The very best turn-based technique video games do extra than simply replicate chess in online game type, and the style has advanced over the past decade far past 2D maps with pixel knights and wizards duking it out for the distinction of their lord. They construct layers of ways round distinctive programs, issue relationships into your troop decisions, make the battlefield your greatest enemy, and push you to suppose 10 steps ahead–and generally do all of those directly.
We have listed 16 of the very best turn-based technique video games beneath, from reboots of classics like Advance Wars and Ways Ogres, to shock spin-offs, story-driven sagas, and extra. Should you’re after video games with depth of a distinct variety, try our picks for the greatest RPGs and greatest MMORPGs to play in 2026, or try our picks for the greatest technique video games general.
Ways Ogre Reborn
- Developer: Sq. Enix
- Launch date: November 11, 2022
- Platforms: Nintendo Change, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC
Ways Ogre Reborn, a hybrid remaster-remake of the PlayStation Transportable’s Ways Ogre:Let Us Cling Collectively (itself a remake of a PS1 recreation), calls for lots from you on and off the battlefield. A civil warfare pits three factions in opposition to one another for management of the affluent and economically important Valerian Isles, and your decisions at key factors of the story decide how missions, character arcs, and the broader narrative unfold–a acquainted sufficient thought now, however not one thing that was widespread for turn-based technique video games on the time.
In battle, Ways Ogre Reborn expects you to make good use of standing results, buffs, and debuffs, and it is not afraid of steamrolling you even within the early chapters should you do not adapt. Reborn additionally adjusts the unique leveling system so that you’re enhancing characters as a substitute of lessons, which implies items retain their ranges even should you change their class, as a substitute of beginning over like they did beforehand. That makes experimenting with the practically two-dozen lessons a lot much less daunting and truly possible.
Learn our Ways Ogre Reborn assessment.
The Banner Saga
- Developer: Stoic Studio
- Launch date: January 14, 2014
- Platforms: Nintendo Change, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One, Android, iOS
If you would like story depth with out as a lot time spent in menus, then The Banner Saga is certainly value testing. What it lacks in depth on the battlefield, it greater than makes up for with an online of decisions you make for the nice and unwell of the tribe you lead. Selections giant and small, from whether or not to consider claims of injustice as to whether to save lots of sure characters from loss of life all affect how the story unfolds and which characters will combat with you to the top. That is to not say The Banner Saga lacks tactical complexity, though–far from it. Items have well being swimming pools, in fact, but in addition armor ranges that mitigate harm and willpower, an expendable useful resource that governs motion, much like motion factors, and may improve how a lot harm an assault offers.
Should you benefit from the first recreation, contemplate choosing up its two sequels as properly.
Learn our Banner Saga assessment.
Into the Breach
- Developer: Subset Video games
- Launch date: February 27, 2018
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Change, Android, iOS
Into the Breach may seem like a minimalist tackle turn-based technique video games, however that is only a feint. Its tiny maps and scant handful of items masks appreciable depth and a number of the greatest enhancements to the style in years. The concept is that this. You management members of a small resistance drive combating again in opposition to an invasion of robots referred to as Vek, and the objective is not only to defeat Vek on every map, however to maintain them from destroying as many buildings as attainable. Destroyed buildings deplete humanity’s energy supply, and as soon as that meter hits zero, your marketing campaign is finished.
On the intense facet, each time you make a transfer, you possibly can see what the enemy’s subsequent transfer might be, and even when your items face defeat, their mechs return within the subsequent battle–just with out their pilot and no matter distinctive bonuses that pilot introduced with them. It is a robust mix of problem and approachability that, together with the manageable map sizes and mission briefs, makes Into the Breach robust to place down.
Learn our Into the Breach assessment.
Hearth Emblem: Three Homes
- Developer: Clever Methods
- Launch date: July 26, 2019
- Platforms: Nintendo Change
Hearth Emblem: Three Homes is a refined model of Clever System’s split-narrative strategy from the Fates video games on Nintendo 3DS, with 4 full tales crammed into one package deal and greater than three dozen playable characters–not that you’re going to ever have the ability to play as all of them. Three Homes forces you to decide on a facet after the primary act, then makes you cope with the implications of that selection, which normally takes the type of combating in opposition to allies you as soon as counted amongst your mates. That may sound lots like Fates, however the Three Homes distinction is that these are the identical buddies you spent on daily basis studying and bonding with earlier than The Huge Break.
