Just because you want to create wholesale slaughter doesn't mean that that slaughter has to be mindless. Sometimes you want strategic slaughter, where each decision is way more important than 'shoot here.' And that's where strategy games come in. But there are loads of them on the App Store, which can make it difficult to pick the one that's right for you.
That's where this list comes in. We've picked what we think are the 5 best strategy games for mobile. There's a decent mix here, from side-on to top-down, from detailed to pared back. Each and every game here is worth checking out, so our advice to you would be to buy them all.
But, if you think we've made a mistake and missed something out, make sure you let us know in the comments. It's good to comment.
Iron Marines - download for iOS
After basically creating the modern tower defence genre, Ironhide went away, had a think, then came back and essentially created the modern mobile strategy game. Iron Marines is tough, but never unfairly so. It's smart, but never overwhelming, and it borrows from so many other genres that it stays fresh for as long as you keep playing.
Steamworld Heist - download for iOS
Where Iron Marines spans planets, Steamworld Heist is all about getting into spaceships and robbing them blind. Set in that lovely futuristic cogs-and-cowboys universe, and filled with brilliant ideas, this is the sort of game that sucks you in and holds you in its warm embrace for hours on end.
Warbits - download for iOS
Do you love Advanced Wars? Then you're going to love Warbits, it's as simple as that. It takes the shape of the much-loved cartoon classic, then shakes it around so it fits more comfortably onto your phone. It's deep enough to wrap its tentacles around you, while being accessible enough that you're never going to feel like it's out to get you.
Frozen Synapse - download for iOS
A mixture of an RTS and a turn-based strategy game that involves planning out your attacks before executing them. The twist is that your foes are inputting their moves at the same time. You can't shoot where they are, you need to shoot where they're going to end up. It's tense as all hell, and the cyberpunk stylings are the digital cherry on the cake.
Rymdkapsel - download for iOS
A game that peels back the layers of the RTS and exposes its beating heart. It's almost like a shot of the genre, taken fast and with little regard for your own safety. Like everything else Grapefrukt has made, this is a game that plays by its own rules, with its own style and its own ideas about the way things should be. And it manages to be both a breath of fresh air and an utterly compelling gaming experience.
