Top 25 best strategy games for Android in 2024

Part base-builder, part international diplomacy, part tactical battler. XCOM's got it all, and this updated version adds psionic powers, crazy mech suits, and a stack more content. In other words, it's exceptional! The story might be a cliche, as you're leading the resistance after the planet was attacked by alien forces. Still, the tactical bit, both on the world map and on the battleground is done so masterfully, it's easy to get sucked into the world and feel the realism of war where you'll have to sacrifice someone willingly for the greater goal.

If you're much into tactical conundrums and the like, the entire XCOM series delivers pretty hearty gameplay and more than enough planning to deserve a landing spot on our list of best strategy games for Android.

This beautiful Norse fantasy, along with its predecessor, pitches you into tactical turn-based battles, but it also asks you to make tough decisions about the makeup of your travelling party and whether to intervene in key events. The story continues from the first part of the saga, so there are no real surprises. You can even transfer the save and progress from the original and continue from there. Your story choices will make an impact on the world, and the battle grid is exactly the same as it was.

Its exceptional gameplay and rich narrative are topped up by stunning graphics and in-depth strategy. All of these elements make it a title worth a play (and a re-play afterwards).

We still don't have an Android version of FTL yet, but Crying Suns is arguably the best alternative so far. This tactical rogue-lite has the star maps and event systems of that classic but with an absorbing story and compelling flight-squadron combat. It has a procedurally-generated universe with a lot of story events and, as the developers stated, it was inspired by Dune and Battlestar Galactica, so fans of those will feel right at home.

Set in outer space, the narrative of Crying Suns is not exactly out-of-this-world. However, the gameplay and grand strategy that it features are more than enough to earn it a spot on this list. It is a premium strategy game that fans of sci-fi should not miss.

The maker of the peerless Kingdom Rush series proves that it can do classic RTS as well as it does tower defence. Iron Marines is brilliantly balanced, great to look at, and generally quite special. You'll defend from the alien hordes using Napalm Rockets, Defense Drones and a few units like space marines, or a sniper. No one approach fits here, you'll have to adapt your strategy to the current level depending on the foes you'll be facing, so don't be afraid to test different tactics.

Don't let the cutesy cartoonish graphics make you believe it's a shallow game. In fact, it's the complete opposite. You will encounter stages that you might not be able to figure out unless you start to think (and re-think) your strategy. Oh, and it is available offline, so it's perfect for flights and train rides!

This pixel-perfect game is all about strategy, as much as it is about prison escaping. Yep, you heard that right. You'll need to put all those brain muscles to work into figuring out a way to avoid guards (or simply beat them up!) and escape the prison. You can dress as guards, dig and scheme to try to get the right items for your escape. There is no end to the creativity of what you can and will do to get out to loving freedom.

You can craft, scheme and plan ahead as much as you like, all in order to carry out your plan to greater success. Note that this is a premium title, so you'll have to dish out a bit of your cash to play it.

Bad North: Jotunn Edition is a fusion of the strategy, roguelike and tactics genres - combining all the strengths of Faster Than Light with a tight troop management system. You'll lead a collection of heroes who you can level up between islands, but if they die then they're gone, so you'll have to make sure that you focus and specialise as you island-hop to avoid invaders. It oozes style, with beautiful, minimalist levels that are procedurally generated for each battle. You'll defend these islands, moving your units from tile to tile and then watch as they dynamically battle to defend the space.

It's all incredibly clever. Each unit acts and reacts independently, even if you are moving the squad as a whole. Alongside that, there's a light twist on the standard rock-paper-scissors of spear, sword, and bow, enough to prevent combat from getting tiring. Especially as new enemies are introduced which require a bit more planning and thinking outside of the box. There's nothing quite like the moment when you outwit an entire enemy fleet, positioning perfectly so that not a single enemy makes it up to the huts you are defending.

Much like the already-cited FTL, Bad North: Jotunn Edition is one of the must-play strategy games on Android, an investment that I doubt even a single person regrets.