Battles are typical of Hearth Emblem, with one necessary exception. Your small band of archers, mages, warriors, and the like tackle far bigger armies, and regularly develop relationships amongst one another as they develop used to residing and combating collectively. What makes Three Homes’ battles completely different is that it makes use of an open class system, the place any character can be taught any of the more-than-two-dozen lessons, with a number of foolish exceptions due to archaic gender locking. That flexibility enables you to fine-tune your scholastic military like by no means earlier than and makes it simpler to make use of characters you want, as a substitute of prioritizing perform and energy.
Learn our Hearth Emblem: Three Homes assessment.
Closing Fantasy Ways: The Ivalice Chronicles
- Developer: Sq. Enix
- Launch Date: October 1, 2025
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Change, Nintendo Change 2, PS5, PS4, Xbox Sequence X/S
Sq. Enix’s seminal 1997 turn-based technique obtained a full remaster in 2025, and the brand new model of the sport, subtitled The Ivalice Chronicles, is the all time model of an all-time nice. The sport, set on the earth of Ivalice, follows a renegade band of warriors led by Ramza Beoulve, a member of a noble household who leaves his publish after witnessing an atrocity. This recreation’s plot merely can’t be boiled down right into a neat synopsis – it is a sprawling epic filled with twists, betrayals, and deep philosophizing, due to the remaster’s up to date translation.
Plot apart, Closing Fantasy Ways is an unbelievable turn-based technique recreation. The depth of its job system, which is tough to grasp however permits for some actually damaged builds should you be taught it in and out, is fantastic, and though the sport’s battles will be extraordinarily difficult, every victory feels just like the end result of many sensible, knowledgeable choices made by the participant. Closing Fantasy Ways is commonly mentioned as one of many biggest video games ever made, and for good motive.
Learn our Closing Fantasy Ways – The Ivalice Chronicles assessment.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns
- Developer: Firaxis Video games
- Launch date: December 2, 2022
- Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
You may’ve heard of us describe Marvel’s Midnight Suns as Hearth Emblem with superheroes, and that is principally true. Midnight Suns, greater than most Marvel video games, digs into relationships between characters in a means that makes it really feel lots like Hearth Emblem. Positive, you possibly can’t get married and genetically engineer a era of preternaturally highly effective youngsters, however Midnight Suns does delve into surprisingly deep and well timed matters about morality and justice.
It is greater than only a relationship recreation, although. Firaxis added a card-based aspect to fight that makes Midnight Suns in contrast to most different turn-based technique video games, since you need to roll with the playing cards you are dealt and benefit from each state of affairs. You are controlling a band of superheroes, so that you’re hardly confined to weak little assaults, however there’s nonetheless an additional layer of technique that makes you’re feeling very sensible certainly for pulling off each victory.
Learn our Marvel’s Midnight Suns assessment.
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp
- Developer: WayForward
- Launch date: April 21, 2023
- Platforms: Nintendo Change
Re-Boot Camp is a remake of the primary two Advance Wars video games, each of which initially launched on the Sport Boy Advance, and whereas it would not make dramatic modifications to both, it would not really want to. Each Advance Wars video games maintain up exceptionally properly, and Re-Boot Camp made small alterations to enemy conduct so they really act like they’re in a combat for survival and do issues like defend their HQ.
Each Advance Wars video games break up their battles into two varieties. One has you begin with a hard and fast quantity and number of items and performs out virtually like a puzzle, pushing you to determine learn how to get essentially the most out of your restricted assets. The opposite is extra open-ended, with factories and related areas the place you possibly can generate new units–for a worth. The priorities in these battles are capturing properties to generate income, blocking opponents from scooping up the best-positioned areas, and constructing the precise items on the proper time. It is intense, complicated, and extremely rewarding while you pull off a successful technique.
Learn our Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp assessment.
Wargroove and Wargroove 2
- Developer: Chucklefish
- Launch date: February 1, 2019
- Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Change, PC
Wargroove is a religious succesor to Advance Wars with greater than a contact of fantasy thrown in to maintain issues contemporary and fascinating. Marketing campaign mode sees you play as a younger ruler touring internationally in a bid to save lots of her kingdom, and your allies are your military commanders, who could be a common knight or canine legionnaire as a result of why not.
