lets animators of all abilities get started in no time.
£2.99
It’s Space Invaders with a twist! A great take on a classic.
£1.49
A slick-looking app that makes some rather bold claims, but doesn’t quite live up to them.
£1.49
Hectic and atmospheric, as it should be, but a lack of maps holds this well-made shooter back.
£4.99
Satisfying for Batman fans, but almost comically short. We hope Batman returns with more foes to fight.
£3.99
Children can play as they learn in this wildly imaginative and flawlessly immersive learning experience
£2.99
Great looks, great level design and spectacular crashes lift this bike game above the norm
£1.49
A focused feature-set, and incredible price make for a great code editor despite the lack of SFTP
£3.99
Comes across more like a tech demo than a game. Visually quite impressive, but otherwise pedestrian
£3.99
Slick looks and flawless operation, but the price limits its audience to enterprise users
FREE
The same compelling gameplay, but with plenty of innovations and new levels to make it worth a second visit
£1.99
Eye-searing, slightly unnerving, but different, engaging and highly recommended
£1.49
Shoot-’em-up joy from the masters of bullet hell, albeit at a ludicrous price. One for aficionados
£9.99
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
Somewhere between Newton’s cradle and a marble run, this puzzler is as fun as it is archaeologically suspect
£0.69
Short, but extremely sweet, and with a personality to melt even the stoniest of hearts
£1.99
It’s got gritty sounds and a clean interface, but FL Studio Mobile is currently too simplistic for the price
£13.99
Flawed, but the few stand-out events, combined with single-player cups and a multiplayer mode, ensures value for money
£1.99
Not quite a champion, but far from a double bogey, this mini-golf game easily makes the cut.
£2.49
A perfectly inoffensive time-waster, but if you’re after thrills and excitement then look elsewhere.
FREE
There’s not a wide range of sounds in it, but this is a well-featured app at a great price.
£2.49
A terrific companion to your camera and iPad, if not the complete Photoshop killer we’re still waiting for.
£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
A rich and complex game, but the static screens and overload of information makes it a little dry
£6.99
Vast and beautiful, but lacking that little extra something that would have made it better than nice
£1.99
A hugely enjoyable RTS featuring the only ants you won’t want to nuke with powder from the garden centre
£1.99
The In-app Purchase content makes this expensive for the completist, but this is a nicely constructed app
£4.99
It’s a slick app that promises a decent service once the Big Brother torment is over for another year
FREE
Curious about building games on your iPad? Codify offers a terrific sandbox to do exactly that
£5.49
A useful, cheap reference app for students with a basic to moderate understanding of the human vascular system.
£2.99
A thoroughly essential total and utter waste of money for music lovers of a certain age
£1.49
Several missed opportunities here but, as on TV, C4 News gives excellent perspective on in-depth stories
FREE
Educational, but strangely old fashioned. We expect more from iPad apps these days
£5.49
A rich, visually appealing and immersive live synth experience with fantastic sounds and plenty of scope.
£20.99
Perfect for anyone even vaguely interested in 2D animation. A great tool for experienced animators to jot down concepts on the go
£2.99
Gorgeous, and a great screensaver for a docked iPad. If only predicting the weather was infallible!
£2.99
The insane-looking rabbits raise frequent chuckles and the well-designed levels provide a satisfying challenge
£1.99
Merely unleashes a raging fury when you realise you could have been playing a better racer instead.
£2.99
This is a great app for subscribers now, and we hope it’ll get even better with a few more features.
FREE
A fairly straightforward mapping/maze game with a twist that adds plenty of atmosphere.
£1.49
An attractive way to handle documents for email, but it’s severely lacking in features.
FREE
BudgetBook doesn’t have the prettiest interface, but it does allow you to track business and personal budgets, which is a bonus.
£0.69
An excellent update to what was already a fine match game — recommended even if you own the original.
£1.99
A charming, playable, great-looking undersea adventure, with depth. (And the iPhone version’s just as good.)
£2.99
A slick flick game that’s fun and addictive, but the whole concept needs to evolve next time out.
£2.99
Frequently frustrating, but a novel and surprisingly exciting take on a top-down racing game.
£1.99
We love this app. It lets you create brilliant works of art, is highly original and a whole load of fun.
FREE
Not as comprehensive as we’d expect for the money, but still a very handy tool for amateur film-makers.
£10.49
It’s a big old bit of software, but this is a great app for Jack White fans.
£3.99
Basic yet satisfying platforming fare, wrapped in an atmospheric mythological setting.
£0.69
A great way to redesign your home, but would benefit from some more furniture.
£2.99
A fantastically enjoyable reunion of the characters, straight back into action.
£1.99
Ignore the slightly gimmicky pitch – iFontMaker offers plenty of flexibility and options to create a custom typeface.
£4.99
Want a more socially focused web browser than Safari? Then you need this on your iPad.
FREE
Not as original as it first appears, but nonetheless a beautiful and absorbing physics puzzler.
£1.99
It may not replace your dedicated RSS reader, but it’s a lovely way of browsing news and social network updates.
FREE
Setting up isn’t for the faint of heart, but this is a great app for transferring files.
£2.49
Great transposition/instrument part functions and lots of scores available, but a few issues currently.
£5.49
A first-rate and surprisingly accessible strategy game. Worth invading a medium-sized country for.
£2.49
Inventive and charming; if only control issues didn’t drag it down. Be wary on iPad and avoid on iPhone.
£1.99
Dramatic scenery and great detail, all organised in an easy to follow way. Superb.
£1.99
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
A beautifully made app that will immediately fill you with wanderlust.
£1.49
Almost a fantastic racer – with a bit more polish and better tracks it could have been wheelie good.
£3.99
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
There’s enough good stuff here to make it worth a purchase, but it’s not up to the standard we expect.
