By reading our Buyer's Guides, you've obviously proven yourself to be quite the resourceful gamer, strategically selecting only the finest titles to spend your hard-earned cash on. Since foresight and planning is your thing, we feel compelled to share some excellent strategy games this week that should be right up your alley.
You'll notice the usual glut of Tower Defense games that are so popular on the App Store, but these aren't just any old games-- these are the best of the bunch! The same goes for the rest of our choices, too. Plan wisely, because you probably won't have time to play them all.
Best Tower Defense Game - Star Defense
Publisher: ngmoco, Inc.
Price: $2.99
A recent price drop puts Star Defense in line with other Tower Defense games on the platform, but none can match this title's online feature set. Friend lists and leaderboards give you an incentive to get better, and push notifications even allow you to challenge your friends directly. The 3D play mechanic keeps this from feeling too familiar, and the sweet graphics are the cherry on top.
Buy from iTunes
Honorable Mention - Sentinel 2: Earth Defense
Publisher: Origin8 Technologies Limited
Price: $2.99
The clever addition of a starship orbiting above to aid your towers helps differentiate this game from the competition. It can not only launch attacks in desperate situations, but also dispatch drones that can generate money or repair damaged towers. Online leaderboard and chat integration give you someone to compete against, and you can even choose your own music to play in the background. A fast-forward button keeps you from ever encountering a dull moment.
Buy from iTunes
Honorable Mention - Besiegement
Publisher: Just Kissed Games
Price: $.99
With a 30-level story mode and choices for both path and maze based gameplay, Besiegement gives you a lot of bang for your buck. A bevy of achievements will give you incentive to try new strategies, and challenge missions give you something to do should you beat them all. Online leaderboards will keep you vying for the top score, even if it's just on the daily board. Plus, detailed stat tracking will help you refine your game and identify strengths and weaknesses.
Buy from iTunes
Honorable Mention - The Creeps!
Publisher: Super Squawk Software
Price: $.99
Although it's loaded with features and attractively priced, it's the unique art style that makes this game worth mentioning. The scary nighttime monsters are out, and it's up to you to prevent them from making their way from the closet to the bed. Flashlights do massive damage here, and you can even fly a UFO around the screen with the accelerometer. If you're tired of the typical themes in tower defense, this could be a fresh take for you. Facebook integration, tons of levels and three different modes keep this from being more than a gimmick game.
Buy from iTunes
Best Castle Defense Game - Knights Onrush
Publisher: Chillingo Ltd
Price: $.99
We called this one of the best investments in iPhone gaming when it cost $4.99. At a dollar, it's a complete no-brainer. You'll be tossing enemies that approach your castle off the screen in the beginning, but over time they'll become faster and stronger. You can upgrade the strength of your castle and buy weapons to fend off the attackers, and there's plenty of content to keep you busy. The colorful graphics don't hurt, either.
Buy from iTunes
Best Real-Time Strategy Game - Quantum Collapse
Publisher: Javier Davalos
Price: $2.99
A fully featured single player RTS in your pocket, Quantum Collapse delivers with both a story mode and a skirmish mode. There are plenty of buildings and units at your disposal for battling the aliens, and multitouch controls make it easy to coordinate your army. If you want classic RTS action wherever you go, this is the game to get.
Buy from iTunes
Honorable Mention - Galcon
Publisher: Phil Hassey
Price: $2.99
Not a typical RTS like Quantum Collapse, Galcon is a fast paced game that only lasts a couple of minutes per round. You'll be taking control of planets, and these planets will produce ships that can either defend the planets you have or take over other planets. You and the enemy start with just one planet and progress towards one another until someone wins. The single player mode is fun, but up to four players can duke it out in local and online matches. They're a little difficult to set up, but worth the hassle.
Buy from iTunes
Best Path Drawing Game - Harbor Master
Publisher: Imangi Studios, LLC
Price: $.99
Clearly inspired by Flight Control, Harbor Master manages to one-up that title with a twist: cargo management. You'll draw a line with your finger to guide the boats into the harbor and keep them from crashing into each other, but you'll also have to sail them back out safely after they've dropped off their cargo. Further hassles are thrown into the mix when pirates attack (you'll defend yourself with cannons) and whirlpools spin your ships into a frenzy. Of course, the requisite online leaderboards are present as well.
