Advance Wars is a turn-based strategy game from Intelligent Systems for the Game Boy Advance, and it came out on September 10, 2001. You march tanks and infantry across a small war map and try to outthink the other side, one turn at a time. The terrain on a map affects movement, vision and the defense of units standing on it. There are 18 types of units. Then there are the commanders. When the meter is full, a CO can unleash a CO Power, and Olaf makes it snow, limiting the movement range of his opponent. It has been declared one of the greatest video games ever made, and a Switch remake, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp, came out on April 21, 2023.
Once you have beaten every map, you want another war to plan. These are the 25 games players recommend most to fans of turn-based strategy like Advance Wars, ranked by how many different people named each one. The other Advance Wars games and the rest of Nintendo’s Wars series are left off.
25 Games Like Advance Wars Where Every Battle Is Won One Turn at a Time
Pokémon Conquest (2012)
Pokémon Conquest is a 2012 tactical RPG from Tecmo Koei for the Nintendo DS. It mixes Pokémon with Nobunaga’s Ambition, and the battles are turn-based strategy. Each Pokémon can use only one move, which makes where it stands count for more than what it knows.
The big difference is the conquest. A legend says whoever unifies all 17 kingdoms of the Ransei region may meet Arceus. You start as the Warlord of the Aurora kingdom, and Oda Nobunaga wants to use Arceus’ power to destroy Ransei. Pokémon evolve by meeting conditions, such as winning a battle in a certain kingdom. It is the gentlest way into strategy games on this list. Play it on DS.
Valkyria Chronicles 4 (2018)
Valkyria Chronicles 4 is a strategy game in the style of the first three games in the series. The series uses a turn-based system called BLiTZ and is set in Europa, a fictional continent loosely based on Europe. Claude is given command of Squad E, and on the way they battle the elite Imperial tank unit Ausbruch. Tank fights are where Advance Wars fans will feel at home.
The big difference is that you steer each soldier like a third-person shooter when it moves. It adds a new class, the Grenadier, who fires mortar rounds at enemies. Valkyria Chronicles 4 came out on March 21, 2018. Play it on PS4 or Switch.
XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2012)
XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a 2012 turn-based tactics game from Firaxis Games. You are the commander of an elite military organization, sending soldiers on turn-based missions against invading aliens. A squad holds between one and six soldiers. It is often credited with renewing interest in turn-based tactics in the 2010s.
The big difference is cover. Taking cover behind objects is essential for a soldier’s survival, and the game shows your chance of landing a shot before you take it. Ironman mode limits you to one save. Lose a veteran soldier and it hurts far more than losing a tank in Advance Wars. Play it on PS3.
Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten (2011)
Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten is a 2011 tactical RPG for the PlayStation 3, the fourth Disgaea game from Nippon Ichi Software. Combat is turn-based strategy. You follow Valvatorez, a vampire once feared as a tyrant, who promised a woman 400 years ago that he would not drink blood until he could instill fear in her.
The big difference is politics. Netherworld politics is the central focus of the story and the gameplay. As Valvatorez captures more land, more characters can be befriended, a little like taking cities in Advance Wars. You can create battle maps and share them. A Vita version, A Promise Revisited, followed in August 2014. Play it on PS3 or Vita.
Military Madness (1989)
Military Madness is a 1989 turn-based strategy game from Hudson Soft, first released for the TurboGrafx-16. In the year 2089, you lead the Allied-Union against the Axis-Xenon Empire on the Moon. You capture factories to produce resources and repair units, and you win by taking the enemy prison camp or destroying every enemy force.
Of every game here, this one plays most like Advance Wars. Critics compared its gameplay with Desert Commander and Advance Wars. The big difference is age: it came out more than a decade before Advance Wars, so the maps feel plainer and the pace is slower. A sequel, Neo Nectaris, came out in 1994. Play it on PS3 or Wii.
Jeanne d'Arc (2006)
Jeanne d’Arc is a tactical RPG from Level-5, published by Sony for the PlayStation Portable. It came out in Japan on November 22, 2006. The story is loosely based on Joan of Arc and the English occupation of France during the Hundred Years’ War, set in a fictional war between humans and demons.
