# List of turn-based tactics video games

Turn-based tactics is a video game genre. Chris Crawford, Julian Gollop, Strategic Simulations, and Blue Byte developed early turn-based tactical games, which were often inspired by traditional tactical wargames played on tabletops. Because of their low system requirements, turn-based tactical games were popular on early personal computers. This peaked with the released of X-COM: UFO Defense in 1994. When X-COM's sequels failed to make the same impression, publishers grew cautious of funding similar games on personal computers.
As the 1990s continued, 3D graphics grew popular, and gamers increasingly turned to real time strategy games. Though new tactics games continued to be released on personal computers, tactical combat became more of a component in tactical role-playing games, and tactical games grew more popular on handheld consoles. These complex but accessible games widened the appeal of turn-based tactics. The 2012 release of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, a remake of the 1994 video game, reinvigorated the genre on personal computers and led to many new games using streamlined, modern rules.

## Legend

| AMI | Amiga |
| AMI32 | Amiga CD32 |
| APPII | Apple II |
| ATR | Atari 8-bit computers |
| BROW | Browser game |
| C64 | Commodore 64 |
| CPC | Amstrad CPC |
| CROSS | Cross-platform |
| DOS | MS-DOS |
| DROI | Android |
| DS | Nintendo DS |
| FLASH | Adobe Flash |
| GB | Game Boy |
| GBA | Game Boy Advance |
| GBC | Game Boy Color |
| GCN | GameCube |
| iOS | iOS |
| JAVASE | Java Platform, Standard Edition |
| LIN | Linux |
| MAC | Mac |
| MOBI | Mobile phone |
| MSX | MSX |
| NES | Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom |
| NX | Nintendo Switch |
| OSX | macOS / OS X |
| PCD | TurboGrafx-CD / PC Engine CD |
| PCE | TurboGrafx-16 / PC Engine |
| PET | Commodore PET |
| PPC | Pocket PC |
| PS1 | PlayStation / PSone |
| PS2 | PlayStation 2 |
| PS3 | PlayStation 3 |
| PS4 | PlayStation 4 |
| PS5 | PlayStation 5 |
| PSP | PlayStation Portable |
| PSV | PlayStation Vita |
| SNES | Super NES / Super Famicom |
| ST | Atari ST |
| TRS80 | TRS-80 |
| VC | Virtual Console (Wii) |
| WIN | Microsoft Windows |
| WIN3X | Windows 3.x |
| WIN9X | Windows 9x |
| X360 | Xbox 360 |
| XBOX | Xbox |
| XOne | Xbox One |
| ZX | ZX Spectrum |

## List of released games

| Year | Title | Developer | Setting | Platform | Notes |
| 1978 | Tanktics | Chris Crawford | Historical | APPII, ATR, PET, TRS80 | |
| 1981 | Eastern Front (1941) | Chris Crawford | Historical | ATR | First computer game with a scrolling map |
| 1983 | Godzilla | Code Works | Sci-fi | C64 | |
| 1983 | Nobunaga's Ambition | Koei | Historical | GB, GEN, MSX, NES, SNES | First title in the series. |
| 1984 | Rebelstar Raiders | Julian Gollop | Sci-fi | ZX | |
| 1985 | Under Fire! | Avalon Hill | Historical | AMI, C64, DOS | |
| 1985 | Chaos: The Battle of Wizards | Games Workshop | Fantasy | ZX | |
| 1985 | Kampfgruppe | SSI | Historical | AMI, APPII, ATR, C64, DOS | |
| 1985 | Mech Brigade | SSI | Alternate history | APPII, ATR, C64, DOS | |
| 1986 | Gettysburg: The Turning Point | SSI | Historical | AMI, APPII, ATR, C64, DOS | |
| 1986 | Ogre | Origin Systems | Sci-fi | APPII, AMI, ATR, ST, C64, DOS, MAC | Based on the 1977 wargame |
| 1986 | Rebelstar | Julian Gollop | Sci-fi | ZX, CPC | |
| 1987 | Breach | Omnitrend Software | Sci-fi | AMI, ST, DOS | |
| 1987 | Panzer Strike | SSI | Historical | APPII, C64 | |
| 1988 | Famicom Wars | Intelligent | Sci-fi | NES | First title in the Nintendo Wars series. |
| 1988 | Grand Fleet | Simulations Canada | Historical | AMI, DOS, ST | |
| 1988 | Laser Squad | Target | Sci-fi | AMI, C64, CPC, DOS, ST, ZX | By the makers of X-COM: UFO Defense. |
