How this list was made
To qualify, a game had to be free to download on the US App Store on 15 September 2026, use the camera to put enemies in your real surroundings (not a rendered background), and involve shooting. Ratings, version dates and requirements below are from the App Store lookup on that date. Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs is not here because its listing has been withdrawn.
| Game | Developer | Last update | After install | Offline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Down The Drone | KIDA Studios | Aug 2026 | Nothing — no ads, no IAP | Yes |
| PANIC: AR Shooter | Jadu AR | Jul 2025 | Upgrades in-game; check listing for IAP | Not stated |
| Zombie Gunship Revenant AR | ZSpectre / Limbic | Mar 2018 | In-app purchases | Not stated |
| Ghosts ’n Guns AR | Turbo Chilli | Dec 2017 | Nothing stated | Not stated |
| Light Wars AR: Laser Tag Party | Mohammad Rashid | Sep 2026 | Loot boxes, progression | No — online only |
| Father.io AR | Proxy42 | Nov 2018 | Inceptor hardware for multiplayer | No — needs internet |
1. Down The Drone
First-person shooter · KIDA Studios · v1.2, August 2026 · iOS 13+ · 12+
The only game on this list that is both current and completely free of a monetisation loop. ARKit anchors hostile quadcopters and orbital strike drones into the space you are standing in; they hold position when you look away and they attack from above, so the game works in an ordinary living room without floor space. Rounds are short by design. No ads, no in-app purchases, no account, no server — it runs the same in airplane mode. We make it, so read the rest of this list for the alternatives.
2. PANIC: AR Shooter
Wave-based shooter · Jadu AR · v1.1.3, July 2025 · iOS 16+ · 12+ · 575 MB
The most ambitious recent entry. Thirty “incidents” across four districts, a narrator, a loadout of guns and mutated pets to upgrade, and enemies that spawn into your room. It is a proper game with a story rather than a tech demo, and its 4.9 rating (377 reviews) reflects that. The cost is the download size and the iOS 16 floor, and the upgrade economy means you should check the listing for in-app purchases before you commit.
3. Zombie Gunship Revenant AR
Top-down gunship shooter · ZSpectre / Limbic · v1.5.2, March 2018 · iOS 11+ · 17+
The biggest install base in the category by a distance (4.7 from 24,000 ratings). You place a battlefield on a table or floor and circle above it in an AC-130, in thermal-camera black and white. It is polished and the upgrade tree is deep. Two caveats: the AR is a display surface rather than a threat — nothing comes at you — and it runs on the standard free-to-play loop with in-app purchases. It also has not been updated since 2018.
4. Ghosts ’n Guns AR
Arcade shooter · Turbo Chilli · v1.0.2, December 2017 · iOS 11+ · 9+
Pixel-art ghosts invade your room and you blast them with one-touch controls, with bosses and a chiptune soundtrack. It is the most family-friendly shooter here (rated 9+), it has Game Center scores, and its listing does not mention in-app purchases. The trade-off is age: it is a 2017 build and has not been touched since.
5. Light Wars AR: Laser Tag Party
Online multiplayer laser tag · Mohammad Rashid · v6.3.0, September 2026 · iOS 17+ · 12+
Actively maintained and the pick if you want to play against other people without buying hardware. Each match gets a private server room, so friends can join from anywhere. That is also the catch: it requires an internet connection, and the progression is built on ranks and loot boxes of four rarities, which is a different deal from the offline games above.
6. Father.io AR
Real-world laser tag · Proxy42 · v2.3.7, November 2018 · iOS 10.3.3+ · 12+
The original phone laser-tag game, and still downloadable. Full multiplayer needs the Inceptor clip-on sensor and other players who have one; without it you get a small solo mode against drones. Needs a connection either way, and has not been updated since 2018. Worth it only if you already own the hardware. See Father.io vs Down The Drone for the full comparison.
Which one to install
- A clean single-player AR shooter, no strings: Down The Drone.
- A story and progression, and you have a newer iPhone: PANIC: AR Shooter.
- Tabletop strategy with a long upgrade grind: Zombie Gunship Revenant AR.
- Something younger kids can play: Ghosts ’n Guns AR.
- Multiplayer without hardware: Light Wars AR.
- You already own an Inceptor: Father.io.
If you are deciding between a free game and a subscription, Apple Arcade vs free AR games works through that. For a closer look at how the shooters differ in what they anchor in your room, see AR shooter games for iPhone, compared.
We make Down The Drone, so read this as a comparison from someone with a stake in it. Facts about other apps and services come from their App Store listings, official pricing pages and published reviews as of 2026-09-15; listings change, so confirm anything decision-critical on the store page itself.