Strategy games by their very nature require deep thought and careful consideration, and many gamers these days often find it hard to embark on epic multi-hour campaigns in a single sitting. Planning a multi-turn offensive in a 4X game like Civilization or outfitting your party with optimal gear in a Strategy RPG like Fire Emblem: Three Houses can take much trial-and-error if you want to get things just right and many of us can only grab small windows of gaming time.
Fortunately, the portability of Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite - plus their sleep function - makes them an ideal machine to help fit these brilliant games into a hectic lifestyle, and Switch has a great selection of strategy and tactics games available at retail and on the eShop. Below, we've collected together a selection of our very favourites covering all types of strategy and tactics games.
Whether you're looking to dominate a room, a battlefield or an entire continent, fetch your thinking cap, sit back and enjoy our picks of the best strategy games on Nintendo Switch.
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Sid Meier's Civilization VI (Switch)
If you think the world's premier 4X game (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate) peaked at Civilization IV, the sixth entry won’t change your mind, but we envy anyone who’s never played the series – Civilization VI on Switch is a brilliant introduction. Watching - and influencing - how the world unfolds is as addictive as ever, and the boon of portability make this a great way to play. Lack of online play is an obvious disappointment, but the core game works fantastically well on the handheld and we had an absolute blast; take our advice and get stuck in. Also, give Phillip II a wide berth – true to his word, he’ll get your wealth one way or another!
Tiny Metal: Full Metal Rumble (Switch eShop)
Tiny Metal: Full Metal Rumble surpasses both its predecessor and the recent Wargroove to become the number one Advance Wars 'clone' available on Switch right now. Indeed, it may be fair to say that this time around developer Area 35 has beaten Advance Wars at its own game with a super-tight and generous SRPG that takes the best from the greats it emulates and wraps them up in a much more modern and satisfying package. Battles here are challenging, tense and highly replayable affairs, new tactical options add even more depth to proceedings and the story, once it gets going, will keep you locked in until the fight is done. Long-suffering Advance Wars fans take note - this one really is pretty much essential.
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden - Deluxe Edition (Switch)
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden - Deluxe Edition is one of the best additions to the tactical RPG genre in years; a well-written and rewarding experience that combines the creative use of stealth found in the legacy of its ex-Hitman developers with a world that’s full of interesting characters and ideas. Almost every game in this genre lives in the shadow of XCOM, but Mutant offers enough new ideas to set itself apart. The visual downgrade on the Switch version can be a little hard on the eye, but considering how this sacrifice has preserved the quality of the game within, we’d call that a worthy trade-off.
Bad North (Switch eShop)
A slice of Viking strategic combat right out of the heart of Scandinavia’s indie development scene, Bad North is at the vanguard of a new wave of smart yet intrinsically accessible real-time strategy titles. With enough enemy variance to convince you you’re playing an interactive episode of the Vikings TV show, this endlessly entertaining sea of bitesize battles will teach you to fear - and love - the sound of the oncoming horde.
Into The Breach (Switch eShop)
Coming from Subset Games, the makers of the brilliant FTL: Faster Than Light, Into The Breach is a brutal, uncompromising game of making hard decisions and living with your mistakes, but the short length of battles and endless variety of playthroughs makes for an extremely addictive experience. Though the graphics are nothing special, the gameplay is some of the very best you’ll find in the strategy genre on the Switch, and we can easily recommend this to anybody who’s looking for an in-depth game that’ll make you think. Into The Breach feels right at home on the Switch, and whether you play more at home or on the go, this is a cracking grid-based game.
Banner Saga Trilogy (Switch)
If you happen to love Norse mythology or epic fantasies full of consequence and deft storytelling, then look no further than The Banner Saga. The first game sets the scene beautifully with intriguing cast, gripping tale and absolutely stunning artwork and soundtrack to transport you to a world filled with plenty of danger and surprises. Subtle refinements in the sequel make it a series which just gets better with each entry, and the development of characters, gradual progression of the narrative and multiple choices presented throughout the trilogy lead to multiple satisfying endings with fitting outcomes in the third and final game.
Element (Switch eShop)
Element was one of the first games to show just how well the real-time strategy genre can work on the console when reinterpreted in the right way. Offering enough simplicity and depth for both newbies and old school players, Element cements itself as one of the most intriguing and unique titles you can play on the go. It’s a shame there’s no support for any form of multiplayer, but even as a purely solo effort, it’s a fresh-feeling and excellent addition to a long-in-the-tooth genre.
Comments (57)
What, no Ambition of the Slimes? It's a great callback to Tactics Ogre and worth every penny for a budget price.
I love civilisation on the switch. The only problem is I put it on with the intention of playing it for a couple of hours and before I know it, its the middle of the night and over 10 hours have passed.
Why aren't the Valkyria Chronicles games on this list? They're some of the best strategy games on the system.
