So, you want to get into strategy games, but don’t know where to start. Don’t worry, as we at GameWatcher have used a bit of our own expertise to create a handy, straight-to-the-point guide of the 12 best strategy games for beginners that you can jump into right now.
It doesn’t matter whether you start off as a child or get into them at a later age; strategy video games can be daunting at first, regardless of the subgenre you choose to explore. Most of the time, you’ll be dealing with many variables and keeping track of several systems that overlap and can easily spiral out of control. It’s part of what makes them so special and addicting. However, they needn’t be hard to get into. While things can get truly complex and hectic as you approach deeper strategy games, many options are very accessible without losing the spark which makes their more demanding relatives so enjoyable.
We’ve decided to split the list into six distinct subgenres that represent the variety of strategy games and the different approaches to testing the players’ decision-making and planning skills. Each section/subgenre includes two picks we encourage you to check out, but we might also have some extra recommendations.
4X: Civilization VI and Endless Space 2
4X games are strategy games in which players control a faction that “explores, expands, exploits, and exterminates.” Typically, the gameplay is turn-based, which removes the extra stress that comes with real-time games out of the equation. However, 4X games are also known for their deep and complex mechanics and systems, which involve lots of micromanagement as well as planning in advance to successfully reach long-term goals and hopefully hit the victory conditions after lengthy, hours-long matches.
While 4X games used to be ‘niche’ a couple of decades ago, we’ve got plenty of them to check out nowadays, whether they use historical or fictional settings. Our personal recommendation is to start out with the last installment of Sid Meier’s Civilization series, Civilization VI, along with its expansion packs. The rule of thumb with these big games is that they’re only as hard and complex as you want them to be. The Civilization series excels at offering plenty of options to tailor the experience to your liking and does a good job of teaching new players the ropes early on. Moreover, Civilization VI, as the most recent game in the series, packs plenty of much-needed QoL changes as well as a friendlier interface than its predecessors. You can play it on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PS4/5, and Xbox consoles.
You can find it on Humble Store.
Another good option is Endless Space 2, which can essentially be described as the more newcomer-friendly alternative to Stellaris. The latter has developed a bigger following over the years, but Endless Space 2 is easier on the eyes and not as confusing as first. We must warn you, however, that it’s definitely a more advanced 4X game than Civilization VI at its most complex, so perhaps it’s better to approach it as your second ‘stepping stone’ once you’ve figured out the genre’s basics and want to conquer the stars. You can play it on Windows and macOS.
You can find it on Steam.
Grand strategy: Total War: Warhammer and Crusader Kings 3
Grand strategy video games reflect tabletop wargames like Risk and Axis & Allies, but ultimately land quite close to the 4X structure and share plenty of traits. The defining difference is the bigger focus on military strategy and movement of troops in order to conquer other players’ territories. That said, diplomacy and resource-management still play a sizable role in most grand strategy games.
There’s always been a big discussion about whether the Total War games are RTS or grand strategy, since they heavily feature elements from both subgenres. We personally believe they’re more on the grand strategy (but simpler) side of things, as you can win entire campaign maps without directly playing an RTS battle. There are many amazing entries to choose from, but we think the Total War: Warhammer trilogy might be the most appealing subsaga in the franchise due to its setting. Start with the first one and progress from there. You can play it on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
You can find it on Humble Store.
Moving on to a clearer example of what a ‘pure’ grand strategy game is, we’ve decided to recommend Crusader Kings 3. It might not be the best one, but the Crusader Kings series is definitely ‘easier’ to get into (it still requires some learning) than many others, and its third entry has plenty of quality-of-life changes and helpful tweaks that makes the onboarding process much smoother. You can play it on Windows, macOS, Linux, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
You can find it on Humble Store.
City builders: Banished and Cities: Skylines
City builders could be bundled together with pure management sims, but the subgenre has grown enough on its own to warrant a separate category. While tons of macro and micromanagement are still needed in most city builders, a lot of attention is also paid to the more creative joy of building the town or city that you want once you figure out its more functional elements.
Medieval town/city builders have grown in numbers in recent years thanks to the indie scene, so there are plenty to choose from, each with a very specific approach, but we’ve gone with an older-but-still-modern one: Banished. While its original launch state was a bit rough, it’s grown over the years into a notable town builder with a very comfy and familiar flavor, and never feels overbearing. Competition is fierce, and there are better options, but it’s the best starting point in this space. You can play it on Windows.