You have received your typical mixture of artillery, infantry, and heavy armored items, together with kingdom-specific items, and commanders play an important position in every battle. Not solely are they sometimes stronger than your normal items, however in addition they have distinctive abilities–similar to CO powers in Advance Wars–that can flip a battle round right away, should you use them the precise means. There’s an in depth map creation device and multiplayer as properly, if you wish to duke it out with buddies on fiendish maps of your individual making.
The sequel, Wargroove 2, picks up the place the earlier recreation ended, with new commanders and a roguelike “Conquest” mode added. Should you benefit from the first recreation, the sequel’s a no brainer.
Learn our Wargroove assessment.
XCOM 2
- Developer: Firaxis Video games, Feral Interactive
- Launch date: February 5, 2016
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Change, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, iOS
XCOM 2 is the quintessential squad-based technique recreation, a deep and difficult sci-fi saga that turns a number of the style’s most well-worn conventions on their heads. For one factor, you are all the time vastly outnumbered in opposition to your alien foes. XCOM 2 is not only a resistance recreation. It is a gueriilla warfare recreation, and one of the crucial necessary issues you are able to do is work out one of the best ways to remain unseed for so long as attainable whilst you arrange your ambushes.
That is simply the beginning, although. You will have to determine the very best expertise and upgrades in your squad and provide you with the precise mixture for every mission as properly, and with how unforgiving XCOM 2 will be, these concerns are extra necessary than typical. Better of all, although, is how diverse every mission is, because the transient normally goes past eliminating each foe. Heck, even within the tutorial mission, your objective is retrieving information and blasting your means out of a lab to make a fast, hopefully protected escape.
Learn our XCOM 2 assessment.
Symphony of Struggle: The Nephilim Saga
- Developer: Dancing Dragon Video games
- Launch date: June 10, 2022
- Platforms: PC
Symphony of Struggle appears to be like like one other retro-style Hearth Emblem-alike at first look, with its 2D gameplay, medieval-adjacent themes, and acquainted unit kinds. There’s fairly much more occurring right here, although. Leaders command squads of a number of fighters on the battlefield, so earlier than fight even breaks out, you need to plan a robust mixture of unit varieties and hope they cowl one another’s weaknesses properly sufficient or are so overpowered that it will not matter.
Symphony of Struggle contains over 50 unit varieties as properly, so there’s loads of room for experimentation–perfect should you’re not a fan of technique video games that solely enable for one or two options to a given drawback. Sustaining your military’s morale and breaking the enemy’s performs a key position in every encounter, and you will even should make concessions for the way the climate may affect your military’s accuracy, amongst different issues.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Sparks of Hope
- Developer: Ubisoft Paris
- Launch date: August 29, 2017 | October 10, 2022
- Platforms: Nintendo Change
Each Mario + Rabbids video games, Kingdom Battle and Sparks of Hope, are basically Mario meets XCOM, however since Ubisoft’s Rabbids are concerned, it is not fairly as simple as that. Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, and their Rabbid counterparts type squads, transfer in a grid, pull off overwatch assaults, keep away from enemy sightlines, and use an unlimited array of expertise to take down their foes–again, principally Mario XCOM.
The Mushroom Kingdom model of caprice and Rabbid chaos do lots to make each video games really feel distinctive, although. Rabbid Peach sends out exploding RC automobiles, for instance, whereas Yoshi makes use of a gatling gun. Mario can concentrate on close-range hammer assaults that ship enemies flying off the stage, or go for fire-infused laser weapons that ignite foes and make them flee in desperation. Battles are spaced out fairly properly, too, with chunks of exploration and easy puzzle fixing to maintain issues from feeling like a slog.
Learn our Kingdom Battle assessment and Sparks of Hope assessment.
The Hundred Line: Final Protection Academy
- Developer: Too Kyoo Video games
- Launch date: April 24, 2025
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Change
Final Protection Academy is an element visible novel, the place you observe the triumphs and tribulations–but principally tribulations–of a bunch of scholars tasked with defending the world from invaders, and half ways recreation the place you fend off these invaders whereas defending a defensive barrier. Battles are dramatic, multi-wave occasions that drive you to consider danger and sacrifice in distinctive methods. You get a set variety of motion factors to make use of on assaults and motion every flip and, finally, way more characters than motion factors, although you possibly can acquire further factors by defeating elite enemies. Deciding which character to assault, on which entrance, and in opposition to which foe typically makes Final Protection Academy really feel extra like a puzzle recreation than a technique one, although its distinctive flexibility means there’s normally multiple appropriate resolution.
