Yo, mobile RTS games are legit living rent-free in my head right now, and I’m not even mad about it. I’m slouched on this crusty couch in my Austin apartment, Whataburger cup sweating on the coffee table, phone propped against a half-eaten bag of Takis, and I just pulled off a 45-minute Rusted Warfare comeback that had me literally fist-pumping at 3 a.m. like a complete loser. My thumbs are sore, my eyes are bloodshot, and I’m pretty sure I forgot to feed myself dinner, but dude… mobile RTS games in 2025? They’re actually giving PC a run for its money and I’m here for all of it.
Why I Can’t Put My Phone Down When It Comes to Mobile RTS Games
Look, I used to be that guy. The “touch controls are for casuals” guy. The dude who dragged a 3070 rig to LAN parties in college like some kinda war criminal. Then I got laid off last month, sold the desktop to pay rent (rip), and suddenly my cracked iPhone 14 is my only gaming machine. First week I was depressed, scrolling X, eating cold leftovers. Then I redownloaded Rusted Warfare on a whim and… bro. Hundreds of units. Actual pathfinding. Mod support. NUKES. I spent six straight hours building a wall of artillery that looked like a metal porcupine and laughed like an idiot when it worked. My neighbors probably hate me.
Rusted Warfare Is Basically Supreme Commander But I Play It On The Toilet
No joke, I’ve won skirmishes while taking care of business. The game doesn’t care. Touch controls are so good I sometimes forget it’s not a mouse. There’s this one mod that adds Gundam-style mechs and I’m not proud of how much I’ve played it. I dropped $2 on the full version because the dev deserves it and also because I’m addicted. Multiplayer actually works too, lagged a bit on my trash apartment Wi-Fi but still crushed some dude from Brazil who called me a noob in Portuguese. Felt amazing.
Pro tip from someone who’s lost 47 bases this week: always always always scout with cheap planes first. I didn’t once and paid for it with my entire economy. Learned that the hard way at 2 a.m. while stress-eating Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
Northgard Mobile Had Me Yelling At Vikings In A Whataburger Parking Lot
I downloaded Northgard because I missed the PC version and thought “eh, mobile port, probably trash.” Wrong. So wrong. The touch UI is kinda tiny on my phone but I got used to it. Spent an entire lunch break in the Whataburger parking lot watching my villagers freeze because I forgot to upgrade houses. Again. My friend texted me “u okay bro” because I was muttering “come on you stupid elk just breed already” under my breath like a psycho.
The seasons actually matter. Winter hits and everything slows down and you feel that pressure, it’s stressful in the best way. I beat the campaign on normal and felt like a god for approximately 30 seconds until I tried hard mode and got absolutely bodied by wolves.
Other Mobile RTS Games That Scratching The Same Itch (yes I know “scratching” twice whatever)
- Bad North – roguelite tower defense RTS vibes, super clean, permadeath hurts my soul
- Mindustry – Factorio had a baby with tower defense and it’s weirdly good
- Art of War: Legions – brain-off drag troops, surprisingly addictive when you’re half asleep
- Company of Heroes (the iPad version runs on my phone?? somehow??) – legit WWII RTS, controls are janky but I’ll allow it
Final Thoughts From A Broke Gamer Who Sold His PC
Mobile RTS games aren’t perfect. APM is never gonna match mouse + keyboard, battery dies fast when you’re deep in a match, and yeah sometimes my fat thumb selects the wrong unit and I lose everything. But man… being able to play a proper strategy game on the bus, in bed, or (don’t judge me) hiding in the bathroom at family Thanksgiving? That’s freedom.
If you’re still sleeping on mobile RTS games in 2025 you’re honestly missing out. Start with Rusted Warfare, thank me later. Or don’t. Whatever. I’ll be over here building another doomstack of experimental units while my Whataburger gets cold.
What’s your go-to mobile RTS right now? Drop it in the comments so I can waste more of my life, I mean… research.
Outbound Links I Actually Used (and you should too):
- Rusted Warfare on Google Play (full version, worth every penny): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.corrodinggames.rts
- Rusted Warfare mods community (where I get my pink Gundam armies): https://rustedwarfare.com/mods
- Northgard mobile on the App Store (yes I switch between Android and my old iPad don’t @ me): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/northgard/id1498136936
- Bad North (my “I have 10 minutes but need to feel pain” fix): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.PlausibleConcept.BadNorthFull