You can find it on Humble Store.
Of course, things get much simpler if we look to classical city sims in the vein of Sim City, a series seemingly killed by EA for good; Cities: Skylines wins here by a huge margin. It’s really easy to get into, has enjoyed fantastic support for years, and can be further enhanced by countless mods made by the truly passionate community. Cities: Skylines 2 still has a ways to go before reaching its full potential, and requires beefier hardware, so the first one is a safer bet for now. You can play it on Windows, Linux, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PS4/5, and Xbox consoles.
You can find it on Humble Store.
Management sims: RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 and Two Point Hospital
Not every management sim is a business simulation/tycoon game, but most of them are. The central point of them is planning and executing successful businesses or simulated economies. They typically involve more management than construction, but the best and most enduring management sims also let you go wild with creativity and aren’t all about pumping those numbers up.
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is both one of the best management sims ever and a really solid starting point for beginners, so it has it all and should keep anyone busy for dozens (if not hundreds) of hours. Moreover, 2020’s Complete Edition was a fantastic tune-up for modern systems. You can play it on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Nintendo Switch.
You can find it on Steam.
A spiritual successor to the 1997 classic Theme Hospital, 2018’s Two Point Hospital nailed everything a comedic management sim should be, and its updates and pieces of DLC only made it bigger and deeper. From the user interface to the mechanics, it’s a remarkably polished and friendly experience that feels perfect for newcomers to this subgenre. You can play it on Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.
Real-time strategy: Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition and Command & Conquer: Remastered Collection
Real-time strategy games are perhaps the subgenre that most people think of when the larger concept of ‘strategy games’ is brought up. They don’t progress in turns, so every action happens simultaneously for all players, whether they’re human or AI. Typically, there’s a bigger focus on military actions, but most of the genre’s classics also paid tons of attention to resource collection/management as well as base-building.
While the subgenre is in a pretty dire state nowadays, exciting indie releases as well as some pretty strong remasters are keeping the spark alive. We believe there’s not a better starting point at the moment than Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition. It’s a timeless classic for lots of good reasons, and the most recent release made it the best that it’s ever been, with upgraded visuals and a much-welcome set of QoL changes, plus even more content through all-new expansion packs. The skill ceiling is high, but it remains super easy to get into, plus it looks gorgeous. You can play it on Windows and Xbox consoles.
You can find it on Humble Store.
Another great option that feels both old and fresh and serves as a pretty fantastic starting point for anyone looking to get into RTS is 2020’s Command & Conquer: Remastered Collection, which includes the first two games of the long-running series: Command & Conquer and Red Alert. All the expansions were included, all the audio and visuals were remastered and upscaled up to 4K, and both the UI and online components were tuned-up. It’s all top-notch base-building and RTS action. You can play it on Windows.
You can find it on Steam.
Turn-based tactics: Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope and Gears Tactics
Last but not least, we arrive at the crowded subgenre of turn-based action and tactics. It’s all about the thrill of strategic battles and management of armies and squads, and it’s grown in many directions over the decades. While you’d think games like the most recent XCOM installments are a great starting point, there are far less scary options for beginners available.
As it stands, we can’t think of a more charming and beginner-friendly tactics game than Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope. It’s the second one in the spinoff series, but you needn’t play the first installment unless you’re a completionist. The colorful humor should work across all age groups, the controls and mechanics are easy to grasp, and the actual combat encounters (which are surrounded by exploration) can get pretty hard on higher difficulties. You can play it on Nintendo Switch.
You can find it on Humble Store.
As for a more mature and demanding affair, Gears Tactics is your very best bet before jumping into something like XCOM. Story-wise, it actually adds a lot to the universe it’s set in if you already are a big Gears of War fan. The gameplay is very much based on the subgenre’s classics, but doesn’t throw nearly as much information at you and is paced more naturally. Moreover, it works great with controllers, given it was envisioned as an Xbox game first and foremost. You can play it on Windows and Xbox consoles.
You can find it on Steam.
Thought of any that we might be missing? Let us know, we would love to hear our readers’ recommendations.
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