Comparison

UniWar vs Island Empire

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

UniWar

Engage in turn-based tactical combat with diverse units and races. Challenge AI or players worldwide across thousands of maps, playing asynchronously with notifications. Offers both offline campaigns and robust multiplayer options.

Highlights
  • 3 unique races with 10 unit types each
  • Over 10,000 user-created maps
  • Multiplayer matches (1v1 to 4v4)
  • Offline campaign with 30 missions
  • Asynchronous multiplayer with notifications
  • Fog of war and terrain effects
  • Adjustable game pace
Features
Read full description

UniWar - Classic Turn-Based Strategy Reimagined Over 7 million games played. Thousands of maps. Endless strategic fun. Join the battle in UniWar, the ultimate multiplayer turn-based strategy game with a passionate online community. Command your army, master the terrain, and outwit real players around the world or challenge the AI in a rich offline campaign. What the critics say: • “Impossible to pass up… a must for strategy fans.” - TouchArcade • “10/10 - I’m truly in awe.” - AppCraver • “The best strategy game on iPhone.” - PixelatedGeek Why you’ll love UniWar: • 3 unique races, each with 10 different unit types • Over 10,000 user-created maps • Multiplayer matches: 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, 4v4, 2v2v2 • Campaign with 30 offline missions plus hundreds of user-created missions • Play multiple games at once asynchronously • Email and push notifications when it’s your turn • In-game chat and global chatroom • Fog of war and terrain effects • Choose game pace: from 3-minute turns to 3-day matches Play solo, with friends locally, or compete globally in ranked matches. UniWar offers the tactical depth of chess, the faction-based combat, and the accessibility of mobile gaming. Free to play with optional subscriptions available: • 1-month • 3-month • 1-year Subscription details: • Your iTunes account will be charged upon purchase and at renewal. • Subscriptions auto-renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. • Unused free trial time is forfeited if you purchase a subscription during the trial. Privacy Policy: https://www.spookyhousestudios.com/privacy_policy/sh_limited.html Terms of Use: https://www.spookyhousestudios.com/legal/sh_limited_subscriptions_terms_of_use.html Download UniWar today and join a global strategy community!

About

Island Empire

Engage in a turn-based strategy game where you build and expand your island empire. Develop your economy, fortify defenses, train units, and conquer enemy territories through a campaign or multiplayer battles. Enjoy offline play and customizable maps.

Highlights
  • Turn-based strategy gameplay
  • Empire building and expansion
  • Economic development and defense
  • Unit training and conquest
  • Weekly challenges and random maps
  • Map editor for custom gameplay
  • Offline play
Features
Read full description

Island Empire is a captivating turn-based strategy game that's easy to learn but challenging to master. Navigate through a thrilling campaign filled with unique levels and strategic challenges. Develop a winning strategy, expand your empire, and secure a thriving economy. Fortify your defenses with walls, train units, and prepare to conquer enemy territories. Are you ready to build your island empire? Download now and start your journey! - Features - * Balanced blend of strategy, economy, building, defense, and attack * Weekly challenges with fresh levels * Random maps and local multiplayer for endless replayability * Up to 8 players in multiplayer * Map editor for custom gameplay * Optional DLCs with extra campaigns * Offline play * Charming pixel graphics * Unlockable skins for your civilization Featuring Music by Matthew Pablo http://www.matthewpablo.com

Screenshots

UniWar4 screens
Island Empire4 screens

Verdict

The call

UniWar and Island Empire both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 91% of Island Empire's written reviews are positive against 72% of UniWar's. UniWar's advantage is ratings volume (1.1K vs 152) and iOS requirement (13.0.0 vs 15.6). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. UniWar sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.49 per month and Island Empire sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Island Empire holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: UniWar has 1.1K ratings behind it against 152, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of UniWar's written reviews are positive against 91% of Island Empire's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

