The App Store Awards are an annual celebration of the best games and apps for Apple devices and platforms. These awards are like the Oscars of the App Store industry: an honor bestowed by the industry. To win an award, you have to be really good. Sometimes, an app takes years to reach that level. Take 2021’s Best iPhone App, Toca Life: World. It has been steadily improving and evolving since its launch in 2018.

It’s time to reflect on the top apps available for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch as we close out another year. Some apps were updated in meaningful ways over the past twelve months, which took them to new levels.

You can look forward to some downtime during the holidays if you don’t want to use Instagram. Instead, download these apps and games. It will be a worthwhile investment of your time.

1. Toca Life World

Let’s begin with Apple’s iPhone App of The Year, Toca Life World. This app is for children and it’s a great way to build a world. You can create your own character and go to different places. You can also role-play different stories. This app helps children express themselves in a safer setting than Roblox. Although the game is free to download, there are many expansion packs available through in-app purchases.

It’s unlikely that you would download this app, but it can be addictive for adults who enjoy decorating virtual houses. It’s great for entertaining the children while you are visiting family during the holidays.

2. Procreate

Although Apple did not name Procreate the iPad App of the Year, it is still our favorite iPad app. Procreate is a digital drawing app. This year, the Animation Assist feature received major upgrades. Procreate is an app that gives. It costs $9.99, has no in-app purchase, and every few months it releases a new feature that increases the iPad’s creativity.

Procreate is a company that deserves special recognition for its implementation of Animation Assist. To make your drawing come alive, you can draw the subjects, mark their paths and define some perimeters. Magical.

3. LumaFusion

LumaFusion ($29.99), is what Procreate is for drawing. This multi-track video editor shines on iPad Pros with M1 chips. This app is easy to use and allows you to edit six video tracks as well as six audio tracks simultaneously.

It’s like Final Cut Pro X on the iPad, which Apple refuses to release. LumaFusion isn’t as powerful or complete as Final Cut Pro X, but it offers a lot of the same features and a plugin library. This is especially useful for content creators just starting out and who want to edit videos while on the move.

4. Carrot weather

Apps tend to plateau after a while. Carrot Weather was that story. It was a beautiful, snarky weather app with a loyal following but wasn’t doing anything new.

Carrot Weather was a major player in the revolution. The app was made free and then switched to a subscription-based model. This brought a steady income and a completely new modular approach to the application.

Carrot Weather users now have the ability to create their own weather apps. You can choose from different themes and set parameters. The Apple Watch app is also very good, despite its many complications. This is why it was awarded the Watch App of the Year 2020 award. The same sense of humor is still there–although it is best to ensure that your phone remains on silent when you aren’t in polite company. Otherwise, it may start swearing at the weather.

5. Craft

Evernote was the most popular note-taking app years ago. Notion appears to have taken over these honors. However, Notion doesn’t feel at ease on any Apple platform, especially the Mac.

Craft is your answer. This is the place to go if you are looking for a native, thoughtfully designed experience for document editing and note-taking via Apple’s platform. Although it is a newcomer to the market, it has already made a big impact. It’s beautiful and visually simple.

6. Myst

Myst ($29.99), is back, baby. The adventure video game was first released in 1993. It was voted the App Store’s Mac Game of the Year 2021 almost 30 years after its release. Myst’s remarkable longevity is due to the fact that it’s been updated and remastered for every platform. A beautiful new version of Myst is now available for Macs. It’s still the first-person adventure game. A way to experience a virtual world, have adventures and solve puzzles.

7. Canva

Canva is the one app that has really exploded in popularity over the past year. As the app offered more flexibility and features, Canva became a popular graphic design tool that took over all iPhones and iPads.

You can create a poster quickly. You can use a template from Canva. What about an Instagram Story? You could also use LinkedIn to share your story. Canva is a great tool. This tool is essential for anyone who wants to build a brand online.

8. Bumble

There are many dating apps. They can become cultural punching bags like Tinder or stay within their own niche. Bumble, along with Hinge, has managed to remain relevant in 2021. This year, not much has changed. Bumble is a great choice for app-assisted romance because of its commitment to privacy.

9. Peanut

Peanut is Tinder for mothers. It is a safe place for parents to share their experiences with baby, and help them get through the difficult years. It allows you to connect with other parents going through similar experiences, so that you can share your challenges and seek support.

You can connect with people one-on-one or in groups.

10. MARVEL Future Revolution

Marvel’s Future Revolution is a Marvel Cinematic Universe fan’s paradise. It’s an open-world, role-playing game that covers all the highlights, including the Battle of New York by The Avengers and a new update inspired By The Eternals.

Although this is a role-playing games, the adventures you are able to embark on are your own. Your characters can be created, modified, and upgraded. You can choose their powers and even design their costumes. There are over 400 million combinations per hero. This is the best way to get inside your favorite comic book universe, while simultaneously staring at your smartphone.