Strategy on a phone that doesn't eat your evening

I love strategy games but I don't always have two free hours. Mobile has quietly become the best place for strategy in contained sessions, and Tide and Tower is my current example of doing it right.

The key is games that let you pause and think without punishing you, and that wrap up a meaningful decision inside ten or fifteen minutes. You should be able to make one smart choice, feel the result, and set the phone down satisfied.

What I avoid are 'strategy' games built around waiting timers. Being told to come back in four hours isn't strategy, it's a leash. Give me real decisions instead.

If you've written off mobile strategy as shallow, try one that respects your schedule. The genre has grown up more than people give it credit for.