Top 15 turn-based games for mobile devices
Updated by Stephen Gregson-Wood on September 09, 2025
Turn-based games appeal to a particular niche of people. Often by those who prefer to strategise over relying on their reflexes. So, to celebrate, we've put together a list of the top 15 best turn-based games that you can play on your mobile device.
What are turn-based games?
First things first. What exactly is a turn-based game? Well, it's fairly evident from the name, but I appreciate that it might not be completely obvious to everyone. With that in mind, then, let's use an example most of us are familiar with - chess.In chess, Player A goes first, and only after they complete their move, Player B can make theirs. Simple right? And it continues in this back-and-forth manner until there's a winner. In other words, any game that involves various phases where only one person can make moves would count as turn-based.
When it comes to video games, we use the term turn-based, to describe a wide variety of games that follow this simple concept. It can be anything, from card games, simulators, board games, RPGs and the list goes on and on.
Below you'll find a list of the top 15 best turn-based games for mobile. As always, we've tried to make our list as diverse as possible so that anyone can find something that suits their tastes!
Let's get right into it!
1
Another Eden
Another Eden: The Cat Beyond Time and Space follows the story of a young boy named Aldo in his adventure to rescue his sister Feinne from the Beast-King. When a distortion in space-time occurred, Aldo found himself 800 years in the future. This turn-based mobile game mostly plays as a side-scrolling JRPG, and it involves travelling through the future, the present and the past.
There are more than 80 chapters and a variety of characters that you can recruit through gacha mechanics to make your party stronger. Take a look at our tier list of the best characters in Another Eden if you decide to give it a go.
2
Marvel Strike Force
In Marvel Strike Force 5, you can collect heroes and villains from the Marvel Universe, create powerful teams, and go up against Ultimus' legions in turn-based battles.
If you're someone who enjoys variety in their turn-based games, this one's for you. Marvel Strike Force offers various modes that you can participate in, such as Campaign, Blitz, Arena, Raids, Challenges, Alliance War and even Real Time Arena if you enjoy PvP. On top of that, the battle mechanics are rather simple and easy to understand.
Even though it was released back in 2018, it regularly receives new updates, meaning you're never short of new content to dive into.
3
Legends of Runeterra
Legends of Runeterra is a collectible card game inspired by Magic: The Gathering, where players face off in one-versus-one battles. The rules are simple. You and your opponent start the match with the same number of health points, and the first to fall to zero loses.
All the cards are inspired by the League of Legends universe, with many popular characters being featured as Champion cards. So, if you've ever played Runeterra's MOBA sibling, you're going to find plenty of familiar faces.
It oozes quality in every face, which you'd expect from a developer like Riot. If you are a fan of deck-builders, Legends of Runeterra is a mobile turn-based game that you will enjoy.
4
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel
Master Duel is the digital form of Yu-Gi-Oh! card game that's been going strong for over 20 years now. In it, you build your very own deck and duel against other players from all over the world. There are prizes up for grabs in special events and tournaments, or you can try to climb the competitive ladder in ranked duels. Of course, you can always just play for fun against your friends or even AI. It also has a constantly shifting meta, so you'll want to try out new decks to stay on top.
Check out the best meta decks to climb the competitive ladder!
5
The Banner Saga
Banner Saga is a premium turn-based RPG that will introduce you to the world of Viking fantasy. The hand-drawn characters and cartoonish artwork will remind you of old Disney cartoons, and it's one of the reasons that I loved the aesthetics and the whole visual canvas so much. As you lead your clan through the frozen lands, you need to be careful every step of the way, as your actions can have dire consequences, potentially resulting in a premature end for your characters. This isn't one of the easier games on this list. The turn-based combat can be challenging sometimes, but it's very fair overall. Take your time, and pick your steps carefully, no matter if you took Rook or Alette as your main character.
6
Gordian Quest
The deck-building roguelike RPG is a phenomenon that I'm hugely on board with. Not only does it put your strategic nous to the test, but the random elements mean it has huge replay value. Gordian Quest is another excellent entry in this sub-genre, particularly if you have a penchant for complex and deep systems.
There's nothing too thrilling about the narrative. A land is corrupted by a curse, and someone (you, obviously) needs to rise up and smite it down. Yeah, we've heard that before, too. But you won't care about that once you start tangling with the many mechanics at play here. You have to think about character placement, the cards in your deck, and the attacks your enemy is about to unleash, among other things. Check out Dann's Gordian Quest review to see if this one's for you.
7
Dragonheir: Silent Gods
Dragonheir was released in 2023 and got a massive following right away for being different to similar gacha games. First of all, you'll wander freely through the world, and then most of your actions have a chance instead of just clicking through the content randomly and succeeding in everything that you try. The dice roll will remind you of the tabletop D&D, which is nice and likely a selling point to lovers of RNG.