| 1988 | Rebelstar II | Julian Gollop | Sci-fi | ZX | |
| 1989 | Desert Commander | Kemco | Historical | NES | |
| 1989 | Fire Brigade | Panther | Historical | AMI, DOS, MAC, ST | |
| 1989 | Military Madness | Hudson | Sci-fi | DROI, WIN98, DOS, PC98, PS1, PCE, X68K | a.k.a. Nectaris |
| 1990 | Breach 2 | Omnitrend Software | Sci-fi | AMI, ST, DOS | |
| 1990 | Lords of Chaos | Julian Gollop | Fantasy | AMI, C64, CPC, ST, ZX | |
| 1990 | Renegade Legion: Interceptor | Strategic Simulations | Sci-fi | AMI, DOS | Based on Renegade Legion |
| 1991 | Game Boy Wars | Intelligent | Sci-fi | GB | First title in this sub-series of Nintendo Wars. |
| 1991 | The Perfect General | Mark Baldwin | Historical | AMI, DOS | First title in the series. |
| 1991 | RoboSport | Maxis | Sci-fi | AMI, DOS, MAC, WIN | 4-player squad combat with simultaneous turns. |
| 1991 | Battle Isle | Blue Byte | Sci-fi | AMI, DOS | |
| 1992 | Gemfire | Koei | Fantasy | DOS, GEN, MSX, NES, SNES | |
| 1992 | History Line: 1914-1918 | Blue Byte | Historical | AMI, DOS | a.k.a. Great War: 1914-1918 |
| 1992 | Sabre Team | Krisalis | Contemporary | AMI, AMI32, DOS, ST | |
| 1992 | Tegel's Mercenaries | Mindcraft | Sci-fi | DOS | First title in the series. |
| 1993 | The Grandest Fleet | Fogstone | Historical | DOS | |
| 1993 | Metal Marines | Namco | Contemporary | WIN3X, SNES | |
| 1993 | Patriot | Artech | Historical | DOS | |
| 1993 | Strike Squad | Mindcraft | Sci-fi | DOS | |
| 1993 | Taskforce | Mark Sheeky | Sci-fi | Amiga | |
| 1994 | UFO: Enemy Unknown | Mythos | Sci-fi | AMI, AMI32, DOS, PS1, WIN | a.k.a. X-COM: UFO Defense; first XCOM |
| 1994 | Panzer General | SSI | Historical | DOS | First title in the series. |
| 1994 | Jagged Alliance | Madlab | Contemporary | DOS | First title in the series. |
| 1994 | The Perfect General II | Mark Baldwin | Historical | AMI, DOS | |
| 1995 | Front Mission | Square | Sci-Fi | SNES | |
| 1995 | Steel Panthers | SSI | Historical | DOS | |
| 1995 | X-COM: Terror from the Deep | MicroProse | Sci-fi | DOS, PS1, WIN | Part of the XCOM series |
| 1996 | MissionForce: CyberStorm | Dynamix | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 1996 | Over the Reich | Big Time Software | Historical | MAC, WIN | |
| 1996 | Steel Panthers II: Modern Battles | SSI | Historical | DOS | |
| 1997 | Achtung Spitfire! | Big Time Software | Historical | WIN | Prequel to Over the Reich. |
| 1997 | Demonworld | Ikarion | Fantasy | WIN | First title in the series. |
| 1997 | Fallen Haven | Micomeq | Fantasy | WIN | First title in the series. |
| 1997 | Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000 | Holistic | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 1997 | Game Boy Wars Turbo | Hudson | Sci-fi | GB | Part of the Nintendo Wars series. |
| 1997 | Incubation: Time Is Running Out | Blue Byte | Sci-fi | WIN | Spin-off of Battle Isle. |
| 1997 | Steel Panthers III | SSI | Historical | DOS, WIN | |
| 1997 | X-COM: Apocalypse | Mythos | Sci-fi | DOS, WIN | Part of the XCOM series. Option to use real-time. |
| 1998 | 101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy | Interactive Simulations | Historical | WIN | |
| 1998 | CyberStorm 2: Corporate Wars | Dynamix | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 1998 | Game Boy Wars 2 | Hudson | Sci-fi | GBC | Part of the Nintendo Wars series. |
| 1998 | Liberation Day | Micomeq | Fantasy | WIN | Sequel to Fallen Haven. |
| 1998 | Soldiers at War | Random | Historical | WIN | |
| 1998 | Super Famicom Wars | Intelligent | Sci-fi | SNES | Part of the Nintendo Wars series. |
| 1998 | Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate | Random | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 1999 | Gorky 17 (Odium) | Metropolis Software | Sci-fi | WIN, LIN, OSX | |
