Despite all the debates and discussions over which gaming console or system is the best, the reality is that there's little difference between modern systems, whether it be PC, Xbox Series X, or PlayStation 5. Each system does have its share of strengths and weaknesses, though, with PC generally being the best place to play strategy games.

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Simply put, the mouse and keyboard combination is far better designed for most strategy games than controllers, as controllers can make it arduous to scroll through menus and make a wide range of commands on the fly. However, there have been a handful of great strategy games released on consoles in the past few years, many of which have been designed to work seamlessly with a controller.

Updated May 1, 2022 by Jack Pursey: The lack of strategy games on consoles can make it hard for fans of the genre to find great games to play. However, while strategy games on home consoles are few and far between, there have been some absolute gems over the years that will more than satisfy the genre's loyal fan base. To give strategy fans more ideas of what to play next, we've updated this list to include some more of the best console strategy games.

10 Crusader Kings 3

Hold Court in Crusader Kings 3

Crusader Kings 3 was first released on PC in September 2020 before arriving on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S as recently as March 2022. The game also launched on Microsoft's value-for-money Game Pass service for Xbox, giving plenty of people the chance to play.

Crusader Kings 3 is a grand strategy game set in the Middle Ages that tasks players with building and developing a dynasty over the course of many centuries. The game was a hit with critics, exemplified by its 91 Metascore on PC and 88 Metascore on PlayStation 5.

9 Pikmin 3

A group of Red, Blue, Yellow, Rock, and Flying Pikmin in Pikmin 3 Deluxe

Pikmin 3 was originally released in 2013 exclusively on the Wii U before - like many Wii U games - being released on the Nintendo Switch in the form of an enhanced port.

Unlike the other games on this list that predominantly put players in control of enormous armies to fight in catastrophic wars, Pikmin 3 puts players in control of the adorable, colorful creatures known as Pikmin, who the player must instruct to help them complete a wide range of tasks and tricky puzzles.

8 Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars gameplay

The Command & Conquer series is one of the biggest names in the strategy genre. The franchise began in 1995 and received new entries on virtually a yearly basis up until 2012. Since 2012, there have only been a free-to-play mobile game titled Command & Conquer: Rivals and a remastered collection.

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Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars was released on PC and Xbox 360 in 2007 and implemented an impressive range of new features to the long-running series, such as unit upgrades and faction-unique special powers.

7 XCOM 2

XCOM 2 Fire Weapon option

XCOM 2 was first released in February 2016 and, like its predecessor XCOM: Enemy Unknown, offered one of the best turn-based strategy experiences in modern gaming. The game puts players in control of a unit of soldiers and tasks them with completing various objectives while fighting against a wide range of punishing enemy types.

Although the top-down combat sequences are what the game is known for, it's only half the battle, as players also have to oversee a mobile base where they must conduct research, assign tasks for staff, and promote soldiers.

6 Gears Tactics

Gears Tactics loadout screen

XCOM 2's impressive commercial success led to several imitators, most notably Gears Tactics, which essentially feels like the Gears of War and XCOM series' were put in a blender.

Although the Gears IP is the biggest selling point of Gears Tactics compared to XCOM 2, it's also worth noting that Gears Tactics is more beginner-friendly. The game certainly isn't easy, though it seems that developers Splash Damage and The Coalition made a conscious effort to make Gears Tactics an option for casual strategy gamers, an audience that was largely put off by XCOM 2's brutal difficulty.

5 Civilization 6

Specialty Districts From Civilization 6

The Civilization series is one of the biggest names in the strategy genre. MicroProse found a winning formula with the original Civilization in 1991, and the grand strategy series has built upon it ever since.

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Civilization 6 is unapologetic in how long each match can take, though this is part of the series' charm as the feeling of building an entire empire over the course of a few hours is a rewarding feeling unlike almost anything else in the genre. It also makes late-game decisions all the more dramatic as players desperately try to ensure that their hours of work aren't wasted while fending off the devastating threat of being wiped out by an army or even a nuclear weapon.

4 The Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle Earth 2

Clash of armies in The Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-Earth 2.

The Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth 2 was first released on PC in February 2006, before coming to Xbox 360 a few months later.

The game did everything that one would want in a Lord of the Rings real-time strategy game, giving players a wide range of factions to control, including Gondor, Mordor, and Men of the West; offering iconic locations as maps such as Helms Deep, Isengard, and Minas Tirith; and letting players summon Heroes like Legolas, Gandalf, and Aragon.

Like its predecessor, Battle for Middle Earth 2 offers two campaigns, a Good Campaign, and an Evil Campaign, while also letting players create their own battles in Skirmish mode.

3 Halo Wars

UNSC units fighting a Covenant Scarab in Halo Wars

Like the original Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth, Xbox Game Studios' Halo Wars answered the wishes of many fans who wanted a real-time strategy Halo game.

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Halo Wars was released exclusively on the Xbox 360 in February 2009 before coming to PC and Xbox One in December 2016. The game was developed by Ensemble Studios, who did an excellent job of creating a game that, although clearly aimed at Halo fans, was a solid strategy game on its own merit. Moreover, the fact that the game was designed exclusively for the Xbox 360, rather than just being a port of a PC title, makes it one of the best strategy games for console gamers.

2 Frostpunk

Frostpunk City

Frostpunk was developed by Polish company 11 Bit Studios and first released on PC in 2018 before coming to consoles the following year. The game takes place in 1886, in an alternative timeline where a volcanic winter has wiped out much of civilization. It is the player's job to build and maintain a city from the ground up in this volcanic winter, which will require players to make desperate decisions in the hope of survival.

Frostpunk was well-received by critics, earning an 87 Metascore on PlayStation 4 and a nomination for Best Strategy Game at The Game Awards 2018.

1 Valkyria Chronicles 4

Player lining up a suprise attack

Valkyria Chronicles 4 is a tactical role-playing game from Sega that was first released on PlayStation 4 in 2018 before coming to Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC in September of the same year. The game doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, keeping its gameplay very similar to previous entries in the series while also retaining the franchise's emphasis on cutscene-heavy storytelling.

Like Frostpunk, Valkyria Chronicles 4 received a nomination for Best Strategy Game from The Game Awards in 2018, though both games ultimately lost out to Into the Breach.

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