The source of the information is the Android Central.
We're rounding up some of our favorite strategy games for the deep thinker. These are more than simple puzzle games, they require careful planning to emerge victorious. The same strategy won't always work twice in games like these, so you'll find some great replay value.
You can download outstanding Android games by popping on your thinking caps. We have the best games in other genres as well.
Bad North is one of those unique games that come along often and wows us all. It is described as a real-time tactics roguelite by the developers. It's a challenging game and even the win state isn't all that happy.
You're trying to defend your island home from a group of invaders. They'll come at you fast and brutal, making sure that you're kept on the edge of your seat as you fight to survive. The cutesy art style pairs nicely with all of this. It's a pretty game that lulls you into a false sense of security.
Bad North is a premium game, meaning you pay once and you are done. It's a low cost to enter and you will get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Go ahead and see if you can survive the onslaught.
Bad North is a wonderfully fun tactical real-time roguelite. Protect your kingdom from the Vikings.
If you're a fan of the Civilization franchise, you should check out The Battle for Polytopia. The game features tribes competing for control of the arena. The game is easy to pick up and play. You can spend stars based on the number and size of the cities you control, which can be used to upgrade your tribe's technology tree, build troops, or collect resources. You must be aware of how you spend your resources.
There are many ways to play. You can create a custom game that ends after 30 turns or until only one tribe remains. The pass-and-play option allows you to set up a custom game for your friends and even keep them saved so you can play the same game over time. If you can't play in person with your friends, the AI offers a decent challenge with difficulty levels ranging from easy to crazy. When you download the game, there are four different tribes to choose from.
There's so much to like about this game. The strategy at play here requires you to build up your cities and conquer new territory.
Bloons TD is a tower defense series that has been around for a while. You play as a bunch of monkeys defending your lands using a variety of towers and upgrades. You have 21 options to choose from, all of which have upgrade paths for you to choose from.
You also get a lot of fun. You have to pay five bucks up front and then deal with optional IAPs for faster and/or extra unlocks, none of which are necessary to make the game usable. If you don't fork over extra cash, the game isn't hindered if these aren't added to a premium title.
One of the best tower defense games is Bloons TD 6. At least the IAPs are completely optional.
Card Thief is a card game and a strategy game. The name of the game is stealth and you play a thief who must sneak their way through a deck of cards to steal treasure. You can use equipment cards to assist you in your thieving ways, but don't get too confident or you'll run out of sneak points and get caught.
You will do things like extinguish torches and pickpocket guards. Card Thief has a progression system that lets you upgrade equipment cards as you pull off heists. It's a rewarding game for fans of strategy card games, but there's a bit of steep learning curve involved.
Card Thief is a card game for stealth fans. There's a steep learning curve to truly master the game, even though it's only a few minutes long.
The Play Store is from the Google Play Store.
Chess is a timeless classic and our favorite app-based version is the one from the AI Factory. It's easy to use and draw in all kinds of players, but still has a lot of features to keep people interested.
There are two versions, free ad-supported and paid, ad-free, with some additional features. We've featured the company on some of our other lists, and it's made a name for itself for recreating classic board games for the mobile device.
You have a choice between Casual and Pro modes and 12 levels of play. There's a built-in tutor, insight into the CPU thought process, achievements, and ELO ratings. If you want chess on your device, this is the one we recommend.
There are two versions of the take: an ad-supported free variant and a premium ad-free one. There's a lot in this package for chess fans of all skill levels.
Crying Suns is often compared to Faster Than Light as a quick reference point. You play as a clone of Ellys Idaho and you are brought back to life by a robot who needs your help.
To find out why communications have stopped, you have to go to what was once the center of the empire, and you have to have a skilled but expendable crew. Space pirates, abandoned colonies in dire need of help, new crew members, and more are some of the things you'll encounter along the way. It's a balancing act to decide how you want to proceed, as your resources are finite and dangers are many. If you make a wrong call, the game can be over and you have to go back to the beginning to try again.
The interface can feel cramped on smaller screens. Crying Suns is a top-tier sci-fi strategy. This is a good mobile gaming game, but it will cost you $8.49 to get it. Crying Suns is one of the best games on the service and is free for Play Pass subscribers.
Crying Suns is an epic sci-fi saga wrapped up in heavy atmosphere, solid mechanics, and great writing.
The player with the most freedom in the game is the one who plays The Escapists 2. The sequel to The Escapists has been better designed for mobile with enhanced touch controls and more features than the original, so if you enjoyed it, you'll love it.
The thrill of a perfectly planned prison break is what the sequel to The Escapists 2 is all about. You can break out of a prison by stealing supplies, earning money, and even crafting weapons to cause a riot. You can train your prisoner in the library or gym in your downtime, but you will have to keep up with the daily prison routines to avoid suspicion.
One of the cool new features added to the franchise is the ability to scheme and play with friends over the local network, which is one of the reasons why the game is so popular.
