10 best strategy games for the iPad

Strategy games are one of the most popular genres of video games out there. Games such as Warcraft and Starcraft showed us how fun they could be while others like Civilization and the Tycoon series showed us how in-depth these games could be. There are also some great strategy games for iPad so let’s jump right in.

If you’re rocking an Android tablet and somehow got to this page by mistake, check out our best strategy games for Android!

Battleplans

[Price: Free/In-App Purchases]
It seems like a given for this genre, but Battleplans puts a lot of emphasis on the “strategy” aspect of gameplay. Besides being able to direct your troops in specific directions during an attack, you can also strategically plan out your defenses. For instance, determine which characters will go where, and how long will it take them to get there. The graphics of this game are stunning, quite frankly. The muted pastel colors give the game a unique feel, and I loved the contrast in character design for good vs. evil.

I can be a little bit critical at times when it comes to dialogue in mobile games, but I was especially bummed that Battleplans didn’t have any voice acting for its characters. Seemed like the perfect game to have that.

Call of Duty Heroes

[Price: Free/In-App Purchases]
Criticized as being a Clash of Clans clone, Call of Duty Heroes is one of those games that is just going to resonate with a certain audience no matter what. Though the base design, defense and attacking are all a little reminiscent of Clash of Clans, Call of Duty Heroes has many elements that make it stand out. If you’re a fan of the CoD franchise, you’ll find pleasure in seeing familiar faces such as Captain Price, as well as your favorite gear and kill streaks like the infamous Predator Missile.

Admittedly, CoD Heroes makes you feel much more in control than Clash of Clans. You actually have a little bit of say in what your troops do. And, being able to physically control kill streaks is much more fun that just placing your army and hoping they do what you want.

Clash of Clans

[Price: Free]
Clash of Clans is a MMORTS (real-time strategy) game. The premise is easy to understand. You build up your base to defend itself from attackers and then you take the offensive against other players. The mechanics are well-balanced (for the most part) and the game is easy to play and engage with. There are also clans where you can team up, share troops, and take on other clans. There are a ton of players and it’s a very accessible strategy game for beginners.

Devil’s Attorney

[Price: $2.99]
Devil’s Attorney is a different kind of strategy game. Instead of waging war on battlefields with troops, you strategically work to free all of your clients. The game features some truly hilarious scenarios and manages to be fresh by not taking itself too seriously. The graphics are as good as they need to be to make the game playable and enjoyable and there are plenty of cases to take. It’s worth a shot if you want something different.

Forge of Empires

[Price: Free/In-App Purchases]
Forge of Empires is a strategy game for iPad that was adapted from the popular desktop version release a few years back. In the game, players start with nothing, slowly building their way to greatness. This the sort of game that you can easily spend hours in every day, as the number of things you can do is seemingly endless. Some users express frustration at the fact that many of the in-game action take time and that you have to “pay to play,” but joining guilds makes it easier to come by resources and to complete “research” to progress through the game. If you’re looking for a strategy game that allows for lots of little tinkering, this one is for you.

Plants vs Zombies 2

[Price: Free/In-App Purchases]
Plants vs Zombies 2 is a strategy-tower defense game that has managed to stand the test of time. It remains one of the most popular mobile games in history thanks to its simple game mechanics and the wide range of content in the game to enjoy. It’s also free to play which helps a bunch. In this game you plant flowers that attack a hoard of advancing zombies so they don’t reach you. The developers have continued to add content over the last couple of years to help keep the game fresh

RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3

[Price: $4.99]
Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 is a strategy-simulation title where you must build a financially successful theme park. You do this by building everything from the ground up from footpaths to various stores and you can even custom design your own rollercoasters. This was originally a PC game that’s been ported to iOS and, for the most part, it was ported successfully. It includes 18 scenarios to complete, a sandbox mode, and it even includes a coaster cam so you can ride your own rollercoasters.

Sand Wars

[Price: Free/In-App Purchases]
Sand Wars is one of the more well-designed strategy games for iPad. The bright colors and character design make this game a joy to play and it just looks beautiful on the iPad’s large screen. The gameplay from Sand Wars isn’t quite what you’d expect from this genre. The attacking army, be it you or your enemy is guided down a stream of “magic water” through the opposing team’s defenses. As a player trying to strengthen your defense, San Wars gives make it possible to draw custom lines of defense, strategically placing weapon towers to stop the attacking enemy.

Harvesting resources allows you to evolve your creatures, blasting your way through enemy defense. Though the app is beautiful, the loading screens which pop up before and after every attack get old pretty quick.

SimCity Buildit

[Price: Free]
SimCity BuildIt is another simulation-strategy style game similar to Rollercoaster Tycoon 3. The difference is instead of building a theme park, you’re building a whole city. You’ll have to carefully decide what kind of establishments to build, where, and when. On top of managing an entire city, you’ll have to deal with occasional disasters. There is a social component via gifting through Facebook as well. It’s a fun little free-to-play game.

War Dragons

[Price: Free]
Base defense is one of the more popular forms of strategy games for iPad. War dragons takes a new approach on the genre, taking gameplay to the skies, and featuring gorgeous 3D imagery. Instead of sending hoards of soldiers into battle, you send dragons, one-by-one, to attack enemy bases. The higher level your dragons, the more destruction you can rain down. Players can breed new dragons which are hatched out of some pretty wicked looking eggs, and can also build up their base with extra defense to defend against attacks.

War Dragons is another one of those games where if you want to avoid spending a penny, you’re going to need to practice your patience.

Wrap up

If we missed any great strategy games for the iPad, tell us about it in the comments! If you’re looking at buying your own iPad, check out our latest news about the iPad!

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