Apple’s global App Store editorial team offers daily curated recommendations and editorials to help users discover apps new and old. At the end of each year, that same team comes together to honor a handful of apps and developers with its App Store Best of 2021 award.
This year’s winners represents a diverse group of developers and apps that offer innovative ways to create new connections, share our passions, and support the people and communities that are important to us. Here are the winners of the App Store Best of 2021 awards.
iPhone App of the Year
Toca Life World
After nearly a decade of creating digital toys that stimulate the mind and encourage curiosity, the Swedish app development studio Toca Boca released Toca Life World in 2018. Toca Life World integrates all of the existing Toca Life games into a single connected universe. The app is available for free and players can create their own custom characters. As your universe begins to expand, you can add additional characters and communities from other Toca Life apps.
iPhone Game of the Year
League of Legends: Wild Rift
The world’s most popular Esports game is now available on your smartphone. League of Legends: Wild Rift is a multiplayer online battle arena where players work to take down the opposing teams base. When Michael Chow, Wild Rift’s executive producer spoke with PCMag before the App Store Best of 2021 awards, he told us his goal was to create a game that offered true mobile league gameplay without compromise and believed Riot Games had not only met the challenge, but actually created a game that’s better than the PC game.
iPad App of the Year
LumaFusion
If you’re looking to tell compelling visual stories on the go, LumaFusion is the perfect fit. This powerful multi-track video editing app is a full-throated alternative to desktop apps and is designed to work on the iPad.
iPad Game of the Year
Marvel Future Revolution
Marvel’s first Open World Action RPG, Marvel Future Revolution, has garnered a lot of attention this year, and for good reason. As a member of the Omega Flight team, you’ll work alongside Primary Earth Agents to save the universe from Kro and his cadre of Deviants.
Mac App of the Year
Craft
Craft is more than a notes app; it’s a digital collection of everything that’s meaningful to you. The app lets you create notes and documents, save videos, attach images and PDFs, and even keep code snippets. It works seamlessly on your Mac, iPad, and iPhone, and sharing your inspiration with friends is simple.
Mac Game of the Year
Myst
Originally released in 1993, Myst was an immediate hit. In the game you explore the island of Myst, solving puzzles to open additional ages and learn more about the characters. Myst’s recent update is its most stunning yet, with lush, immersive visuals and randomized puzzles. In an interview with PCMag shortly before Apple announced its annual awards, Myst’s co-creator told PCMag that the latest version of the game was a labor of love and the definitive version of the game. He went on to say he and his brother built the game to create a world for themselves that was reminiscent of their time exploring New Mexico.
Apple TV App of the Year
DAZN
If you’ve ever searched for a bar, any bar, showing a sporting event you can’t get through your cable company, DAZN is for you. This subscription-based app provides on-demand streaming content for sports fans. Simply log in and search for the sport of your choice and you’ll see a list of streaming options.
Apple TV Game of the Year
Space Marshals 3
Billed as a Sc-Fi Western, Space Marshals 3 is a fun and quirky game that shines on the big screen. You’ll join the rambunctious Space Marshals crew to fight off a hoard of nefarious characters in outer space. Shrewd tactical combat and making sure you don’t get flanked by the bad guys are keys to coming home victorious.
Apple Watch App of the Year
Carrot Weather
Sometimes the simplest apps are the best, but Carrot Weather is more than a quick way to check the temperature. The app provides fun animations and sassy dialogue that will make you smile throughout the day. And if that’s not enough, it will give you a heads up when rain or severe weather is heading your way.
Apple Arcade Game of the Year
Fantasian
If you’re a Final Fantasy fan, you’ll love Hironobu Sakaguchi’s latest game, Fantasian. You’re tasked with helping a character named Leo restore his memory by navigating an alternate universe known as the Machine Realm. Different characters provide clues and, when confronted in battle, Fantasian transforms into an RPG.
When we spoke with Sakaguchi briefly before Apple announced Fantasia’s award, he said “I approached Fantasian as-if it could be my last project and I think what we achieved could be worthy of that title.” And instead of relying solely upon CGI to create the game, he wanted to create an experience that evoked the feeling of tactile sensations on a glass screen. To do so, he worked with more than 150 artisans with no gaming eperience to create dioramas that are used as the primary scenes throughout the game.
Trend of the Year
Each year, Apple picks an overarching trend for the app industry. This year, its curators noticed people sought out new ways to meet and interact with each other, making “connection” the App Store trend of 2021.
Among Us!
Among Us! is a collaborative whodunit played with 4-15 people. The game takes place on a spaceship and as you prepare for takeoff, you realize there are imposters in the mix who want to do the team harm. If you’re a crew member, you job is to use your skills of deduction to stay alive, and if you’re an imposter, you’ll need to master the art of deception to stay on board.
Bumble
For most people, Bumble is a familiar name. Once a dating app where women made the first move, its mission has become much broader: to create meaningful intimate, personal, and professional relationships. This social platform lets you look for new friends, find dates, and even network with other professionals in your industry, and it’s built upon the premise of women-led conversations where respect is non-negotiable.
Canva
If you’ve ever needed an infographic or even a header for your Twitter account, you’ve probably heard of Canva. This app makes it simple to create professional and polished images for sharing on and offline.
EatOkra
EatOkra makes it easy to support Black-owned restaurants, bakeries, and food trucks across the world. With more than 350,000 monthly users and thousands of businesses listed, you’re never far away from an amazing meal and helping small, Black-owned businesses.
Peanut
A social network built on the principle of empowerment, Peanut lets women connect with and support women through every stage of life. The app lets you make individual connections, join groups, or even participate in live audio conversations hosted by experts.
The winners receive a physical App Store Best of 2021 award inspired by the App Store logo and crafted out of the same recycled aluminum Apple uses for all of its hardware.
