RTS Games

Real-time strategy video games are among the most active thinking-intensive genres you can find in the whole medium. Constant planning and adjustment is required for success, and the dynamics binding you to your current strategy may completely change with little to no warning. This genre has cultivated a devout following that is willing to lose itself in its intricacies and machinations.

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  1. 0 A.D. icon
     239 likes

    0 A.D. is a free, open-source, cross-platform real-time strategy (RTS) game of ancient warfare. In short, it is a historically-based war/economy game that allows players to relive or rewrite the history of Western civilizations, focusing on the years between 500 B.C. and 500 A.D.

    • RTS Game
    • FreeOpen Source
    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    0 A.D. screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are Age of Empires iconAge of Empires43 alternatives
  2. Plants vs. Zombies is a tower defense video game by PopCap. A mob of fun-loving zombies is about to invade your home, and your only defense is an arsenal of zombie-zapping plants. Use peashooters, wall-nuts, cherry bombs and more to mulchify zombies before they reach your front...

    • Tower Defense Game
    • FreemiumProprietary
    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Kindle Fire
    • Steam
    • Playstation
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Xbox
    iPhone
    Best alternatives are Junkworld iconJunkworldandKingdom Rush iconKingdom Rush47 alternatives
  3. Age of Empires icon
     139 likes

    Historical real-time strategy where players guide civilizations from the Stone Age to Iron Age, manage resources, battle rivals, and explore major eras.

    • RTS Game
    • Windows
    • Steam
    • Xbox
    Age of Empires screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are 0 A.D. icon0 A.D.andOpenRA iconOpenRA53 alternatives
  4. Warzone 2100 icon
     65 likes

    Join "The Project" to restore humanity's synaptic-link technology after nuclear war has devastated Earth, rendering it a Warzone 2100.

    • RTS Game
    • FreeOpen Source
    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Steam
    Warzone 2100 screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are Age of Empires iconAge of Empires27 alternatives
  5. Warcraft III icon
     87 likes

    Set a generation before the events of the original Warcraft began, Warcraft II is a real-time strategy game by Blizzard Entertainment. Cunning, sinister, and seemingly unstoppable, the demonic Burning Legion prepare to launch their long-awaited assault on the mortal world.

    • RTS Game
    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Wine
    Warcraft III screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are 0 A.D. icon0 A.D.andStarcraft iconStarcraft45 alternatives
  6. Starcraft icon
     119 likes

    Command the exiled Terrans, the relentless Zerg, and the abiding Protoss, in the world's most longstanding RTS. (Released in 1997.).

    • RTS Game
    • FreemiumProprietary
    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Battle.net App
    Starcraft screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are 0 A.D. icon0 A.D.andAge of Empires iconAge of Empires32 alternatives
  7. Dive into fast-paced MOBA action with real-time strategy in matches featuring over 100 champions, chasing victory by destroying the enemy's Nexus.

    • MOBA Game
    • FreemiumProprietary
    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    League of Legends screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are Heroes of the Storm iconHeroes of the Storm14 alternatives
  8. OpenRA icon
     48 likes

    OpenRA is an open-source reimplementation of Westwood’s Command & Conquer Red Alert game engine, updated to use the hardware acceleration of modern video cards using OpenGL.

    • RTS Game
    • FreeOpen Source
    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • .NET Framework
    • Mono
    OpenRA screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are Age of Empires iconAge of Empires25 alternatives
  9. Dota 2 icon
     76 likes

    Dota 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game developed and published by Valve Corporation. The game is a sequel to Defense of the Ancients (DotA),.

    • MOBA Game
    • FreemiumProprietary
    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Steam
    Dota 2 screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are League of Legends iconLeague of Legends13 alternatives
  10. Command & Conquer (C&C) is a real-time strategy (RTS) video game franchise, first developed by Westwood Studios. The first game was one of the earliest of the RTS genre.

    • RTS Game
    • Windows
    • Steam
    • EA App
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Xbox
    • Playstation
    Command & Conquer screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are OpenRA iconOpenRAandWidelands iconWidelands25 alternatives
  11. Widelands icon
     36 likes

    Widelands is a free, open source real-time strategy game with singleplayer campaigns and a multiplayer mode. The game was inspired by Settlers II™ (© Bluebyte) but has significantly more variety and depth to it. Still, it is easy to get started through playable tutorials.

    • RTS Game
    • FreeOpen Source
    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Widelands screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are 0 A.D. icon0 A.D.andAge of Empires iconAge of Empires27 alternatives
  12. Clash Royale icon
     28 likes

    Clash Royale is a real-time multiplayer game starring the Royales, your favorite Clash of Clans characters and much, much more.

    Clash Royale screenshot 1
    Clash Royale screenshot 2
    Clash Royale screenshot 3
    Best alternatives are Junkworld iconJunkworldandClash of Clans iconClash of Clans14 alternatives
  13. Empire Earth icon
     17 likes

    Empire Earth, also known as EE, is a real-time strategy video game developed by Stainless Steel Studios and released on November 23, 2001. It is the first game in the Empire Earth series: Empire Earth, Empire Earth II, Empire Earth III.

    Discontinued
    • RTS Game
    • Windows
    • Java Mobile
    Empire Earth screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are 0 A.D. icon0 A.D.andAge of Empires iconAge of Empires41 alternatives
  14. openage icon
     18 likes

    Free (as in freedom) open-source RTS Age of Empires engine. Written from scratch in C++, Python, Cython, Qt/QML, OpenGL/GLSL, Vulkan, ...

    • RTS Game
    • FreeOpen Source
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    openage screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are 0 A.D. icon0 A.D.andAge of Empires iconAge of Empires41 alternatives
  15. OpenDungeons icon
     4 likes

    OpenDungeons is an open source, real time strategy game sharing game elements with the Dungeon Keeper series and Evil Genius. Players build an underground dungeon which is inhabited by creatures. Players fight each other for control of the underground by indirectly commanding...

    • RTS Game
    • FreeOpen Source
    • Windows
    • Linux
    OpenDungeons screenshot 1
    Best alternatives are Evil Genius iconEvil Genius10 alternatives