Looking for games like Rise of Kingdoms: a kingdom to grow, troops to send out, other players on a world map and an alliance to belong to? Astrakeep, Djoox Studio's strategy game, shares those ingredients, and adds a 110-level hero tower defense campaign that feeds the kingdom. Astrakeep is coming soon to Android.
What people love about Rise of Kingdoms
Rise of Kingdoms, by Lilith Games, is a kingdom-building strategy game. You develop a city, train troops, send them across a shared map and play with an alliance.
The appeal is the long game: watching a kingdom expand, planning your next move, and sharing goals with other people. Players looking for games like Rise of Kingdoms usually want that same sense of growing something over time with others. For the wider genre map, see our guide to free tower defense games.
What Astrakeep shares with Rise of Kingdoms
A kingdom to build
Your base is the Kingdom of Astra: 4 floating islands unlocked as your Crystal Tower rises, and 10 buildings to upgrade up to level 15. The Crystal Tower caps the level of every other building. Wood, stone and mana pay for construction, which keeps going even when the game is closed. More in kingdom building games for mobile.
Troops and a world map
The Barracks train four troop types: Footman, Shield guard, Griffin and Crystal colossus, each strong against another. The world map shows other players' kingdoms: you scout a village, then your army marches to it. You can also raid five rival villages, from the Goblin Stronghold to the Dragon Bastion, and troops sent into battle don't come back.
Alliances
You can join an alliance or found one, open to everyone or by request. Members help each other finish construction faster and chat together, with built-in message translation, and you can launch a rally to attack as a group. Territories, alliance wars and alliance bosses are planned in the game. See strategy games with alliances.
What's genuinely different
| Rise of Kingdoms | Astrakeep | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Kingdom-building strategy on a shared map | Hero tower defense with a kingdom to build |
| Core battles | Armies on a map | A 110-level campaign: heroes placed on platforms along a path |
| Attacks on players | Armies fight on the map | Your army marches, then you drop troop cards into lanes or let the assault play out automatically |
| Defense | Your city and armies | Your heroes defend your kingdom in the formation you set, even while you're offline |
| Leaders | Commanders | Seven heroes with roles and special attacks |
A campaign at the center
This is the biggest difference. Astrakeep has 21 chapters, each ending with a boss, and every level you win brings in wood and stone for your kingdom. Placement of heroes is the skill, with special attacks you fire at the right moment.
Protection and revenge
After a raid, a shield protects you for 6 hours, and you can take revenge on anyone who attacked you in the last 24 hours. Learn more in tower defense PvP on mobile.
How to choose
- A persistent shared map and big armies: a kingdom-building strategy game fits.
- Shorter fights you play by hand, with a base behind them: a hero tower defense with a kingdom fits.
- Group play: check how alliances work in each game before you commit.
If you prefer building and raiding in a village setting, games like Clash of Clans looks at that angle, and the Astrakeep guide goes through everything in the game.
Ads and cost
Astrakeep is free to play with optional in-app purchases. Its own principles, stated in the game: everything in the shop is sold at a listed price with no random draw, gems are for speed-ups and peace shields, and gems never buy summons. Ads are optional rewarded videos you choose to watch. Read the full breakdown in what money buys in Astrakeep.
Frequently asked questions
Is Astrakeep a Rise of Kingdoms clone?
No. Both have a kingdom, troops, a world map and alliances. But Astrakeep is built around a hero tower defense campaign, and its heroes defend your kingdom.
Can I play Astrakeep with an alliance?
Yes. You can join or found an alliance, help each other with construction, chat with translation and launch rallies. Territories, alliance wars and alliance bosses are planned in the game.
Do I need to be online?
The campaign is the heart of the game, but its social features (attacks between players, alliances, chat) need a connection.
Where can I play Astrakeep?
Astrakeep is coming soon to Android. The download buttons on the game's page will go live as soon as it's out on Google Play.
