Looking for kingdom building games on mobile where every building matters and your realm keeps growing after you put the phone down? In Astrakeep, you build the Kingdom of Astra across 4 floating islands, with 10 buildings you can upgrade all the way to level 15. And it isn't just for show: your kingdom produces resources, powers up your heroes and keeps your army running. Astrakeep is free to play with optional in-app purchases, and it's coming soon to Android.
Build, fight, repeat
The tutorial, hosted by Orin your advisor, sums it up neatly: upgrade your kingdom, win battles and unlock new islands. In practice:
- you clear campaign levels, and every level you win pays out wood and stone;
- that loot goes into expanding your kingdom;
- a bigger kingdom makes your heroes stronger, which pushes you further into the campaign.
That loop is what sets Astrakeep apart from a pure city builder: building feeds the fighting, and the fighting feeds the building. If the tower defense side is what draws you in, take a look at our page on castle defense games.
The 4 islands of Astra
Islands unlock as you level up the Crystal Tower, the heart of your kingdom.
Royal Isle (from the start)
- Crystal Tower: its level caps every other building, so it sets the pace for your whole kingdom.
- Sylvan Sawmill: produces wood.
- Moonstone Quarry: produces stone.
- Mana Well: produces mana, the magical resource.
- Enchanted Storehouse: raises how much of each resource you can hold.
Warrior Isle (Tower level 3)
- Rune Forge: boosts damage for all heroes.
- Barracks: trains troops, increases hero health and adds battle platforms (7 at level 6 and 8 at level 12, up from 6).
Arcane Isle (Tower level 5)
- Arcane Academy: special attack gauges fill faster.
- Summoning Altar: the portal where you summon heroes, and it improves your odds of an epic card.
Merchant Isle (Tower level 7)
- Cloud Market: trades wood, stone and mana, with an exchange rate that depends on its level.
Each building, and the order to upgrade them in, is covered in our Astrakeep islands and buildings guide.
A kingdom that grows while you're away
Mobile building games are played in short bursts, and Astrakeep is built around that:
- construction keeps going when the game is closed;
- resource production keeps ticking, with a summary waiting when you return;
- expeditions send a hero off to gather resources: 30 minutes in Firefly Forest, 2 hours in the Crystal Mines, or 8 hours in the Sky Ruins (which also brings back a summon token). The hero can't fight while away;
- notifications let you know when a building, troops or an expedition are done, and never between 10 pm and 8 am.
How construction works
By default, you build one thing at a time. Any construction can be finished for free once less than a minute remains. There's also a second builder, which you can buy outright or rent for a couple of days with gems, the premium currency. We lay out exactly what money buys, and what it doesn't, on our page about mobile strategy games without paid loot boxes.
Building alongside other players
Your kingdom isn't alone. It sits on a world map next to other players' kingdoms, and joining an alliance changes how you build: members help each other finish construction, and every bit of help shaves time off the clock. That's one of the best parts of strategy games with alliances.
You can also change how your village looks on the map, with Ice, Fire, Crystal, Shadow or Dawn Castle skins. They're purely cosmetic and have no effect in battle.
A kingdom worth defending
A wealthy kingdom draws attention. AI-run rival villages can attack yours, and so can other players. So you set up a defense formation with your heroes, who defend even when you're offline. For more ideas in the same vein, browse our roundup of free tower defense games.
Frequently asked questions
How many buildings are there in Astrakeep?
Ten buildings spread over four islands: Royal Isle, Warrior Isle, Arcane Isle and Merchant Isle. Each one goes up to level 15, but none can go higher than your Crystal Tower.
Does construction continue when I'm not playing?
Yes. Construction and resource production carry on while the game is closed, and a summary greets you when you come back.
Can I build more than one thing at once?
By default, one construction at a time. An optional second builder exists, and your alliance can help speed up your builds.
Is Astrakeep a pure building game?
No. It's a hero tower defense game with a 90-level campaign, raids and alliances. Building up your kingdom is how you make your heroes and your army stronger.