| 1999 | Jagged Alliance 2 | Sir-Tech | Contemporary | AMIOS, LIN, WIN | |
| 2000 | Avalon Hill's Squad Leader | Random | Historical | WIN | |
| 2000 | Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord | Battlefront.com | Historical | MAC, WIN | First title in the series. |
| 2000 | Hogs of War | Infogrames, Sheffield House | Fantasy | PS1, WIN | Also features artillery game elements. |
| 2000 | Ring of Red | Konami | Alternate history | PS2 | |
| 2000 | Shadow Watch | Red Storm | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 2000 | Steel Panthers: World at War | Matrix | Historical | WIN | Remake of Steel Panthers |
| 2001 | Advance Wars | Intelligent | Sci-fi | GBA | First title in this sub-series of Nintendo Wars. |
| 2001 | Etherlords | Nival Interactive | Fantasy | WIN | Card battle game |
| 2001 | Fallout Tactics | Micro Forté | Sci-fi | WIN | Spin-off of Fallout. Option to use real-time. |
| 2001 | Game Boy Wars 3 | Hudson | Sci-fi | GBC | Part of the Nintendo Wars series. |
| 2002 | Combat Mission II | Battlefront.com | Historical | WIN | |
| 2002 | Dynasty Tactics | Koei | Historical | PS2 | First title in the series. |
| 2002 | Laser Squad Nemesis | Codo | Sci-fi | WIN | By the makers of X-COM: UFO Defense. |
| 2002 | Paradise Cracked | MiST Land South | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 2003 | Advance Wars 2 | Intelligent | Sci-fi | GBA | Part of the Nintendo Wars series. |
| 2003 | Combat Mission 3 | Battlefront.com | Historical | WIN | |
| 2003 | Dai Senryaku VII | SystemSoft | Historical | Xbox | |
| 2003 | Dynasty Tactics 2 | Koei | Historical | PS2 | |
| 2003 | Etherlords II | Nival Interactive | Fantasy | WIN | Card battle game. Sequel to Etherlords. |
| 2003 | Massive Assault | Wargaming | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 2003 | Silent Storm | Nival | Alternate history | WIN | First title in the series. |
| 2004 | Ancient Empires | Macrospace | Fantasy | MOBI | First title in the series. |
| 2004 | Cops 2170: The Power of Law | MiST Land South | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 2004 | Future Tactics: The Uprising | Zed Two | Sci-fi | GCN, PS2, WIN, Xbox | |
| 2004 | The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age | Griptonite Games | Fantasy | GBA | |
| 2004 | Pathway to Glory | Ubisoft RedLynx | Historical | NGE | |
| 2004 | Yu Yu Hakusho: Tournament Tactics | Sensory Sweep | Fantasy | GBA | Based on the anime series YuYu Hakusho. |
| 2005 | Advance Wars: Dual Strike | Intelligent | Sci-fi | DS | Part of the Nintendo Wars series. |
| 2005 | Ancient Empires II | Macrospace | Fantasy | MOBI | |
| 2005 | Battles of Prince of Persia | Ubisoft | Fantasy | DS | |
| 2005 | Domination | Wargaming | Sci-fi | WIN | First title in the series. |
| 2005 | Flashpoint Germany | Simulations Canada | Historical | WIN | |
| 2005 | Hammer & Sickle | Novik&Co, Nival | Alternate history | WIN | Successor to Silent Storm. |
| 2005 | High Seize | RedLynx | Historical | NGE | |
| 2005 | Night Watch | Nival | Contemporary | WIN | Based on the novel of the same name. |
| 2004 | Pathway to Glory: Ikusa Islands | Ubisoft RedLynx | Historical | NGE | Sequel to Pathway to Glory |
| 2005 | Rebelstar: Tactical Command | Codo | Sci-fi | GBA | |
| 2005 | Shattered Union | PopTop | Alternate history | WIN, Xbox | |
| 2005 | The Battle for Wesnoth | Various | Fantasy | CROSS | |
| 2006 | Field Commander | SOE | Sci-fi | PSP | |
| 2006 | Pocket UFO | SMK Software | Sci-fi | PPC | Clone of X-COM: UFO Defense. |
| 2007 | Band of Bugs | NinjaBee | Fantasy | WIN, X360 | |
| 2007 | Fantasy Wars | Ino-Co Plus | Fantasy | WIN | |
