From chess to StarCraft, here are 10 classic strategy games that will challenge - and strengthen - your brain. Chess: King of games The word chess is derived from the Persian 'shah,' which means. The 13 Best Turn Based Strategy Games of All Time Turn based strategy games are games that involve wits and creativity to emerge victorious. Each move must be well thought out and made carefully or else defeat is certain. Here are 13 games that have embodied the spirit of turn based. Want to play Cool Games? Play Tank Trouble, Paper.io 2, Hole.io and many more for free on Poki. The best starting point for discovering cool games. Loads Of Cool Games: Welcome to the Strategy Games Section Click on the image of a game that you would like to play. Bloons Tower Defense 5. Bloons Tower Defense 4. Whether you’re into round-based combat, real-time management, or grand strategy, on this list you’ll find only the best strategy games to play right now. Offworld Trading Company.
Compelling themes, smart mechanics, comprehensive rules — there are so many factors that need to come together before a game can qualify as one of the best strategy board games for adults. A few classics have survived the years, but as board game popularity reaches its peak (nearly 5,000 new board games were introduced into the US market yearly, according to recent data), more and more favorites are joining the ranks. For tabletop players, that's awesome news — but it's also a lot of options to sort through.
Lately, there's been an influx of adult party games that'll make any game night, but strategy games are a little bit more complex. (They're also significantly more expensive than their card-game counterparts.) For that reason, it's important to know your favorite niches and your preferred involvement levels before you invest in a strategy board game. No one wants to read halfway through the rulebook only to realize they have zero interest in engine building, for example.
I've researched the best strategy board games according to players and reviewers and broken them down into all the most telling categories. That way, you can find one that sounds intriguing to you, so that you can dominate your next game night. And, to help you out, I've sorted them from the simplest to the most intricate games, so you can pick the perfect strategy board game for your group.
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From chess to StarCraft, here are 10 classic strategy games that will challenge - and strengthen - your brain.
Chess: King of games
The word chess is derived from the Persian 'shah,' which means king. The board was developed between the third and sixth centuries in India and is comprised of 64 small squares. Only two players can play against each other, using 16 pieces each. The aim is to checkmate your opponent by threatening their king in such a way that it cannot escape or be freed by another piece in the next move.
Go: Made in Asia
Go originated in China, but was largely developed in Korea and Japan. It's played with black and white stones on a board crisscrossed by 19 horizontal and 19 vertical lines. Stones are placed on the intersections of the lines, with the aim being not to eliminate your opponent but to capture a majority of the board.
Shogi: Japanese chess
This Japanese variation of chess is played on a board divided into nine fields, though smaller or larger boards are also common. There's one important difference between shogi and chess: In the Japanese version, pieces are not assigned to a particular player, but can be used by both. Checkmate, however, is still the aim of the game.
Checkers: Jump and steal
A checkers board looks like a chessboard, but the rules differ greatly. In this case, players can only move their pieces diagonally across the darker squares, one square at a time, until they are able to capture their opponent's piece by jumping over it. The winner is the first to steal all of the other player's pieces. Checkers is also known as draughts and is called 'Dame' ('lady') in German.
Nine Men's Morris: Mill's the game
The board consists of three squares of gradually smaller size drawn within each other. Two players participate with nine tiles each. The aim is to get three of the tiles in a row, known as a mill, which allows you to remove one of your opponent's tiles. The winner is the first to reduce his opponent to two tiles, thereby hindering a three-tile mill.
Tic-tac-toe: Circle or square?
It's perhaps the best game for long car trips, because all you need is a pencil and piece of paper. Tic-tac-toe dates back to the 12th century. Two players alternate in drawing an X or an O on a nine-square grid. The first player to create a row - horizontally, vertically or diagonally - wins. Tic-tac-toe was one of the first strategy games played on computers.
'Connect Four': The vertical board
It's also considered a board game - but it's played vertically. 'Connect Four' was introduced in 1974 and is a game for two players. The first to get four tiles of their color in a row - vertically, horizontally or diagonally - wins. It's similar to tic-tac-toe, except there are 42 open squares instead of just nine.
