If you’ve got a sharp mind and a keen eye for detail, you’ll enjoy playing some of the best free strategy browser games the internet offers.
From surviving an apocalyptic environment to conquering a medieval nation, the realm of free strategy games is diverse, making it perfect for gamers looking to soak up the full breadth of the market.
In this guide, we’re breaking down the best free browser games, with a focus on strategic elements, that you can play right now.
It will be everything you need to know to get started at the press of a button.
Battle Arena: Heroes Adventure
| Released: | October 2017 |
| Developer: | Red Brix Wall |
| Genre: | Strategy RPG |
Battle Arena: Heroes Adventure is a free-to-play browser strategy game with plenty to offer.
It has a relatively simple gameplay loop that’s quite addictive, which means you’re guaranteed to keep coming back for more.
When playing Battle Arena, you’ll need to navigate a series of quests, using a roster of hero-based characters to fight and defeat opponents, earning points and using them to upgrade your heroes over time.
For me, it’s the perfect loop, as it offers a nice balance between a solid challenge and a steady climb through the ranks.
Why is Battle Arena a good strategy game?
Battle Arena is one of the best browser strategy games because it requires a substantial amount of planning to conquer each quest.
New players are welcomed to the game with a forgiving learning curve, but eventually, you’ll want to know the abilities of every hero character. This will ultimately give you the best chance possible of strategizing ahead of every battle.
It’s not all about attacking power, though. As a key strategy game, Battle Arena also has a defensive loop to consider – you’ll often need to balance prioritizing staying alive over dealing damage, which means you’ll have to make the right call to suit the situation you’re in.
If you’re like me, you’ll love working your way through as many characters as possible to get a solid feel for how they all behave.
It might take a while to find your feet and apply effective strategies in the game, but the destination is well and truly worth the journey.
Further to that, Battle Arena: Heroes Adventure also has a thriving online community, so if you consider yourself a keen combatant, you can share your strategies with other players, leaning on the platform to make friends and secure the skills needed to dominate in this free strategy browser game.
What devices can I play Battle Arena: Heroes Adventure on?
- Web Browser (PC, Laptop)
- iOS (iPad, iPhone)
- Android
Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming
| Released: | March 2019 |
| Developer: | Youzu |
| Genre: | Strategy MMO |
Game of Thrones is a legendary franchise with tens of millions of fans worldwide.
It stands to reason that a free strategy browser game based on the universe of Game of Thrones would be a success – and you’d be right to think that.
In GOT: Winter is Coming, players are charged with building up their settlement and raising an army, engaging in battles against AI enemies and other players while also solving quests and collecting resources.
Why is Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming a good strategy game?
It takes a lot of forward-thinking to construct a powerful house in Game of Thrones – you’re not going to become the next House Lannister or House Stark overnight without a little pallning in mind.
Winter is Coming is fantastic as it goes beyond simply building a settlement and upgrading it. Instead, you’ll need to use diplomacy skills and troop management mechanics to conquer fights, secure trade routes, and settle quests.
This is all while interacting with some of the most recognisable characters from the television series, such as Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen.
One of the things I love most about Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming is the authenticity of the representation of Westeros. As you start from nothing and build up your empire – strategizing the whole way – you’ll feel as though you’re fully immersed in the Game of Thrones universe.
This makes it perfect for fans of the show. However, even if you don’t know anything about Game of Thrones, it’s still one of the best free browser strategy games you’ll play.
When it comes to the strategy-based elements of Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming, the options are abundant.
As the leader of your settlement, you’ll need to implement gameplay strategies to adequately manage resources like food and building materials. You will also need to build and arrange your fighters, study technology projects, and flesh out a solid economy with your neighbors.
Every fight needs a tactical mindset, and every trade needs a shrewd perspective.
It’s easily one of the best free games on the market, and I fully recommend giving it a shot. Even if you don’t care about Game of Thrones, you’ll fall in love with everything this browser-based strategy game has to offer.
What devices can I play Games of Thrones: Winter is Coming on?
- Web Browser (PC, Laptop)
- iOS (iPad, iPhone)
- Android
Grepolis
| Released: | December 2009 |
| Developer: | InnoGames |
| Genre: | Strategy MMO |
Grepolis is one of the oldest free browser games in the world, boasting a legacy that stretches back almost twenty years.
It was developed by (and continues to be updated by) InnoGames, one of the biggest names in browser-based titles.
In Grepolis, players assume control of a Greek empire, working their way through a campaign studded with mythological elements and attempting to build a thriving settlement to earn the respect of the gods.
Personally, I love this game. It’s the perfect blend between strategy and history.
Why is Grepolis a good strategy game?
There’s no way a game could still be thriving more than fifteen years after release if it wasn’t a stellar title.
That’s why Grepolis has been alive for so long – it’s just a solid strategy game with plenty to offer users worldwide – and it’s free.