To me Tiny Metal is the perfect strategy game, I guess it's because I have always been such a big fan of the Advance Wars series. I am typically not a big fan of turn based strategy but there is just something about that formula that really works for me.
I keep buying strategy titles despite the fact I’m an atrocious tactician. I have Wargroove, SteamWorld Heist, and Mario+Rabbids, and I stink at all of them. 😂
There’s a shameful lack of Valkyria Chronicles in this list.
@Ralizah I honestly think that was just a mental error. Valkyria Chronicles is a great series and shouldn't be missed by any strategy fan.
The switch has an awesome library of strategy games. In addition to these there are several other quality titles such as OTTTD(dirt cheap tower defense on sale right now), Chroma Squad(Just came out, but has really good reviews), Hard West, Valkyria Chronicles, Worms WMD, Sleep Tight and Pixeljunk monsters. All the games I mentioned go on sale once in awhile and you can get them at a good price. Chroma Squad just came out, but it's one I'd assume if you're interested it'll be cheap in a few months if you wanna wait.
Of course, Valkyria Chronicles! It shall be done (in the morning)
No Valkyria Chronicles???
It ain’t a list without Valkyria Chronicles guys, come on now...
Fire Emblem Three Houses
Valkyria Chronicles
Valkyria Chronicles 4
Civilization VI
Mario Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Those 5 are all you need right there.
Kingdom Battle is my favorite Switch game, which is crazy considering I normally hate turn-based strategy games.
Kingdom Battle is taking up my time at the moment. Trying to get back to Into The Breach and Tiny Metal FMR, and still have Valkyria Chronicles unstarted. I am in strategy hell right now.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Tiny Metal, and Civilization 6 are probably my favorites. Oh, and Valkyria Chronicles 4 is pretty good too.
Great list, but Kingdom New Lands is also worth including.
I am not the biggest fan of strategy games but I recently bought Dreamworld heist and oh boy how good is that game (and way bigger than I was expecting). From that list I also have kingdom battle and is a very good game. I would like to try into the breach but I know I will suck at it
Just ready for the expansions to arrive for Civ 6.
Here’s hoping for a port of Final Fantasy Tactics 🤞🏻
@avarisclari I whole heartedly agree ambition of the slimes should be on here.
Fire Emblem Three Houses, Civilization 6, Wargroove, Mario+Rabbids and Disgaea 5 all on the same game console...
It's no wonder I love the Switch so much!
Funnily enough i only know Fire Emblem from Advance Wars (both Intelligent Systems) and AW2 was the first and still one of the best games I had on my GBA.
After playing out FE: Fates and Revelations on my 3DS I'll def be getting Three Houses but i have to say that Steamworld Heist is an amazing game and is definitely a must-buy!!
So until Advance Wars comes out on the Switch should i go for Tiny Metal or Wargroove?
For The King is one of the very best strategy games on the switch at the moment
Darkest Dungeon deserved some love, though it might belong in a different category.
Into the Breach and Civ VI have been my favorite strategy titles on the Switch.
Just got Disgaea 5 Complete today, the price cut was decent and sounds like a steal for a 100h+ game that had such a positive reception. Gotta check it out.
@JayJ Try Wargroove yet?
@Roronoa11 I'd say Wargroove is better though I have heard that the second tiny metal game is much better than the first one.
Wargroove let's you do more stuff though. Level editor, campaign editor, missions to do, etc.
If you like imports, there's also the Super Robot Wars series.
I think there’s a page missing. No Valkyria Chronicles.
No Valkyria Chronicles 1 OR 4?
For shame!
I just wish Nintendo would release Advance Wars, or any Wars game(like Famicom Wars, super Famicom Wars, or Gameboy wars) on Switch. Not in 1080p 3D with some choppy frame rate, but whatever combination of sprites or low resolution polygons can run at 60fps. I love all the old GBA and DS wars games, so just get M2 to emulate them on Switch. A new game would be incredible, but ports would be good enough!
I still haven't tried Element yet. I want to play it though. If it goes on sale I'll buy it immediately.
@JayJ they have just gone on sale , would you recommend playing the first before new one?
Also I’d recommend Valkyria Chronicles 4, along with all the DLC. A fine example of a great turn based SRPG, along with Valkyria Chronicles 1 (eShop).
Bloons Tower Defense 5, one of the finest Tower Defense games I’ve played and a ton of deep strategy to be had if you like that sub-genre of Real Time Strategy games.
Finally also classic Risk (Hasbro/Ubisoft) and Battleship (also Hasbro) just been released if you want some board game strategy action (Also Catan by Azmodee Digital-but I can’t recommend this one as mystifyingly there was no local multiplayer option included).