'Civilization': From the board to the screen
Initially conceived as a board game, 'Civilization' was introduced in 1980. The idea was complex: A civilization must survive hardships from antiquity to the Iron Age. Seven players can play simultaneously and one game can last up to 10 hours. In 1991, 'Civilization' was launched as a computer game and became an international hit.
'Anno': Playing with people and resources
Another favorite resource-related game is 'Anno,' introduced in 1998. The idea behind it is to discover and populate fictional islands and then meet the needs of the new island residents. It's also possible for players to compete against each other - simulating attacks and trade.
'StarCraft': A national pastime
For some it may be a simple diversion, but in South Korea 'StarCraft' is a national pastime. The real-time strategy game was introduced in 1998 and has remained one of the most popular computer games on the market. Player build a base, collect resources and acquire soldiers to fight their opponents. Online tournaments are of national importance in South Korea - and even open to spectators.
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Chess: King of games
The word chess is derived from the Persian 'shah,' which means king. The board was developed between the third and sixth centuries in India and is comprised of 64 small squares. Only two players can play against each other, using 16 pieces each. The aim is to checkmate your opponent by threatening their king in such a way that it cannot escape or be freed by another piece in the next move.
Go: Made in Asia
Go originated in China, but was largely developed in Korea and Japan. It's played with black and white stones on a board crisscrossed by 19 horizontal and 19 vertical lines. Stones are placed on the intersections of the lines, with the aim being not to eliminate your opponent but to capture a majority of the board.
Shogi: Japanese chess
This Japanese variation of chess is played on a board divided into nine fields, though smaller or larger boards are also common. There's one important difference between shogi and chess: In the Japanese version, pieces are not assigned to a particular player, but can be used by both. Checkmate, however, is still the aim of the game.
Checkers: Jump and steal
A checkers board looks like a chessboard, but the rules differ greatly. In this case, players can only move their pieces diagonally across the darker squares, one square at a time, until they are able to capture their opponent's piece by jumping over it. The winner is the first to steal all of the other player's pieces. Checkers is also known as draughts and is called 'Dame' ('lady') in German.
Nine Men's Morris: Mill's the game
The board consists of three squares of gradually smaller size drawn within each other. Two players participate with nine tiles each. The aim is to get three of the tiles in a row, known as a mill, which allows you to remove one of your opponent's tiles. The winner is the first to reduce his opponent to two tiles, thereby hindering a three-tile mill.
Tic-tac-toe: Circle or square?
It's perhaps the best game for long car trips, because all you need is a pencil and piece of paper. Tic-tac-toe dates back to the 12th century. Two players alternate in drawing an X or an O on a nine-square grid. The first player to create a row - horizontally, vertically or diagonally - wins. Tic-tac-toe was one of the first strategy games played on computers.
'Connect Four': The vertical board
It's also considered a board game - but it's played vertically. 'Connect Four' was introduced in 1974 and is a game for two players. The first to get four tiles of their color in a row - vertically, horizontally or diagonally - wins. It's similar to tic-tac-toe, except there are 42 open squares instead of just nine.
'Civilization': From the board to the screen
Initially conceived as a board game, 'Civilization' was introduced in 1980. The idea was complex: A civilization must survive hardships from antiquity to the Iron Age. Seven players can play simultaneously and one game can last up to 10 hours. In 1991, 'Civilization' was launched as a computer game and became an international hit.
'Anno': Playing with people and resources
Another favorite resource-related game is 'Anno,' introduced in 1998. The idea behind it is to discover and populate fictional islands and then meet the needs of the new island residents. It's also possible for players to compete against each other - simulating attacks and trade.
'StarCraft': A national pastime
For some it may be a simple diversion, but in South Korea 'StarCraft' is a national pastime. The real-time strategy game was introduced in 1998 and has remained one of the most popular computer games on the market. Player build a base, collect resources and acquire soldiers to fight their opponents. Online tournaments are of national importance in South Korea - and even open to spectators.
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