Buy from iTunes
Honorable Mention - Flight Control
Publisher: Firemint
Price: $.99
Simpler than Harbor Master, Flight Control has the same basic route-drawing mechanics as you try to safely land endless amounts of planes before they can crash into one another. Although it doesn't have tornadoes or any sort of pirate attacks, things get plenty difficult in their own right. The leaderboards let you compare scores with people in your geographic area, and a multiplayer component lets you work together with a friend over Bluetooth.
Buy from iTunes
Best Time Management Game - Sally's Spa
Publisher: Games Cafe Inc.
Price: $2.99
A #1 hit on the App Store for quite some time, Sally's Spa puts you in complete control of an overcrowded spa full of needy customers. It can get pretty hectic keeping everyone happy, and you'll probably feel a little stress yourself as you mutter about the injustice of running an entire spa by yourself. Luckily, you can upgrade your shop and even hire employees as you progress, and while the gameplay can begin to feel formulaic, it's still the best example of the genre on the platform.
Buy from iTunes
Honorable Mention - Fruit Juice Tycoon
Publisher: Minoraxis, Inc.
Price: $.99
This is time management with a twist, literally. You'll be squeezing out juice to serve to customers, and the only way to make it is to play a Match-3 game as you serve them. You don't have to walk around to perform tasks like in Sally's Spa; you just need to make sure there's enough juice for your customers. There are tons of options for upgrading your stand, but it's a little hard to tell what they do. Those interested in the genre, however, will definitely want to try it out.
Buy from iTunes
Best Turn-Based Strategy Game - Star Hogs
Publisher: IUGO Mobile Entertainment
Price: $.99
Star Hogs dishes out more turn-based action than anything else on the App Store. You won't be able to just blast away aimlessly, though. It takes serious skill to nail a shot over a distance. You'll be able to upgrade weapons as you progress throughout the game, but equipping too much firepower will make it difficult to move around the maps. There's a lot to unlock, and while the single player mode is decent, online multiplayer is available over wifi, 3G and Edge, and it's fantastic. This game could keep you busy for months.
Buy from iTunes
Honorable Mention - Reign of Swords: Episode II
Publisher: Punch Entertainment, Inc.
Price: $4.99
More methodical than Star Hogs, this title has you meticulously building an army and dictating their every move in battle. 36 unit types give you lots of choices to customize your squad, and although the single player campaigns are creative, the multiplayer is where things really shine. With some quality online competition, this could be the only turn-based strategy game you need.
Buy from iTunes
Honorable Mention - Mecho Wars
Publisher: Oyaji Games
Price: $4.99
A little experience is helpful before you tackle this game, because it throws you right into the thick of things without a tutorial. But if you like Advance Wars or turn-based strategy in general, you'll feel right at home. Like Reign of Swords: Episode 2, the pace here is slower than Star Hogs, but there's a lot more going on. The battle sequences and artwork is impressive, and although there's no online play yet, the single player campaign is very satisfying.
Buy from iTunes
Best Building Simulation Game - SimCity
Publisher: EA Mobile
Price: $4.99
A nearly complete recreation of SimCity 3000 shrunk into portable form, this version runs and controls surprisingly well. You can build a complete city over a very long period of time, and progress from a small town to a bustling metropolis. While SimCity isn't perfectly suited to playing on the go, it's incredibly addictive and sure to please fans who can't get enough.
Buy from iTunes
Honorable Mention - Build-a-lot
Publisher: Glu
Price: $4.99
Less open-ended than SimCity, building here is done in eight different neighborhoods with limited land and set amounts of money, properties and materials. You'll have to please the mayor in each neighborhood by satisfying their individual whims, although the overall goal is to raise land values by improving the area and attracting new families. This game is a bit better suited to playing on the go than SimCity, although we wish there was a bit more to it.
Buy from iTunes
If you didn't find something to enjoy here, don't worry, because maybe adventure games are more your thing. We're covering those next week, and we've already sorted through the best sports, action and puzzle games over the last few weeks. Check the links at the bottom, and as always we'd love to hear what you think in the comment section!