UniWar ships an update monthly, Island Empire every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
UniWar versus Island Empire: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUniWarIsland Empire
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (1.1K ratings)4.8 (152 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.3% of reviews90.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.1K — better152
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size184 MB104 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperSH LimitedMichael Haberzeth

Customer experience

UniWar

All ratings1,063 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral3.4%
Negative6.4%
Written reviews292 reviews
Positive72.3%
Neutral7.2%
Negative20.5%

Island Empire

All ratings151 ratings
Positive94.7%
Neutral0.7%
Negative4.6%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive90.6%
Neutral3.8%
Negative5.7%

User reviews

UniWar

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Solid game
  • 🚀 Excellent strategy gameplay
  • 🕹️ Great turn-based mechanics
  • 💪 Well-balanced factions
  • 🌐 Engaging online multiplayer

Room to improve

  • 🔍 Lacking visual appeal
  • 📢 Excessive advertising
  • 💰 Paywalled content and features
  • 🐛 Crashes and bugs
  • 🔋 High battery consumption

Island Empire

From 152 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great strategy game
  • 💡 Challenging and strategic
  • 👍 Simple yet complex gameplay
  • 👍 Worth paying for
  • 👍 Good user-generated content

Room to improve

  • ⚠️ Ads can be intrusive
  • ⚠️ Difficulty spikes suddenly
  • ⚠️ Some users report saving issues
  • ⚠️ User-created levels disappearing
  • ⚠️ Lack of iCloud backup

Bugs and requests

UniWar

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes on startup and during gameplay
  • Glitches with saved games and progress
  • Multiplayer connection issues

Requested features

5 requests
  • More single-player content and campaigns
  • Offline play and map editor
  • Expanded unit variety
  • Improved matchmaking and team support
  • Customization options (colors, flags, etc.)

Island Empire

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • Advertising is now mandatory for some
  • Ad to simply go back to the main menu
  • Saving issues in battle mode
  • User created levels disappearing
  • Doesn't show when a user level is completed
Show 1 more
  • In-app rating did not work

Requested features

17 requests
  • Save user-generated maps
  • Modify user-generated maps
  • More buildings and mechanics
  • Hardcore mode
  • Score system for replayability
Show 12 more
  • More abilities/unit types
  • Play with other people
  • Copy and edit user levels
  • iCloud backup
  • More user-created levels
  • Indication of completed user levels
  • New islands/content
  • Teleport portal building
  • Ranged units (e.g., wizard)
  • Diplomacy feature
  • Power-ups for difficult levels
  • More islands for iOS

In-app purchases

10 purchases

UniWar

Subscriptions4
  • UniWar Pro3 Days trial$5.491 Month
  • Uniwar Pro7 Days trial$13.993 Months
  • Uniwar Pro (Special Offer)3 Days trial$23.491 Year
Show 1 more
  • Uniwar Pro7 Days trial$36.991 Year
One-time6
  • 200 UniGems$2.99
  • 550 UniGems$4.99
  • 1200 UniGems$9.99
Show 3 more
  • 2500 UniGems$19.99
  • 6500 UniGems$49.99
  • 14000 UniGems$99.99
11 purchases

Island Empire

One-time11
  • Coins XS$0.99
  • Coins S$1.99
  • Remove Ads$2.99
Show 8 more
  • Mapeditor$2.99
  • Coins M$3.99
  • Island 2$4.99
  • Island 3$4.99
  • Coins L$7.99
  • Full Game$8.99
  • Coins XL$14.99
  • Coins XXL$34.99

Questions

Is UniWar free?
UniWar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Island Empire free?
Island Empire is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, UniWar or Island Empire?
Island Empire is rated higher. UniWar averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Island Empire averages 4.8 from 152 ratings.
Do UniWar or Island Empire have ads?
Both UniWar and Island Empire show ads.
Which is updated more often, UniWar or Island Empire?
UniWar ships an update monthly, and Island Empire every 3 weeks. Most recently, UniWar was updated on October 21, 2026 and Island Empire on October 24, 2026.

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