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1. Best Civil War Strategy Games For Mac
2. Best Strategy War Games For Mac
3. Best Strategy Games
4. Strategy War Games

The Rundown

• Best for Unit-Based Tactics:Company of Heroes 2 at Amazon, “Focuses on unit-based tactics in battles in the Eastern Front theater.”
• Best for Squad Management:Men of War: Assault Squad 2 at Amazon, “The intricate detailing of the game makes for a real-time strategy experience.”
• Best for Scale:Order of War at Amazon, “You can command a force of multiple unit types containing up to 1,000 soldiers, tanks, artillery, aircraft, and more.”
• Best for Complexity:Hearts of Iron IV at Amazon, “You will be in charge of millions of people, hundreds of factories, and dozens of battles around the world.”
• Best for Turn Based Tactics:Combat Mission Anthology at Amazon, “Gives you a more focused feel of the decision-making process of combat orders.”
• Best for Deceptive Tactics:RUSE at Amazon, “You will get the chance to pull off creative misdirections that vary up the gameplay.”
• Best for Alternative History:War Front: Turning Point at Amazon, “Offers an alternative history where Hitler dies early and the world powers get their hands on experimental technologies.”
• Best for Tanks:Codename: Panzers, Phase Two at Amazon, “Its main focus and fun is its extensive tank warfare.”

Our Top Picks

Find the best free to play MMORTS and strategy MMO games including multiplayer online real-time and turn-based strategy games and other RTS games to download and play for free. The Total War series is one of the best strategy franchises on the market, but the latest games have not come to the Mac. The most recent title you can purchase is Rome: Total War. That’s not to imply the game is bad, however.

Best for Unit-Based Tactics: Company of Heroes 2

Company of Heroes 2 is a tactical-heavy World War II real-time strategy PC game that focuses on unit-based tactics in battles in the Eastern Front theater. Despite the small group of armies you’ll be commanding, the game lets you focus deeper on controlled management that’s methodical and gives a personalized experience of gameplay.

Every controllable unit type in Company of Heroes 2 has an associated construction cost and recruitment time with a range of varied fighting abilities; you’ll want to assess the battlefield, the weather conditions, and your foes carefully before making a move.

You’ll aim to move your soldiers to rush capture points and increase the flow or resources while gathering near bonfires to beat frostbite or bunkering in a building for cover, all in the hopes that no one flushes you out with a flamethrower or grenade.

The game builds on its legendary predecessor with a line-of-sight feature, a system that better emulates troop visibility in real combat so you’ll need to take into consideration the vision of your units in order to anticipate incoming forces as well as accounting for the sight of your enemies.

Best for Squad Management: Men of War: Assault Squad 2

The skirmish Men of War: Assault Squad 2 for PC focuses on a more squad-based management style gameplay with tactical maneuvering as opposed to full-blown, large-scale warfare. The intricate detailing of the game makes for a real-time strategy experience where nothing is off the table and variables come in the form of everything from unit inventory systems to dynamic tank armor.

There is no base building in Men of War: Assault Squad 2, instead, you’ll be in charge of managing around 250 different vehicles and 200 unique soldier types, each with their own equipment packages, strengths, and weaknesses. You’ll control squads (eight-man teams, single snipers, or armored escorts) that either protect or attack various objectives while diving in trenches, running through buildings, and securing pillboxes.

Aside from its versatility, the presentation of Men of War: Assault Squad 2 is found in its earful of sound effects and visuals, capturing the chaos of constant gunfire, crumbling buildings, the clanging of steel, and the screams of your soldiers.

Best for Scale: Order of War

Order of War covers the final year of World War II, giving you the option to push back the Axis of Evil in France or play as the German army to try to defeat the Soviets in the East. The strategy game operates on a large scale, showcasing an overhead view of your war zone, but allowing cinematic angles, so you can get up close and personal to see every moment of the action.

