Backpack Battles swaps sword-swinging for inventory sorting, out now on iOS and Android
Sorting > Slaying
- Arrange weapons, potions, and trinkets within a grid to create powerful synergies
- Deep crafting mechanics for forging upgrades and brewing potions
- Asynchronous PvP, where your packed builds face off against setups of other players
Back in December, Backpack Battles caught my attention for turning one of the most oddly satisfying parts of any RPG - rearranging your inventory - into the entire point of the experience. Now it’s officially out on iOS and Android, and yes, it still feels like a strategy release built for anyone who’s ever spent longer lining up items than actually swinging a sword.
The idea is simple enough. You don’t fight directly, only your backpack does. Every weapon, potion, or strange little trinket you pick up has a shape, a size, and a place it belongs to. Slide things together the right way, and suddenly your build clicks; stack things poorly, and even the rarest gear won’t save you. The entire loop has a really tactile feel, like you're constantly nudging pieces around a puzzle.
Crafting plays a big part, too. Besides organising, you will be brewing potions, forging upgrades, and going as far as hatching dragon eggs, too. Your backpack isn’t on your side either because it never feels big enough. Will you hold onto something awkwardly shaped because it might become useful later, or toss it aside for a to go for a cleaner layout?
Matches pull in setups from real players, which makes fights feel like a comparison of problem-solving styles. Some builds look meticulously planned, others feel like chaos barely holding together, and figuring out how your arrangement stacks up against someone else’s is half the fun.
There’s a ranked mode if you want to chase wins, but you can also slow things down in casual matches where rearranging becomes its own little ritual.
Backpack Battles features a slight twist on the usual auto-battler formula, and one that believes more in tinkering than reflexes. So, if you're someone who finds peace in a well-arranged backpack, this one might be for you.
And for something similar, be sure to check out our list of the top strategy games on iOS.
