A castle siege game on mobile gives you both sides of the walls: you send an army against an enemy fortress to bring down its towers and keep, and you organize your own defenses so your castle holds when others attack. In Astrakeep, Djoox Studio's hero strategy game, every single battle is a siege of this kind, played with cards across three lanes.
What makes a good castle siege game?
The genre's appeal is easy to grasp: a fortress, a plan, and the moment the walls give way. On a phone, the best ones share a few traits:
- A clear target: towers to bring down first, then the keep, with a score that rewards a full victory.
- Real choices of army: different troops that beat each other, so you adapt to the castle in front of you.
- Short assaults: a siege of a few minutes, playable with one finger.
- A castle of your own that defends itself while you're away.
- No luck deciding the result, so a defeat tells you what to change.
For the other families of the genre, see our guide to free strategy games on mobile.
Storming the walls in Astrakeep
Towers, then the keep
Each enemy kingdom has two towers and a keep. An energy gauge refills on its own, you hold a hand of 4 cards (troops, spells and heroes), and you play each card in one of three lanes, in your half of the field. A fallen tower is worth 1 star, the keep 3. In the last 30 seconds, energy comes in twice as fast.
An army built on a cycle
There are no battering rams in Astrakeep: your siege force is four troop types, and each one beats another (+50%).
| Troop | Strength | Beats |
|---|---|---|
| Footman | Numerous | Shield guards |
| Shield guard | Sturdy | Griffins |
| Griffin | Flying | Crystal colossi |
| Crystal colossus | Giant | Footmen |
Heroes go in as cards too, and each one boosts a troop next to them. Our page on hero strategy games explains how they change a siege.
Bosses guarding the keep
The campaign has 145 levels across 28 chapters, and every level is an enemy kingdom to besiege. On the last level of each chapter, a boss guards the keep: the Shadow Titan, the Crystal Dragon, the Goblin King, the Lich, the Void Hydra and many more, all the way to the Last Nightmare. To start well, follow our Astrakeep beginner's guide.
Battles involve no luck: the server replays and checks each one. And if you'd rather not play a siege by hand, Automatic assault runs it for you.
Holding your own keep
The castle you defend is your own. When another player besieges your village, the heroes you chose defend it, even while you're offline, and you set the style of your two towers: Classic, Frost or Volley. After you've been looted, a 6-hour shield protects you, and you can replay the assaults you suffered to improve your defense. What to check in PvP before you choose a game is covered in our guide to the best strategy games on mobile.
Strengthen the castle between battles
Every win pays out wood and stone for your kingdom of floating islands:
- the Crystal Tower caps the level of every other building;
- the Rune Forge raises damage for all heroes;
- the Barracks train troops and raise hero health;
- the Arcane Academy charges special attacks faster.
Your village can also look like an Ice, Fire, Crystal, Shadow or Dawn Castle on the world map. Those skins are purely cosmetic.
Siege engines and dragons: Kingdrake
If trebuchets are what you picture when you hear "castle siege", Djoox Studio is also working on Kingdrake, a medieval strategy game with dragons, in development. Its army includes swordsmen, spearmen, archers, knights and sappers, plus a battering ram, a trebuchet and a powder cart from the siege workshop. Archer towers, cannons, walls and a gate protect your keep, and the dragon you chose watches over it and breathes on attackers. You besiege neighboring kingdoms with your own dragon in the fight.
If a kingdom on a shared map appeals to you too, read our page on kingdom building games on mobile.
Frequently asked questions
What is a castle siege game?
A strategy game in which you attack fortresses, bringing down their defenses and their keep, and usually defend a castle of your own. In Astrakeep, every battle is a siege of two towers and a keep.
Is there a castle siege game for Android?
Yes: Astrakeep is out on Android, on Google Play, free to play with optional in-app purchases, and you can also play it in your browser. The iPhone version is coming soon.
Can I build siege engines in Astrakeep?
No. Astrakeep's sieges are fought with four troop types, spells and heroes. Kingdrake, still in development, has a battering ram, a trebuchet and a powder cart.
Is my castle defended when I'm not playing?
Yes. The heroes you chose defend your village even when you're offline, and a 6-hour shield protects you after you've been looted.
Can I besiege other players' castles?
Yes. Astrakeep's Battle button finds opponents of your strength, and with an alliance you can launch a rally on a target together. Attacks are played against a defense run by the computer, not in real time.
