The Best Tactical Games for Nintendo Switch

Update 5 October 2023: Wargroove 2 added at rank #5.

Here are our 10 Best Tactical Games for Nintendo Switch:

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (2022)

View Similar Games

Review score

Screenshot of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

Nintendo Switch

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is an innovative turn-based tactical RPG. You play as Mario and his Rabbid allies as they battle a space monster named Cursa and her Darkmess. The game captures the energy of the Rabbids, and provides supercharged weapons, flinging allies into the air, and Sparks to power up your team.

What we like:

Innovative gameplay
Vibrant and lively atmosphere
Strategic maps without grids
Lots of fun characters with unique abilities
Smooth controls

What could be improved:

Not for those who don't like turn-based tactical RPGs
Some jokes may be too dumb for some players

tactical
turn-based
battle
grid
strategy
cover
combat
crossover
puzzle
rpg
exploration
fight

Tactics Ogre: Reborn (2022)

View Similar Games

Review score

Playstation 5 Playstation 4 Nintendo Switch PC Windows

Tactics Ogre: Reborn is a must-play for fans of strategy RPGs. This game features slow-paced gameplay that will make you think carefully about your moves. The story is full of political intrigue and compelling characters that are sure to keep you engaged from start to finish. With a permadeath system that makes each life matter, the stakes are high, and there's never a dull moment. This game may not be the easiest to get into, but once you do, you'll find yourself hooked.

What we like:

Slow-paced gameplay
Compelling story
Permadeath system
Engaging characters
High stakes

What could be improved:

Not very accessible for beginners
Can be challenging
UI may be frustrating for some players
Difficulty increase unbalanced sometimes

tactical
rpg
remake
battle
strategy
card
turn-based
isometric
war
classic
political

Triangle Strategy (2022)

View Similar Games

Review score

Nintendo Switch PC Windows

Triangle Strategy is a tactical RPG that takes place in the middle of a trade war between three countries on the continent of Norzelia. Featuring strong tactics gameplay and striking retro visuals, players control a traveling band of troops led by the generically stoic Serenoa as they look to untangle the political conflict.

What we like:

Tight tactics battles
Emphasis on careful troop placement
Special currency for special actions
Choice-driven story with tense decisions

What could be improved:

Long swaths of monotonous dialogue with minimal interactivity
Thin customization options
Hardly any side-content

tactical
rpg
battle
strategy
japanese
political
turn-based
war
narrative
jrpg
politics
grid
combat

Fire Emblem Engage (2023)

View Similar Games

Review score

Nintendo Switch

Fire Emblem Engage is a tactical JRPG series that brings together classic elements of Fire Emblem and adds modern touches. You will take part in strategic battles, build relationships with your team, and find magical rings to defeat a dark dragon.

What we like:

Challenging difficulty levels
Rewind feature to turn back turns
Variety of customisation options
Engaging storyline and characters
Beautiful level design

What could be improved:

Unpredictable luck system in some parts of the game
Limited activities outside of combat
Traditional narrative structure might not appeal to all players

tactical
battle
rpg
strategy
turn-based
grid
combat
narrative
fight
japanese
anime
war
skill
remake

Wargroove 2 (2023)

View Similar Games

Review score

PC Windows Playstation 4 Nintendo Switch

Trouble stirs on the shores of Aurania. An ambitious new faction has unearthed forbidden relics capable of catastrophic consequences. But how far will they go to achieve glory? Take to the battlefield, sea, and sky with a cast of new Commanders, using your wits to wage turn-based war!

tactical
turn-based
rogue-like
strategy
campaign
battle
traditional
pixel
wargame
fantasy
war
cooperative
family-friendly
rpg

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes (2022)

View Similar Games

Review score

Nintendo Switch

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a spin-off title based on the 2019 edition of the series, Fire Emblem: Three Houses. It exchanges the turn-based strategy gameplay of most Fire Emblem titles for brutal real-time combat and allows players to take down legions of enemies while exploring the mysteries and intrigue between heated battles.

What we like:

Down-time activities well balanced with complex battle mechanics
Helpful AI controlled teammates
Rich characterisation
Tactical depth

What could be improved:

System can be heavy at times
Tedious upgrading process for weapons & unlocking new weapons is expensive & requires tracking materials

battle
tactical
hack-and-slash
strategy
combat
alternate
war
fight
spin-off
rpg
narrative
turn-based
action
political
combo

The Last Spell (2021)

View Similar Games

Review score

PC Windows Nintendo Switch Playstation 4 Playstation 5

The Last Spell is a captivating turn-based tactical RPG game where you'll lead a squad of heroes in a battle of survival again an endless swarm of brutal monsters. With procedurally generated enemy waves, unlockables, and a headbanger soundtrack, the game will keep you entertained until the real world collapses.

What we like:

Variety in runs and viable weapons
Immersive world and stunning graphics
Unique blend of strategy and RPG elements
Great soundtrack
Well-thought variation of wave defense strategy

What could be improved:

High time commitment required
Meta progression system is too essential

turn-based
tactical
rpg
strategy
rogue-like
fantasy
tower-defense
perma-death
post-apocalyptic
pixel
base-building
wave
dark

Wartales (2021)

View Similar Games

Review score

PC Windows Xbox One Xbox Series X Nintendo Switch

In Wartales, you will lead a group of mercenaries through an open-world medieval landscape, filled with treasure and mysteries to uncover. Customize your team with specialized skills and equipment, as you traverse a vast terrain via horseback or on foot. With a turn-based combat system, anticipate encountering various enemies requiring strategic planning and coordination for success. Bond with your fellow comrades and celebrate an accomplished day of pillaging with a well-earned feast. In this harsh world, will you endure and prosper? Play Wartales and find out!

What we like:

Exciting turn-based combat
Extensive customization options
Immersive map interactions
Amusing lock picking and puzzle-solving
Enticing exploration opportunities

What could be improved:

Harsh early-game difficulty
Repetitive late-game combat
No horse-riding option for faster travel
Lack of hints for in-game quests
Troop deployment is somewhat illogical

turn-based
rpg
tactical
open-world
medieval
combat
low-fantasy
strategy
battle
survival
cooperative
skill
crafting

The Banner Saga 2 (2016)

View Similar Games

Review score

PC Windows Mac OS Xbox One Playstation 4 IOS iPhone Android Nintendo Switch

The Banner Saga 2 is a gripping Norse-inspired fantasy adventure that engages you with its exceptional narrative and captivating art direction. The game features a turn-based combat system that challenges your strategic thinking, new creatures and obstacles, and battles resolved through primary objectives rather than max-murdering the other side. Make difficult decisions that can lead to starvation, mutiny or death, while defying traditional conventions and rejecting typical rules of morality. The sequel is a must-play, with vastly improved combat, deep and rewarding narrative, and an immersive visual and sound design.

What we like:

Engaging narrative
Captivating art direction
Improved combat system
New creatures and obstacles
Battles resolved through primary objectives

What could be improved:

Difficult for new players who did not play the first game
Console controls are awkward and obtuse
Environmental art can make combat harder to navigate
Not very action-packed
Characters can die without notice

turn-based
tactical
battle
strategy
rpg
combat
narrative
story
grid
fantasy
hand-drawn

Kaiju Wars (2022)

View Similar Games

Review score

PC Windows Xbox Series X Playstation 5 Linux Mac OS Nintendo Switch Playstation 4 Xbox One

Play out a Kaiju movie as the (hopelessly) outclassed military in this stylish 2D turn-based strategy game. Construct buildings and defend your city with cannon-fodder tanks, jets and more as the devastating kaiju grow in power with every attack.