- Offline war games at a glance
- Eight war and strategy games that play offline
- Turn-based, real-time or shooter: choosing your offline war game
- Age ratings matter with war games
- The ads and in-app purchases catch
- Getting an offline war game ready for a trip
- If you prefer strategy away from the screen
- My take on offline war games
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, plenty of war games play offline if they're built around single-player campaigns. The eight here, from turn-based strategy like World Conqueror 4 and The Battle of Polytopia to shooters like Cover Fire, all say on their Google Play listings that they work without wifi. Check age ratings, which range from Everyone 10+ to Mature 17+.
War games are some of the best offline games on a phone, because so many of them are single-player at heart: campaigns, missions and turn-based battles against the computer. The trick is telling them apart from the online war games that only work with a connection, which is most of what the Play Store pushes at you.
I read the Google Play listings of popular war and military strategy games and kept the ones that say they play offline. I've mixed turn-based strategy, real-time strategy and shooters so you're able to match your mood. They're listed in no particular order.
Offline war games at a glance
| War game | Developer | Google Play installs | Ads / in-app purchases | Offline wording |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Conqueror 4: WW2 Strategy (EasyTech) | EasyTech Games | 5M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'This offline, turn-based strategy game' |
| The Battle of Polytopia (Midjiwan) | Midjiwan AB | 10M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | 'Can be played offline... suitable for traveling' |
| Kingdom Rush Tower Defense (Ironhide Games) | Ironhide Games | 10M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'This offline strategy game' |
| Grand War: Rome Strategy Games (Joynow Studio) | Joynow Studio | 1M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'No wifi required!' |
| War Strategy Game: RTS WW2 (Koco Games) | Koco Games Inc | 1M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'Over 300 unique offline campaigns' |
| Cover Fire: Offline Shooting (Viva Games Studios) | Viva Games Studios | 100M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'Now for free and offline' |
| 1945 Air Force: Plane Shooter (1SOFT) | 1SOFT | 100M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'Online and offline gameplay' |
| Sniper 3D: Gun Shooting Games (Wildlife Studios) | Wildlife Studios | 500M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'High-intensity offline missions' |
Eight war and strategy games that play offline
World Conqueror 4: WW2 Strategy (EasyTech)
Turn-based grand strategy across the major conflicts of the 20th century, according to its listing. Ideal if you like to think rather than react.
The Battle of Polytopia (Midjiwan)
A cute, quick turn-based strategy game about building a tribe into an empire. No Contains ads label on Google Play, and the listing says it's suitable for travelling.
Kingdom Rush Tower Defense (Ironhide Games)
Fantasy battles rather than real wars: you place towers to hold back waves of enemies. A long-standing favourite in tower defence.
Grand War: Rome Strategy Games (Joynow Studio)
Ancient-world strategy with Roman legions. The listing is blunt about it: no wifi required.
War Strategy Game: RTS WW2 (Koco Games)
Real-time strategy set in the Second World War, with more than 300 offline campaigns according to its listing.
Cover Fire: Offline Shooting (Viva Games Studios)
A cover-based shooter with more than 100M installs. Rated Teen on Google Play.
1945 Air Force: Plane Shooter (1SOFT)
An arcade plane shooter in the classic vertical-scrolling style, with offline play stated on the listing. Rated Everyone 10+.
Sniper 3D: Gun Shooting Games (Wildlife Studios)
Sniper missions, with more than 500M installs. Google Play rates it Mature 17+, so it's one for adults.
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Turn-based, real-time or shooter: choosing your offline war game
- Turn-based strategy (World Conqueror 4, The Battle of Polytopia): you take your time, and that's why it suits trains, flights and anyone who gets interrupted a lot.
- Real-time strategy (War Strategy Game: RTS WW2, Grand War: Rome): faster, with armies moving while you decide. It's better when you've got uninterrupted time.
- Tower defence (Kingdom Rush): place defences and watch the waves come. It's easy to learn and hard to master.
- Shooters (Cover Fire, 1945 Air Force, Sniper 3D): quick action in short missions. They're great for five minutes, less so for an hour.
Age ratings matter with war games
Ratings vary a lot in this genre, so it's worth checking each listing before you hand a phone to a child. On Google Play, Sniper 3D is rated Mature 17+, Cover Fire, Grand War: Rome and War Strategy Game: RTS WW2 are rated Teen, and World Conqueror 4, The Battle of Polytopia, Kingdom Rush and 1945 Air Force are rated Everyone 10+. For younger players, Polytopia and Kingdom Rush are the gentlest picks here.
The ads and in-app purchases catch
Every game here shows in-app purchases on Google Play, and all except The Battle of Polytopia show the Contains ads label. In war games, purchases often mean extra units, weapons or faster upgrades, so a child playing offline can't tap into them, and that's no bad thing. At home, switch off in-app purchases in your phone's settings.
Getting an offline war game ready for a trip
- Install on home wifi and finish the tutorial, which often downloads extra files.
- Play the first campaign mission or level.
- Turn on airplane mode and start the next mission to check it runs offline.
- Lower the graphics settings if your phone gets warm or the battery drains quickly.
- Save online-only modes, such as player-versus-player battles, for when you're connected.
If you prefer strategy away from the screen
Many of the ideas in these games come from the tabletop. If you enjoy planning a campaign, strategy board games bring the same thinking to the kitchen table. For more action on a phone with limited storage, try small offline shooters for phones, and if you like defending a base, offline tower defence games for older laptops are worth a look.
My take on offline war games
Plenty of war games play offline if you choose single-player campaigns rather than online battles. The eight here all say so on their listings. Pick turn-based games for interrupted travel, real-time strategy when you've got a clear hour, and shooters for quick bursts, and check the age rating first, because this genre ranges from Everyone 10+ to Mature 17+.
Frequently asked questions
Are there war games that work offline?
Yes. The games on this page, including strategy games and shooters, all say on Google Play that they play offline.
What is the best type of war game for a flight?
Turn-based strategy suits flights well, because you can stop and start without losing a battle.
Are offline war games suitable for children?
Ratings vary. On Google Play these games range from Everyone 10+ to Mature 17+, so check each listing.
Do offline war games have ads?
Most do. Every game here except The Battle of Polytopia shows the Contains ads label on Google Play.
Can I play war games against friends offline?
The offline modes on these listings are mostly single-player campaigns against the computer. Player-versus-player battles usually need a connection.
