We already published the list of best Xbox 360 games of all time, now it’s time to discover the best Xbox 360 strategy games of all time.
With amazing titles available, the Xbox 360 definitely has a great library of strategy games.
So, if you’re a fan of both the Xbox 360 and strategy games, there’s a chance you’ll like this list.
And some of you may already know some of the games mentioned in this list.
#25. From Dust
- Release Data: Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft, 2011
- Genre: Strategy » General
From Dust is memorable, beautiful and unique, something that stays in your mind long after you’ve moved on to something else.
Sometimes it takes the challenge too far, and superfluous mechanics occasionally overcomplicate a simple and elegantly limited formula, but From Dust is nonetheless an extraordinary achievement.
#24. Outpost Kaloki X
- Release Data: NinjaBee, 2005
- Genre: Strategy » Management » Business / Tycoon
Outpost Kaloki X doesn’t offer much in the way of fancy graphics and sound, but the colorful 3D visuals and the soundtrack suit the game well.
In addition to all the different scenarios, the game offers high-score leaderboards as well as a dozen unlockable achievements, which help give you incentive to press your way through all the missions and modes.
#23. A Kingdom for Keflings
- Release Data: NinjaBee, 2008
- Genre: Strategy » General
If you’re in the mood for a laid-back game with serious depth, A Kingdom For Keflings is the perfect choice.
This world-building game is humorous, unique and has none of the high-pressure feel of the typical strategy game.
It’s a fantastic take on a well-established PC genre, and it provides peaceful gameplay and ease of entry for gamers of all ages.
#22. Awesomenauts
- Release Data: Ronimo Games/DTP Entertainment, 2012
- Genre: Strategy » Real-Time » MOBA
Overall, Awesomenauts for the Xbox 360 is a highly enjoyable multiplayer game with a ton of personality.
If you looking for strictly a single player experience then Awesomenauts is not for you; however, if you are looking for a fresh and unique multiplayer game Awesomenauts is highly recommended, especially if you have friends to play with.
#21. Tom Clancy’s EndWar
- Release Data: Ubisoft Shanghai/Ubisoft, 2008
- Genre: Strategy » Real-Time » Tactics
EndWar‘s unique voice command mechanic makes it wholly unique among strategy games, and it’s this innovation that stands out above all of its other features.
Strip it away, and you’ll find a RTS game that can be fun and satisfying, but is ultimately just a bit too simplistic.
All in all, the entire gameplay experience is a recommended one.
#20. Quarrel
- Release Data: Denki/UTV Ignition Games, 2012
- Genre: Strategy » General
Overall, Quarrel is an enjoyable game that word puzzle fans will really appreciate since such games are a rarity on Xbox Live Arcade.
Add an extra layer of strategy, and you have a great little game to play when you want to give your brain more of a workout than your reflexes.
#19. The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth II
- Release Data: EA LA/EA Games, 2006
- Genre: Strategy » Real-Time » General
Put it all together and The Battle for Middle-Earth II is a game that offers a lot for the strategy-inclined gamer.
While the single-player game will appeal to fans of The Lord of the Rings, competitive players will undoubtedly be drawn to the multiplayer mode, especially since there’s nothing quite like it on the Xbox 360.
#18. Orcs Must Die!
- Release Data: Robot Entertainment, 2011
- Genre: Strategy » Real-Time » Defense
Orcs Must Die! presents itself with confident simplicity.
Every element in the game has a distinct purpose and you’re never bogged down with unnecessary chores.
If single-player is your style and you have a deep-seated hatred for orcs, give this a try.
#17. Anomaly: Warzone Earth
- Release Data: 11 bit studios, 2012
- Genre: Strategy » Real-Time » General
Anomaly: Warzone Earth‘s fresh perspective on the traditional tower defense setup makes for an exciting entry in the genre, and exploring familiar gameplay from an entirely different angle makes the action even more exciting.
Being able to think strategically while under fire is a must in this title, and the many twists that pop up make this game a winner.
#16. Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
- Release Data: EA LA/EA Games, 2007
- Genre: Strategy » Real-Time » General
The presentation and good mission design work with the decent controls to make for an enjoyable game.
And not only is it a great game, but it’s a great example of a console RTS done right.
If you’ve never played a Command & Conquer game before, this is a good starting point.
#15. Darwinia+
- Release Data: Introversion, 2010
- Genre: Strategy » Real-Time » General
A lack of new features might be a bit of a concern for those who already surrendered great amount of their lives to these games previously, but anyone yet to experience the weird majesty of this cross-genre experiment simply has to check this out.
In short, Darwinia+ is a crazy, addictive repackaging of two great puzzle real-time strategy games.
#14. Toy Soldiers
- Release Data: Signal Studios/Microsoft Game Studios, 2010
- Genre: Strategy » Real-Time » General
Despite its limited multiplayer offering, Toy Soldiers is a great game that you can easily waste hours into without feeling like you’ve seen everything it has to offer.
And you’ll keep coming back to it because there’s plenty of fun to be had with it even after you’ve beaten every mission and won a battle on every map.
