Turn-Based Strategy Games That Were Ahead Of Their Time

In a world of over-the-top, fast-paced first-person shooters, turn-based strategy games are still some of the most popular games on the market. A key reason for their continued popularity is the groundwork laid by the many titles since the Eastern Front in 1981. The simplicity of the graphics meant that developers could put more time and effort into the gameplay itself, providing players with some of the most complex and engaging video games of all time.

Turn-based strategy games feature some of the most complex features of all video games. From in-depth resource management to maintaining control over a whole army, turn-based games can have extreme difficulty levels. To help understand why these games are so popular today, it’s important to look back at all the turn-based strategy games that were ahead of their time and had a major influence on the turn-based strategy games of today.

8 Panzer General

A Turn-Based Strategy Game Focusing On Battles From World War 2, Famous For Hex-Based Wargames.

• Developer – Strategic Simulations Inc
• System – PC
• Released – 1994
• Genre – Turn-Based Strategy

Panzer General is a turn-based strategy game that simulates battles from World War 2. It made waves in the turn-based genre by helping provide a simpler entry title for players with little to no knowledge of the genre. Its simpler play style helped make the Hex-based wargame system more popular and accessible to a wider audience.

Panzer General was also one of the first turn-based strategy games to introduce campaign progress, allowing players to make equipment and unit upgrades based on experience points. Although Panzer General wasn’t the first video game to take on World War 2 and real historical battles, it was one of the first to focus on specific battles with accurate locations, even providing dates for the scenarios as well as some interesting information.

7 Shogun: Total War

The Turn-Based Strategy Game That Combined Turn-Based And Real-Time Gameplay.

Shogun: Total War was one of the first turn-based strategy games to incorporate a hybrid approach to battle scenarios. Shogun: Total War had a turn-based system combined with a real-time system which made for a unique experience upon its release, and 8 Turn-Based Strategy Games Where Every Decision Counts

The combination of turn-based and real-time battles made the game more challenging and opened up new possibilities, with players making turn-based movements across a wider map, before entering real-time when two armies collided. This system allowed for a much more interesting style of pace in turn-based games and helped influence one of the most popular turn-based games of all time Shogun: Total War 2.

6 Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War

A Turn-Based Strategy Game That Popularized Romance Mechanics.

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War was the fourth installment in the Fire Emblem franchise. It is often credited with having helped introduce the Generational system, similar to that of the Civilization franchise. Alongside the Generational system, Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War was praised for its Romance mechanics that helped influence not just turn-based games but video games as a whole.

With the combination of the Generational system and the Romance system, players could manage relationships between two characters which could have the potential to create a strong second-generation character with the Generational system. These systems incorporated in Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War helped influence all future installments in the Fire Emblem franchise.

5 Jagged Alliance 2

The Turn-Based Strategy Game That Raised The Stakes.

• Developer – Sir-Tech
• System – PC
• Released – 2000
• Genre – Turn-Based Strategy

Jagged Alliance 2 set the precedent for raising the stakes in turn-based strategy games with the Action Point system. The Action Point system was used every time the player moved a unit or carried out an attack with a limited number of Action Points, players had to be sparing and more strategic when commanding their troops.

Jagged Alliance 2 is also infamous for helping introduce serious RPG mechanics into turn-based strategy games, with every mercenary in the game having unique personalities, voices, skills and history, which helped make the players more engaged, an idea that many future titles would take inspiration from.

4 Advance Wars

One Of The First Handheld Turn-Based Strategy Games.

Advance Wars was one of the first turn-based strategy games on a handheld, meaning players around the world could play on the go. This idea helped influence many future turn-based games and could be argued to be an influence on the mobile game RAID: Shadow Legends.

Advance Wars was one of the most accessible and fun turn-based games of the time, with simple mechanics but the ability to delve deeper for more interested fans. This broad spectrum meant that anyone from casual to more enthusiastic players could enjoy this game. Advance Wars also introduced a counter system, where certain units would counter other units, promoting more strategic thinking and forcing players to manage their units more carefully.

3 Civilization V

The Most Popular Turn-Based Game Of All Time

Civilization V made some major changes to the Civilization franchise, and the turn-based franchise as a whole. Civilization V made the switch from a square-based grid to a hexagonal system, a major change from previous installments. This allowed for better maneuvering, positioning, and map layout. Civilization V also introduced the One Unit Per Tile system, which limited players to only placing one unit on any given tile, forcing players to think more strategically about unit placement.

Another major improvement of Civilization V that set it apart from its counterparts upon release was the City Districts. City Districts allow players to focus on certain specializations for their cities, whether that be production, science or more. This addition influenced other titles in the genre to allow more City enhancements and specializations.

2 Heroes of Might and Magic III

The Most Additive Turn-Based Game

• Developer – New World Computing
• System – PC
• Released – 1999
• Genre – Turn-Based Strategy

Heroes of Might and Magic III is a cult classic for turn-based strategy games, being widely regarded as one of the best turn-based strategy games of all time. Heroes of Might and Magic III was ahead of its time with its world-building and exploration system. The gameplay loop was also a defining factor that earned Heroes of Might and Magic III such high praise from fans.

With the new world-building, players found themselves stuck in a gameplay loop, constantly doing “One More Turn” to explore new areas of the expansive map. The phrase “One More Turn” is now a popular internet joke among turn-based gaming fans. Heroes of Might and Magic III also has an excellent Hero leveling system, allowing players to tailor their Hero to their chosen playstyle, giving the game an RPG feel at times.

One Of The First Turn-Based Strategy Games.

• Developer – Mythos Games
• System – PC
• Released – 1994
• Genre – Turn-Based Strategy

X-COM: UFO Defense remains a key influence in the turn-based genre, combining strategy, tactical gameplay, world-building and excellent storytelling. This approach to gameplay still has a major influence on turn-based games to this day. X-COM: UFO Defense also incorporated a horror aspect which truly made this game one of a kind upon release.

The combination of strategic recourse management, base building, tactical combat and the use of squads made X-COM: UFO Defense a true outlier when it was released. The Line of sight system meant that the player could only see what their soldier could see, creating a horror-like element to the gameplay. This feature often leads to surprise encounters, which makes the game much more exciting, something that is still sometimes lacking in turn-based games to this day.