Mobile strategy that doesn't nag you

Too many mobile strategy games bury a decent idea under timers and notifications. The good ones trust you to come and go. Iron Tide Command is a recent example — it lets you plan a move, close the app, and pick up later without penalty.

The trick to finding these is to check the first hour for interruptions. Does it constantly ask you to wait or come back? Or does it hand you a board and let you think? The latter is rare and worth keeping.

Asynchronous multiplayer, where each side takes turns over days, is quietly the best fit for phone strategy. It removes the pressure while keeping the tension. If a game offers it and it works well, that's usually a good sign about the whole design.