All assaults earn voltage, which you’ll be able to spend to energy up a single character for the rest of the combat or use to execute a particular assault that leaves the character surprised and susceptible the subsequent flip. They will additionally use their particular when their HP is near zero, and since lifeless characters come again to life within the subsequent wave, loss of life finally ends up being one of the crucial necessary instruments in your package.
The story is greatest skilled with out spoilers, so we can’t say a lot right here. Suffice to say that should you’ve performed Danganronpa creator Kazutaka Kodaka’s video games or the Zero Escape video games from Kotaro Uchikoshi, you continue to will not be fairly ready for the all of the locations that Final Protection Academy goes or simply how deep it will get.
Civilization 6
- Developer: Firaxis Video games
- Launch date: October 21, 2016
- Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, Nintendo Change
Civilization 7 is right here, and within the grand outdated Firaxis custom, meaning it is the very best time to play the earlier Civilization. Now that the studio has moved on to one thing else, Civ 6’s quite a few updates, chief packs, new options, and different enhancements are lastly all collectively in a single place–well, and numerous DLC too–and it is simply essentially the most polished and feature-rich model of the technique recreation but.
Faith is extra sturdy and performs an lively position in your civilization’s growth, you possibly can customise your cities and should pay extra consideration to how sustainable their progress is, and diplomacy evolves as you progress via the ages, encouraging you to adapt completely different playstyles relying on the time interval. It is splendidly dense and rewarding, and that is earlier than you even consider expansions corresponding to Rise and Fall, with its complicated community of loyalties to handle, and Gathering Storm, which lets the atmosphere play a long-overdue position in how your civilization and others develop.
Learn our Civilization 6 assessment.
Triangle Technique
- Developer: Sq. Enix, Artdink
- Launch Date: 4 March, 2022
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Change, PlayStation 5, Xbox Sequence X/S
Triangle Technique appears to be like lots like Closing Fantasy Ways from the skin–it is one other turn-based technique recreation from Sq. Enix, in any case–but it surely’s unmistakably completely different while you play it. Set throughout a continent the place varied nations are locked right into a warfare over assets, the sport focuses on Serenoa Wolffort, a nobleman who finds himself on the run following a devastating flip of occasions early within the recreation’s lengthy, cutscene-heavy story. It is a pretty streamlined expertise, with locked character lessons and a few beneficiant mechanical decisions (there is not any pleasant fireplace or permadeath), however the distinctive “Conviction” mechanic signifies that the story, and your battles, are formed by the alternatives you make. Typically you possibly can select to simply accept a bonus in a combat that can have large ramifications for the story, and making these choices feels extraordinarily impactful.
That is one other entry in Sq. Enix’s sequence of “HD-2D” video games, with an in depth, lovely pixel artwork model. It is actually not as sprawling a recreation as Octopath Traveler, however the tableaus you may battle throughout are sometimes attractive, particularly when paired with Akira Senju’s nice soundtrack.
Learn our Triangle Technique assessment.
Tactical Breach Wizards
- Developer: Suspicious Developments
- Launch date: August 22, 2024
- Platforms: PC
Tactical Breach Wizards combines the approachability of Into the Breach with the fancifulness of one thing like Mario + Rabbids, and it is completely good. An ex-marine, a non-public investigator-slash-witch, and, finally, a number of different oddballs crew as much as carry down the town’s senior site visitors warden, who additionally occurs to be a nefarious warlock concerned in shady espionage. “Deliver down” in Tactical Breach Wizards virtually all the time means “blasting out of a window” utilizing explosives, magic, and different supernatural instruments, although different methods sometimes work as properly. It is unexpectedly deep regardless of the breezy premise, but in addition affected person sufficient to let you determine the greatest methods to play for your self with none stress. The objective is to finish every small stage in as few turns as attainable, although there is not any penalty for taking so long as you want, and you may replay them at any time.
SteamWorld Heist 2
- Developer: Thunderful
- Launch Date: August 8, 2024
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Change, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Sequence X/S, Xbox One
SteamWorld Heist 2 affords one thing a bit completely different from different turn-based technique video games. As a substitute of guiding your characters round a grid-based battlefield, you management every of your Steambots from a side-on 2D perspective, transferring them round environments and positioning them to assault or defend themselves in opposition to the enemy crew. It’s essential to intention your photographs with the bot’s arsenal of weapons, which will be ricocheted off partitions to hit difficult-to-reach enemies, and be sure you do not depart your self open as a simple goal.