The massive playing field of Order of War is a treat to the eyes, having you operate a dynamic camera overlooking vast and detailed terrains of fields and pastures from a bird’s eye view as you conduct massive armies to do your bidding. You can command a force of multiple unit types containing up to 1,000 soldiers, tanks, artillery, aircraft, and more while executing strategic attacks based on actual operations during the time.

A striking orchestra builds up the ambiance of impending destruction as you bait an enemy tank squadron for a frontal attack while preparing your ambush with a strategic flanking offense in order to capture command points and push your army to victory.

Best for Complexity: Hearts of Iron IV

If you are up for a challenge, Hearts of Iron IV offers a complex World War II real-time strategy game that can take many hours to master but make you feel like a genius general. You will be in charge of millions of people, hundreds of factories, and dozens of battles around the world (all on a micro level) that may require you to study up on the game’s Wikipedia articles to get a grasp on the game.

Hearts of Iron IV is developed with huge comprehensive scenarios based on an ingeniously detailed strategic simulation that covers every aspect of World War II. The in-game world map is made up of 11,000 provinces, sea regions, and air zones, each with their own climates, terrain, day-night cycle, and supply lines that all have noticeable effects on decision making, movement, and combat.

You’ll focus mainly on logistics and control over resources as you balance your army needs in special areas, dabble in politics, manage factories, and steer the world in any direction (there are also alternative histories, including a Germany that never goes to war, America invading Canada, or even a communist takeover in Japan).

Best for Turn Based Tactics: Combat Mission Anthology

Combat Mission Anthology is a collection of the Combat Mission series, real-time strategy games that offer a mix to the genre using a turn-based system. Despite its slower and more thorough gameplay, the series gives you a more focused feel of the decision-making process of combat orders with comfortable silences in between.

The gameplay of the Combat Mission games are separated into a planning and execution phases where you first give orders to your platoons and reinforced battalions and then witness the conflicts that come as a result of the orders given. All while this is happening, you must account for the morale and leadership given to soldiers, taking in their statuses to see if they’re OK, routed, fatigued, and more while keeping an eye out for soldiers who cower in fear and become permanently affected by the choices you make.

Best for Deceptive Tactics: RUSE

The cleverly titled RUSE has you making multiple decisions covering many strategies, including developing ruses: Deceptive tactics to unleash on your enemies. You will get the chance to pull off creative misdirections that vary up the gameplay, including setting up decoy tanks (much like the Allies did in WW2), speed up units, spy on enemies to gain intel, and cause as much deception as possible while calling out the enemy’s bluffs.

RUSE is set during World War II in the European theater with selectable nations, including the U.S., UK, Germany, USSR, Italy, and France, and each has their own specific units, strengths, and tendencies. Players can jump into the main campaign mode that offers 23 different missions or dive straight into custom skirmish modes to battle against enemy AI.

RUSE shines with its creativity in combat, allowing for multiple combinations of tricky attacks that work in unison (like staging a fake invasion while dropping paratroopers behind enemy lines).

Best for Alternative History: War Front: Turning Point

War Front: Turning Point is a large-scale strategy game that offers an alternative history where Hitler dies early and the world powers get their hands on experimental technologies. You will get to use everything from historical real world M4 Sherman tanks to more futuristic weapons such as exoskeleton mechs, jetpack infantry, freeze rays, and shield generators.

War Front: Turning Point resembles the traditional user interface layout of real-time strategy games like Command & Conquer and follows the familiar formula of collecting resources, constructing various building types, researching new prototypes, and swarming your foes with the appropriate unit type.

The game’s main campaign mode has both primary and secondary objectives that are intertwined with other missions, giving endless amounts of strategic choices that you can make to get the job done. You’ll even be able to jump into a skirmish mode that is unit-based and allows you to engage up to nine different AI in various game types while altering properties, including the time of day, weather, army limit, starting points, resources, and more.

