Best mobile games like Age Of Empires

Summary

• Some mobile games such as Age of Empires Mobile offer similar gameplay, but the game mechanics vary significantly.

• Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus offers turn-based sci-fi combat at a simplified level, appealing to existing Warhammer fans.

• Rise of Kingdoms offers more detailed combat focus compared to Age of Empires, but progress can be stopped without spending real money.

Some players have found the new Age of Empires Mobile to be somewhat disappointing, failing to capture the civilization building and combat of the PC versions. Meanwhile, others have found their interest in historical strategy games rekindled and are looking for more. This has prompted gamers to look for ways to scratch the luck-based itch on their mobile phones. There are quite a few games that seem to be quite similar in either their gameplay or aesthetics.

But all these games are not created equal. Since the mechanics of turn-based games like these take a while to get used to, players may need to invest a significant amount of time making calls if they are to continue. As a result, testing them can be quite tedious. Here is a ranked list of some of the top rated mobile games Age of Empires.

6

Honorable Mention: Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus

Sci-fi turn-based combat

• Release date: 2022

• Developer: Snowdrift Studios AB

• Platforms: Android and iOS

• Website

If players are looking for more strategic turn-based combat, Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus provides turn-based combat at a more simplistic level than Age of Empires. It seems to be aimed at pre-existing fans of the franchise, as official Warhammer magazines can provide in-game upgrades.

Like I said, it Warhammer the plot is relatively insignificant to the game. It's a fun little turn-based combat game that's fairly one-dimensional at first, but increases in complexity as you level up. The game is quite demanding on phone resources, and older phones may struggle to cope.

5

March of Empires: War Games

The same aspects that make Age of Empires fun

• Developer: Gameloft

• Platforms: Windows, iOS and Android

• Website

March of Empires: War Games has many of the same elements that do Age of Empires great. It has native civilization building and citizen welfare management in addition to complex strategic battles. It has PvP and PvE modes and there are multiple strategic approaches to combat scenarios.

The visual design is beautiful and there is a lot of room for customization for players who love to get into the nitty-gritty of faction perks and unit stats. Unfortunately, the monetization method gets in the way. Frequent intrusive promotions for in-game purchases appear during gameplay, and longtime players seem disillusioned with the current direction. There were also stability issues, with the game freezing on several occasions.

4

Game of Empires: Warring Realms

Warriors converge

• Developer: Droupnir Entertainment Limited

• Platforms: iOS, Android and Windows

• Website

Game of Empires: Warring Realms has a similar visual design and user interface to many other turn-based strategy games of its kind. It is relatively balanced between combat, civilization building and citizen welfare. Controls for individual units are a bit fiddly and have poor accessibility features, but for the most part combat flows smoothly. The combat mechanics are simple with no frills, much like early on Age of Empires for the PC.

Monetization speeds up progress, which can seem essential as wait times lengthen and pressures from multiplayer invading forces and citizen well-being begin to pile up. As with many of these games, players have long expressed dissatisfaction with new monetization directions, matchmaking issues, and the quality of special events.

3

Battle of Polytopia

More than meets the eye

• Release date: 2016

• Developer: Midjiwan AB

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, iOS

• Website

While the aesthetic is miles away from it Age of Empiresfor those just looking for turn-based combat gameplay with customizability, Battle of Polytopia is a strong contender. It is a stable and accessible pseudo-historical turn-based strategy game. The graphics are delightfully vivid and simple, but don't judge a book by its cover.

Battle of Polytopia has adjustable difficulty levels, different game modes and multiplayer. It has a simple skill tree and basic unit types. The game's microtransactions are primarily for skins for armies and communities. Condensed turn-based strategy games don't get much better than that Polytopia. But its viability as a substitute Age of Empires the game is highly dependent on which parts of the game are most important to the individual player.

2

Great Conqueror 2: Shogun

The fog of war engulfs the Sengoku era

• Release date: 2023

• Developer: EasyTech Games

• Platforms: Android and iOS

• Website

Great Conqueror 2: Shogun features historical fiction scenarios and player conquests based in feudal Japan. The emphasis is on combat, with domestic issues such as upgrading markets to sustain the war effort and supporting recruitment. Players are responsible for maneuvering units, recruiting, deploying special skills, and upgrading facilities during turn-based battles. There is considerable complexity in the preparation stages, especially in terms of army command and recruitment of generals.

Players can spend real money in the game to rejuvenate tired and damaged units and to recruit generals. Much of this can be achieved through grinding. One of the downsides is that small details on the map are a little hard to make out at times, but units with available actions are marked and well signaled, so the most important actions are not missed before the player finishes their turn.

1

Kingdom of Kingdoms

Explore the fog

• Release date: 2018

• Developer: Gameloft SE

• Platforms: iOS, Mac, Android and Windows

• Website

While the initial aesthetics and early gameplay give the impression that Kingdom of Kingdoms will be more like Sid Meier's Civilization than an Agive of Empires game, the more granular combat focus quickly begins to shine through. The tutorial mini-quests are helpful rather than intrusive and actually teach the core mechanics of the game. Monetization seems to be primarily linked to resource chests and faster tasks. Large construction projects combined with other long-term activities can mean that when trying to play for free, progress stops completely.

Kingdom of Kingdoms has PvE and PvP elements. There are NPC barbarians to fight, as well as fighting with other players' kingdoms. To mitigate the brutality of PvP raids, there are resource packs that are not lost when a kingdom is invaded. Perhaps the best part with online multiplayer in the Kingdom of Kingdoms is the ability to help and ask for help from allies.