The big difference is the phases. Each character and enemy has an affinity to one of three phases, Sol, Luna and Stella, which beat each other like rock, paper, scissors. Anyone who has sent the wrong unit at a tank in Advance Wars will get it at once. Some battles are lost if Jeanne falls. It was re-released for PS4 and PS5 in July 2024. Play it on PSP or PS4.
Knights in the Nightmare (2008)
Knights in the Nightmare is an RPG from Sting Entertainment. It came out in Japan on September 25, 2008. At its core it plays like a turn-based strategy RPG, but it also borrows from real-time strategy and bullet hell. It is the oddest game on the list.
The big difference is the Wisp. You move a small ball of light called the Wisp with the touchscreen to give orders to your units, while it is under constant enemy fire. Battles take place in real time on an isometric grid. Its story ties back to Yggdra Union. Play it on DS or PSP.
Vanguard Bandits (1998)
Vanguard Bandits is a tactical RPG from Human Entertainment, first released in Japan for the PlayStation on July 30, 1998. Knights and soldiers pilot mecha in a medieval fantasy world. The machines are called ATACs, All Terrain Armored Combatants, controlled by the thoughts of the pilot seated in the head.
The big difference is facing. Attacks from the side and rear have higher success rates and leave the defender fewer options, so flanking is a vital strategy. Terrain plays an important role, as it does in Advance Wars. Choices in the story scenes change which battles and events happen. Play it on PS1, PS3 or PSP.
Stella Glow (2015)
Stella Glow is a 2015 RPG from Imageepoch for the Nintendo 3DS, a spiritual sequel to Luminous Arc and the last game the studio made before its bankruptcy. A witch named Hilda has been crystallizing people all over the country, and the amnesiac hero Alto must unite the other witches so they can sing the Anthem that undoes it. Battles are turn based.
The big difference is the time between battles. In free time you get three chances to build relationships with teammates, take odd jobs or explore. A witch sometimes needs tuning when personal strife blocks the relationship. Advance Wars has a cast too, but here the cast is the point. Play it on 3DS.
Wargroove (2019)
Wargroove is a turn-based tactics game from Chucklefish. The developers were inspired by handheld games with accessible tactics, such as Advance Wars, and Chucklefish revealed it as a spiritual successor to Advance Wars. Players who love Advance Wars call it the closest thing to a new one.
The big difference is the fantasy setting. It takes place on the island continent of Aurania, where Valder, the Lord of Felheim, drives Queen Mercia and her army into retreat. An overworld editor lets you link your own missions together. It came out on Switch on February 1, 2019, and on PS4 on July 23, 2019. Play it on PS4 or Switch.
Luminous Arc (2007)
Luminous Arc came out in 2007 for the Nintendo DS, the first of a series of tactical RPGs from Imageepoch. The games play along the lines of Final Fantasy Tactics. Battlefields are viewed from an isometric perspective and characters move on a grid.
The big difference is the witches. The plot is built around elemental witches, female magic-wielders of great power whom the hero recruits to save the world. The games take place in a medieval fantasy setting. If the bright, cheerful look of Advance Wars won you over, this one has the same easy charm on the DS. Play it on DS.
The Banner Saga (2014)
The Banner Saga is a tactical RPG from Stoic. It came out for computers and phones in 2014, PS4 in 2016 and Switch in 2018. Its turn-based battles were inspired by Final Fantasy Tactics and Shining Force. The hand-drawn art was inspired by Eyvind Earle, Ralph Bakshi and Don Bluth.
The big difference is the caravan. The story follows your caravan as a whole as it fights the Dredge, a warlike race that despises humans. The story changes with your decisions, and the game wants you to live with your defeats. Losing a battle stings in a way Advance Wars never makes it. Play it on PS4 or Switch.
Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance (2015)
Disgaea 5 is a 2015 tactical RPG from Nippon Ichi Software, first released for PlayStation 4. The demon emperor Void Dark has crushed Netherworld after Netherworld with an army of over one million soldiers called The Lost. The hero, Killia, is a wandering demon.