Another awesome element is the number of heroes, as you can pick from over 200 of them! Of course, we made a tier list of Dragonheir characters to help you pick the best ones since figuring out who's best doesn't appeal to everyone. Now, once you pick your characters, the combat is turn-based, and you'll have to position them and use their abilities accordingly.
Claim some free prizes by redeeming theseDragonheir codes. If you decide to give it a go, they should give you a nice advantage!
8
Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle
You don't really have to be a Dragon Ball fan to enjoy Dokkan Battle. But if you are into the legendary franchise, and you are looking for a turn-based game for mobile, then this should be at the top of your list.
Since its release in 2015, Dokkan Battle has created a huge online community that's still going strong to this day, with more than 350 million downloads and over 3 billion dollars in revenue worldwide. Not that we entirely rate a game's quality on the dollar it's made, of course.
Its gameplay blends elements of card, board games, and even tile-matching. There are hundreds and hundreds of cards with all the fan-favourite characters from the Dragon Ball universe, as well as others that are less popular. To keep things fresh, new cards and events are being added all the time. We have a Dokkan Battle tier list to help those just starting out.
9
The Battle of Polytopia
4Xs make for some of the best turn-based strategy games for mobile. If you didn't know, that's actually an abbreviation for eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate, all of which are key elements in this genre.
In The Battle of Polytopia, you can select one of the available tribes and develop it into an empire that will rule the world. Of course, it won't be that easy! It requires a lot of strategy and planning. You'll fight against enemy tribes, discover technology and explore new lands. The auto-generated maps feature makes each round feel different and fresh for longer. Depending on your preference, it can be enjoyed in single or multiplayer modes.
10
Hoplite
If you are looking for something different, Hoplite is an old-school single-player roguelike dungeon crawler that was released back in 2013. Still, after all these years, there's not too much like and everything holds up well. It's aged like a fine wine.
Hoplite's gameplay is very simple and easy to understand, but that doesn't mean it lacks challenge. It requires strategic thinking and planning ahead, almost like a game of chess, with every decision potentially having huge consequences.
The first levels are easy enough to give you the required time and experience to understand the mechanics, but as you progress, everything becomes much harder.
11
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
Hearthstone is one of the most popular turn-based card games for mobile. It is a digital CCG where you have to create your deck by first choosing a class. After that, there are dozens of cards to choose from, though there's often a fairly small meta to play around with if being highly competitive is your goal. If not, feel free to experiment with some of the wackier ideas out there. You might not win often, but when those more obscure strategies pan out, it's a good feeling.
And if you are a fan of this genre, make sure to check out our list of the best collectible card games on Android.
12
Through The Ages
When one of the best board games ever created receives a well-polished, quality digital version, the result is nothing short of amazing. This is an excellent adaptation of Vlaada Chvátil’s strategy classic, with tremendous replay value as every round plays out differently, even against the AI. If you are a fan of Civilization-type games, you are definitely going to enjoy this one.
13
Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus
Warhammer 40K has never been more popular than it is now. One of the newest games from this turn-based tabletop found its way to mobile and won the hearts of many players. Of course, we are talking about Tacticus, a strategy that won GOTY at the Mobile Game Awards in 2022, as voted for by you. As you'd expect with all that success, it's still regularly updated with new events, bringing additional content to battle through.
You'll collect characters from different factions and try to find the best possible synergy for your team. Then you can play various modes, including the campaign, PVP Arena, Onslaught and a few others. Combat is turn-based and very tactical, as you'll have to figure out who plays before whom and then act accordingly. A lot of it is up to you, and I played battles that I've previously lost again, and with the right choices, I'd wipe out the enemy team. So, a lot depends upon you. If your enemy doesn't have 2-3 times higher team power, that is.
14
Sid Meier's Civilization VI
Well, the next legendary turn-based game on the list is well-known to any avid gamer. This is a grand strategy where you have to build your empire. In fact, you have to turn a small tribe into a powerful modern civilization. The most efficient way to build your empire is to manage your resources correctly and think a few steps ahead. In other words, it is a perfect game for improving your strategy and management skills.
If that was not enough to convince you to download this beautiful game, make sure to check out our review. If you are already a fan of this complex strategy game but want to try something similar, we have a list of the best mobile games like Civilization for you!
15
Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire brings together two seemingly different gaming genres as it blends elements of roguelikes and deck builders. The result is a very fun and moreish gaming experience. The gameplay is simple enough in a way that anyone can grasp, but at the same time, it requires strategic thinking. You feel that every decision matters. Collect hundreds of cards and build powerful combos as you climb the spire! All in all, Slay the Spire is a mobile turn-based game like no other that will keep you entertained for a long time!
Picking the best character in Slay the Spire is not an easy endeavour, so we are here to assist you, as always. There are more guides for it, just look around a bit!