£2.99
It’s an unusual way to present a travel app, but one that works so much better for it!
£2.99
Ever dreamed of owning a classic synth? Treat yourself to one of the finest…
£22.99
The many puzzles will keep you building and rebuilding for ages, even if the sandbox mode is imperfect.
£1.99
Definitely no GarageBand, and it stings at four times the price, but for beats you won’t find much better.
£13.99
Only of real use to the ardent Lightroom fan prepared to put up with all the file transfer obstacles.
£10.99
Has its moments, but this mixture of platforms and drawing doesn’t work as well as it thinks it does.
£2.99
Luxor virgins will delight in the pleasures of Amun Rising, but existing fans won’t find much to entice them.
£2.99
Shows enormous potential, but there’s a long way to go before the app will be worth your time.
£2.49
A useful app that’s developing quickly, but can still be hard to use.
£2.99
A friendly yet challenging turn based strategy game that delivers fresh content every 24 hours.
£4.99
Without question, it’s the best media player for iPad. If you’re a video fanatic, it’s the app to buy.
£1.99
Exquisite graphics and professional narration make for a charming bedtime app for your child.
£1.49
iMockups needs work, but it’s a quick way to sketch UIs. More features are promised.
£4.99
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
A fantastic and sophisticated golf game. It’s just a shame about the lack of online options.
£3.99
A beautiful solution to a very real iPad problem. Will be better for a few tweaks, though.
£2.99
Much better for multi-playing rather than on your own.
£4.99
Could become an excellent tool in the future, but this first release is patchy.
£5.99
One of the best iPhone puzzlers is now one of the finest iPad games. Just buy it and thank us later.
£1.79
A beautiful coffee-table app that will inspire you to revisit, or discover, ’60s classics.
£5.99
Red Bull’s monthly magazine goes digital with a vast array of exciting new visual content
FREE
An innovative image editor that offers the freedom to experiment. Slick, fast and fun to use.
£5.99
For bookmarking clips, this will do the job. It’s not quite the ‘Instapaper for video’ we wanted, though.
£1.79
This app could become your first point of call for catching up with what’s going on in the world.
FREE
An enjoyable and entertaining app that can genuinely enhance your photographs.
£1.79
A genuinely lovely remake of a classic RPG, but the high pricing is questionable compared to its rivals.
£9.99
A neat, way of navigating NASA’s content, and to check out when the ISS will be hurtling overhead.
FREE
An app with lots of good ideas, streets ahead of the competition, but it’s not perfect
FREE
There’s some real power here, but compatibility with the Mac version has yet to manifest.
£5.99
A minigame collection best left to play with kids, since adults will tire of it too quickly.
£1.89
Some thought-provoking images complemented by fascinating insights.
£2.99
4oD comes to the iPad at last – and getting it is a complete no-brainer while it’s free.
FREE
Expensive, but it works. Serious about photos? You’ll easily find a way of making it worth the price.
£29.99
A well-developed paper-sourced crossword puzzler that should keep addicts happy.
£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
Eternal Legacy is enjoyable enough, but it’s a pale imitation of the games it’s attempting to emulate.
£2.99
A fantastic RPG with an engaging story, slick combat and satisfying character development.
£3.99
It seems pricey, but djay’s layout, waveform display, split output option and sync feature make it feel pro.
£11.99
A nice idea that’s crying out for some added features, but it’s definitely worth having.
FREE
Huge fun for amateur daubers and a highly credible app for trad-media artists, too.
£3.99
A good, well-featured notebook for your iPad that’s let down by the lack of real syncing.
£17.99
A superb update of a classic adventure that still delivers.
£3.99
If you’re an electric guitar player, you really don’t want to miss out on this app’s power and versatility.
£11.99
Certainly not the most original use of a licence, but Mazes of Time’s enjoyable enough.
£0.59
The control system is a failed experiment, but otherwise, Dead Space is technically brilliant.
£5.99
There are some minor flaws and omissions, but there’s just so much to love here.
FREE
One of the finest videogaming experiences iOS has to offer. Brilliant in every conceivable way.
£2.99
We were disappointed by Yojimbo’s lack of two-way syncing and bugs. Wait for the next version.
£5.99
Although mildly entertaining, not even as close to raunchy as its name suggests
FREE
Having dominated physical board games and the iPhone, Scrabble now tackles the iPad
£3.99
If you want to be a record breaker, dedication’s what you need, and this app might help
£0.59
Reignite the Christmas cheer with this interactive rendition of a timeless classic
£1.19
Discover a wealth of Wikipedia based knowledge in magazine form
FREE
iPutt is off the mark on addictiveness and realism but its free so we can’t complain
FREE
Although struggling to come up with 14 hockey playing nations this game is a successful example of the iPad’s possibilities
£2.99
Addictive multiplayer gaming that will only increase in competitiveness
£1.19
A helping hand for when you’re caught short in unfamiliar settings
£1.19
An encyclopaedic knowledge of history’s greatest sayings awaits in this insightful app
£1.79
One of the newsstand’s most recognisable names comes to iPad in a straight up digital transfer
£1.79
Men’s mag makes iPad debut with stunning Hot 100 issue. Gallerytastic.
£1.79
The world’s most influential current affairs magazine comes to the iPad, and makes a beautiful initial impression
£2.99
The brilliant do-it-all Twitter widget makes an early debut on the tablet and makes an instant impact
FREE
£35 for non-subscribers, but is it worth it for Premier League on-the-go?
FREE
New York Times leads the way with Editors Choice app that could change the way we enjoy news
FREE
Broadcast your virtual sounds around the world and check in on the competition
£0.59
Spider-Man and Captain America have rarely looked better than on the iPad’s 9.7-inch touchscreen
FREE
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