Summary

Turn-based strategy games come in many flavors, from 4X orgrand strategy games, to simpler city-builder type games. Some have a story arc that the player can follow as the main campaign, while others simply set victory goals and expect the player to achieve these goals under their own steam.

The 1990s were an interesting time for gamers. Gaming hardware was beginning to become more mainstream, with vendors such as Nvidia introducing gaming-focused GPUs. This additional graphical power gave developers more freedom, allowing them to produce games that were more graphically intense than previously.Turn-based strategy gamesproduced in the 1990s had more graphically appealing game worlds, and greater complexity than ever before.

7Jagged Alliance 2

Part RPG Part Tactical Combat

Jagged Alliance 2combines tacticalturn-based combat, with role-playing mechanics such as character development and a well-crafted main story arc. The general premise of the game, is that the player is attempting to organize a rebellion against an evil dictator.

The player hires bands of mercenaries to pad out their forces, and offers the player the freedom to come at a mission from any angle. This freedom of tactical choices, surprisingly deep strategy gameplay, and additional RPG elements are the reason thatJagged Alliance 2made this list.

6Master Of Magic

Fantasy Strategy Game

Master Of Magicis a game that bridges genres. It is partfantasy strategy game, and part city builder game. The game world is procedurally generated, and the player is free to explore it, after choosing a specific race to play as.

Master Of Magicgets a place on this list for the clever way it managed to fuse several genres into a unified whole that worked well. As an older game, it is still worth playing, as it was quite unique at the time it was released.

Many players considerCivilization 2to be the galvanizing game of the franchise. It extended and polished the gameplay of the original game. It also added gameplay elements such as advanced diplomacy and additional options for cultural development.

Released almost 2 decades ago,Civilization 2still has a large player base today, as well as a very active modding community. Anyone looking to play a game that defines its genre, would do well to take a look atCiv 2, as it really was a groundbreaking game in its day.

4Age Of Wonders

Tactical Combat And Exploration

Age Of Wondersis another game that manages to pull in gameplay aspects from a number of genres, to create what, at the time, was a pretty unique game. With its primary focus ontactical combat, it also features some well thought out city building mechanics, and a nice range of races to play, each very different from the others.

The game earns a place on this list for its well-shaped fantasy setting, which manages to pull in role-playing aspects alongside an already well-fleshed-out set of gameplay features.

3Master Of Orion 2: Battle at Antares

Classic 4X Gameplay

The first4X grand strategy gameon this list isMaster Of Orion 2: Battle at Antares. In the classic 4X style, the gameplay focuses on extermination, exploitation, expansion, and exploration. Where many grand strategy games drift away from this proven template,Master Of Orion 2: Battle at Antaresstays true to its roots, delivering a slick and polished gameplay experience.

Master Of Orion 2: Battle at Antaresmakes this list simply for being such a good example of what a great 4X strategy game should be. However, it must be said that the game has a pretty steep learning curve, which may make it unsuitable for casual players.

Innovative Setting And Excellent Tactical Combat

X-Com: UFO Defense

You are in control of X-COM: an organization formed by the world’s governments to fight the ever-increasing alien menace.Features:Command deadly close-combat battles:Shooting down UFOs is just the beginning: you must then lead a squad of heavily-armed soldiers across different terrains as they investigate the UFO crash site. Tackle the aliens with automatic rifles, rocket launchers, and even tanks in the struggle to retrieve useful technology, weapons or life forms.Research and manufacture alien technologies:Successful ground assault missions will allow X-COM scientists to analyze alien items. Each new breakthrough brings you a little closer to understanding the technology and culture of the alien races. Once you have sufficient research data on the UFO’s superior weapons and crafts, you’ll be able to manufacture weapons of equal capability.Develop a strategy to save the Earth:You must make every crucial decision as you combat the powerful alien forces. But you’ll also need to watch the world political situation: governments may be forced into secret pacts with the aliens and then begin to reduce X-COM funding.

X-COM: UFO Defense, which was also released under the nameUFO: Enemy Unkown, was the very first game in theXCOMfranchise, before the hyphen was dropped. At the time of release, the setting and gameplay were entirely unique. A recipe that the franchise stuck with throughout its history.

Indeed, it is the uniqueness ofX-COM: UFO Defensethat earns it a place on this list. It truly was something new, breaking out of the proven strategy game format, and introducing something fresh to the genre. It looks very dated now, but could still be worth a play-through.

Leaning On Proven Civilization Gameplay

Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri

Legendary designer Sid Meier presents the next evolution in strategy games, with the most addictive, compelling gameplay yet. Explore the alien planet that is your new home and uncover its myriad mysteries. Discover over 75 extraordinary technologies. Build over 60 base upgrades and large scale secret projects for your empire.DESIGN YOUR OWN WAR MACHINECustom build fighting units that meet your mission’s specific needs,accept your governor’s recommendations.TERRAFORM AN ALIEN LANDSCAPERaise mountains and level hillsides to make the planet more habitable for yourself or harsher for your opponents.DIPLOMATIC RELATIONSDynamic personalities react individually to your actions. Your diplomaticdecisions dictate your path to one of five ultimate resolutionsBUILD INFINITELY REPLAYABLEA random 30 world generator, unlimited strategies, five paths to victory, six levels of difficulty, seven unique factions, fully featured. map/game editor, and a whole host of customizable options ensure unlimited gameplay.BENCHMARK AUTOMATIONIntelligent city governors, global commands and an in-game tutorial assist you in building and managing your empire.UNPRECEDENTED MULTIPLAYERUnite or fight with your friends via the Internet, a LAN, modem, or serial link.AT HOME OR ON THE GOUnique installation options and scaleable technology optimize performance for all machines, from laptops and low end Pentiums to the latest top-shelf hardware.

Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauritakes gameplay features that had been refined by releases in theCivilizationfranchise, and applies them to a new setting, based on an alien world. This was a smart move, as the new setting meant that the developers were free to exercise creative license, rather than have to stick loosely to human history. This resulted in a game that mixed excellent strategy gameplay with a sense of exploration and discovery.

The game makes top of this list for the way it manages to mix in just enough narrative to engage the player, without being intrusive. Put simply, it has all the features of a well-rounded turn-based strategy game, but adds just enough storyline to push the player forward and learn how the game works. A format that is used in many modern strategy games to this day.