Indie Games Week celebrates the App Store’s incredible catalogue of games made by independent teams like Sad Socket, developer of 9 Kings.

Only the wisest ruler survives the cut-throat land of 9 Kings – and if you play your cards right, that’ll be you! Here’s how to command massive armies in this deck-based roguelike gem.

Every king has unique cards and unlockable perks. The King of Blood, for instance, wields demons, monsters and sinister sorcery, while the King of Spells packs wizards, warlocks and long-range attacks.

Once you’ve chosen your ruler, you’ll build your forces on a small grid, plonking down castles, turrets, troops and more. Your auto-battling forces then hit the battlefield to duke it out against your foe. Each year your kingdom comes out on top, you’ll draw new cards and attempt to survive another round.

Should you enhance a defensive tower? Level up your warriors? Trade cards for extra gold? Choose wisely, but fear not: each round comes with fresh card combos, army-bolstering royal decrees or powerful blessings to help you protect your throne. And once you defeat a fellow king, their arsenal gets mixed into your deck – becoming yours to wield!

Your wee domain will gradually transform into a sprawling empire with hundreds of thousands of troops. Manage to survive the Final Battle, and you can play indefinitely to see how large your forces can grow. Or if you want to truly test your mettle, try your hand at the challenging Quest Mode.

The King of Nothing may not offer as many clear advantages as other Kings, but his Farm card is one of our favourite boons. It adds troops to adjacent plots of land each year – which means if you stack multiple farms across the realm, your warrior count will eventually skyrocket.