Best for Tanks: Codename: Panzers, Phase Two

Though Codename: Panzers, Phase Two has three different unit types, including infantry and artillery, its main focus and fun is its extensive tank warfare. The WW2 RTS game has a real-time feel to it with multiple solutions to each of its missions that send you off into unfamiliar territory, including the dusty dunes of the Sahara.

The detail in Codename: Panzers, Phase Two covers aspects of not only the commands you give but the management that comes with every action. Codename: Panzers, Phase Two will have you strategically moving and positioning your units in order to execute surprise attacks and flanks while also tasking you with upkeeps such as armor repairs and ammunition resupplies.

The more seasoned surviving units become, the more chances you’ll have to upgrade them, turning your rookies into elite tank crews and placing them into more powerful tanks, making them more dependable and lethal.

What to Look for in a World War II Strategy PC Game

Rating - War games can be violent or disturbing, so be sure to check the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating before buying one. The ratings have three elements: Rating categories (“E” for everyone; “E10+” for ages 10 and up; “T” for teens; “M” for mature 17+; and “A” for adults only), Content Descriptors (Comic mischief, mild language, etc.) and Interactive Elements (In-Game Purchases, Users Interact, Shares Location, Unrestricted Internet, etc.).

Graphics - Graphics and sound effects will dictate how the game looks and sounds. Since World War II games are rooted in history, you’ll want a game with the most realistic graphics possible. This includes not only detail in your surroundings, but of characters, weapons, and machinery as well.

Level of difficulty - Gamers who are new to strategy games might want to begin with an easy game to dip their toes into the genre. It doesn’t take long to master war tactics and operations, but some games have more strategic gameplay than others. Luckily, most games feature a selection of difficulty levels, so you can level up slowly or quickly as you wish.

You know how PC gaming is sometimes seen as a second-class platform compared to console gaming? That debate could last for days, but there’s one genre where PC gaming is the indisputable champion: strategy games. After all, they were meant to be played with a mouse and keyboard.

Usually, Mac gamers have to accept that some of the top games only support Windows, but luckily for you, strategy games are the exception. MacOS can count with every single one of the top choices.

The best strategy games for Mac have always been excellent, but in recent years, they got even better. Whether you’re into fast-paced real-time strategy (RTS), complex turn-based games or more casual alternatives for your MacBook, this list has something for everyone.

And if you’d prefer something entirely different, this massive post with the 100 Best Mac games covers the most popular games across all genres.

The rest of the best:

Total War: Warhammer 2 NorthgardXCOM 2Company of Heroes 2HearthstoneEuropa Universalis 4Homeworld Remastered

Last updated: December 27, 2018

After such a great year full of excellent releases, we had to update this guide to include two of the best MacOS games of 2018: Into the Breach and Total War: Warhammer 2.

As always, we also took the opportunity to improve the generally improve the guide by adding more test results and information about the games.

Real-world MacOS tests

Our process is straightforward. First, we evaluate the games we suspect are the best (based on reviews and personal experience), then we buy them if we don’t already own them and finally we test them on these three machines.

We do receive several review copies of games but unless they’re part of our selection, they are ignored.

Civilization 6

Mac Release date: 2016
MacOS developer: Aspyr Media
Metascore: 88

Civilization 6 is the latest entry in a series I thought was already perfect. I was certain Civ 5 couldn’t be improved any further, but developer Firaxis did it.

In Civ 6, you take control of a civilization and lead it through the course of history. You get to research technologies, create a religion, build trade routes, an army, and more. Opportunities and strategies are endless, making this game extremely addictive. We’ve all been there. You just need to build one last archer before going to bed and it’s suddenly 3 AM and you need to finish that last tank.

Civilization 6 also introduced city-planning for the first time, with districts and special buildings that can be built within cities. And if that wasn’t enough, the Gathering Storm expansion introduces more units, civilizations, and brand-new mechanics.

