Real-Time Strategy is a diverse game genre mostly known for its intense gameplay, designed around player skill expression. Consequently, RTS games are notoriously challenging to properly develop on any platform. Hundreds of RTS titles claim to have nailed that task, but very few have, especially on mobile.
By now you might be thinking that shifting through all the bold false claims on the app store is too much work. Well, I have good news for you. You don't have to! Here are ten handpicked RTS games on IOS that rightfully deserve the title.
10. Rusted Warfare
A definite hidden gem, Rusted Warfare is the perfect stepping-on point into the sub-genre of RTS Supreme Commander and Total Annihilation belong into. Presented in graphics where 16-bit meets slash game, Rusted Warfare sticks to the basics. One resource, four types of production buildings for four types of units and defense structures. This simplicity carries on to the mission objectives: kill the enemy. That's it.
Created by an indie developer. Rusted Warfare goes above and beyond its potential. The basic mechanics are so simple that the game rightfully does not come with a tutorial. It's a game that instead of trying to punch above its weight, carves out its own little corner and lays claim to the title of an ideal introduction to more complex games of the genre.
That being said, in case you grow fond of Rusted Warfare, stay and you will discover that there is potential for some mechanical depth after all. Though you may want to set your game to double resource mode for that extra scale. Whether you are new to the RTS genre, or to iPhone as a platform, Rusted Warfare should be your first stop.
9. Machines at War 3
Machines at War 3 is an RTS whose intensity and mechanical depth are a match for any genre titans. Placing you in command of land, air, and sea units, this game's focus is not to break the mold but to become the ultimate iteration of a Command and Conquer or Supreme Commander-style RTS.
To achieve this, Machines at War 3 adds more dynamic base building (you can build on water!) and increases the army size beyond most of its competitors, especially on mobile. And by army size, I'm not only referring to the number of units but the size as well.
Machines at War 3 delivers no-nonsense mayhem, supported by masterfully crafted mechanics that allow the player to feel pride for victory and learn from defeat. While the campaign is probably where most players will gravitate towards (and for good reason), this game's true potential is explored in skirmish mode.
With its endless combinations through customizability and random generation, this is where true commanders are tested. Plus, this is also where you get to play with late-game behemoths and weapons of mass destruction.
8. Art of War 3: Global Conflict
But who said gameplay mechanics are all that matter in an RTS? Not Art of War 3: Global Conflict hasn't nailed those, it just goes a step further. Its graphical fidelity is top-tier for a mobile RTS, its user interface is superb, and its campaign will make you forget about skirmish until it's time to take on other players.
The fundamentals of the gameplay should be familiar to anyone who has touched a good modern warfare RTS like Command and Conquer: Generals. So instead of rehashing the same principles, let's talk about the campaign.
Once you select one of two factions, you are called to conquer the globe (the title isn't just fancy words). The experience of the missions that follow is unforgettable and unlike anything on the app store.
Art of War 3: Global Conflict stands out because it's not content with providing the player with good quality battles. Firstly, it takes care of how it represents them, with top-tier graphics and animations (those explosions are glorious). Secondly, it boasts a campaign that's tied to a goal and visible progression rather than a series of missions whose consequences are in most games only told to the player, if that.
Thirdly, and in my opinion most importantly, Art of War 3: Global Conflict is unmatched in the quality of unit control. It doesn't merely port over the typical PC RTS controls to a touch screen. It builds them from the ground up.
Art of War 3: Global Conflict is not “fun once you get used to the jank touch screen controls”. It's a breeze to play right away.
7. The Bonfire 2: Uncharted Shores
Tired of playing as soldiers or heroes in your RTS? What if you could play as a band of villagers in the middle ages, defending against monsters and the hostile environment? Welcome to The Bonfire 2: Uncharted Shores.
This is not a game where you command armies. What you are in charge of are simple people, trying to make a life for themselves in the middle of nowhere and survive against the odds. Contrary to the typical RTS, this game's goal is not to provide spectacle or to help you hone your skills.
Here, you slowly and methodically construct a village, manage its inhabitants and fend off enemies, not for glory but because you will grow to care about these people and you are immersed in their brutal yet beautiful world.
The Bonfire 2: Uncharted Shores is a game that mixes seemingly opposite concepts. A cutesy art style with brutal, heart-retching moments. The everyday life of humble villagers with battles against terrible monsters.
Easy and approachable mechanics with unforgivable consequences. A peaceful day with a hostile night. Steady progression with unrecoverable setbacks. You get the idea. If you value atmosphere over challenge, character over mayhem, building over conquering, then The Bonfire 2 is for you.
6. Command and Conquer: Rivals
Don't let the name fool you. This is not a Command and Conquer game. Not in the ways that matter. In that, we were right to be worried when it was first announced. But, I begrudgingly admit it is a decent RTS with a unique and fun twist to the formula.
The game plays in a 1v1 setting, with each side starting with a base and fighting for control of three points in the center of the arena. Holding those points eventually launches a missile that strikes the enemy's base. Do it twice and you win.
To capture these points you may build a variety of units from your base. Each unit comes with different strengths and weaknesses and belongs to a group that has a dedicated production segment you have to construct on your base. Helping you along, the trusty tiberium harvester makes a return.
The gameplay of Command and Conquer: Rivals is not overly complex and the matches are fast-paced. It's a mobile game through and through. Just without some of the more infamous systems such as an energy bar limiting your playtime. In terms of replayability, you shouldn't have any problems thanks to the deep, albeit grindy, upgrade system between matches.