You can break out of prison on your own or with friends. Will your escape go off without a hitch or will you have to change your plans?
Enyo feels like a game of chess, but it's actually fun. Chess is fine and dandy, but Enyo takes that same vibe and puts an interesting twist on it to create an experience that feels familiar yet new. You are playing as Enyo, the Greek goddess of war, who is on a quest to recover three legendary artifacts from a shifting labyrinth. Enyo can only move between spaces by using her shield bash and hook abilities, so you'll have to battle your way through boards filled with enemies.
The boards are filled with environmental dangers that pose a threat to both you and your foes, which makes the limited movement even more critical. It's gratifying to push an enemy into a pit of boiling lava. The game's concept is easy to pick up but takes time and effort to master, which is the mark of a really good strategy game. Enyo's design and coloring are in line with the enemy designs so it can be hard to pick out her on the game board. It's not a deal-breaker, but I found myself losing my place every now and then.
The free version has basic mechanics and modes, but you can purchase additional content through in-app purchases. For a free game, this one packs some quality strategic content into a great setting.
Enyo is a unique take on turn-based strategy with a simple concept, made complex by limited movement and abilities.
Nintendo's first game for the mobile platform is called Fire Emblem: Heroes and is the eighth title in the popular strategy-RPG franchise to be released on North American shores.
The Askran Kingdom and the Emblian Empire are going to rule all worlds in a brand new story that brings all of your favorite Fire Emblem characters together. You play the role of a summoner who can bring Fire Emblem's best heroes together to help defend the kingdom. Battle takes place in arenas where you have to strategically move your Heroes around to attack and defend against your opponents.
Special Maps, Arena Duels, and the Training Tower are new game modes that you can play through the Story Mode. Arena Duel is a game that will keep you busy beyond the single-player campaign.
You can read our full review.
The hero collecting strategy game is a great way to explore the lore of Fire Emblem. This is a must-play title for fans of the franchise.
Gwent is a character from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The game started out as a mini-game in The Witcher, but then it blew up. It had a simple premise, like many of these card games do. It added several more hours to the game.
Gwent was broken out into its own spinoff, complete with improved card art and expanded decks. After a while, they brought it to the phone's operating system, and I was very excited. I think it's worth it, even though it's a massive download. Gwent is a card game that I enjoy playing.
It's free, but like other games that do it well, it has microtransactions. Gwent is a place you will find something to like if you enjoy the world of The Witcher, whether you've read the books, played the games, or watched the show.
A great card game started off as a small part of something larger. Gwent is a card game for people who like The Witcher.
Hello Neighbor is a stealth game. You're a snoopy neighbor who's watching another person. Someone is up to something and you want to find out what he's hiding. You will be breaking into his house over and over, but he will be setting up defenses to counter you. You have to come up with a new strategy to circumvent what he's established.
If you want a strategy/puzzle game with horror elements, this game is worth it. It's definitely a weird premise, but I think it's fun. It's free to install and try, but you'll have to pay 15 dollars to get the full experience.
The horror strategy puzzler has you figure out what your neighbor is up to. Break into his house many times and get around his defenses.
Turn-based games have captured the hearts of many throughout the decades and it's a paradigm that's perfect for a strategy game. In the story of Heroes of Flatlandia, you choose your hero, raise your army, and face off against your enemies in fierce battles.
You can choose between eight different heroes and use 30 different unit types. Even if the game doesn't have enough hardcore strategy for some fans of the genre, it looks great. It's a good time with tactics for a couple of bucks. If you're interested in that, there's also local.
Heroes of Flatlandia is a tactical game. You have time to plan your next move. It's cheap, fun, and a good timekiller.
Holedown is a game that mixes strategy and frantic puzzle game. The game has you mining to the center of the planets using bouncing miner balls that bounce off of colored blocks. The number of hits needed to destroy a brick is represented by the brick's number. You can let gravity do most of the work by destroying a block that supports another block and bolding it in place.
It's easy to pick up and play this game, but the strategy comes in. The curved bricks allow you to clear out large sections of blocks in one go. The screen will move up one row after every shot. The game is over if the blocks reach the top of the screen.
Along the way, you'll collect crystals that will be used to upgrade to more balls per shot and more shots per round. The earlier levels become more of a distraction for your subway commute because of the upgrades.
Holedown is worth the money if you're a fan of physics-based puzzle games and looking for a new obsession.
Holedown is a game where you launch balls to find the core of asteroids, planets, and stars. It has an endless challenge mode.
Riot Games' answer to the card game Hearthstone is the final card game on this list. Similar to Gwent and Hearthstone, the heroes from the League of Legend's universe are featured in the title. It's not revolutionary, but people looking to get away from the Warcraft universe should consider this one.
I have never played League of Legends. I had no idea what was happening when I launched it. Even though it's not perfect, the tutorials is enough to make you feel like you know how to play. Even though they're scripted, it still feels good to outwit them.
Microtransactions are also included in the free version of the game. Riot doesn't have a good reputation, but they have a potential competitor in the form of Legends of Runterra.