For a turn-based game, Civ 6 has surprisingly good graphics and Aspyr did a good job delivering a bug-free MacOS port. That said, this is still a demanding game that requires a powerful machine My 2016 MBP can barely handle it…

A Good Match For: Gamers looking for the best turn-based strategy games. This is, after all, the best Civilization game available. Read our in-depth Mac Performance review for more benchmarks.

Benchmark results (in FPS):

Expand to see if your Mac run it

Testing Conditions: We tested the game using Medium settings, 2X Anisotropic Filtering, FXAA, and 1280×800 resolution:

Verdict: Not Demanding

System Requirements: OS 10.8.5, 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, 256 MB ATI Radeon HD 2600 / NVidia Geforce 8800/ Intel HD 3000 or better, 13 GB hard drive space.

Into the Breach

Mac Release date: 2018

MacOS developer: Subset Games

Metascore: 90

Into the Breach is a tactical strategy game from the same team that did FTL: Faster than Light. Set in a far future, you’ll take control of huge mechs to fight off hordes of gigantic monsters and save the World.

This may sound a lot like Pacific Rim, but the game comes with a twist: saving cities and civilians is more important than killing the monsters. So prepare to make some tough choices as this game can feel like playing chess, and you’ll often have to cut your losses and accept smaller defeats.

Featuring retro graphics, Into the Breach is an extremely easy game to run. And if you happen to have a particularly old machine that can’t run it smoothly, don’t worry, the turn-based gameplay won’t suffer.

A Good Match for: MacBook owners who prefer slower turn-based strategy games that require focus, patience and lots of thinking. Read our in-depth Mac Performance review for more benchmarks.

Benchmark results (in FPS):

Expand to see if your Mac run it

Testing Conditions: We tested the game using 1440×900 resolution:

Notice frames are capped at 60 FPS. That explains why the 2016 MacBook didn’t do better.

Can your Mac run it? Definitely! Even an older MBA will do fine.

Any bugs you should be aware of? Expect a bug-free experience on Mac.

Verdict: Not Demanding

System Requirements: OS 10.7, 1.7 GHz Intel Processor, 1 GB RAM, OpenGL 2.1 support, 400 MB hard drive space.

Starcraft 2

Mac Release date: 2015

MacOS developer: Blizzard

Metascore: 88

The follow-up to one of the most famous RTS games in history, StarCraft 2 shouldn’t need an introduction.

This space RTS depicts a fascinating war between the Terrans, Zerg, and Protoss. But what sets this game apart is the gameplay. StarCraft 2 is fast, precise and features perfectly balanced factions. The game is definitely easy to grasp and get into, but insanely hard to master. I stopped trying to become “good” at it a long time ago, but I still enjoy playing the campaign, a co-op mission or the occasional skirmish against the AI.

StarCraft 2 could have been our top pick. The only reason it wasn’t was because no other game could be a better budget pick. StarCraft 2 is as budget-friendly as it gets: most of the game can be played for free, including online matches, co-op missions, and the Terran campaign.

StarCraft 2 also features nice graphics that stand the test of time and reasonable system requirements. Our 2013 MBP runs it 33 frames per second without breaking a sweat.

A Good Match For: Gamers interested in only the best RTS games for Mac. The original StarCraft defined the genre and StarCraft 2 continues to push the envelope. Also, gamers looking for free alternatives… Read our in-depth Mac Performance review for more benchmarks.

Benchmark results (in FPS):

Expand to see if your Mac run it

Testing Conditions: We tested the game using Medium Graphics quality, Low Texture quality, V-sync off, and 1280×800 resolution.

Verdict: Not Demanding

System Requirements: OS 10.11, Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M or ATI Radeon HD 4670 or better, 30 GB hard drive space.

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Total War: Warhammer 2

Mac Release date: 2018

MacOS developer: Hi-Rez Studios

Metascore: 83

Total War: Warhammer 2 took it’s time coming, but when it did, it changed the outlook of the strategy genre on MacOS.