The primary recreation within the sequence established this battle system, however the sequel significantly expands with a brand new job system that unlocks highly effective talents for every member of your crew and lets you swap jobs on the fly. There’s additionally real-time fight parts within the recreation’s open-world submarine parts. SteamWorld Heist 2 will not essentially scratch the identical itch that an XCOM or Hearth Emblem may, but it surely’s a really fascinating and distinctive tackle the style.
Learn our SteamWorld Heist 2 assessment.
Gears Ways
- Developer: The Coalition, Splash Harm
- Launch date: April 28, 2020
- Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X|S, PC
Who knew Gears, the crunchy, gory, hardcore motion shooter sequence, would make such a superb turn-based technique recreation? The reply is Gears 5 maker Splash Harm, who tailored the sequence throughout genres in splendid style. Gears’ gritty sci-fi setting, filled with factories, burned-out battlefields, and wastelands, lends itself completely to the sort of movement-and-cover-based recreation Splash Harm created, and it is fantastically evocative as properly. Gears Ways additionally has a number of the style’s greatest character development, with significant new instruments and skills to unlock that allow you to go deep with technique and customization. A fluffy spin-off this isn’t.
Fuga: Melodies of Metal
- Developer: CyberConnect2
- Launch date: July 28, 2021
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Change, Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X|S
Fuga is just not your typical turn-based technique recreation or your typical something, for that matter. A small group of anthropomorphic wolf-like youngsters pilot an enormous tank in a bid to stave off an invading military and hold their households protected. If utilizing a magical tank that far outsizes something the enemy possesses appears a bit unfair, that is as a result of it’s, although the benefit comes with a price. The youngsters’ weapon is an historical artifact from a mysterious civilization, and it takes cautious planning and good teamwork to take care of properly. Fuga’s strategic planning entails managing provides and relationships as a lot because it does battles, and the way you deal with these parts can have a direct impact in your wartime preparedness. If issues get tough, there’s additionally the tank’s final weapon: The soul cannon. The catch? It’s a must to sacrifice an ally to make use of it, and whilst you may suppose you possibly can simply get via the marketing campaign with out resorting to such drastic measures–you’re most likely mistaken.
Battletech
- Developer: Harebrained Schemes
- Launch date: April 24, 2018
- Platforms: PC
Battletech takes turn-based technique to the celebs and places you accountable for a warring home caught in a decades-long battle between galactic the Aristocracy. You are answerable for a fleet of 30 several types of mech fighters and handle all the pieces from repairs after they begin to get outdated, to decals and customization, and, in fact, choosing the right harm and defensive programs for the precise job. Deploying your military and successful a battle is simply half of Battletech, although. You will additionally must handle your repute with opposing factions, deal with conflicts as they come up at your base, and spend money on new mech developments. Should you want a break from the marketing campaign, you possibly can leap into some PvP battles in opposition to buddies or check methods in skirmish mode in opposition to computer-controlled enemies as properly.
Learn our Battletech assessment.
Tremendous Robotic Wars Y
- Developer: Bandai Namco Forge Digitals Inc.
- Launch Date: 20 August, 2025
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Change
Tremendous Robotic Wars Y is a dream recreation for followers of robotic anime, bringing collectively robots from over 20 completely different sequence to combat one another in turn-based grid fight. It options designs and characters from varied entries into the Gundam franchise, plus Code Geass, Godzilla Singular Level, Macross Delta, and a number of other others. Throughout fight in opposition to varied kaiju forces you should use every unit’s distinctive expertise to show the tide, and between missions you possibly can tweak and improve your crew.
That is the newest entry in a long-running sequence that spans all the way in which again to 1991, but it surely’s additionally solely the second Tremendous Robotic Wars recreation to obtain an official launch within the west. Truthfully, it is not laborious to see why the sequence took so lengthy to launch outdoors Japan–it is extraordinarily reliant on the participant’s understanding of, and love for, mecha anime, with numerous cutscenes and story moments which may fall flat should you’re not a fan of no less than a few of these sequence. However should you love Gundam, you are in luck.