I have to confess that in objective terms this game might deserve a higher ranking. However, this is a fun-based list, and no Command and Conquer fan will be able to completely forget that Generals 2 was canceled in favor of Rivals.
5. Siege Up! - Medieval War
Time for a slight detour. We've talked about games inspired by modern warfare or sci-fi RTS classics, but what about historical. Siege Up! - Medieval War is the closest you can get to Age of Empires on your iPhone, especially the siege battles.
The gameplay mechanics are a streamlined version of those in the Age of series. You start with a town hall, walls, and workers. You gather gold, food, stone, and wood to build structures. You train units from those structures to improve your economy, defend your base, or make your enemy wish they had never built theirs.
Presented in an easy-on-the-eyes aesthetic, Siege Up's campaign and skirmish modes will most likely recreate your fondest memories of the old Age of Empires games or the recent experience of defending your castle against those pesky invading Mongols in Age of Empires 4. Who knows, you might even run into new iconic scenarios that can rival them.
4. Rebel Inc.
I was going to put the classic mobile RTS Plague inc. in this spot when I run across Ndemic Creations' latest gem. The developers have made the brilliant decision to adapt the mechanics of spreading a disease for global domination into governing a war-torn province. I know it sounds baffling but it just works.
There are three basic mechanics: Upgrading your government with points you earn over time, managing your staff, and making crucial decisions in event prompts. These three basic-sounding systems combine in a rather complex gameplay experience where you fight for control against the rebel forces while managing the people's support, corruption, and inflation.
For those who have enjoyed Plague Inc. picking up this game should be a no-brainer. For everyone else, I can assure you that you will spend hours strategizing on the most efficient methods to govern your province in no time. And that's why I picked Rebel Inc. over Plague Inc. for this list.
Plague Inc. has been around for so long that the temptation to seek out one of the million guides on the best strategies is too much to resist. On the other hand, Rebel Inc. is relatively new, meaning you might be the one to find the best strategies. Your innovation might become the new meta.
And hey, if you fail a few times, just compare your success rate to those of the average state leader and you'll feel much better.
3. Galaxy Reavers - Starships RTS
Bearing a LOT of similarities with the Battlefleet Gothic: Armada games, Galaxy Reavers thrusts you into some incredible deep space scenery and gives you control of an interstellar fleet. You start out with a couple of destroyers to end up with a grand fleet of titanic vessels. And all of that is rendered with a graphical fidelity unrivaled in the mobile market, bringing the battles to life.
But the battles are much more than mere spectacle. Set on a 2D plane, each side places its fleet in a formation. When combat starts, you may give your ships an infinite variety of commands. From a grand trajectory across the battlefield to a minor maneuver of ability activation.
And the exchange of fire results in much more than the mere draining of a health bar. A ship under fire can lose part of its weapons, its thrust, or its activatable abilities.
The result is a battle of infinite tactical depth, where each glorious explosion of an enemy ship is the result of your skill expression. Putting the cherry on the cake, between each mission, you get to pick upgrades for your ships and acquire new ones. Meaning that the fleet you enter each battle with feels intimately your own.
2. Company of Heroes
With Company of Heroes 3 about to be released, it's the perfect time to dive back into the series. And what better way than to relive the unmatched experience of playing Company of Heroes? Except, this time on your iPhone.
Company of Heroes is a squad-based RTS game set in World War 2. Over the years it has earned legendary status thanks to both its deeply tactical gameplay and beyond meticulous adherence to historical accuracy.
Put yourself in command of infantry squads, iconic WW2 tanks, devastating artillery, and call down air support to defeat your enemy. Company of Heroes comes with endless possibilities of skill expression in tactical situations, yet its gameplay is very approachable thanks to its squad-based system.
While an attempt to go any more in-depth in this format would do this game a disservice, trust me when I say that this king of WW2 RTS has now conquered the mobile market and its reign is as strong as ever.
1. Iron Marines
Alright, but to be the best RTS on iPhone it takes more than strictly mimicking the greats. Iron Marines may at a first glance have you thinking “hey, when did they make Starcraft 2 cartooned and merged Terrans with Protos?”, you'd be wrong.
While yes, the game's unit appearance has drawn heavy inspiration from Blizzard's masterclass Sci-Fi RTS, Iron Marines has created its own flavor. And oh, is that flavor sweet! Presented in drop-dead gorgeous cartoonish art style, Iron Marines offers intense and satisfying gameplay across a series of missions, each with its own supper unique objective.
The experience of playing Iron Marines is clearly tailored to maximize player enjoyment. In missions that involve base building, you will be defending from multiple angles, pushing towards one side at a time to destroy enemy bases or slay unique bosses.
In no-build missions, you will control a group of units to tactically complete a series of objectives where the smallest choice could make the difference between victory and defeat. In both cases, you will also be given control of a hero, who serves as an anchor for your army.
This description might sound familiar to a starcraft player but don't be fooled. Iron Marines does not stop there. There is a mechanic to switch roles for your units mid-fight instead of buying new ones, you can upgrade your hero inside the mission, you have access to complex defense structure mechanics and so much more.
Topping it all off, the player is gradually and smoothly introduced to those mechanics one mission at a time, along with new units, resulting in a pleasant learning curve.
In simple terms, Iron Marines is a masterpiece and a must-play for anyone remotely interested in mobile RTS.
