A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game

Strategy game

A strategy game or strategic game is a game in which the players' uncoerced, and often autonomous decision-making skills have a high significance in determining the outcome...

 (usually some type of wargame

Wargaming

A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...

, especially a strategic-level wargame) where players take turns

Time-keeping systems in games

In video and other games, the passage of time must be handled in a way that players find fair and easy to understand. This is usually done in one of two ways:-Real-time:...

 when playing. This is distinguished from real time strategy where all players play simultaneously.

Turn-based tactics

Main article Turn-based tactics

Turn-based tactics

Turn-based tactics , or tactical turn-based , is a computer and video game genre of strategy video games that through stop-action simulates the considerations and circumstances of operational warfare and military tactics in generally small-scale confrontations as opposed to more strategic...

Turn-based tactical gameplay is characterized by the expectation of players to complete their tasks using just the combat forces provided to them, and usually by the provision of a realistic (or at least believable) representation of military tactics and operations. Tactical role-playing game

Tactical role-playing game

A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...

s are a part of this genre. Examples include Military Madness

Military Madness

Military Madness is sci-fi-themed, hex map turn-based strategy game for the TurboGrafx-16. The first game in the Nectaris series, it was developed by Hudson Soft....

, The Battle for Wesnoth, Poxnora

PoxNora

PoxNora: Battlefield of the Immortals is a multiplayer online game that combines a collectible card game with a turn-based strategy game in a fantasy setting. PoxNora was originally launched via Java Web Start through a browser and can be played on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux...

, Silent Storm

Silent Storm

Silent Storm is a tactical role-playing game for Microsoft Windows, developed by Russian developer Nival Interactive and published by JoWood in 2003. The game is set in World War II Europe. The player commands a team of up to six elite soldiers on the Axis or Allied side, undertaking a variety of...

, Steel Panthers: World at War!

Steel Panthers

Steel Panthers is a series of computer wargames, developed and published by several different companies, with various games covering battles from 1930 to 2020. The first game was released in 1995, and the most recent was released in 2006 and is still updated regularly. Players control individual...

, Nintendo Wars

Nintendo Wars

The Advance Wars series, known as in Japan as , and often referred to as "Nintendo Wars" when referring to all the installments internationally, is a series of military turn-based and real-time strategy video games , usually developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. The series...

, UniWar

UniWar

UniWar is a video game for the iPhone and Android mobile platform first released in April 2009. The game has done so well on the iPhone and Android platforms that the developers have since released the application on other mobile devices. A post from Dec 16th 2009 on the UniWar website states that...

, and uTanks

UTanks

uTanks is a free massively multiplayer online game that uses a unique active turn based strategy gameplay created by a 4-person volunteer development team known as . Originally inspired by its predecessor Battlefield which was discontinued when its hosting site bonus.com filed for bankruptcy...

Civilization 5

Mainstream games

After a period of converting board and historic TBS games to computer games, companies began basing computer turn-based strategy games on completely original properties or concepts. The presence of a computer to calculate and arbitrate allows game complexity which is not feasible in a traditional board game.

Some well known turn-based strategy games are Sid Meier

Sid Meier

Sidney K. "Sid" Meier is a Canadian programmer and designer of several popular computer strategy games, most notably Civilization. He has won accolades for his contributions to the computer games industry...

's Civilization

Civilization (computer game)

Sid Meier's Civilization is a turn-based strategy "4X"-type strategy video game created by Sid Meier and Bruce Shelley for MicroProse in 1991. The game's objective is to "Build an empire to stand the test of time": it begins in 4000 BC and the players attempt to expand and develop their empires...

series, Heroes of Might and Magic

Heroes of Might and Magic

Heroes of Might and Magic is a series of video games originally created and developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing. As part of the Might and Magic franchise, the series changed ownership when NWC was acquired by 3DO and again when 3DO closed down and sold the rights to Ubisoft...

 series, Panzer General

Panzer General

Panzer General is a computer wargame published by Strategic Simulations in 1994 and set in World War II.- Overview:Panzer General is turn-based game, set on operational level hex maps. One plays lone scenarios from either Axis or Allied side and against a computer or human opponent...

 series, and Age of Wonders

Age of Wonders

Age of Wonders is a turn-based strategy PC-game often likened to Master of Magic. Originally titled World of Wonders, the game incorporated several role-playing video game elements that were dropped when simultaneous turns were implemented...

 series.

Indie games

A further market trend is the rise of "Indie" TBS games (games produced by small groups, independent or only somewhat affiliated with the major elements in the computer games industry). These games often extend or refine already existing TBS strategy games.

Open-source games

Since turn-based strategy games do not typically require vast amounts of art or modeling, developers willing to volunteer their time can focus on gameplay. Directories like Freecode provide large lists of open-source, turn-based strategy projects.

Browser-based games

Because they do not require users to install files and are often free, online browser-based games are becoming very popular. All that they require is any device with a web browser and internet connection. Many will work just as well on a PDA

Personal digital assistant

A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...

 phone as they do on a desktop computer

Desktop computer

A desktop computer is a personal computer in a form intended for regular use at a single location, as opposed to a mobile laptop or portable computer. Early desktop computers are designed to lay flat on the desk, while modern towers stand upright...

.

See also

• Chronology of turn-based strategy video games
  Chronology of turn-based strategy video games
  This is a comprehensive index of turn-based strategy video games, sorted chronologically. Information regarding date of release, developer, platform, setting and notability is provided when available. The table can be sorted by clicking on the small boxes next to the column headings.-Legend:-List:...
  
  
• Time-keeping systems in games
  Time-keeping systems in games
  In video and other games, the passage of time must be handled in a way that players find fair and easy to understand. This is usually done in one of two ways:-Real-time:...