| 2007 | Panzer Tactics DS | Sproing Interactive | Historical | DS | |
| 2007 | UFO: Extraterrestrials | Chaos Concept | Sci-fi | WIN | Spiritual successor to X-COM: UFO Defense. |
| 2007 | Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command | Ubisoft RedLynx | Sci-fi | PSP, DS | |
| 2007 | Hired Guns: The Jagged Edge | GFI Russia | Contemporary | WIN | |
| 2008 | Commanders: Attack of the Genos | Southend Interactive | Alternate history | X360 | |
| 2008 | Advance Wars: Days of Ruin | Intelligent | Sci-fi | DS | Stand alone part of the Nintendo Wars series. |
| 2009 | Blood Bowl | Cyanide | Fantasy | WIN | Based on the board game Blood Bowl. |
| 2009 | Dragon Quest Wars | Intelligent Systems | Fantasy | DS | |
| 2009 | Military Madness: Nectaris | Backbone Entertainment | Sci-fi | X360, PS3, Wii | |
| 2009 | Mytran Wars | StormRegion | Sci-fi | PSP | |
| 2010 | Jagged Alliance: Back in Action | bitComposer Games | Contemporary | WIN | Remake of Jagged Alliance 2 |
| 2010 | BBC Battle Academy | Slitherine Software | Historical | WIN, MAC, IOS | |
| 2010 | Battle Dex | Bandera Games | Contemporary | WIN | Card battle game |
| 2011 | Frozen Synapse | Mode 7 Games | Sci-fi | WIN, MAC, LIN, iOS, DROI | |
| 2011 | Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars | Ubisoft Sofia | Contemporary | 3DS | |
| 2012 | XCOM: Enemy Unknown | Firaxis Games | Sci-fi | WIN, Mac, LIN, PS3, X360, PSV | Remake of a classical X-COM: UFO Defense. |
| 2012 | Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land | Red Wasp Design | Alternate history | WIN, Mobile | Based on works of H. P. Lovecraft |
| 2013 | Arma Tactics | Bohemia Interactive | Contemporary | WIN, LIN, OSX, DROI, iOS | |
| 2013 | Leviathan: Warships | Pisces Interactive | Sci-fi | WIN, OSX, DROI, iOS | |
| 2013 | Space Hulk | Full Control | Sci-fi | WIN, MAC | Based on the board game Space Hulk. |
| 2013 | Skulls of the Shogun | 17-Bit | Historical | WIN, MOBI, X360, MAC, PS4, NX | |
| 2014 | Xenonauts | Goldhawk Interactive | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 2014 | Battle Academy 2: Eastern Front | Slitherine Software | Historical | WIN, MAC, IOS | Sequel to BBC Battle Academy |
| 2014 | Blood Bowl Tablet | Cyanide | Fantasy | iOS, DROI | Tablet adaptation of Blood Bowl |
| 2014 | Invisible, Inc. | Klei Entertainment | Sci-fi | WIN, Mac, LIN, PS4, iOS | Stealth tactics in an espionage setting. |
| 2014 | Panzer Tactics HD | Sproing Interactive | Historical | WIN, iOS | |
| 2014 | Jagged Alliance: Flashback | Full Control | Contemporary | WIN, LIN, MAC | Part of the Jagged Alliance series. |
| 2014 | Space Hulk: Ascension | Full Control | Sci-fi | WIN, LIN, MAC | Based on the board game Space Hulk. |
| 2014 | Halfway | Robotality | Sci-fi | LIN, MAC, WIN | |
| 2014 | Qvadriga | Turnopia | Historical | DROI, iOS, WIN | Chariot racing game |
| 2015 | Hard West | CreativeForge Games | Horror | LIN, MAC, WIN, PS4, NX | |
| 2015 | Massive Chalice | Double Fine | Fantasy | LIN, MAC, WIN, XOne | |
| 2015 | Warhammer 40,000: Deathwatch | Rodeo Games | Sci-fi | iOS, WIN, PS4 | |
| 2015 | Blood Bowl 2 | Cyanide | Fantasy | Mac, WIN, PS4, XBOX1 | |
| 2016 | Warbits | Risky Lab | Sci-fi | iOS | |
| 2016 | XCOM 2 | Firaxis Games | Sci-fi | WIN, Mac, LIN, PS4, XBOX1, NX | Sequel of XCOM: Enemy Unknown. |
| 2017 | Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock | Black Lab Games | Sci-fi | WIN, PS4, XBOX1, NX | |
| 2017 | Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle | Ubisoft | Fantasy | NX | |
| 2017 | Tiny Metal | Area 35 | Contemporary | WIN, NX, PS4 | |
| 2018 | Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics | Auroch Digital | Sci-fi, Fantasy | WIN, NX, XOne, PS4 | |
