Apple reveals Clash Royale as best iPhone game of the year

Apple has named its top ten iPhone games for the year, with Supercell’s free-to-play battler Clash Royale taking the top spot.

Clash Royale is the latest release from Supercell, one of the biggest mobile companies in the world, and makes use of the universe they created in free-to-play clicker Clash of Clans to make a mobile strategy game that was relatively successful with critics and players alike.

Rule-em-up Reigns snatches the second spot with a "Best Runner-Up" award, and it’s a premium narrative driven title that steals its central mechanic from dating app Tinder, putting a fresh spin on it by asking you to use it to swipe on something that actually matters for a change.

The rest of Apple’s best of list for iPhone is below:

Inks – State of Play Games
Klocki – Rainbow Train
Fifa Mobile Football – Electronic Arts
Rodeo Stampede: Sky Zoo Safari – Yodo 1
PKTBALL – Laser Dog Games
Twofold Inc. – Grapefrukt Games
The Trail – 22Cans
Snakebird – Noumenon

Apple also published a list of the ten most popular apps on the App Store in 2016, with the only game to make it onto that list being Pokémon Go, the mobile title based on Game Freak’s massive franchise that needs no further explanation. It came in at third, finishing ahead of social giants Instagram and Facebook and slotting in just behind Snapchat and Messenger, a remarkable achievement for the game.

You can see the rest of the awards, including the best paid apps, best paid games and best iPad games on the iTunes store.