Instead of taking place in a historical period, Total War: Warhammer 2 is set in the fantasy world of Warhammer and features all the monsters and flying creatures you can expect. This turned out to be a bigger change than expected, because the units not only look different, they behave differently and allow tactics that weren’t possible before. That said, this is still a Total War game, with both turn-based strategy and real-time battle modes.

TW: Warhammer 2 is also an impressive game to behold, featuring massive real-time battles with hundreds of units on huge battlefields. Powered by Apple’s Metal 2 graphics API, Warhammer 2 was the best looking Total War, until the release of Total War: Three Kingdoms that is…

A Good Match For: Gamers interested in fantasy strategy games, but also those who enjoy the high-level strategy Total War games have always demanded.

Benchmark results (in FPS):

Expand to see if your Mac run it

Testing Conditions:

Verdict: Very Demanding

System Requirements: MacOS 10.14, 2.0GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, 2GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 680 MX, AMD R9 M290 or 1.5 Intel Iris Graphics 540 graphics.

Northgard

Mac Release date: 2018

MacOS developer: Shiro Games

Metascore: 80

Based on Norse mythology, Northgard gives you control of a clan of Vikings trying to conquer and settle on a newfound continent.

This RTS reminds me a lot of the glory days of Age of Empires. You have to gather resources, create buildings and train soldiers, fishermen and scouts. But similarities with old-school classics stop there. Northgard introduces modern mechanics that give the game a fresh and interesting feel. For instance, you can’t create people. You have to keep your clan happy and that will attract settlers that can then be trained to become soldiers.

This game is the newest entry and the only strategy game from 2018 in this Top 10 and it shows.

Northgard also features landscapes and weather effects that are simply top-notch. Other entries on this list may be less demanding, but the fact a MacBook from 2013 can run such a pretty game makes it our MacBook Pick.

A good match for: Fans of games like Age of Empires on Mac. Also, gamers looking for the best strategy games 2018 has to offer.

Benchmark results (in FPS):

Expand to see if your Mac run it

Testing Conditions: We tested the game using High-quality ground textures and shadows, SAO enabled and V-sync off.

Verdict: Not Demanding

System Requirements: 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, Nvidia 450 GTS / Radeon HD 5750 or better, 400 MB Hard Drive space.

XCOM 2

Mac Release date: 2016

MacOS developer: Feral Interactive

Metascore: 88

XCOM 2 is a turn-based strategy game that continues the story of the original XCOM. Humans lost the war against the aliens and the remaining survivors have to live under their rule. The future is grim and the only hope is the tiny resistance army, which you’ll lead.

XCOM 2 features excellent turn-based combat missions where the use of cover and special abilities is crucial. Plus, if one of your soldiers dies he or she is gone forever, making every mission feel tense and important. In between missions, you get to manage your resources, research technologies, train your soldiers and decide where to go next.

Vanilla XCOM 2 is an excellent game as is, but the War of the Chosen expansion makes it infinitely better. In fact, War of the Chosen is so big, developer Firaxis thought it would become XCOM 3. Many call it the ultimate XCOM experience and once you try it, you’ll understand.

Feral Interactive did an outstanding job with the game’s port. In spite of requiring a recent machine to run, you would expect such a great-looking game to be even more demanding. My 2016 MBP shouldn’t be able to run it but it does!

A Good Match For: Gamers looking for action-oriented turn-based strategy games. Most turn-based games favor complexity instead of intensity. XCOM 2 is the exception.

XCOM 2 benchmark results (in FPS):

Expand to see if your Mac run it

Testing Conditions: We tested the game using Medium Preset, V-sync off, FXAA Anti-Aliasing, and 1280×800 resolution.

Verdict: Demanding

System Requirements: OS 10.12.5, 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 Processor, 8 GB RAM, 1GB AMD 5750, Nvidia 650M, 1.5GB Intel Iris Pro 5200, 78 GB hard drive space.

