Strategy games are one of the oldest forms of gaming. One of the prime examples is chess, a game that has existed for hundreds of years and is still incredibly popular. The genre has seen many innovations throughout history, and with the advent of video games, twists on the format have become abundant.
The earliest strategy video games, such as Invasion (1972), Computer Bismark (1980), and Herzog Zwei (1989), would lay the foundation for the modern strategy games, which have branched off into distinct sub-genres such as 4x, Grand Strategy, and RTS, with each one maintaining its own unique style and gameplay.
10 Europa Universalis IV Is The Ultimate Historical Nation Builder
One of the hallmarks of strategy gaming has always been having multiple complex mechanical systems for players to learn and master. Few games manage to achieve the synergy between complexity and enjoyment as Paradox's Europa Universalis IV.
Starting in 1444, players can take on the role of one of the hundreds of nations that existed all across the world at the time, spreading their influence through trade, war, and diplomacy over four centuries to become the preeminent power of the era.
9 Command & Conquer Pioneered The RTS Genre
While by no means the first entry in the real-time strategy genre, with games such as Dune II coming before it, Command & Conquer and its sequel, Command & Conquer: Red Alert, helped bring RTS games to the spotlight through their immense popularity at the time.
What set C&C apart from its competitor Warcraft was its campy but entertaining full-motion video cutscenes, simple but fast-paced and entertaining gameplay, and multiplayer mode – all of which helped propel the series to the pinnacle of strategy gaming for the time.
8 Starcraft 2 Was The First True Esports Giant
The original Starcraft was a well-made and popular game in its own right, but Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty was another beast altogether. Often considered one of the best games of all time, it earned that place on its incredibly polished gameplay, story, and multiplayer capabilities.
Esports had existed long before the release of Starcraft 2. Still, this game brought these competitions into the international spotlight, and at its height, it was considered the most popular Esports title of its time.
7 Age Of Empires Stood Out From Other Real-Time Strategy Games
As one of the most recognizable franchises of early 2000's strategy gaming, Age of Empires set itself apart from other RTS games by focusing on a real-world, historical setting, rather than the fantastical or science fiction elements of games like Warcraft and Starcraft.
The original received excellent reviews and was a strong competitor in the genre for the time. Its random map generation was especially well-received by critics and players alike for adding a high level of replayability to the game.
6 Company Of Heroes Was The Perfect Mix Of History And Storytelling
Few games set during World War II are as recognizable as Relic Entertainment's Company of Heroes, heralded as one of the best RTS games of all time and praised for its strong story, gameplay, sound design, and multiplayer.
With a gripping narrative full of memorable characters, Company of Heroes, in many ways, cemented its legacy through its ability to bring players into the tale of Able Company, which set the bar for strategy-based storytelling for years to come.
5 Shogun: Total War Married Grand Strategy To Tactical Gameplay
One of the genre's giants, Creative Assembly's Total War series combines the turned-based grand strategy elements of games such as Civilization with a highly detailed 3D tactical battle simulator in a way that few other games have managed to match.
This synergy of strategy began with Shogun: Total War, which put players in control of one of the warring clans during Japan's famous Sengoku Jidai period, and would set the stage for all of the Total War games that would come after it.
4 Civilization II Set The Standard For 4x Games To Follow
While the first Civilization game laid the groundwork for what would become the 4x strategy gaming genre, Civilization II would launch some of its most recognizable aspects, such as the isometric view and diplomacy between nations.
Each subsequent installment of the franchise and the spin-offs and competitors would build upon the base set out in this game and create one of the defining pillars of strategy games as a whole. The 4x genre has proven its tried-and-true success with recent entries, such as Civilization VI and Old World.
3 Alpha Centauri Was More Than Just Civilization In Space
Most strategy gamers who were around in the late 90s will be familiar with Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, which took the engine from the Civilization series and created something that was much, much more than its predecessors.
Whereas those games focused on their real-world setting, Alpha Centauri's detailed science-fiction gameplay involved aspects such as terraforming, climate, social engineering, and modding capability that would set it apart from any other game at the time.
2 Warcraft 3 Laid The Foundation For Amazing Stories To Come
The Warcraft franchise was a staple of the strategy genre since the first game was released in 1996, but it was the third entry into the series that truly cemented the franchise as one of the preeminent fantasy IPs of all time.
While World of Warcraft may be far better known to modern audiences, it was Warcraft III that set the stage for the stories that would be told in the immensely popular MMO, and on its own, was often considered one of the best RTS strategy games of its time.
1 Total War: Warhammer Revolutionized Fantasy Strategy Gaming
With the franchise well-established over the past two decades, Total War: Warhammer was a massive reinvigoration of the series that had struggled since the release of Total War: Rome II and would go on to become one of its most popular entries.
The addition of fantasy elements to the typical Total War gameplay style led to exciting changes such as flying units and magic on the battlefield. Building upon the highly successful Warhammer IP made the game an instant hit with fans of strategy and the fantasy genre.