The big difference is how far it goes. Every Netherworld is ruled by an Overlord with a unique Overload ability, which also works in battle as a special attack. It is the one to pick if you want a strategy game that lasts for months. Disgaea 5 Complete on Switch has all the DLC from the original. Play it on PS4 or Switch.
Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars (2011)
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars is a turn-based tactics game for the Nintendo 3DS from Ubisoft, and it was a launch title for the 3DS. Its battle system is similar to Advance Wars and Fire Emblem. Players who love Advance Wars call it the closest match on the 3DS.
The big difference is that elevation and cover play a critical tactical role, and its support fire system sets the combat apart. Julian Gollop made it, and its battles echo his older Rebelstar: Tactical Command and UFO: Enemy Unknown. You lead a team of up to six Ghosts through the story. Play it on 3DS.
Shining Force (1992)
Shining Force is a 1992 turn-based tactical RPG from Climax Entertainment, published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. Battles take place in square grids, and each unit occupies one square. Each unit can move a fixed number of squares, set by its Move statistic. The hero, Max, must stop Kane, who commands the hordes of Runefaust, from resurrecting Dark Dragon.
The big difference is that every unit is a person. Each ally is a character with a background and personality, much like in Fire Emblem, where Advance Wars gives you a factory and a stack of tanks. A unit can be promoted to another class at any level between 10 or 20. A Game Boy Advance remake, Resurrection of the Dark Dragon, came out in 2004. Play it on Wii, as a standalone game on the Virtual Console.
Fire Emblem Awakening (2012)
Fire Emblem Awakening is a tactical RPG from Intelligent Systems for the Nintendo 3DS, the studio that made Advance Wars. It came out in Japan in April 2012. You follow Chrom, the prince of Ylisse, and his personal army. The success of Advance Wars is often credited with helping Nintendo bring Fire Emblem outside of Japan.
The big difference is that your units are people you can lose. In Classic Mode, characters defeated in battle are permanently dead. Two characters can pair up as a single unit and attack at once. It was designed as a possible last entry in the series, and its success kept Fire Emblem going. Play it on 3DS.
Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. (2015)
Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is a turn-based strategy game from Intelligent Systems for the Nintendo 3DS, another game from the Advance Wars studio. It came out in Europe on May 15, 2015. The story is set in a steampunk version of history, drawn in a Silver Age comic book style. In Japan its subtitle is Lincoln vs. Aliens.
The big difference is the camera. You control it in the style of a third-person shooter. The team wanted to reach people who found strategy games unappealing by dropping the heavy reliance on overhead maps. Some characters can make overwatch attacks during the enemy turn on anyone who wanders into their line of sight. Play it on 3DS.
Front Mission 3 (1999)
Front Mission 3 is a tactical RPG from Square, released for the PlayStation in Japan in 1999 and in North America in 2000. You fight in mecha called wanzers, and missions are traditional tactical RPG fare, from destroying every enemy to protecting an allied target.
The big difference is how personal the machines get. Pilots learn new skills by equipping wanzer parts and using them in battle. A pilot can eject to fight on foot or hijack another machine on the field. Advance Wars never let you climb out of a tank and steal the enemy’s. A remake came to Switch on June 26, 2025. Play the original on PS1, PS3 or PSP.
Valkyria Chronicles (2008)
Valkyria Chronicles started Sega’s series of military-themed tactical RPGs, and it came out for the PlayStation 3 in 2008. It takes place in Europa, a fictional continent based on Europe, during the beginning of World War II. The neutral nation of Gallia comes under attack from the East Europan Imperial Alliance, and you take control of a unit of the Gallian Militia.
The big difference is BLiTZ. The turn-based system is called BLiTZ, and you steer each unit yourself like a third-person shooter when it moves. Tanks and infantry on a war map will feel like home to any Advance Wars player. Play it on PS3, PS4 or Switch.