If XCOM somehow failed to sate your tactical strategy lust, Templar Battleforce should be your next stop. Build up a team of armour-clad badasses, before sending them off into glorious grid-based battles. While it is advertised as an RPG, you shouldn't let that fool you into thinking it's some simple turn-based battler.

It's actually highly strategic and requires plenty of tactically planned battles with well-thought out deployment. All that is only enhanced by the graphics that are likely to evoke nostalgic feelings. There is a demo version you can try for free if you're not 100% sold yet.

Warhammer 40K Tacticus, as the name strongly implies, is a tactical strategy game where you'll lead a squad composed of different characters belonging to one of many factions. Of course, fans of the Warhammer universe will feel right at home, and they might like it a bit better than players who aren't fans...yet.

Tacticus is a bit of gacha as well since you're pulling character shards at random. There are several occasions where you're guaranteed to get a certain game, like through campaigns, but there's a lot of farming as well. Your team of five champions will have to change as you progress since certain campaigns require specific characters. You can't serve the Emperor's will with Xenos or Tyranids, heathen.

Unlike some other strategy games on Android, this one requires a lot of concentration as most battles can be won by tactical schemes, even if you're a bit lighter on power than your opponent. We also have to tip our hat to the developers, as the models are very complex and they look fabulous. If you start playing, our list where all of the current characters in Tacticus are ranked will help you start on the right foot.

Set in an 8-bit universe, Pixel Starships follows all the guidelines of a great game. It's got management, simulation, building and aliens. What else is there to ask for?

It revolves around building the best starships and populating them with the best crewmates. It's fun and brings a retro twist to the classical strategy genre. However, don't let its affable appearance fool you. Pixel Starships is fairly deep and complicated, so it's dedicated to niche audiences. But, if you love managing the ships, trade, handling your crew and fighting space battles, we are quite sure you'll love it.

As was suggested in the title, the country has been run over by zombies. It's your job to set things straight and survive the undead hordes. You'll need to rescue survivors that you can recruit as there is strength in numbers and every soul counts.

Create and maintain your own hub, or a base if you prefer to call it that, where you'll mostly be safe from those nasty zombies. The gameplay is a mix of tower defence and the strategy elements you're likely familiar with on mobile. That means that you need to constantly upgrade your base, defend it and collect more resources to grow. For those of you eager to try it, we have State of Survival codes that you can use for a nice headstart.

One of the newer entries on our list, Sea of Conquest has quite quickly become fairly popular. It's a delightful combination of sea exploration, ship management and tactical combat, somewhat similar to what you'll find in the Banner Saga. You're a pirate (who would've guessed) and even though the story is a bit cheesy, the narrative bits are fully-voiced, helping create more atmosphere and injecting a slither of personality.

As we have already mentioned, the gameplay is a fine mix, and the base building is like your hub where you can rest and prepare for the next conquest, while distilling some drinks or using cooking recipes to make delicious (or at least acceptable) dishes.

Other than that, you need to create a well-synergized wrecking crew that can stand against most of the enemies the sea can throw at you.

Crush Your Enemies is a retro-style adventure that sees testing your skills in battles that only last a few minutes. It's not just a sharply-made RTS, but also a fun title filled with foul-mouthed, half-drunk barbarians. What is there to dislike? If you love to loot and pillage (I mean, who doesn't?), you'll feel right at home, leading the uncontrollable mob of bloodthirsty and half-naked berserkers.

The highly strategic battles are all the more fun when your units are as bad as those barbarians. And while we're at it, keep in mind that beer is not a weapon you can use against your opponents!

A brilliant turn-based strategy set within Pixelbite's tense sci-fi Xenowerk universe. There's more than a hint of XCOM to its tight squad manoeuvring but with a slightly more arcadey tilt. That's not a bad thing though, and if you've played the former, you know that there's much to enjoy. One of the major differences is that it's not turn-based, and you'll lead your team in real-time. However, you can still pause the action when you feel like it to pick the right skill and plan ahead.