Company of Heroes 2

Mac Release date: 2015

Best Civil War Strategy Games For Mac

MacOS developer: Feral Interactive

Metascore: 80

Company of Heroes (CoH) was revolutionary when it first came out in 2006. The graphics, the destructible environments. My jaw dropped the first time I saw a Panzer tank drive through a wall and kill my soldiers. Company of Heroes 2 is all that and more.

Just like the original, CoH2 is all about securing resources, building an army and crushing the enemy. But unlike StarCraft 2, this game isn’t about building the biggest army as fast as possible. In CoH2, every unit matters and you’ll have to use the right combination of units, terrain and cover to win. This may sound complicated and slow, but don’t worry. CoH2 is an action-driven RTS with lots of destruction and mayhem.

Feral Interactive did an excellent job with this port, but the game’s advanced physics and great-looking graphics make it particularly demanding. If you have a machine with integrated graphics, our tests concluded you will probably be out of luck with this one…

A Good Match For: Fans of WW2 strategy games. There are others that take place in that period, but CoH2 is the top choice. Also, gamers looking for military strategy games. Read our in-depth Mac Performance review for more benchmarks.

Company of Heroes 2 benchmark results (in FPS):

Expand to see if your Mac run it

Testing Conditions: We tested the game using all options set to Medium, Medium Anti-Aliasing, V-sync off and 1280×800 resolution.

Verdict: Very Demanding

System Requirements: OS 10.10.3, 1.8 GHz Intel Processor, 4 GB RAM, 512MB Nvidia 640M, 2GB AMD Radeon M290, Intel Iris Pro or better, 35 GB hard drive space.

Hearthstone

Mac Release date: 2014

MacOS developer: Blizzard

Metascore: 88

Blizzard is an expert at creating free-to-play games. Hearthstone is a perfect example of how to do it right.

Hearthstone is a digital collectible card game based on the popular Warcraft universe. But before you ignore it because you don’t “like” card games, know this game is amazing, no matter your past experiences with the genre.

Hearthstone is much simpler than you would imagine. In every match, you pull three or four cards (depending on who goes first) out of your customized deck of 30 cards. There are different card types (weapons, spells and minions), but the goal is clear: empty your opponent’s health.

As far as free games go, you won’t be disappointed here. You can genuinely spend hours playing Hearthstone without having to spend a dime. Plus, the cute yet simplistic graphics are perfect for low-powered machines.

A Good Match For: Fans of strategy card games. Other choices exist, but Hearthstone is the clear winner in this category.

Benchmark results (in FPS):

Expand to see if your Mac run it

Testing Conditions: We tested the game using Medium quality and 1280×800 resolution.

Verdict: Not Demanding

System Requirements: OS 10.9, 2.4 GHz Intel Core Dual Processor, 2 GB RAM, GeForce 9600/130/Quadro FX 5600, Radeon HD 5870, or Intel HD 4000 with 512 MB of dedicated memory, 15 GB hard drive space.

Europa Universalis 4

Mac Release date: 2013

MacOS developer: Paradox

Metascore: 87

Europa Universalis 4 is a grand strategy game that puts the world’s history at your fingertips. The entire Earth is represented and you can own, conquer, and colonize any part of it.

The game gives you an unprecedented level of control of a nation’s military, diplomacy, and economy. And that’s what makes it so challenging. That said, the developer did a lot to make it more accessible. The menus and interface were streamlined and the tutorials beefed up.

Still, this game is hard to get into. If your attention span is as short as mine, you may be overwhelmed early on. But if you’re up to the challenge, and give it some time, it will reward you with a chance to rewrite history.

Among the games featured here, this is one of the most forgiving entries in terms of system requirements. As the purpose is to create an interactive simulation of the World’s history, the game never tries to look fancy.

A Good Match For: Gamers looking for the best Mac grand strategy games. Paradox is the clear expert when it comes to grand strategy games and Europa Universalis 4 is their top-rated game to date.

Benchmark results (in FPS):

Expand to see if your Mac run it

Testing Conditions: We tested the game using everything set to On, Multisample Level set to 2 and 1280×800 resolution.

