WWDC 2025 Game Award Winners

Create Your Own iPad Game

The 2025 Apple Design Award winners range from wildly inventive indies to games that move you. Together they show how much range a game can have, from pure fun to changing how people see the world. With hyperPad, you can build your own game right on your iPad, with no code required.

Each year, Apple's Design Awards recognize the best in innovation, creativity, and craft across apps and games. The 2025 winners in the Delight and Fun and Social Impact categories stand out for technical skill, emotional depth, and bold originality.

Some were made by solo developers, others by studios. All of them show that a clear vision and the right tools can produce something people remember.

At hyperPad, we believe that person can be you.

Here are this year's winning games, and how you can start building your own award-worthy iOS game on iPad with hyperPad.

Balatro by LocalThunk, Canada

iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro

Balatro is a breakout indie hit from a solo developer. It blends poker, deck-building, and strategy into an unpredictable game you want to replay again and again. The secret is simple mechanics layered into a huge number of possibilities.

Our Takeaway:

• One great mechanic can carry your game. Focus on gameplay depth.

• Solo creators can go big. Visual Behaviors let you experiment fast.

• Polish makes a difference. Refine your visuals, feedback, and balance.

Thank Goodness You're Here! by Panic, USA

Mac

This slapstick adventure defies genre. It's a musical cartoon game full of absurdity and joy. Every scene surprises you, yet the world feels cohesive and lived in. It's chaotic and very funny, and it's carefully made.

Our Takeaway:

• Lean into your weirdest ideas. Quirky, funny, and original can work.

• Build expressive characters with animations and voiceover.

• A strong theme or tone helps your game stand out.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown by Ubisoft Montpellier, France

iPhone, iPad, Mac

A revival of a classic series, with tight platforming, intricate world design, and stylish combat. The Lost Crown mixes myth and movement into an action game that rewards mastery.

Our Takeaway:

• Design levels that interconnect and reward exploration.

• Refine your core gameplay loop, then add layers over time.

• Use hyperPad's particle effects, animations, and physics to add flair.

Neva by Devolver Digital, USA

Mac

From the creators of Gris, Neva is a visual and emotional journey through a world hit by environmental collapse. The story of a girl and her wolf companion unfolds across the seasons, weaving together nature, connection, and loss.

Our Takeaway:

• Games can tell moving stories. Use music, pacing, and atmosphere.

• Visual storytelling is key. Every animation, color, and environment carries part of the narrative.

• You don't need dialogue to move players. Build moments that mean something.

Ahoy! From Picardy by Daniel Jones, USA

Apple Vision Pro

This spatial narrative is part redemption story, part eco-conscious meditation. The player helps the endearing Picardy as he tries to undo environmental harm through creativity and change.

Our Takeaway:

• Even whimsical games can carry serious themes.

• Use gameplay to reflect internal or emotional journeys.

• Interactive environments invite exploration and empathy. Build Scenes that respond to player choices.

Art of Fauna by Klemens Strasser, Austria

iPhone, iPad

This hand-illustrated puzzle game brings classical science and environmental conservation together. Players reassemble cards of text and art to rediscover endangered species, while supporting real-world causes.

Our Takeaway:

• Educational games can still look beautiful and play well.

• A real-world purpose adds meaning. Consider linking your game to a cause.

• A simple design leaves room for reflection and learning.

You Can Build the Next Award-Winning Game on iPad

The 2025 Apple Design Award winners show that the best games aren't always the biggest. They're original, intentional, and made with care.

With hyperPad, you can start building your ideas with no code. Whether you want to make a deep strategy game like Balatro, a heartfelt journey like Neva, or a comic adventure like Thank Goodness You're Here!, you already have the tools you need.

Get Started:

• Pick a theme that matters to you: fun, emotional, or impactful.

• Start small. Focus on one mechanic or moment and build outward.

• Use hyperPad's drag-and-drop Behaviors to prototype fast and test often.

• Add polish with custom art, sound, and animation.

• Publish your game to the hyperPad Hub and gather feedback from other creators.

One creator with a clear idea and an iPad can make a game people remember.

Try hyperPad Starter free. When you want more projects and App Store export, upgrade to hyperPad for a one-time USD $14.99. You keep 100% of your revenue.