Grepolis requires players to explore Greek history as they build a substantial settlement from the ground up, leaning on their people and an army to expand and evolve.
That would be enough strategic elements for some players, but Grepolis goes beyond that. In this game, you’ll be securing alliances with other players – which is what provides the additional MMO element.
With features like resource management and skill points coming into play, you’ll quickly learn that you’ll need to be a prudent leader if you’re going to succeed at this game. It’s not just about slashing your way through the world – bureaucracy and diplomacy are the order of the day in Grepolis.
Even after all this time, Grepolis still holds up visually, which is superb.
It has a nice sound palette, it looks great on-screen, and it has an intuitive UI that doesn’t present an issue where the game’s learning curve is concerned. If you’re on the hunt for your next top browser strategy game, don’t sleep on Grepolis.
Bonus points are available if you’re a history buff – you’ll feel like you’re in Ancient Greece in this stellar game.
What devices can I play Grepolis on?
- Web Browser (PC, Laptop)
- iOS (iPad, iPhone)
- Android
RAID: Shadow Legends Now!
| Released: | July 2018 |
| Developer: | Plarium Games |
| Genre: | Strategy RPG |
RAID: Shadow Legends is one of the best-known browser games on the market, thanks to the game’s developer and publisher going on the offensive over the years with aggressive marketing campaigns.
It’s a hugely popular strategy RPG that sees players take control of a series of hero characters, pitting them against hulking monsters and trying to score big rewards by winning intense fights.
It’s a highly customisable title with plenty of depth, which is one of the reasons why it’s so popular as an online strategy game.
Why is RAID: Shadow Legends a good strategy game?
In RAID: Shadow Legends, you’ll find yourself constantly customizing and upgrading a roster of champion fighters, equipping them with increasingly powerful equipment to take on tough enemies in the hope of earning some huge rewards.
It’s set in a fictional universe that features some of the most typical fantasy factions such as elves and dwarves, and combat is handled by warriors with some seriously cool weaponry.
In my opinion, RAID: Shadow Legends is the frontrunner for the title of the best-looking free browser game ever made.
It boasts sumptuous visuals and intricate menus that trump anything you’ll find in competing titles. This is where the strategy-based elements of RAID start to shine through. The depth of statistics, skill arrangements, symbiotic relationships between champions, and equipment grading all come into play in these menus.
For some, it can be a little suffocating, but for those strategists who love their numbers, it’s perfection.
It starts with unlocking champions and building a solid starter team, but before long, you’ll be contending with a hefty roster full of fighters that need to be maintained.
Every battle scenario is different, and only the clever use of strategies will be allow you to come out on top in every fight. There are more than 700 champion characters to unlock and explore in RAID: Shadow Legends, so you’ve got a long road ahead if you decide to invest some time in this game.
What devices can I play RAID: Shadow Legends on?
- Web Browser (PC, Laptop)
- iOS (iPad, iPhone)
- Android
State of Survival
| Released: | May 2019 |
| Developer: | FunPlus International |
| Genre: | Strategy Survival |
State of Survival might be my favorite browser-based strategy game ever, but that’s because I love a game rooted in a zombie apocalypse.
When playing State of Survival, you must construct a settlement out of nothing, bolstering your defenses against a zombie onslaught and managing your resources effectively enough to keep a community safe through the apocalypse.
From shaping out and upgrading important buildings to unlocking and evolving powerful weapons, there’s plenty of depth to this undead-themed strategy game.
Why is State of Survival a good strategy game?
State of Survival is a relatively unique game, as not too many strategy browser titles are set in a post-apocalyptic environment.
In this game, you’ll be responsible for the safety and security of a settlement, upgrading and building various constructs to keep your community happy, all while defending it from waves of tenacious, bloodthirsty zombies.
It’s important to have a strategic mindset when playing State of Survival, as you won’t survive an intense battle without thinking tactically.
As you explore State of Survival – which looks great, by the way – you’ll find that managing your resources in the apocalypse is no easy thing.
Every attack will cause your stores to dwindle, which means that farming, scavenging missions, and trading with your neighbors will become pivotal to your success as a player.
To that end, State of Survival is as much about community management as it is about fighting back against the ever-present zombie threat.
If you’re looking for an endless game, you’ll want to give State of Survival a try.
The gameplay loop is phenomenal, with no two engagements ever going the same way. Survivors will come and go and your community ebbs and flows. Throughout the game, you’ll find yourself battling with randomized scenarios and lengthy questlines.
Therefore, you will need to be a cutthroat leader, armoured with tested strategies, to preserve the sanctity of your settlement.
It’s the perfect option for someone with a love for a post-apocalyptic setting who also adores taking charge and protecting others.
What devices can I play State of Survival on?
- Web Browser (PC, Laptop)
- iOS (iPad, iPhone)
- Android
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