WWDC 2025 Game Award Winners

Create Your Own iPad Game

From wildly inventive indies to games that move us emotionally, the 2025 Apple Design Award winners prove that games can entertain, inspire, and even change the world. With hyperPad, you can build your own award-worthy experience—right from your iPad, no code required.

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Each year, Apple’s Design Awards celebrate the very best in innovation, creativity, and craftsmanship across apps and games. The 2025 winners in the Delight and Fun, and Social Impact categories showcase not just technical excellence but deep emotional resonance and bold originality.

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Crafted by solo developers or creative studios, these games share a powerful truth: anyone with a strong vision and the right tools can make something unforgettable.

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At hyperPad, we believe that can be you.

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Let’s explore this year’s winning games—and how you can start building your own award winning iOS game on iPad with hyperPad.

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🃏 Balatro – LocalThunk, Canada

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

A breakout indie hit created by a solo developer, Balatro blends poker, deck-building, and strategy into an unpredictable, chaotic, and deeply replayable game. Its brilliance? Simple mechanics layered with endless possibilities.

Our Takeaway:

• One great mechanic can carry your game—focus on gameplay depth.
  
  
• Solo creators can go big—visual coding lets you experiment fast.
  
  
• Polish makes a difference—refine visuals, feedback, and balance.
  
  

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🎩 Thank Goodness You’re Here! – Panic, USA

Mac

A genre-defying slapstick adventure, this musical cartoon game bursts with absurdity and joy. Every scene is unexpected, yet the world feels cohesive and lived in. It’s hilariously chaotic—yet impressively well-crafted.

Our Takeaway:

• Lean into your weirdest ideas—quirky, funny, and original works.
  
  
• Build expressive characters with animations and voiceover.
  
  
• A strong theme or tone helps your game stand out.
  
  

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🏺 Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown – Ubisoft Montpellier, France

iPhone, iPad, Mac

A stunning revival with tight platforming, intricate world design, and stylish combat. The Lost Crown combines myth, movement, and mastery to deliver an unforgettable action experience.

Our Takeaway:

• Design levels that interconnect and reward exploration.
  
  
• Refine core gameplay loops—add layers over time.
  
  
• Use hyperPad’s particle effects, animations, and physics to add flair.
  
  

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🌱 Neva – Devolver Digital, USA

Mac

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

Our Takeaway:

• Games can tell powerful, emotional stories—use music, pacing, and atmosphere.
  
  
• Visual storytelling is key—every animation, color, and environment tells part of the narrative.
  
  
• You don’t need dialogue to move players—create moments of meaning.
  
  

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🌊 Ahoy! From Picardy – 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 encourage exploration and empathy—build scenes that respond to player choices.
  
  

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🧩 Art of Fauna – Klemens Strasser, Austria

iPhone, iPad

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

Our Takeaway:

• Educational games don’t need to sacrifice beauty or gameplay.
  
  
• Real-world purpose adds meaning—consider linking your game to a cause.
  
  
• Simplicity in design can create space for reflection and learning.
  
  

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You Can Build the Next Award-Winning Game—on iPad

The 2025 Apple Design Award winners show us that the best games aren’t always the biggest. They’re the ones that are original, intentional, and crafted with care.

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With hyperPad, you can start bringing your ideas to life—no code required. Great for building a deep strategy game like Balatro, or a heartfelt journey like Neva, and even a humorous adventure like Thank Goodness You’re Here!, you already have the tools you need!

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Get Started:

• Pick a theme that resonates—fun, emotional, or impactful.
  
  
• Start small—focus on one mechanic or moment and build outward.
  
  
• Use hyperPad’s drag-and-drop tools to prototype fast and test often.
  
  
• Add polish with custom art, sound, and animation.
  
  
• Share your game with the hyperPad community and gather feedback.
  
  

You don’t need a big studio to make a big impact. Just hyperPad.

Start building your dream game today on iPad with hyperPad.