#13. Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013
- Release Data: Stainless Games/Microsoft Game Studios, 2012
- Genre: Strategy » Turn-Based » Card Battle
Despite all of the complaints, the core game is strong.
Everything works as expected, the cards are translated perfectly, and the AI can play at the level of an average human.
Beginners – who are the target audience here, to be fair – should have a fine time.
#12. CastleStorm
- Release Data: Zen Studios/Microsoft Game Studios, 2013
- Genre: Strategy » General
Many of CastleStorm’s mechanics have been seen in other games, but the developer blends them all together to create something fresh: a strategy title with a lot of real-time combat elements and a unique charm.
With so many things to upgrade and so many tools at your disposal there are a lot of different ways to approach each combat scenario.
#11. Halo Wars
- Release Data: Ensemble Studios/Microsoft Game Studios, 2009
- Genre: Strategy » Real-Time » General
The action orientated RTS may be light on the RTS aspects in some areas but that by no means detracts away from the gameplay in the slightest.
It’s definitely a must-have for Halo fans, RTS fans and those who are turned on by a good story.
#10. Toy Soldiers: Cold War
- Release Data: Signal Studios/Microsoft Game Studios, 2011
- Genre: Strategy » Real-Time » General
Playing with toy soldiers in real life demands a great deal of your imagination and involves a lot of tidying up afterward.
Toy Soldiers: Cold War does all of the work for you and makes those spectacular battles that you remember fighting on your bedroom floor as a child come to life.
#9. Skulls of the Shogun
- Release Data: 17-Bit/Microsoft Game Studios, 2013
- Genre: Strategy » Turn-Based » Tactics
Skulls of the Shogun is a cute, accessible game that’s easy to pick up and play, but adds enough depth and strategy over the course of the experience to remain entertaining.
It is great as a game for beginners, and those looking for a light version of turn-based strategy will find it to be a good choice.
#8. Worms 2: Armageddon
- Release Data: Team 17, 2009
- Genre: Strategy » Turn-Based » Artillery
Worms 2: Armageddon is a great package that compiles all the best elements of the series.
If you’re a fan of Worms, then this brings back all of the classic weapons, and if you’ve never tried it out, then this is the perfect place to start.
Either way, it’s a great multiplayer game that delivers fun when played with your friends.
#7. Iron Brigade
- Release Data: Double Fine Productions/Microsoft Game Studios, 2011
- Genre: Strategy » Real-Time » Defense
Playing through Iron Brigade from start to finish should take you at least six or seven hours, but if you’re interested in chasing high scores, you can expect to be enjoying the game for many hours beyond that.
All in all, Iron Brigade is a challenging tower defense game and it’s also a great game to play with friends.
#6. Defense Grid: The Awakening
- Release Data: Hidden Path Entertainment, 2009
- Genre: Strategy » Real-Time » Defense
Its elements are so skillfully balanced that those who have already spent plenty of time playing such games are sure to find Defense Grid one of the most rewarding games of its type, while those new to tower defense will find this an accessible introduction to the genre that’s easy to get into but very tough to master.
#5. Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution
- Release Data: Firaxis Games/2K Games, 2008
- Genre: Strategy » Turn-Based » General
Played against human or AI opponents, Civilization Revolution is an excellent game that will let you plumb different strategic depths each time you play.
It’s incredibly easy to get engrossed in the rhythm of expansion and evolution, and you can lose hours every time you play.
If you haven’t played a Civilization game before, you should try this one.
#4. XCOM: Enemy Within
- Release Data: Firaxis Games/2K Games, 2013
- Genre: Strategy » Turn-Based » Tactics
Enemy Within is an amazing expansion to a brilliant tactical game.
More than ever, XCOM is a spectacular tactical game full of stories and characters you create for yourself, and is best enjoyed in Iron Man mode on Classic difficulty to enhance the emotional highs and lows of victory and permanent defeat.
#3. Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014
- Release Data: Stainless Games/Microsoft Game Studios, 2013
- Genre: Strategy » Turn-Based » Card Battle
Magic 2014 has all the bells and whistles that the previous games had, adds some new things while refining almost every aspect and lets players customize their hard work.
Those who liked the past few games and even those looking to play Magic: The Gathering for the very first time should pick up Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014.
#2. XCOM: Enemy Unknown
- Release Data: Firaxis Games/2K Games, 2012
- Genre: Strategy » Turn-Based » General
XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a wonderful and worthy strategy game with a layer of charm that makes the seriousness of the game’s characters all the more endearing.
It’s also remarkably accessible, thanks to a great interface that feels comfortable whether you’re using a keyboard and mouse or have a controller in your hand.
#1. Plants vs. Zombies
- Release Data: PopCap, 2010
- Genre: Strategy » Real-Time » Defense
Plants vs. Zombies impresses across the board with ingenious game design, uncomplicated controls, colorful visuals, upbeat audio, a decent difficulty curve, and frequent player rewards.
If you’ve never played Plants vs. Zombies before, it’s time for you to find out what you’ve been missing out on.
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See also: Best Original Xbox Games & Best Xbox One Games
Are your favorite games on the list?
Deciding which Xbox 360 strategy game is the best is no doubt a never ending topic, but it’s fun to do!