Verdict: Not Demanding

System Requirements: OS 10.6.8, 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2 GB RAM, ATI Radeon HD 6750 / NVIDIA GeForce 320 / NVIDIA GeForce 9600 or higher, 1024MB graphics memory required, 2 GB hard drive space.

Homeworld Remastered

Mac Release date: 2015

MacOS developer: Aspyr

Metascore: 86

Ever wanted to be captain of a ship and sail out to conquer the universe? Homeworld may be your way out.

Released in the 1990s, Homeworld 1 and 2 turned the strategy genre on its head with huge Star Wars-like space battles at a scale never seen before. Over a decade later, many still remember the excitement Homeworld created.

And now that Aspyr has remastered the game and brought it up to modern standards, Homeworld looks just as good as any of the other games featured in this list. The Remastered Collection includes updated graphics, high-res textures, better lighting effects, and a new UI. This, combined with a great story and atmosphere, makes the Homeworld collection a must for space strategy fans.

And as an added bonus, the game has low system requirements that support even the older Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics and machines going all the way to 2012.

A Good Match For: Fans of sci-fi space battles. Few games manage to create such epic space battles, and unless you get Star Wars: Battlefront 2 on Windows, Homeworld is your safest bet.

Benchmark results (in FPS):

Best Strategy War Games For Mac

Expand to see if your Mac run it

Testing Conditions: We tested the game using Medium settings and 1280×800 resolution.

Verdict: Not Demanding

System Requirements: OS 10.9.5, 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, ATI Radeon 3870 (512MB) / nVidia 640M (512MB) / Intel HD 4000, 20 GB hard drive space.

The Competition: Free Strategy games for Mac and more

Virtually every single one of the top strategy games is available for MacOS. Because of this, creating a Top 10 selection is particularly hard. This is obviously an excellent problem to have, but that also means a few great games had to be left out.

I strongly believe great games can’t be ignored, especially because only 10 can be chosen. These are the games that deserved a spot but couldn’t make it, including the top free strategy games Mac gamers can enjoy:

Games are subjective and Top 10 list even more so. To keep this list as fair as possible and ensure every game listed here is worth it, we made sure the following set of criteria is always met:

Native: Every game listed here natively supports MacOS. This means they won’t need Wine, Parallels, Bootcamp or any other third-party app to run. Just install any of these games on your machine and enjoy.

Performance: Obviously, we think every game on this list is solid in terms of graphics, gameplay, and stability. But performance is also a key factor to consider: we Mac users keep our computers for a long time. Mac Gamer HQ is the only place that tests and benchmarks games on several machines and shows you actual performance, not just listed system requirements.

iMac (5K, 27-inch, Late 2014)

3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, AMD Radeon R9 M290X (2GB)

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2013)

Best Strategy Games

2.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, Intel Iris 5100 (1.5GB)

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2016):

2.0 GHz Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, Intel Iris Graphics 540 (1.5GB)

Keep in mind that we test all our games on Medium settings because we continue to believe they are an acceptable compromise for testing across a wide variety of machines:

And for reference, this is how we interpret the results:

We usually aim for 30 FPS, because 30 FPS is enough to guarantee a smooth and fluid experience.

Critical acclaim: To counter the fact that games are extremely subjective, we focus only on the games that have received good reviews by critics and average gamers. We’re not looking to please everyone, but we want to make sure these games have been generally enjoyed.

Pricing: Price tags are not the most important factor, but they still count. Sometimes a game that is only $10 will be superior to a game that costs $60. We know you’re looking for the best value for money. We are too.

There’s never been a better time to try a strategy game on your Mac. With top games from AAA developers and independents, there’s something in this genre for everyone.

With options from fast real-time games to collectible card games, there’s a MacOS strategy game for every gamer and Mac. Which strategy game caught your eye? What are you currently playing? What did we miss?

Let me know in the comments section, perhaps you’ll even find fellow Mac users to play with online!

Strategy War Games

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