Creating your own 2D game on an iPad is more possible than ever—thanks to powerful, beginner-friendly tools that make game design both fun and accessible. Whether you're just starting your no-code game development journey or you're an indie dev looking to level up your workflow, having the right asset creation apps is key to building visually impressive games.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best iPad apps for creating 2D game assets, all of which pair beautifully with no-code platforms like hyperPad.
Let’s turn your iPad into a full-blown 2D game studio!
Perfect for: Sprites, backgrounds, characters, UI assets
Why we love it:
Procreate is the go-to digital art app for iPad game developers. It combines a massive brush library, layering features, and full Apple Pencil support to give you precision control over every pixel.
You can easily export high-resolution images or transparent PNGs, ready to drop into your game engine—whether that’s hyperPad, Unity, or Godot.
🔧 Pro Tip: Use Procreate’s animation features to build quick sprite sheets for your game characters.
Perfect for: Icons, UI design, scalable sprites
Why we love it:
Affinity Designer offers a dual workspace for both vector and raster graphics, giving you ultimate flexibility. This is ideal for game developers who want crisp, scalable artwork without sacrificing artistic control.
Its professional-grade tools make it an excellent choice for UI components, maps, and HUD elements.
💡 Beginner Tip: Use the snapping and alignment tools to build pixel-perfect buttons and in-game menus.
Perfect for: Quick concepts, sprite mockups, team projects
Why we love it:
If you’re just dipping your toes into 2D game design, Vectr is a great lightweight option. It runs in the browser and supports basic vector editing—ideal for beginners or quick prototypes.
Plus, real-time collaboration features make it a solid choice for small teams working remotely or students sharing projects.
🌐 Bonus: You can access Vectr on any device, and continue work on your iPad with a browser.
Perfect for: Detailed illustrations, concept art, animated textures
Why we love it:
Krita is an open-source powerhouse for digital painting. If you’re after something that offers advanced brush control and deep customization, Krita is it.
Though originally designed for desktop, Krita can be used on iPads via Linux emulators or remote desktops. It’s not as plug-and-play as others, but well worth it for skilled artists.
🎨 Cool Feature: Use texture brushes to design terrain or foliage that brings your world to life.
Perfect for: Promo assets, menus, in-game overlays
Why we love it:
While Canva isn’t a dedicated game asset tool, it’s perfect for creating supporting visuals like loading screens, title cards, or app icons. Its drag-and-drop editor and huge template library make design quick—even if you're not a graphic designer.
🎯 Use it for: Creating splash screens and App Store promotional images for your finished game.
Here’s a quick guide to help you pick the best tool based on your needs:
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Once you’ve created your game art, you need a powerful yet accessible way to bring it to life. That’s where hyperPad comes in—a no-code game development platform built specifically for iPad.
With drag-and-drop logic, physics, animations, and even multiplayer support, hyperPad makes it easy to import your assets and turn them into a fully interactive game—without writing a single line of code.
You can build everything from Asteroids-style arcade games to Myst-inspired adventures—all from your iPad.
Game development doesn’t have to start with expensive software or complex code. With the right iPad apps for 2D game asset creation and a no-code platform like hyperPad, anyone can begin designing beautiful, playable games from scratch.
So whether you’re drawing your first sprite in Procreate or refining your UI in Affinity Designer, you’re already on the path to publishing your own game.
Start building today—your iPad is your studio. Try hyperPad Starter for free! When you’re ready, simply upgrade to our full version of hyperPad for unlimited game creation and publishing. You get to keep 100% of your royalties and more! All for you with a one-time payment.
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