Vandal Hearts (1996)
Vandal Hearts is a turn-based tactical RPG from Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo for the PlayStation. It came out in Japan in 1996, and in North America and Europe in early 1997. Battles are carried out on a series of grid maps. You move all of your characters before the enemy takes its turn, which is the same rhythm as Advance Wars.
The big difference is the classes. Every character fits into one of seven character classes, and their strengths follow a hierarchy similar to Rock, Paper, Scissors. Stages ask for more than wiping out the enemy, such as reaching a spot on the map or saving certain characters. If the party leader dies, the battle is lost at once. Play it on PS1.
XCOM 2 (2016)
XCOM 2 is a 2016 turn-based tactics game from Firaxis Games. It takes place 20 years after Enemy Unknown, and XCOM has lost the war and is now a resistance force against the occupation of Earth. You command a squad of soldiers in turn-based combat and run the Avenger, an alien ship used as a mobile base.
The big difference is the pressure. Many of the missions are timed, and maps are procedurally generated. Fog of war hides the aliens until your soldiers have line of sight on them, much like the fog of war maps in Advance Wars. It came to Switch in 2020. Play it on PS4 or Switch.
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor (2009)
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor is a 2009 tactical RPG from Atlus for the Nintendo DS. A group of teenagers in Tokyo is trapped inside a government lockdown after demons invade. Story events are tied to an in-game clock, with tactical grid-based combat and a turn-based battle system.
The big difference is the demons. You control up to four units, each a human character with two assigned demons. When units meet, the fight switches to a first-person, turn-based battle. Which events and battles you complete can unlock different endings. An expanded version, Overclocked, came out on the 3DS in 2011. Play it on DS or 3DS.
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness (2003)
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness is a tactical RPG from Nippon Ichi Software for the PlayStation 2. It was IGN’s Best Game No One Played of 2003. Laharl, the son of a demon overlord, wakes up after a two-year slumber and sets out to take his father’s place. Battles take place on a map divided into a square grid.
The big difference is how strange the rules get. Your characters can lift and throw other units across the map. You can even capture enemies by throwing them into your base panel, and they become allies. Colored Geo Panels change the rules of the floor. A PSP version followed as Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness. Play it on PS2, PS3, PSP or DS.
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (1995)
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together is a 1995 tactical RPG from Quest Corporation for the Super Famicom. Yasumi Matsuno was its director, writer and lead designer. Battles are turn-based on grid maps, with a focus on positioning and class abilities. Matsuno wanted a more approachable alternative to the notoriously difficult Fire Emblem series.
The big difference is the story. You play Denim Powell, a soldier caught in the middle of a war in the nation of Valeria. The story branches into Law, Neutral and Chaos paths, built around whether Denim accepts or rejects the orders of authority figures. A remake for the PlayStation Portable came out in 2010. Play it on PS1 or PSP, or Tactics Ogre: Reborn on PS4 or Switch.
Final Fantasy Tactics (1997)
Final Fantasy Tactics is a 1997 tactical RPG from Square for the PlayStation. Yasumi Matsuno began it in 1995, after creating the Ogre Battle series at Quest Corporation. You follow Ramza Beoulve, a highborn cadet caught in the Lion War, where two noble factions want the throne. Players named it to strategy fans more than any other game.
The big difference is the jobs. New recruits start as a Squire or a Chemist, the base classes for warrior and magician jobs, and from there you build an army one character at a time. The PlayStation version sold over 2.4 million copies worldwide by August 2011. A remaster called The Ivalice Chronicles came out on September 30, 2025. Play it on PS1, PS3 or PSP.
Which one to play
There you have it, the whole list of games like Advance Wars. Each one asks you to think a turn ahead.
If you want the same feel in a new world, start with Wargroove. On a 3DS, Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars plays closest to Advance Wars. If you loved the tanks and the war maps, Valkyria Chronicles is the pick. For a story you will remember, take Final Fantasy Tactics. If you are new to strategy, Fire Emblem Awakening is a gentle start, since it lets you turn off permanent character death. For kids, Pokémon Conquest is the easy choice.