22 Comments
You missed TriDefense! I know I've been addicted to it for the last two weeks.
itms://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=321815267&mt=8&s=143441
Great list, even though I don't exactly agree with SimCity ;p thats all personal preference, though.
defender chronicles.
why it's not on the list?! it's pure GREATNESS. :)
Been playing a lot of Harbor Master lately -- it's very good and definitely deserving of its high rating.
I suppose objectively speaking, it's probably better than Flight Control in that it's an expanded formula with more features, but I still really do like Flight Control in that it helped establish this formula on the iPhone and was the first such game to really get me addicted.
You missed out Worms for best turn based strategy, Defender Chronicles for best tower defense and
This comment has been moderated.
Errrr... posted a blank post. Oops ;)
Here is our review of Worms: http://www.slidetoplay.com/game/worms
Our opinion is that the game is bogged down by performance issues in its current state, but to each his own.
We feel that Star Hogs is so good that it keeps Worms from even sniffing this list, but that's just our opinion. You should try both!
I have both and I do agree that Star Hogs is slightly better than Worms, but lacks the personality and colour that Worms has. Once Worms is
updated to address the control issues and adds multiplayer, it'll be better than Star Hogs.
Yeah perfect lists. I, unlike some other people, agree with you on the Tower Defense pick (Star Defense.) It really dominates all other tower defenses with it's breathtaking 3D graphics, and great gameplay. The online Plus+ feature really puts a twist on it. It adds a lot. You can earn "commendations" which are awards, go on the top of the leaderboard, and compete with the world. It really is great.
However I think you should've added "best simulation game" with the winner of "The Sims 3" and an honoroble mention of Virtual Families. What do you think? lol
A simulation category would have been a great idea, we definitely missed out on The Sims. Good call!
Strategery is the best
WOW!
You have the WORST list ever.
Sim City?
Star Defense? That is so BORING!
Where is Fieldrunners and Defender Chronicles?
Harbor Master better than Flight Control?
Phhhhhbb.
Are you KIDDING me.
I have less respect for you now
common eggz, it's not bad. it's hard to pick up THE BEST of THE BEST. like i said i think defender chronicles deserved a spot here, but still it's pretty damn good list. i didn't like sim city either and i'm a bit surprised by the star defense win there but... it's STP. they made that list. create your own one :) cheers!
common eggz, it's not bad. it's hard to pick up THE BEST of THE BEST. like i said i think defender chronicles deserved a spot here, but still it's pretty damn good list. i didn't like sim city either and i'm a bit surprised by the star defense win there but... it's STP. they made that list. create your own one :) cheers!
Hey pante, why'd you get banned?
And do you have another Toucharcade account?
first for criticizing hodapp (i was banned for a week), during that time i created another account (to be in touch with some forum members). TA found out and banned me forever.
so i created another one just to apologize for my behavior (didn't want to, but didn't want to leave toucharcade either) and i was banned again. from this time i'm just a visitor there, i don't have an account.
it's nice to see you again. :)
Touch Arcade bans you if you criticize a reviewer? Lame.
Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. It makes for a much better discussion compared to the echo chamber that is the TA Forums. If everyone thought the same way about everything, what would be the point in doing any of this?
*shrugs* oh well.
I have to admit Slide to Play is doing a great job of setting itself apart from other iPhone iPod review sites. Your reviews are spot on, Your podcasts are fun to listen to (although lengthy at times), and your website is clearly top quality. I wish the forums were more active, it would increase the overall popularity of the site in my mind. User generated information can be great. Maybe reffering more of you're reviews to a forum thread would be great. Advertise your forums more so develpers and users alike would interact with it more. Just my 2 cents. Keep up the great work Team STP
We're working on the Forums. Stay tuned :)
I thought the Side Scrolling Action Genre is a pretty popular genre:
Mummy's Revenge
Zombieville USA
Sparta
Zombietown
Thats 4 nominated games in the genre. With Chillingo joining the genre (Inkvaders) that should solidify this as a genre. I know I'm a little biased, but I'm sure you see some validity to my point. Consider it for your future lists. (SOON).
Also with the number of games constantly being released you could do more of these more often they are really helpful in choosing top quality games. I know I made a few purchases after reading this list.
Thanks for all the feedback, everyone (good and bad)!
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