Best RTS games you can play on the go
Thanks to innovative controls and bigger screens, RTS games on Android are just as enjoyable as their PC counterparts. That being said, we recommendpicking up a budget Android tablet, as a bigger screen is better for RTS games.
We’ve gathered up our favorite RTS games on the Play Store. From PC ports like Total War: MEDIEVAL II to mobile-only games like Iron Marines: Invasion, there’s something here for everyone. These are some of the best games on Android, so dive right in and strategize your way to victory.
A running list of the best Android games available today
15Sid Meier’s Railroads
At first glance, Sid Meier’s Railroads looks less like an RTS and more like amanagement tycoon game, but in reality, it’s both! While online multiplayer isn’t supported, you can still engage in furious real-time rail building against the AI offline.
Sid Meier’s Railroads is ideal for those who like tycoon games but don’t have time to spend weeks on a single save. Railroads' bite-sized games are perfect for this; games last just a couple of hours while giving plenty of room for careful strategy.
14Total War: MEDIEVAL II
While Total: Medieval II for Android doesn’t innovate as much as its predecessor, it refined the Total War experience on mobile into a near-perfect experience. While the nature of the game means you’ll be forced to use tablets for the best experience, this might be the best RTS on the Play Store today.
Total War: Medieval II is slightly overwhelming in its scope, but once you dig in, you’ll be rewarded with an absorbing RTS that crosses continents and time periods. Give it a go if you have a little too much time to spare.
13Cultist Simulator
Cultist Simulator is one of thebest card games on Android, but unlike most, it’s played in real-time. In Cultist Simulator, you’ll embark on a Lovecraftian adventure, where you’ll summon spirits, encounter gods, and outwit the authorities. While it might not seem like an RTS initially, you’ll soon find yourself caught in a web of plots and deceit that requires plenty of strategic planning. Careful management of your resources is necessary, but react poorly to an event, and you might find control slipping out of your grasp.
Part of Cultist Simulator’s appeal lies in its lack of tutorial, so you’ll learn by playing and failing until you figure out the game’s twists and turns. It’s unforgiving, immersive, and utterly fantastic.
12Rusted Warfare
Don’t let the ultra-retro graphics of Rusted Warfare put you off. It’s a throwback to games like Total Annihilation and Supreme Commander, where players had to manage colossal armies to achieve victory. Rusted Warfare neatly ports these mechanics to mobile, making it one of thebest strategy games on Android. It doesn’t waste time with a slick UI or beautiful animations; this game is for those who want a no-frills classic RTS on mobile.
Rusted Warfare offers players a staggering array of buildings and units to command, but it’s challenging to understand everything happening at first. But the logical arrangement of units and facilities will have you building massive armies in no time. Of course, this wouldn’t be much use if you couldn’t control them. Rusted Warfare streamlines traditional RTS controls for touchscreen, so you send your troops into the fighting with just a couple of taps.
11Rome: Total War
The Total War franchise has been around for decades, and one of the oldest and most outstanding titles is available on the Play Store. Rome: Total War’s Android port lets players experience this brilliant title on a touch screen thanks to a brand new UI and cleverly redesigned controls. It’s a beautiful demonstration of how to adapt a complex RTS for mobile gaming, so commanding hundreds of soldiers from your phone is a breeze.
Rome: Total War lets you control one of nineteen factions from Rome to Carthage. Throughout your campaign, you’ll attempt to conquer Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. While the massive RTS battles are the game’s centerpiece, a thoughtful turn-based campaign allows players to reflect and strategize before their subsequent conquests.
10Bad North: Jotunn Edition
Bad North puts you in control of an island kingdom under siege by Viking invaders. Throughout the campaign, you’ll hop between procedurally generated islands to lead your people to safety as you fight off waves of ax-wielding marauders. Missions are long enough for victory to feel satisfying but short enough to hold your attention. (Ideal for your commute!)
Before each mission, you’ll position your troops around the island and issue general orders. No micromanaging here; each unit is smart enough to interpret your orders as they feel best. Don’t get disarmed by the charming aesthetic; within minutes, you’ll be knee-deep in Viking blood as your men fight to the last.
9Northgard
A recent addition to the RTS genre, Northgard is already a classic. Taking cues from traditional RTS games like Age of Empires, Northgard crafts classic mechanics into a modern game. The gameplay revolves around managing your resources to grow your settlement and send waves of troops to capture enemy territory. However, brutal winters, savage wildlife, and the roaming Kraken can quickly spell doom for an unprepared settlement. The focus here is on carefully managing a few units rather than large-scale combat, so every death hurts.
Northgard’s campaign introduces players to its main factions, but its multiplayer is where this game shines. Each faction emphasizes a different path to victory, and while Northgard is easy to learn, it’ll take a while before you regularly win. Don’t let the unforgiving nature of Northgard put you off, as it’s easily one of the most competitive and rewarding RTS games available for Android.
8Plague Inc.
A browser classic, Plague Inc. is the game for you if the global pandemic hasn’t dampened your urge to destroy our planet. It’s a complex game that rewards planning and careful maneuvering to wipe out humanity successfully. Failing multiple times in a row is a rite of passage for newcomers, but when you finally see the last person succumb to your disease, you’ll be itching to do it all over again.
After you choose what type of disease you wish to use, you’ll spend the game researching new traits for your disease. Traits can be new transmission methods, symptoms, or abilities, but upgrading your disease must be carefully done. Once humanity notices your disease, it’s a race against the clock before they develop a cure.
Element was designed from the ground up to be quick to pick up and play. While the gameplay follows a classic RTS formula (gather resources to build troops to defeat your opponent), it takes mere minutes to finish a match. Many other games advertise a similar benefit, but Element’s strength lies in its flawless execution.
Element is not an easy game. While the options available to the player are kept to a minimum (there are only four types of buildings/units), utilizing them correctly takes a ton of practice. While there is a brief period of “peaceful” setting up, the turning point of a game is often reached in less than a minute. It’s just as competitive as Age of Empires or Northgard but in a bite-sized package.
6Rymdkapsel
Rymdkapsel defies definition. It’s a base builder, puzzle game, and tower defense in one that knows you don’t need fancy graphics or complex features for a fantastic RTS.
A game of Rymdkapsel follows a simple premise: build your base, research monoliths, and defend against murderous triangles. While the focus is on making your base to your liking, your plans will fail without careful resource management and corridor planning. It’s ideal for those who like to be rewarded for perfection. The distillation of RTS mechanics into their purest form creates a meditative experience, at least until the murderous triangles wreck your plans.
The note-taking app I should have used all along
Broader branding hints at wider paid-tier ambitions
I played the opening mission of The Outer Worlds 2 and really enjoyed what I experienced
Goodbye, text-only analysis
What’s new? A lot
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before
