How to play
Pick a tanker, defend the crossing, bank the profit and retire rich.
Tanker Tycoon & Convoy Defense for iPhone
The Strait: Oil Empire Game
Move oil. Make money. Bank the profit. Don't crash the world.
Free on iPhone with optional Remove Ads. Requires iOS 17 or later. Rated 9+.
New in version 1.1: a night convoy look, bigger combat controls and gold money counters.
What is The Strait?
An arcade oil tycoon where every crossing is a bet.
The Strait is a free arcade tycoon game for iPhone. You borrow starting cash, send oil tankers through a dangerous strait and defend them with missiles, armed escorts, chopper support and The Dome. Bank the profit, buy assets, grow your net worth and retire rich before one bad run wipes you out.
Guides
How to play, and how it compares.
Oil tanker ship game
Tanker ships and escort boats on iPhone. Not a fuel truck game.
Best oil tycoon for iPhone
The Strait is the non-idle arcade pick. Drilling fans should look at Turmoil, Oil Era, Idle Oil Empire and Oil Director.
15-minute strategy game
Fifteen minutes, then a Game Center leaderboard ranked by total net worth.
Games like Turmoil
An honest comparison with Turmoil, Oil Era, Idle Oil Empire and Oil Director.
How it works
Four moves to an oil fortune.
Pick the tanker
Read each card: cargo value, profit, exposure, World impact and warning signs like suspicion and grey cargo. Send a single tanker or risk a bigger convoy.
Arm the crossing
Assign an Armed Escort, stock missiles, call in Chopper Support or charge The Dome. Then tap the water to shoot blockers off the hull.
Bank the win
Profit lands in operating cash. Move it to your bank, pay down the loan before it is called, and survive fines, damage and market swings.
Build and retire
Buy gold, bonds, stocks, property, yachts, jets and private deals. Climb from Unknown Operator to Oil Billionaire and beyond, then retire rich.
Game modes
Build a fortune your way.
15-Minute Sprint
Fifteen minutes. One score. Build the highest net worth before the clock ends, then it locks for the Sprint leaderboard.
Empire Mode
An endless wealth run. Keep pushing, bank profit, buy assets and retire before collapse. Your run is saved, so you can come back later.
Ad supported
Free to play. One clean upgrade.
The Strait is free with ads. A one-time Remove Ads purchase turns off the automatic ad breaks for good. No subscription. Optional reward videos for a free escort stay available if you want them.
FAQ
Questions players ask.
What is The Strait?
The Strait: Oil Empire Game is a free arcade tycoon game for iPhone. You borrow starting cash, send oil tankers through a dangerous strait, defend them under fire, bank the profit and buy assets. The goal is to build your total net worth and retire rich before one bad crossing wipes you out.
Is The Strait free?
Yes. The Strait is free to download and play. It is supported by ads, and you can remove the automatic ad breaks with a one-time Remove Ads purchase (US$4.99 in the US App Store and A$7.99 in Australia; prices vary by country). There is no subscription.
Does The Strait have ads?
Yes. Unless you buy Remove Ads, the game shows full screen ad breaks at some checkpoints and at the end of a run, at least 90 seconds apart. From version 1.1 you can also choose to watch one optional video ad per run to get a free Armed Escort. That offer is always your choice, and it is still available after you buy Remove Ads.
What devices can I play The Strait on?
The Strait is available for iPhone on the App Store and needs iOS 17 or later. It is not available on Android or PC.
What are the game modes?
Empire Mode is an endless run: build wealth and decide when to retire rich, before the strait takes it back. 15-Minute Sprint gives you a 15 minute clock to build the highest net worth you can.
How do I protect my tankers?
You tap the water to shoot blockers, and you can buy defense with operating cash. An Armed Escort is assigned before launch and fires on its own. Missiles clear panic moments. Chopper Support hovers over the crossing and picks off threats. The Dome blocks all incoming hits for five seconds. See the full guide.
How do the leaderboards work?
The Strait has Game Center leaderboards for Empire Mode and 15-Minute Sprint. Both rank Total Net Worth, which is your Bank Cash plus assets, minus debt. You need to be signed in to Game Center for your score to post.
Can I stop and carry on later?
Yes. Your current run is saved on your iPhone, so you can close the app and pick it up later, or start over.
Is The Strait an idle game like Turmoil?
No. Idle oil games are mostly about drilling and upgrades. The Strait is an arcade game where you choose the cargo, defend each crossing yourself and decide when to cash out. See how it compares to games like Turmoil.
How do I restore Remove Ads on a new iPhone?
From version 1.1, open Account & Extras on the mode selection screen and tap Restore Purchase while signed in with the Apple Account you bought it with. Support has more help.