iPad only, though with the screensize of the new xs and xs max they might want to reconsider that.
Also, just recently released for iOS is Stardew Valley. I haven't played it (usually the only time I'll play anything is on a long flight) but it was extremely popular on other platforms and is getting rave reviews so that might be worth trying.
Oregon Trail and games like that had an end.
So non-addictive games are designed to end whether through increasing difficulty levels or story?
Three of my favorite games are Telltale Games The Walking Dead (PC release, mobile port), Last of Us, and The World Ends with You (Nintendo DS release, mobile port). I loved the story. They weren't addictive and they had an end. TWD had such a simple game mechanic (point and click choose your adventure) too, it was pure storytelling. If you watch Ready Player One the movie, it's a little bit of video game history. You can also research video game history and play those old games too.
The most recent game I played that's kind of like old game mechanics is Overcooked. I unlocked the NG+ for Overcooked 2 and I had to quit because it was too hard which is a good thing.
Active subreddit (/r/kittensgame).
Deep strategic resource planning that can take months to play out.
Fun concept.
Cool game mechanics that continue to unfold just when you think you've reached "the end."
It is an incremental idle game (not a clicker really). However the way it abstracts away certain concepts once you've progressed enough, and turns them into resources or components needed to make it to the next stage is really engaging. I reached a point on my first play through where I was like "oh, ok, not really sure what else there is to do, I guess I beat the game?" Then went Googling and realized I was still in what is referred to as "the early game." I'm now approaching the "late game" stage, but still have a ways to go and several resets before i'm there.
The resets are a core mechanic btw, and while a bit of a headache for me personally, each time you do it you speed things up significantly such that something that took me months to achieve before is unlocked in a matter of minutes.
I guess that'd probably fit the bill. Just simple old fashioned 2D platforming with a fixed set of levels, collectables to find in said levels for extra challenges, and a few mini games and competitive side modes.
Critics praised its art and sound design, but noted its lack of difficulty and short length.
A short length may be the sign of the antithesis of "purely addicting with no way to truly win"!
It's true that the difficulty levels off at some point, but if you are a casual gamer that's a good thing... I just get frustrated when games get too difficult and then I stop playing.
Kairosoft games are pretty good too, if you liked Sim City.