Developer Subset Games today released its popular real-time strategy game FTL: Faster Than Light on the iPad, coming roughly a year after the title was released on Mac, PC, and Linux to much acclaim.

The game puts the player in the commanding role of a ship aligned with the Galactic Federation, tasked with getting vital data back to its headquarters. However, rebel ships are persistent in attacking the spacecraft, allowing players to engage in top down combat while maintaining and upgrading their ship with new weapons, crew members, and more.

ftl_faster_than_light1

The award winning PC spaceship simulation game from Subset Games comes to iPad!

Key Features:
- Give orders to your crew, manage ship power distribution and choose weapon targets in the heat of battle.
- Pause the game mid-combat to evaluate your strategy and give orders.
- Upgrade your ship and unlock new ones with the help of seven diverse alien races.
- Hundreds of text based encounters will force you to make tough decisions.
- Each play-through will feature different enemies, events, and results to your decisions. No two play-throughs will be quite the same.
- Permadeath means when you die, there’s no coming back. The constant threat of defeat adds importance and tension to every action.

The iPad version of the game also includes the FTL: Advanced Edition expansion, which offers new ship systems, events, weapons, drones, equipment, enemy types, levels and more in addition to user interface improvements.

Our sister site TouchArcade reviewed the game, regarding the iPad version of FTL as the “definitive version”, crediting the title's touch controls and regarding them as more intuitive compared to a traditional mouse and keyboard control scheme. Overall, the title was noted as the perfect “play while you do something else game” and given a five star rating. The full review is well worth checking out, as is a video walkthrough of FTL which can be seen below.


FTL: Faster Than Light for the iPad is available for $9.99 on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

GulGnu Avatar
153 months ago
This isn't the kind of game you should evaluate using video - it is really excellent imho.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Igantius Avatar
153 months ago
Wasn't this a kick starter game? I heard it disappointed a lot of people because it didn't come with the features that people were pledging for.

Not quite, the developers (two guys, IIRC) were working in the games industry and decided they wanted to work for themselves so they started working FTL, using their savings.

They were almost finished, but needed a bit more cash so went onto Kickstarter – going from memory, but I think this is right – the target was $10K, but people pledged over $200K. They were able to finish the game as planned, but were able to expand it slightly – I think there was a longer soundtrack and they got someone to wrote events for the game and had more than they were planned.

I wasn’t a pledger but I follow a lot of Kickstarter projects and can’t recall anyone being dissatisfied with the finished project. If anything, FTl is a perfect example of someone showing an accurate representation of what they want to do (particularly as the game wasn’t near far from being finished) and delivering on it. From the various gaming forum threads I’ve read and participated on, response has been very positive in the main.

As I say, I didn’t pledge on Kickstarter but when FTL I bought the game straight away (so full price) and will be buying the iPad version without hesitation. Although I only dip into now and then, I thought that it would be perfect with a touch interface and it’s a neat game.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nunyabinez Avatar
153 months ago
It's a good game, I tried it and liked it, but didn't buy it - now with this update there's every incentive to fork over 10 bucks. I will buy it finally :)

Oh and for the love of all that is not spyware and stupid DRM, buy this game on GOG.com not Steam.

On GOG.com you get the Mac version as well as the PC version, just like on Steam, but without *any* strings attached. Steam is an unfortunate fact of modern PC/Mac gaming, but always check first on GOG.com for a game. :cool:

http://www.gog.com/game/faster_than_light

Not sure what you have against Steam. It is a wonderful service as far as I'm concerned. I play games with friends and Steam makes this very easy. I also have multiple machines that I game from and Steam syncs my game progress. Plus, during the Steam Summer sale I get mildly aged great games for a song. So, not sure how Steam's DRM is screwing me.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bflowers Avatar
153 months ago
I have this game via Steam. It is a really great, but constantly frustrating game. Expect to die a lot! Don't worry, you will just have fun doing it.

The great part about the desktop version is the healthy modding community. I've played the game in the StarTrek universe, and as a Firefly class ship from Serenity/Firefly.

The soundtrack alone is worth the $9.99, though I think you can actually download it for less via Steam.

----------

I had seen this game on the Mac App Store once and was mildly curious, but I don't really play games on my Mac. Coming to the iPad, that's a different story, so I wanted to watch that video but... boy is it painful. I'm not sure if the game looks really boring or if it's just him.

This game is really good. Try looking up several other people play it on the desktop version. Day 9 is pretty funny to watch, but is horrible at the game.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
shenfrey Avatar
153 months ago
Your getting confused with another Kickstarter game Star Command.
Ah that name rings a bell!

Apologies, my mistake.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
amarcus Avatar
153 months ago
Wasn't this a kick starter game? I heard it disappointed a lot of people because it didn't come with the features that people were pledging for.

Your getting confused with another Kickstarter game Star Command.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday December 24, 2025 8:40 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
maxresdefault

10 Mac Apps Worth Trying in 2026

Wednesday December 24, 2025 9:27 am PST by
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows. One Thing (Free) -...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
airpods color prototypes

Apple Tested AirPods in Bright Colors

Saturday December 27, 2025 6:06 am PST by
Apple reportedly tested a version of the first-generation AirPods with bright, iPhone 5c-like colored charging cases. The images, shared by the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami," claim to show first-generation AirPods prototypes with pink and yellow exterior casings. The interior of the charging case and the earbuds themselves remain white. They seem close to some...
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Why Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Smaller Than Expected

Tuesday December 23, 2025 5:21 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report is anything to go by. According to The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the ‌iPhone‌ mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales. The report has led ...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Samsung Developing 'Wide Fold' With iPhone Fold-Like Design Ahead of Apple's 2026 Launch

Tuesday December 23, 2025 11:55 am PST by
Samsung is working on a new foldable smartphone that's wider and shorter than the models that it's released before, according to Korean news site ETNews. The "Wide Fold" will compete with Apple's iPhone Fold that's set to launch in September 2026. Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18...
iPhone SE Cosmopolitan Clean

Apple Discontinued These 25 Products This Year

Wednesday December 24, 2025 7:24 am PST by
With the end of 2025 near, the time has come to look back at the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Most of the products that were discontinued this year were simply replaced by a new model with an updated chip. However, the iPhone SE line was entirely discontinued when the iPhone 16e launched, and the iPhone Plus line is being phased out. Below, we have...