STRATEGO app review: an old board game classic

Introduction

The STRATEGO app is no longer in iTunes but our best board game apps for iPhone and iPad list has some good alternatives. You can find all the best iPhone apps on our applists. We have also reviewed these meditation apps or check out all our iPhone app reviews:-

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STRATEGO by Keesing Games BV is an iPad-only release of the adaptation of the classic board game where you’ll have to be the best at battlefield strategy. It was updated on May 2, 2013, and requires 61.4MB of storage space on your iPad. 

User Experience

When you first launch the app it takes a couple seconds to load the game, so be patient. Next, you’ll have the opportunity to log in with your Facebook account, Stratego account, Game Center, or play offline. If you choose to log in as a guest player (offline), you can play the Single Player mode only. If you want to take advantage of everything the game has to offer, create an account or log in with Facebook.

If you wish to continue as a guest, you can play or watch a video tutorial on YouTube.

Multiplayer mode has Ranked (Full 40x40 pieces match) and Quick Arena (Fast 10x10 pieces match). Single Player offers a Quick Game (Fast 10x10 pieces match) and Full Game (Full 40x40 pieces match).

You’ll get to choose your piece theme and your battlefield. The piece theme offers original or authentic. The authentic theme costs 200 coins. Within the battlefield choices there are two that are free: Basic Field and Battle Camp. The others, Black Forest, Harvest, Jumbo Board, and The Village are each 100 coins, while High Ground is 150, Downtown is 200, Market Square is 300, and Dock District is 500.

Once you’ve chosen your piece, battlefield, and whether you want a Quick Game or Full Game, you will plan your setup and difficulty. Click Ready and you’ll begin.

You’ll have to use your pieces to try to capture the enemy flag or force him or her (or the computer) to surrender. Each piece has a rank number that will dictate the power it carries on the board. The higher numbers denote a higher rank.

The tricky part here is that you can see your opponent’s positions but not their ranks. You can guess based on how the pieces move. You will also get a brief look when you attack a piece, but even that glimpse doesn’t last long.  

Features

The most features come with online play when you are logged in via one of the three options. You’ll get real-time chat between players, live multiplayer games, and statistic tracking.

You can use in-game currency to change your game experience, using coins you have earned or purchased within the game.

As mentioned, you can play quick games or full-length games with more pieces depending on how much time you have. Other features include the choice between single player or multiplayer mode, the ability to customize your army, and the ability to play offline. 

In-App Purchases

There are several in-app purchases you can make; to access the store you have to be logged in and online. Purchases range from $0.99 up to $19.99 for the Battle Coins, which you then use to buy new avatars, new piece types, new board layouts, new coat of arms logos, and more. 

Update Info

Stratego is currently running on Version 3.0. The latest update made a lot of changes and bug fixes.

Customer Ratings and Feedback Comments

The current version has 107 customer ratings with an average of four out of five stars. Feedback comments are mixed, with most users thinking this is a great adaptation of the board game. 

Personal Comments by Reviewer

This is a pretty cool adaptation but I would like to be able to see improvements made to the offline options. 

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Lots of features in the online games
• Plenty of choices for customization
• Fun game

Cons

• Not many options for offline play
• No offline tutorial available for new players with no Internet connection
• No way to play one-on-one with someone offline

For: iPad with iOS 5.1 or later