You can get a taste of Xenowerk Tactics for free and then upgrade to the premium version if you find yourself itching for more.

It's probably the best-acclaimed tower defence ever when it comes to mobile. Kingdom Rush was made years ago, but its gameplay and attractive cartoonish 2D graphics will keep you so hooked you won't be able to put down your phone until you get through every level in every world.

You'll find a mix of different towers at your disposal and can upgrade each one after every round, improving its raw stats like shooting speed or area of effect, but it can also unlock a special ability. These abilities improve the depth of strategy by a huge margin and they will prove crucial in later levels. There is no 'one size fits all' tactics that you can employ and always be successful, as there is a rock-paper-scissors system at play where each foe is resistant to one type of attack and weak to another, so you'll need to carefully strategize in every level.

Picking the right heroes is not a trivial matter, so we made a list of the best heroes in Kingdom Rush. It should relieve you of the pressure of picking the right one when you're playing for the first time.

Though it's less visually impressive than Tropico, Pocket City remains an absolute treat of a premium city builder. In particular, it manages to combine intuitiveness with strategic depth better than most.

Running a city is no trivial matter. We know that Pocket City doesn't employ any military tactics, but it can be still easily listed in this genre because of the whole base-building angle.

There are also two versions of Pocket City - a free one and a premium variant. The free version has almost all the features the premium one has, except for some buildings and features, and the sandbox mode. Both of them are fun if city builders are your thing, and there's more than enough replay potential.

A side-scrolling micro-game that strips a lot of the fiddly stuff out of the strategy genre. In its place are an intuitive 2D side-scrolling system and a pleasantly accessible learning curve as you trot back and forth building up your empire. Why Two Crowns? Well, you can play it in co-op with a friend, whether you'd prefer to build a kingdom together or become fierce opponents.

The beautiful 8-bit graphics that you'll see in Kingdom: Two Crowns are definitely something to behold, and if you ever thought a fairly simple and story-rich game would have no tactical elements, you'd be wrong. Kingdom Two Crowns has it all, and it's a beautiful creation that only adds more depth to the genre.

Oooh, controversial pick!

But there's no denying that Clash has done something super interesting with the strategy genre, making it truly social and making defence as important as an all-out attack. There are millions of players still active worldwide, and that is something that many strategic games lack.

The unique element that sets Clash of Clans apart from the rest is the fact that you can come up with tactics completely unique to you. You can discover something never-before-seen, whether that's a setup or a unit formation that can wreak havoc, and that can all be thanks to attentive planning. For those of you who played CoC, but would like to try out something similar because you got bored of it, here are somegames like Clash of Clans.

Another title that really takes the award in terms of strategy is Teamfight Tactics - or TFT. This giant is specifically designed to make your neurons work extra hard for just a little bit of dopamine when you defeat an opponent. If you're even vaguely familiar with the term auto chess, this is one of the places it started.

If you want to play in real-time with people around the world in an ever-changing game, you've got a winner here. No two matches are the same, and that only adds to the layers of tactics needed to consistently achieve victory. If you're a fan of chess, and like playing League of Legends, you won't find a better fit.

What is your Duty? To serve the Emperor's Will. What is the Emperor's Will? That we fight and die.

A true strategy titan which has fascinated us for years. The latest update is as good as one might expect, and the fact that it's on mobile only makes it more accessible to play. It's a base-builder with real-time combat that's as engaging as you'd like it to be thanks to the autoplay option. The models look great, and fans of the Warhammer 40,000 universe should grab this one in the blink of an eye.

The player base is steadily growing, partly thanks to the objectives being incredibly clear and easy to understand. It's also worth pointing out that Lost Crusade is fully voiced, so if that plays a factor in your mobile gaming choices, now you know.

