Top 50 strategy games OF ALL TIME

[Syt]

... according to RPS:

Postscript

What about those X-COM and XCOM rankings, eh? What about the lack of any Command & Conquer whatsoever? What about King of Dragon Pass squeaking into the top five. There's plenty to debate and discuss, and the RPS hivemind doesn't always agree with itself. Something to do with misaligned nodes and a cup of tea that we spilled on the mainframe.

Even if you disagree with the specific rankings – and it'd be peculiar if you didn't disagree with at least one of them – hopefully you'll find this a useful compilation of the best that strategy gaming has to offer. Diverse in playstyle, difficulty, mechanics and setting, it might well be the richest genre in all of Gamesdom, and this list is as much a celebration of that as an attempt to make games fight one another. If you're wondering about Honourable Mentions, check the "What else should I be playing" entries for each game. There's plenty more to discover.

The complete list is below – but first, some observations:

The Developers

Sid Meier's name appears in the title of more games than any other developer, but that's true in general – not just on this list. Brian Reynolds was lead designer on two games on the list, however, Rise of Nations and second-placed Alpha Centauri. Firaxis are the best-placed developer, having been responsible for the two top games as well as twelfth-placed XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Paradox have two games in the top twenty, as do MicroProse despite having effectively closed in 2002.

Wargames?

You have to travel all the way down to 31 on the list to find a game that isn't about violent conflict, either directly or indirectly. However, there are several games that don't involve any combat at all, including Rollercoaster Tycoon, which allows you to build fatal funfair rides instead of building armies. Eight of the games have the word 'war' in their title.

FREE

Neptune's Pride, Dwarf Fortress, Championship Manager 01/02, M.U.L.E. and Battle for Wesnoth can all be played for free.

Setting

13 are historical, 13 are fantasy, 16 are sci-fi and 8 are (approximately) modern day.

The Complete List

1   Civilization IV
2   Alpha Centauri
3   Crusader Kings II
4   Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance
5   King of Dragon Pass
6   UFO: Enemy Unknown
7   Total War: Shogun 2
8   Endless Legend
9   Homeworld
10   Jagged Alliance II
11   Europa Universalis IV
12   XCOM: Enemy Unknown
13   Distant Worlds: Universe
14   Dominions IV
15   Solium Infernum
16   Master of Orion II
17   Neptune's Pride
18   Company of Heroes
19   Panzer Corps
20   Men of War
21   StarCraft II
22   Unity of Command
23   DEFCON
24   Galactic Civilzations 2
25   AI War
26   Dwarf Fortress
27   Gary Grigsby's War in the East
28   Rise of Nations
29   Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War
30   Wargame: AirLand Battle
31   Championship Manager: Season 01/02
32   Startopia
33   SimCity 4
34   Warcraft III
35   Age of Wonders II
36   Tropico IV
37   M.U.L.E.
38   Frozen Synapse
39   Heroes of Might and Magic III
40   Combat Mission: Battle For Normandy
41   Myth
42   Ground Control
43   The Settlers II
44   Battle for Wesnoth
45   R.U.S.E.
46   Warlords II
47   Master of Magic
48   Stronghold
49   Rollercoaster Tycoon
50   Transport Tycoon

Article start: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/04/24/best-strategy-games/

[Duque de Bragança]

Panzer Corps 19th, a mere graphic update of Panzer General (1)? Open General is way more interesting and varied. Even Panzer General II or III (3d ) would have been better choices.

[Zanza]

A list that contains StarCraft II, but not StarCraft I? The latter was the defining game of the RTS genre for a decade.

[Syt]

A list that contains StarCraft II, but not StarCraft I? The latter was the defining game of the RTS genre for a decade.

[Devil's Advocate]But is it the better game?[/Devil's Advocate]

[Tamas]

Panzer Corps 19th, a mere graphic update of Panzer General (1)? Open General is way more interesting and varied. Even Panzer General II or III (3d ) would have been better choices.

Have you actually played it?

[Duque de Bragança]

Panzer Corps 19th, a mere graphic update of Panzer General (1)? Open General is way more interesting and varied. Even Panzer General II or III (3d ) would have been better choices.

Have you actually played it?

Much more than you have played Open General or Panzer General II.

[frunk]

Panzer Corps 19th, a mere graphic update of Panzer General (1)? Open General is way more interesting and varied. Even Panzer General II or III (3d ) would have been better choices.

Have you actually played it?

I've played it, and calling Panzer Corps just a graphic update doesn't do it justice.  Still, he's right that Open General and PzG II are better.

[grumbler]

I'm really surprised that Jagged Alliance II made the top ten.  Pleased, but surprised.  It was much more of a niche game, I thought.  I still play it today, when i get the itch.

[Eddie Teach]

A list that contains StarCraft II, but not StarCraft I? The latter was the defining game of the RTS genre for a decade.

I'm guessing they have a one per series rule due to Civ 4 at the top and no other civs.


So, what does EU 4 have that EU 2 didn't?

[grumbler]

Dominions IV is 14 and the game is tries unsuccessfully to replace, Master of Magic, is 47?  Bull.

[The Brain]

The list is retarded. I'm shocked by the quality of internet lists these days.

[Norgy]

No EU II? I mean, we'd hardly be having these disputes without it.

And Tropico is a strategy game now? Jeebus.

There's much wrong with that list, but I'd be hard pushed to jot down 50 strategy games that actually were good, so fair play to RPS for trying.

[Zanza]

A list that contains StarCraft II, but not StarCraft I? The latter was the defining game of the RTS genre for a decade.

I'm guessing they have a one per series rule due to Civ 4 at the top and no other civs.

Probably. Never played SC2, so I can't tell whether it is better than SC1. Played a lot of SC1 though.

So, what does EU 4 have that EU 2 didn't?

Better UI and better mechanics.

[garbon]

Age of Wonders 2 over Age of Wonders?

On that other note, hands down I'd say EUIV is superior to EU2, even though I've spent way more time playing EU2.

[DGuller]

I'm really surprised that Jagged Alliance II made the top ten.  Pleased, but surprised.  It was much more of a niche game, I thought.  I still play it today, when i get the itch.

I wish they had a version of the 1.13 patch that wasn't about 517 different models of 9mm handguns, and 35 different types of 9mm ammunition.