Raid: Shadow Legends requires loads of different skills. Its battles involve choosing the right Champions and balancing the different affinities. Players need to think about how abilities work together. Buffs and team composition can all affect the result. 

The wider game asks players to decide which characters and upgrades deserve resources. There is a huge level of ‘spinning plates’ going on for players. It shows how much of the experience depends on preparation rather than simply pressing attack.

There are plenty of other games (even ones that don’t require a device) built around strategic thinking.

Poker Makes a Simple Card Game Surprisingly Strategic

Poker is a good example of a game that looks simple on the surface but becomes much deeper once the basic rules are understood.

The most popular variety is Texas Hold’em. The player receives two private cards and five community cards are gradually dealt onto the table. The aim is to make the best five-card hand possible. That is only half of what is happening.

The real strategy comes from incomplete information. Understanding how to play Texas Hold’em involves getting to grips with things like bluffing. A player knows their own cards and can see the community cards. Nobody knows exactly what everybody else is holding. That means decisions have to be based on probabilities and what they think another player is likely to do. This brings a huge level of strategy.

Starting-hand selection is one basic strategic skill.

Pocket aces are obviously strong and weaker combinations are often easier to fold before much money goes into the pot. Position matters too because players acting later in a betting round get to see what everybody else has done first.

A well-thought-out bluff can sometimes convince opponents that a weak hand is much better than it really is. Bluffing too often quickly becomes predictable. Good poker play usually involves balancing aggression with restraint and accepting that folding is sometimes the smartest move available.

Civilization VI Rewards Long-Term Planning

Civilization VI takes strategic thinking in a completely different direction. Players manage an entire civilization across hundreds of turns. Civ VII is also out now. We’ve still recommended VI due to the fact that it has such incredible reviews. Both are great games.

Cities need to be placed carefully in these games. The resources have to be developed and technology choices can shape what becomes possible later. Military strength matters too. The game even incorporates science and diplomacy.

Building one district means not building something else at that moment. Expanding into a particular area may provide useful resources but also create tension with another civilization.

A decision made early in the game can still have consequences many turns later.

Civ games can be particularly good at encouraging long-term thinking. The strongest move is not always the one that gives the immediate reward or wins a single battle.

Slay the Spire Makes Adaptation More Important Than a Fixed Plan

Slay the Spire combines card games with roguelike design.

Players build a traditional card deck as they move through a series of battles against opponents. There is no guarantee that the exact cards needed for an ideal strategy will appear.

That forces constant adjustment. A particular card might encourage a defensive build. Another reward may suddenly make poison or repeated attacks much more useful.

The smartest approach is often to work with what appears rather than stubbornly chasing one perfect deck.

That is a different strategic lesson from Civilization VI. Long-term planning still matters yet flexibility matters just as much.

Chess Is Still One of the Clearest Strategy Games

Chess is much older than any of the other examples here. It remains useful because almost everything depends on decisions. There is no random card draw and no unexpected dice roll.

This iconic game is also easy to start learning because the basic movement of the pieces can be understood quickly. Both players can see the whole board and think about their next move. Some people spend their whole lives trying to improve their chess skills and ranking. Mistakes are usually the result of poor planning or failing to notice what the opponent is setting up. But there are an unbelievable number of potential outcomes for any chess game.

This ancient game encourages players to think several moves ahead. It also teaches the value of controlling important spaces and protecting pieces. A tempting attack may leave the king exposed.

That is why chess has remained one of the most obvious examples of a game where simple rules can support very complex thinking.

XCOM 2 Adds Risk to Tactical Planning

XCOM 2 brings probability into the strategy.

You can command a squad of soldiers through turn-based missions. Positioning and weapon range need to be part of the planning. Sometimes things can take an unexpected turn and an attack may have a perceived high chance of hitting but still miss.

That uncertainty changes how plans are built.

A strategy that depends entirely on one shot working is risky. This is true even if the percentage looks good. Strong play usually involves leaving backup options and thinking about what happens if the first plan fails.

Squad management adds another layer outside battle. Soldiers develop different skills in a similar way to Raid’s defensive or attacking Champions. Losing an experienced squad member can have consequences beyond the current mission.

That makes decisions feel more significant. There is always pressure to balance immediate success against keeping the team in good shape for whatever comes next.

What makes strategy games (or any game involving strategy) interesting is that they do not all teach the same habits. Each works a different part of the brain.