Don't forget to redeem some of the Lost Crusade codes since it'll give you a much better headstart!

Have you always wanted to restore Byzantium to its former glory? Does it keep you up at night? Well, if that sounds like you, Total War: Medieval II will be of assistance in your noble task. And even if that wasn't one of your ambitions before, it might be after playing this game.

Medieval II was, and still is a favourite strategy game to a lot of fans of the genre across the world. It will send you back to medieval Europe, North Africa and parts of Asia where you will, once again, tremble before an invasion of Tatars. This is why you'll need to forge alliances, acquire new territories and train as many capable soldiers as you can, to try to stop the unwavering tide.

There are two modes: one is played on a grand strategy map, and is turn-based, while the other is played on a tactical map where you'll lead your army against the enemy in real-time, with an option to pause if you need a quick breather.

The graphics are the same as you'd remember them, a bit outdated but still more than viable, voice acting and music are essential in raising your adrenaline to the maximum. If you like titles that you can pay for once and have everything unlocked and ready for countless hours of play, pick this one.

It's got elements of tower defence, MOBA, and even card battling. But at its heart, Clash Royale is a really enjoyable, supremely slick strategy game. The deeply tactical moves you need to pull off in some of these scenarios will test your tactical nous, while in others it's as simple as it gets. It's one of the most popular titles of the genre for good reason.

There's also no shortage of players, so if an online tactics PVP is something you desire, make sure to check it out. But don't forget to take a look at our Clash Royale tier list where we've ranked every card.

Another tower defence game, but not just any tower defence. Bloons TD 6 is one of the best in the genre, and it's not difficult to see why. It is fun, colourful and packed full of strategy at literally every corner.

Each level tells a different story and you'll have to use various towers, Monkey Knowledge, and whatever else you can imagine to muddle through. It's one of those titles that you really feel like the premium price is a fit for because it's just that good, from every point of view!

Of course, if you decide to play this one, we have to suggest at least going through our Bloons TD 6 tier list and learning the best heroes to use!

We're all used to defending life in this genre - Plague Inc. tasks you with destroying as much of it as possible by spreading and mutating a horrible virus. It's dark, man. If you are looking for a strategy game that possibly hits too close to home with the events that occurred in the last few years, this is one that we can recommend. Thankfully dark humour is sprinkled throughout, otherwise, it would be an overly macabre experience.

There are also multiple other modes to try, such as vampire and simian variants (mad Planet of the Apes vibes) which make it so much more fun! Of course, you can't ignore the Covid-19 simulation, if you're feeling particularly masochistic one day.

This base-building RTS lets you pick one of the dozen nations and turn it into a superpower. Each one is different and has certain bonuses, as well as different commanders to lead your armies. You'll easily recognise Cleopatra, Ragnar Lothbrok, Genghis Khan and many other historical figures from the Dark and Middle Ages. You should read more about what civilization you should pick in RoK before you start playing, and find the ones that suit your playstyle best.

As in any other similar strategy game for Android, it's beneficial to have an alliance and friends to help you out. Battles are real-time and you can easily help an ally out, or decimate the attackers' capital because it's been left undefended. Expect long campaigns, as this is the one that has slow progress. But, you know what they say, Rome wasn't built in a day!

Some people are not fans of medieval or modern combat. They prefer something futuristic instead. Well, it's your lucky day, as Star Trek: Fleet Command is a space saga that features spaceships, futuristic design and a lot of lasers. What kind of space strategy would it be without lasers, right?

And do you know what the icing on the cake is here? It features characters from the original series as your space crew. There are a bunch of ways to combine them, but if you get stuck looking for the best crew combinations in Star Trek, we have created a guide that should be more than helpful.

The developers are always working on new missions and crew members, so you can never get bored of it, as the new content is abundant. Whether you favour Federation, Klingons or Romulans, you'll feel appreciated as none of them have been overlooked.

If you have anything to add to our list of the best strategy games, feel free to do so in the comments below!