Strategy games aren’t always the easiest games to play, and the best are sometimes the most challenging. But they can often also be the most rewarding. They are great games to play if you thrive on tactical and strategic thinking to overcome obstacles.
And the best part is that there are a lot of them out there Real fun to play. There are also just a lot of them in general. That’s why we’ve narrowed things down by handpicking 10 of the best strategy games on Android. That way you save time by not having to scroll endlessly to find something to try.
If you’re looking for more than just strategy games, check out our guide to the best action games.
Best strategy games for android
Game | Download costs | In-app costs (per item) |
Warhammer 40,000: Space Wolf | Free | $0.99 – $99.99 |
Northgard | $8.99 | $2.99 - $6.99 |
Despotism 3K | $3.49 | $0 |
Beyond: Omega Edition | $4.99 | $0 |
Arc the boy R | Free | $0.99 – $79.99 |
howling suns | $8.99 | $0 |
XCOM 2 Collection | $24.99 | $0 |
Company of Heroes | $13.99 | $0 |
Star Trek: Fleet Command | Free | $0.99 – $99.99 |
Night of the full moon | Free | $0.99 – $5.99 |
Warhammer 40,000: Space Wolf
- Download Cost: Free
- In-app purchases: Yes
- Size: 50MB
- Google Play Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars
This is one of the better Warhammer 40,000 games on mobile, with 10 new story-driven missions, squad-based combat that requires more tactical thinking, and even 3v3 PvP multiplayer combat.
As one of the few free games we have on this list, Warhammer 40,000: Space Wolf does have in-game purchases, but it’s still one of the best strategy games out there for Android. Plus, it still gets regular updates. So it looks like there’s still plenty of life left in it.
Northgard
- Download Cost: $8.99
- In-app purchases: Yes
- Size: 485 MB
- Google Play Rating: 2.9 out of 5 stars
Northgard is one of our favorites right now, partly because of its Norse mythology theme, but also because it’s just a really good strategy game. Best of all, it wasn’t extremely challenging to learn. While it may take some practice to master, it’s easy to master the basics and play. That can’t be said of all the strategy games out there.
Northgard has a large and diverse collection of content that you can play alone, but there is also multiplayer. What we liked most about the multiplayer was that you can choose to play with or compete against other players. That was a nice touch.
That said, a number of players seem to be having issues with the game’s latency or loading properly. So keep this in mind when considering.
Despotism 3K
- Download Cost: $3.49
- In-app purchases: Yes
- Size: 50MB
- Google Play Rating: 3.9 out of 5 stars
Despotism 3K is not for the faint of heart. It is filled with dark humor and more mature themes. Hence the Mature 17+ rating. If you don’t mind, there’s a whole lot to like here. First, it’s a premium title with a good price. And it has no in-game purchases. So there is a victory.
But above all, the classic style of retro graphics gives it a nice feel. Although it is mainly a strategy game, it also has Rougelite features. So players beware.
Beyond: Omega Edition
- Download Cost: $4.99
- In-app purchases: Yes
- Size: 105MB
- Google Play Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars
While games like Northgard were a bit easier to get into, Out There Omega Edition isn’t. It’s even listed as a difficult game by the developers, and they’re not kidding. This game is challenging and it can be hard to get past certain parts at times. Fortunately, there is a forum for helpful tips, and you can always rely on your real grit and willpower to get you through it.
In this game you take on the role of an astronaut who is more or less stranded in the far reaches of space beyond the solar system. You awaken from cryosleep to find your ship unusable. So part of your job is to get it working again with salvaged parts.
You will also have plenty of adventures, many of which are dangerous. There’s a great soundtrack and loads of engaging dialogue to boot.
Arc the boy R
- Download Cost: Free
- In-app purchases: Yes
- Size: 69MB
- Google Play Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars
Arc The Lad was originally a tactical JRPG released by SEGA at the time. Arc The Lad R is not that game. Rather, it is a totally new title from Boltrend Games that is based on the popular franchise from SEGA. It’s more of a strategy game than a tactical RPG, but a lot of fun if you’re a fan of the franchise.
And if you like anime style art and graphics. It also has a pretty good story and character progression isn’t exactly lacking.
howling suns
- Download Cost: $8.99
- In-app purchases: no
- Size: 85MB
- Google Play Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
Crying Suns is a deep space strategy game full of starship combat, exploration, political intrigue and a whole lot more that requires you to think critically about every choice you make, including your resource management. Even the small decisions may seem small, but they can have a big impact.
This is another one of those strategy games that is definitely more challenging. It doesn’t hold your hand. But the reward is great as the story and gameplay are great once you get into the mood.
XCOM 2 Collection
- Download Cost: $24.99
- In-app purchases: no
- Size: 94MB
- Google Play Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
The same great XCOM game you know and probably love if you’ve played it. Just now on mobile in one big collection. This is the full game of XCOM 2 plus all four DLC packs released during its lifetime. It’s a bit pricey, yes, but you get everything here and it’s a lot of fun to play on the go.
Company of Heroes
- Download Cost: $13.99
- In-app purchases: no
- Size: 66MB
- Google Play Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
If you want something more grounded in reality, try Company Of Heroes instead. The game now even includes the Opposing Fronts DLC that you can purchase as an in-game purchase if you want to play more content.
But be warned, this is a very large game and takes up more than 5 GB of space.
Star Trek: Fleet Command
- Download Cost: Free
- In-app purchases: Yes
- Size: 153 MB
- Google Play Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars
Star Trek fans, this is a great game if you like the strategy genre. This is an MMO with an open world strategy. So there are plenty of other players to interact with, fight and form alliances with. And the Star Trek: Next Generation storyline was recently released, so there’s even more content to play.
Night of the full moon
- Download Cost: Free
- In-app purchases: Yes
- Size: 70MB
- Google Play Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars
Last but certainly not least is the Night of the Full Moon. This one is a bit different from the rest of the games on this list. Both because of the beautiful comic style graphics and the addition of turn-based card battles thrown into the mix.
Our favorite feature is the events that you can trigger randomly. Because this gives the game a procedurally generated feel, and that makes it more replayable. That’s a good thing to have in a mobile game.