@Mince Yeah I really enjoyed that one and they have a bit of a different feel, but if you were to buy just one I would probably say the newest one is the best as it feels like a more well rounded version of the original and it is easy to get into if you are new. I would say it's all on you, if you are a fan of Advance Wars and think you would buy both I would recommend starting with the original, but if you are unsure about it and doubt your continued interest just go for the new one.
It is also worth noting how the original game got a lot of updates with content added over time, so the game that you would play today is a noteworthy improvement over what was originally released.
Civilization 6. Better than I expected on Switch.
A good list! I would recommend Battle Chasers: Nightwar if you like a good turn-based RPG.
Hard West should be on this list.
@FlashmanHarry Lol, dude, that's just Civ in general.
@Ralizah Good point. Those games absolutely deserve to be on the list!
@Roronoa11 Wargroove no question! Stellar game, better art style, way more replay value, much more like Advance Wars. I am baffled at how much NL liked either Tiny Metal game. The claim that is "beats Advance Wars at it's own game" that the reviewer made sounds like a drug induced illusion that made me disregard their entire review.
Mario+Rabbids is better than Xcom imo!
Would love a sequel to Heist...
TL;DR
1. Get Fire Emblem Three Houses, play it
2. Get Valkyria Chronicles (1 and 4), play them (they're not on the list but far better than most of what is actually on there, and they're strategy games)
3. Get Into the Breach, play it
Then look at the list for alternatives that are good.
Too many good games. So little time. But Fire Emblem has got me back gaming. Every lite piece of time I have I play it. I love it so much. The Switch really is perfect with the sleep function. It’s so easy to get inte the game fast and just play whenever you want.
When you think about it, Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey are also strategy games and should be on this list!
(Just kidding)
I have always differentiated strategy games like Civilisation and tactical games which are more RPG oriented.
Also for some reason I have never seen Steamworld Heist as a strategy game, I would only sort it in the "pure awesomeness" category.
Let’s PIK this list apart to MIN imise the sorrow 4 our lost friends.
About a third of these games I own and love.
Another third I’ve bought but are in the backlog.
The remaining third I must stop myself from buying to prevent my backlog getting bigger!
With Civilization, Fire Emblem and Valkyria Chronicles you have hundreds of hours of gaming in front of you.
No Valkyria Chonicles? Blasphemy!
I bought the first tiny metal, played 4 or 5 stages, and lost interest. I got wargroove and spent over 50 hours in it, it was all I played!! I don't get the love for tiny metal, although I haven't tried the second one....
Valkyria Chronicles has been added The person responsible for this oversight has been disciplined most vigorously.
@Namelessd Im with ya on the first TM. Ibhave a buddy who felt the same, but took the plunge (it is cheap) on the sequel, and won't shut up about it now. Its apparently a lot better, and has reviewed quite well.
@FlashmanHarry That happens almost everytime I play Civilization with friends
There are so many games in this genre that I love, that I want to play! I feel like if they stopped making games today, the games on this list would keep me busy for years.
On my Switch, I have: Civilization VI, Tiny Metal, Tiny Metal: Full Metal Rumble, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, WarGroove, SteamWorld Heist, and others. I like them all. I'm currently playing Tiny Metal: Full Metal Rumble right now. I'm actually typing this during my opponents turn. I've 100% beaten the Story Campaign Mode, and unlocked everything. Now I'm in the middle of trying to 100% Skirmish Mode. But I still play the others. I'm a big Civilization fan. On PC too. In fact, I have part 2, 4, 5, and 6, all installed on my PC right now. Yes, I still play 2 all of these many years later. But I play the others too. I even had the DS version as well. But yeah, I like Strategy Games. I even had Chess on my Switch, and Phone, and PC, and actual board games.
@Ralizah They're on the second page.
Mutant Year Zero looks horrible on Switch. The absolute garbage visual fidelity actually effects your gameplay too, so buyer beware. NL will just ignore that kind of thing if there's an AMAZON LINK they can toss on it.
@Dang69 They are now. Not when I posted that comment almost a month ago.
@Ralizah Whoa what? I though this thing was brand new. I guess it isn't. VC4 is my 5th most played Switch, would be a crime to not be on here. Chipping away at VC1 inbetween other releases.
@Dang69 Pretty sure they re-post these lists every time they make a change to them. But it is confusing when an article pops up with comments from months in the past.
VC4 is gold. My one real issue with the original was the lack of incentive to use different soldiers in my squad once I found a nice balance, since the side missions in that one all seem to revolve around the core group of characters. But the Fire Emblem-esque Squad Stories constantly incentivize the player to change up squad composition to unlock new stories. I also love actually learning about these people. By the end, the entire giant cast of side characters in VC4 felt far more fully realized to me than most of the soldiers in the original game.
@Ralizah the layout of the maps is 4 is so much better too. A bunch of other additions really keep it from feeling samey and repetious too. The story in one, and it's maon characters are better though. Though simplier in them, they're stronger. But overall VC4 is sooooo much better. VC1 is great tho.
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