The purchase of mobile gaming apps skyrocketed during the pandemic, especially during the first few months of lockdowns in 2020. People generally sought more entertainment, and some people explored gaming apps for the first time.
Statista put together a list of the top iPhone gaming apps per Apple App Store data and Airnow Data. They focused on the number of downloads by people located in Canada in January 2021 only. It was a moment in time, not at the height of the pandemic but not post-pandemic, either.
The game at the top of the list made it there by hundreds of thousands more downloads than its nearest competitors. The competition wasn’t even close for Among Us! All of the other games fought it out for downloads but didn’t make it to the same universe as Among Us.
Among Us!
In January of this year alone, Canadians downloaded Among Us 597,235 times via Apple alone. Add in the Google Play downloads and players around the world, and it adds up to at least tens of millions of downloads.
- Created by InnerSloth
- Current version 2021.4.12
- Ages 9 and up
- In-app purchases $0.99 to $2.99
- Multi-player (4-10)
One thing that stood out about Among Us was the group-play aspect. One thing that people realized they missed the most during the pandemic was socialization, enjoyable contact with other people. Among Us not only presented the opportunity to compete with friends, it also provided a Family Sharing component that allowed families to link up to six members at one time.
Players are in a spaceship. While the crew is generally a cohesive bunch, there is one imposter. That imposter is trying to eliminate all of the crew before the ship gets home and will do anything to make it happen. That person will also remain anonymous while framing others for their misdeeds. Every time the imposter kills another crew member, the rest of the players must try to figure out the identity of the imposter and vote that player off the ship.
There is mystery. Players must solve problems. There is a group aspect but a test of reading opponents, making the right friends and detecting the enemy. It is competitive yet features silly-looking characters.
Among Us has everything players have been wanting, so it is no surprise that it is the most popular among Canadians.
Shortcut Run
Voodoo Games created Shortcut Run as a multiplayer game, one that is simple to figure out but presents new challenges along the way. Canadian iPhone users downloaded it 88,982 times in January.
- Created by Voodoo
- Current version 1.19
- Ages 12 and up
- In-app purchases $3.99
- Multi-player
Shortcut Run players must collect as many floor tiles as possible and then use them wisely to advance through the level faster and with more points than their opponents. Without enough tiles, players drown. This game also allows Family Sharing. It is a way to compete against friends or strangers, and it drives players to figure out the secrets and shortcuts while doing so.
Roof Rails
Interestingly, the third game on the list is made by the same developer as the second. Players will find many similarities in Roof Rails to Shortcut Run with one main difference: the path is on the tops of buildings instead of over the sea.
- Created by Voodoo
- Current version 2.2
- Ages 12 and up
- In-app purchases $2.99 to 3.49
- Multi-player
Players can use Family Sharing or compete with others…or play alone. The goal is to use the stick to balance and catapult the player across building roofs while saws and other obstacles try to shorten the stick. Again, this is a simple game to learn, but there are tricks that players can find to improve their scores and jump levels faster.
Project Makeover
The motto of Magic Tavern is “creating and spreading joy,” which it aims to do through fun, multi-level games. Its first game was Jolly Jam in 2015, which reached two million players within two months of its release. Since then, the company released games like Matchington Mansion. The games bring players in and make them feel invested in the characters and the increasing levels of difficulty.
- Created by Magic Tavern
- Current version 2.11.2
- Ages 4 and up
- In-app purchases $0.99 to $99.99
- Single-player
Project Makeover is its latest release, which allows players to give makeovers to the characters. If the players can ignore the blatant sexist ideas and looks-are-everything attitudes built into the game, it can be fun. Plenty of people think so, as it recorded 81,759 downloads in January 2021.
Sushi Roll 3D
SayGames focuses on mobile game development with a wide range of themes. In February 2021 the company announced its two billionth game download and invested more money into this year’s activities. Among its 40+ games are Johnny Trigger, Jelly Shift, Clean Road, and Sushi Roll, which has been one of its biggest hits to date.
- Created by SayGames
- Current version 1.5.8
- Ages 12 and up
- In-app purchases $2.99 to $4.99
- Single-player
The game is built around the love of sushi, and the player is in charge of making it and serving to customers. The goal is to make the customers happy, which is not always easy to do. It is a fun and relatively simple game. However, players can make it more interesting by using different tools and ingredients, as well as sprucing up the restaurant.
With 76,472 downloads in Canada in January, it is fifth in overall games but the top-ranked food game.
Great Race 3D
Zynga is the best known of mobile game developers, with everything from Zynga Poker to FarmVille to Words With Friends. Gear Race is one of its newest games with partner Rollic Games and one that has done particularly well in 2021 thus far. Its 75,658 downloads per the Statista list put it in sixth place overall.
- Created by Zynga
- Current version 5.1
- Ages 4 and up
- In-app purchases $1.99 to $9.99
- Multi-player
This game is particularly geared (see what I did there?) toward manual gearbox fans and those who specialize in car racing games. The ability to challenge opponents around the world is a draw for players, as are tournament options. The features allow players to control speed and gearbox level.
With no wifi connection required, it makes for an easy game to play anywhere.
Roblox
More than just a game, Roblox is an entire universe. It is a virtual world with many realms to explore and opponents around the world. The community has become one of competition but also chats and a way to play alongside friends. While it only saw 69,639 downloads in January by Canadians, the game is wildly popular around the world.
- Created by Roblox
- Current version 2.475.420862
- Ages 12 and up
- In-app purchases $0.49 to $199.99
- Multi-player (4-10)
One of the most appealing aspects of Roblox is the ability to play across multiple platforms, like Xbox One and mobile devices, even on VR headsets. Players can customize their online avatars and explore many worlds of adventure. Better yet, players can create their own worlds.
The chat function is one of the main attractions – especially so during the worst pandemic months – and includes everything from one-on-one or group chats to private messages.
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