These Are the Best Apple Apps and Games of 2022

If you’re an Apple user you’re probably pretty familiar with the App Store. It’s where all useful programs and games are born. With the end of the year fast approaching, Apple has released a list of winners from its 2022 App Store Awards, recognising the best apps and games across Apple devices.

Apple App Store Award Winners in 2022

Apple said in a press release the App Store Winners inspire users to “engage more deeply with the world, expand their imaginations, and stay connected to friends and loved ones.”

Here are the top global winners on the Apple App Store (bear in mind that some of these apps aren’t available in Australia):

• iPhone App of the Year: BeReal
• iPad App of the Year: GoodNotes 5
• Mac App of the Year: MacFamilyTree 10
• Apple TV App of the Year: ViX
• Apple Watch App of the Year: Gentler Streak
• iPhone Game of the Year: Apex Legends Mobile
• iPad Game of the Year: Moncage
• Mac Game of the Year: Inscryption
• Apple TV Game of the Year: El Hijo
• Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Wylde Flowers
• China Game of the Year: League of Legends Esports Manager

In some awesome local news, Apple Arcade Game of the year winner Wylde Flowers comes from Australia’s Studio Drydock. We love to see it!

These are the other apps that made the top lists in Australia in 2022:

Top paid iPhone games

1. Minecraft
2. Bloons TD 6
3. Heads Up!
4. Plague Inc.
5. Monopoly – Classic Board Game
6. Geometry Dash
7. Rovio Classics: AB
8. Papa’s Freezeria To Go!
9. True Skate
10. Incredibox

Top free iPhone games

1. Wordle!
2. Subway Surfers
3. Stumble Guys
4. Fill The Fridge!
5. Coloring Match
6. X-HERO
7. Roblox
8. Fishdom
9. Text or Die
10. Parking Jam 3D

Top paid iPhone apps

1. WikiCamps Australia
2. The Wonder Weeks
3. TripView – Sydney & Melbourne
4. Monash University FODMAP diet
5. Rain Parrot
6. Threema. The Secure Messenger
7. Procreate Pocket
8. Forest: Focus for Productivity
9. AutoSleep Track Sleep on Watch
10. 75 Hard

Top free iPhone apps

1. myGovID
2. BeReal.
3. Express Plus Medicare
4. TikTok
5. Microsoft Teams
6. WhatsApp Messenger
7. Disney+
8. Google Maps
9. MyMacca’s
10. Shop: All your favorite brands

Top paid iPad games

1. Minecraft
2. Bloons TD 6
3. Geometry Dash
4. Poppy Playtime Chapter 1
5. Plague Inc.
6. Five Nights at Freddy’s
7. Monopoly – Classic Board Game
8. Stardew Valley
9. Terraria
10. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2

Top free iPad games

1. Roblox
2. Stumble Guys
3. Subway Surfers
4. Wordle!
5. Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game
6. Colouring Match
7. Among Us!
8. Fill The Fridge!
9. Text or Die
10. Airport Security

Top paid iPad apps

1. Procreate
2. GoodNotes 5
3. Book Creator for iPad
4. WikiCamps Australia
5. Green Screen by Do Ink
6. Teach Your Monster to Read
7. Toca Life: Hospital
8. Popplet
9. Toca Kitchen 2
10. Stop Motion Studio Pro

Top free iPad apps

1. Disney+
2. Netflix
3. YouTube: Watch, Listen, Stream
4. Google Chrome
5. Binge
6. Amazon Prime Video
7. The Calculator
8. Microsoft Teams
9. Spotify
10. TikTok

Top Arcade games

1. Angry Birds Reloaded
2. NBA 2K22 Arcade Edition
3. Bloons TD 6+
4. Sonic Racing
5. Mini Motorways
6. Solitaire by MobilityWare+
7. LEGO® Star Wars™: Castaways
8. Sneaky Sasquatch
9. Fruit Ninja Classic+
10. Skate City

So what can we learn from all of this?

Clearly, iPads are big streaming devices for a lot of people with six different streaming apps making the top 10. MyGov ID also made its way into the top spot on iPhones in Australia, followed by the global iPhone app winner, BeReal.

In the gaming categories, there were some popular favourites, like Minecraft, Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja, as well as a few obvious knockoffs of popular titles like Stumble Guys (not Fall Guys) and Wordle! (not the NYT version). Apple Arcade is also booming this year with new games like Sonic Racing and LEGO Star Wars.

Head to the app store on any of your Apple devices if you want to download and try out any of these winning apps for yourself.