| 2018 | Attack of the Earthlings | Team Junkfish | Sci-fi | Win, PS4, XBO | |
| 2018 | Into the Breach | Subset Games | Sci-fi | WIN, Mac, LIN, NX, Stadia | |
| 2018 | BattleTech | Harebrained Schemes | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 2018 | Chessaria: The Tactical Adventure | Pixel Wizards | Fantasy | WIN, MAC | |
| 2018 | Phantom Doctrine | CreativeForge Games | Alternate history | WIN, XBOX1, PS4, NX | Strategic turn-based espionage thriller. |
| 2018 | Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus | Bulwark Studios | Sci-fi | WIN, LIN, MAC | |
| 2018 | Jagged Alliance: Rage! | Cliffhanger Productions | Contemporary | WIN, PS4, XBOX1 | Set 20 years after the first Jagged Alliance. |
| 2018 | Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden | The Bearded Ladies | Sci-fi | WIN, PS4, XBOX1 | |
| 2018 | Space Hulk: Tactics | Cyanide | Sci-fi | WIN, PS4, XBOX1 | |
| 2018 | Football, Tactics & Glory | Creoteam | Contemporary | WIN | Sports game |
| 2018 | All Walls Must Fall | Inbetweengames | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 2018 | Frozen Synapse 2 | Mode 7 Games | Sci-fi | WIN, MAC, LIN, iOS, DROI | |
| 2019 | Wargroove | Chucklefish | Fantasy | WIN, XBOX1, PS4, NX, STADIA | |
| 2019 | Pathway | Robotality | Sci-fi | LIN, MAC, WIN, NX | |
| 2019 | Druidstone | Ctrl Alt Ninja | Fantasy | WIN | |
| 2019 | Phoenix Point | Snapshot Games | Sci-fi | WIN, MAC, XBOX1, PS4, Stadia | |
| 2019 | Age of Wonders: Planetfall | Triumph Studios | Sci-fi | WIN, PS4, XBOX1, MAC | 4X game with turn-based, tactical battles |
| 2019 | Rebel Cops | Weappy Studio | Contemporary | WIN, MAC, LIN, PS4, XBOX1, NX, DROI, iOS | |
| 2020 | Corruption 2029 | The Bearded Ladies | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 2020 | Gears Tactics | Splash Damage, The Coalition | Sci-fi | WIN, XBOX1, X/S | |
| 2020 | XCOM: Chimera Squad | Firaxis Games | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 2020 | Treachery in Beatdown City | NuChallenger, HurakanWorks | Contemporary | WIN, NX | Mix of real-time brawling and turn-based tactics |
| 2020 | Necromunda: Underhive Wars | Rogue Factor | Sci-fi | WIN, PS4, XBOX1 | |
| 2020 | Fort Triumph | CookieByte Entertainment | Fantasy | WIN, MAC, LIN, PS4, XBOX1, NX | Mix of turn-based tactics and strategy game |
| 2021 | Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector | Black Lab Games | Sci-fi | WIN, PS4, XBOX1, X/S | |
| 2022 | Hard West 2 | Ice Code Games | Horror | WIN | |
| 2022 | Desta: The Memories Between | Ustwo | Fantasy | WIN, NX, DROI, iOS | |
| 2022 | Marvel's Midnight Suns | Firaxis Games | Sci-fi | PS5, WIN, X/S, PS4, XBOX1 | |
| 2022 | Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope | Ubisoft | Fantasy | NX | Sequel to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle |
| 2022 | WH40K: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters | Complex Games | Scifi | WIN | |
| 2023 | Showgunners | Artificer | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| 2023 | Jagged Alliance 3 | Haemimont Games | Contemporary | WIN, PS4, PS5, X/S | Sequel to Jagged Alliance 2 |
| 2023 | Miasma Chronicles | The Bearded Ladies | Sci-fi | WIN, PS5, X/S | |
| 2023 | Blood Bowl 3 | Cyanide | Fantasy | PS4, PS5, WIN, XBOX1, X/S | |
| 2023 | Fights in Tight Spaces | Ground Shatter | Contemporary | WIN, XBOX1, X/S, NX, PS4, PS5 | Mix of deckbuilding and turn-based tactics |
| 2023 | The Lamplighters League | Harebrained Schemes | Alternate history | WIN, XBOX1, X/S | |
| 2023 | Phantom Brigade | Brace Yourself Games | Sci-fi | WIN | |
| TBA | Crimson Fields | Various | Sci-fi | CROSS | Open source clone of Battle Isle. |
| TBA | UFO: Alien Invasion | Various | Sci-fi | CROSS | Open source clone of X-COM: UFO Defense. |