10 Discontinued iPhone Games You Can Still Play on Android

The mobile gaming landscape is constantly evolving, with beloved titles often disappearing from app stores due to licensing issues, developer decisions, or platform restrictions. This can be frustrating for iPhone users, but Android tends to offer more solutions.

Many discontinued iOS games can still be played on Android by sideloading Android Package Kits (APKs) or are still available on the Play Store or another app. You’d be surprised at how many games you thought were completely gone just ended up waiting for you elsewhere. Whether you’re revisiting retro gems or discovering cult favorites for the first time, great gameplay never truly fades away; it just takes a little effort to keep the fun alive.

10

Crazy Taxi Classic

Crazy Taxi Classic is a beloved arcade racing game originally released for arcades and the Dreamcast. This was later included in the Sega Forever initiative, offering free, ad-supported mobile versions with an option to remove ads with a purchase. However, the Sega Forever program was quietly discontinued in late 2023, leading to the delisting of many titles, including Crazy Taxi Classic, as of June 30, 2025. While no longer available for new downloads, you can still access the game offline and re-download it from your account history, as well as through APKs.

A silver lining is that the delisted version no longer contains ads, effectively making it fully free. On Android, Crazy Taxi Classic has the same chaotic, fast-paced fun as the original. You choose from four cab drivers, racing against the clock to pick up and drop off passengers while earning money and extra time.

9

Slingshot Racing

Slingshot Racing is an innovative racing game originally launched on iOS in 2012. Though delisted from the iOS App Store, it is still playable on Android through APKs. Make sure to enable “Allow Unknown Apps” in settings before installing. While delisted, Slingshot Racing is still a hidden gem for racing fans who don’t mind using sideloading options. It was developed by Snowbolt Interactive and published by Crescent Moon Games. Slingshot Racing is a touchscreen-focused racer with a unique grappling hook mechanic, letting you slingshot around corners on futuristic sleds.

It had intuitive but challenging gameplay, and the game featured a steampunk aesthetic with 3D effects, dynamic shadows, and smooth performance. Its career mode includes 80 diverse races that include standard races, cog-collection challenges, time trials, and even an enemy “chomper” that goes after you. A standout feature is local 4-player multiplayer on a single device, making it a great party game.

8

Weed Firm

Weed Firm is a simulation game where you manage Ted Growing, an expelled botany student running a marijuana business. The gameplay involves cultivating strains, upgrading equipment, and customizing a shop while interacting with quirky characters like Dancer Jane and Bob Rasta. You also have to defend your operation from threats like criminals, corrupt cops, and even aliens. The goal is to expand the business while evading law enforcement.

The game gained massive popularity on iOS, topping the App Store download charts and becoming the 13th highest-grossing app before Apple removed it in 2014 for seemingly no reason. Developer Manitoba Games claimed Apple delisted it for being “too good,” sparking debate since other games featuring illegal activities remained available. On Android, the original was pulled, but a new version was added called Weed Firm: RePlanted, which continues the story with updates.

7

Kawaii Killer

Kawaii Killer is an action game famous for its mix of cute visuals and cartoonish violence, which resulted in its removal from the iOS App Store. Apple banned the original version, claiming it violated guidelines by featuring the killing of adorable animals. In response, the developers released a toned-down Kawaii Killer Plushy Edition, replacing animals with plush toys to comply with Apple’s policies. While unavailable on iOS, the original game can still be played on Android.

On Android, Kawaii Killer offers fast-paced, skill-based gameplay where you control Davy, a trapper, eliminating cute creatures. You get rid of them by tapping and tearing them apart with your two fingers. The game tests reflexes, memory, and agility across multiple modes, including Arcade (14 animals), Speedrun (time trials), and 36 skill-based challenges. Unlike many mobile games, it has no in-app purchases, unlocking content purely through your ability.

6

Sword & Poker Adventures

Sword & Poker Adventures is a poker-RPG hybrid that was made by Konami. The gameplay cleverly blends card-based strategy with RPG mechanics, revolving around forming poker hands on a 5×5 grid. You take turns with other players and AI to create winning combinations horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Strategy is key because players must anticipate enemy moves while maximizing attacks.