Fans of League of Legends can now purchase their own version of the game.
Mindustry is a hidden gem in the tower defense games. The game offers a complete and open sandbox philosophy where you're given the tools required to build up your defenses before waves of enemies give them a test. It's a free download with no ads or in-app purchases, and the intimidating and challenging game is more robust than most mobile strategy games.
There's a lot of thinking that goes into finding success in M industry. You need to concern yourself with mining resources to build up your defenses, but you also need to protect your supply lines, which deliver mined resources from the drill to your core base and defense turrets. The learning curve is steep when you're just starting out, but once you get a handle on the basics, Mindustry opens up.
The solo mode is a great place to start and practice your strategies, but only a small portion of what Mindustry has to offer. The host of a custom server can fine-tune settings to make sure the game is perfect. You can use the map editor to create your own maps. It's an amazing game that's continued to grow and develop over the past four years while remaining free.
Mindustry is an open-ended tower defense game that will blow you away with the level of depth and customization available to the player. It's free to play and is best for tablets or phones with larger displays.
Mushroom Wars 2 is an award-winning real-time strategy game that has you controlling tiny armies of mushroom soldiers in online or offline battles. The game is easy to learn but challenging to master.
You need to move your troops across the map to take over strategic mushroom huts and other structures while defending against your enemy. There are four Mushroom tribes to choose from with a full campaign episode available for each, but the real action begins with the online multiplayer. You will need to keep your wits about you as you balance your troop levels, build your confidence, and use special skills to dominate your opponents.
Mushroom Wars 2 is a cutthroat strategy game that you'll want to check out.
Night of the Full Moon is a card-based strategy game that puts you in the shoes of Little Red Riding Hood on a quest to find her grandmother during a full moon. Red has to venture into a forest and battle her way through a lot of folk creatures. The simplicity of the game makes it shine, not to overcomplicate its solid gameplay with unnecessary trappings. If you want, you can skip it.
Night of the Full Moon features gorgeous graphics, decent voice acting, and tons of cards for you to collect, level up, and build into your own decks. You can make things even more fun by changing your occupation. There's a lot of fun to be had with this great deck-builder and the difficulty level in the strategic elements is beginner friendly. Night of the Full Moon is free with ads and in-app purchases, but you can also get the ad and IAP-free version if you're a Play Pass subscriber.
Red Riding Hood has to find her missing grandmother. You'll build fun decks in this charming card-based strategy game.
ROME: Total War is a game about conquering the ancient world. This game features 19 different groups to choose from, and touchscreen-friendly controls. Whether you're Roman, Egyptian, Macedonian, or something in between, your goal is to conquer everything.
You need to see to your civilization's political, economic, and religious affairs if you want to win in the cruel, gruesome game of war. The Barbarian Invasion and Alexander variant of ROME: Total War are both available on the Play Store.
ROME: Total War has many hours of a campaign and plenty of replayability.
The mighty Roman Empire is one of 19 factions. This is the best strategy.
It's hard to run a country, but it's easier when you're a dictator and can run everything you want. Tropico is a game where you take on the role of El Presidente of your own Caribbean island paradise and lead your country into the future.
You're put in charge of managing all aspects of life and society on the island, building new roads and structures, training your citizens with schools and military bases, managing the economy by building farms and industries while setting workers' wages and negotiating export deals with other nations. Managing the politics of the island, keeping people happy by improving the quality of life, and quelling protests before they turn into full-blown rebellions are all included.
You need to be sure that the structures you build are staffed properly, which might require building better schools or bringing in specialized foreign workers. You'll get regular updates from your advisors about the issues that often require you to choose between a benevolent approach or a more hardline response to show who's in charge.
The scope of the game is overwhelming, so you'll want to start with the tutorial that will show you how to navigate the menu and control the floating camera. The camera controls take some time getting used to, but everything else is laid out sensibly enough for mobile devices so that you should gain a firm grasp of everything by the end of your first campaign.
There are 15 campaign islands to complete that give you specific goals to complete, but there is also a sandbox mode that lets you rule your country as you please. This title is a great title for fans of construction simulations and it does not include in-app purchases or ads.
As El Presidente of a growing tropical country with abundant natural resources, it's up to you whether to lead with compassion and fairness or with a ruthless iron fist.
XCOM is a turn-based strategy franchise that helps you stop aliens from invading earth. As an XCOM commander, you have to control your troops as they embark on missions to take out aliens.
XCOM: Enemy Within is an expansion for the game XCOM: Enemy Unknown that adds a new array of abilities, upgrades, and weapons to help you counter alien threats. It's been out for several years now but still holds up as one of the best strategy game experiences. You can control your troops and move them around the map to counter the aliens. After completing missions, you'll head back to the XCOM HQ where you'll be able to upgrade your troops and get new abilities based on your success in the field.
XCOM: Enemy Within is available for $10 on the Play Store.
Night of the Full Moon was added to our list.
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