Jokers act as wild cards, and a special gauge lets players swap a card for a joker. The Sword element integrates these poker battles into a dungeon-crawling framework, with each floor presenting different monsters. You upgrade weapons, health (a “bag of coins”), and magic. Each weapon boost directly strengthens poker-hand attacks.

5

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Ep II

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Ep II is a 2D platformer released in May 2012, continuing Sonic and Tails’ battle against Dr. Eggman as he attempts to build a new Death Egg around Little Planet. The game features five Zones, seven bosses, and combo-based gameplay with Tails, along with “Episode Metal” bonus stages where Metal Sonic revisits levels from Episode I to expand the story. A nostalgic touch is the return of Sonic 2-inspired halfpipe Special Stages.

Originally part of SEGA Forever, the game was free on mobile with ads, offering a paid ad-free option. The collection included cloud saves, leaderboards, and controller support. Thanks to the delisting, you can download it as a former game on your app or use an APK.

4

Flappy Bird

Flappy Bird is one of the most viral mobile games ever made. It was developed by Vietnamese creator Dong Nguyen and released in May 2013. The gameplay involves tapping the screen to keep a pixelated bird, Faby, airborne while avoiding pipes. Each successful pass earns a point, with bronze, silver, and gold medals awarded at 10, 20, and 30+ points, respectively. Its brutal difficulty and minimalist design fueled its sudden rise to become the top free app on iOS and Android.

Nguyen shocked fans by removing the game from app stores, denying rumors of legal pressure from Nintendo. Instead, he expressed guilt over its addictive nature and that media attention and harassment worsened his stress. Despite its removal, you can still play it by sideloading APK files or playing the less addictive multiplayer version, Flappy Birds Family, for Amazon Fire TV.

3

Space Invaders Infinity Gene

Space Invaders Infinity Gene is a critically acclaimed shoot ’em up game. This installment reinvents the classic Space Invaders formula by incorporating an evolution mechanic, where you collect “genes” to upgrade your ship with new abilities like all-directional movement, enhanced weapons, and extra lives. The game avoided the extreme difficulty of bullet hell games but was able to keep the flashy visuals.

You can also collect DNA from UFOs to power up weapons and execute “Nagoya Attacks” to evade enemy fire. Despite its success, the game was part of SEGA Forever, so it went down alongside every other game in the collection. You can sideload the game through APK files to play it again.

2

Streets of Rage 2 Classic

Streets of Rage 2 Classic is a beloved 2D beat-’em-up, originally released for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and later adapted for mobile as part of the SEGA Forever collection. It was a faithful emulation of the classic with modern enhancements. Players battle through eight levels of intense street fights, facing off against waves of enemies before confronting the final boss, Mr. X. Iconic characters like Axel, Blaze, Eddie, and Max returned, and it even kept the game’s legendary soundtrack.

The mobile port came with several quality-of-life improvements, such as scanline filters, bilinear smoothing, and adjustable aspect ratios (4:3 or widescreen) to optimize gameplay on smartphones. Additionally, players can rewind mistakes, a handy feature for challenging sections. Unfortunately, this game was also removed after SEGA Forever went under, and is only available through an APK if you had not downloaded it before it got delisted.

1

Fortnite

Fortnite is a highly popular battle royale game where players compete to be the last one standing on a shrinking map filled with weapons and hazards. Fortnite has been in the middle of Epic Games and Apple’s attempts to profit off the app store, and it is still in a back-and-forth position of being unavailable and available. Still, it looks as good as the console version, so it’s worth trying.

The lawsuit is long and has spawned many more roadblocks for Apple, but if you’re on Android, you don’t have to deal with this. You can download Fortnite through Epic Games’ own mobile store on Android. This will keep it safe while the big names fight over who actually gets what profit.

---

The discontinuation of beloved iOS games may feel like the end of an era. Still, Android’s flexibility keeps these titles alive through sideloading APKs, your app store library, and other app stores. While not as seamless as finding it in the store itself on a product page, it’s still better than these games being lost due to corporate decisions, licensing issues, or platform policy changes.

Android’s openness tends to contrast with Apple’s walled garden, and I’ve noticed a lot more control in my Android and Windows devices than I do on my Apple devices. Still, it’s good to know that you can play these games again, regardless of whether it is due to nostalgia or discovering hidden gems.