Top 20 Cooperative Turn-Based Combat Games

About this gallery:

For this gallery, we decided to take a look at cooperative experiences where we had to plan strategies with our friends to determine the best outcome of a battle. Since we didn't want to fill the list with repeated titles, we limited ourselves to one game per franchise.

Also, remember that this list is subjective! If you think we missed an important game, why not add it in the comments? | © IronOak Games

20. Phantom Doctrine (2018, modded for co-op)

In Phantom Doctrine, you and a friend can dive into the world of Cold War espionage – complete with tactical turn-based combat and agents with questionable loyalties. Mod it for co-op and experience the thrill of watching your grand plans fall apart when the enemy does something you never predicted. Good luck, agent. | © CreativeForge Games

19. Temtem (2020)

Temtem is basically "Gotta Catch ‘Em All" with your best buddy along for the ride. Its turn-based combat requires careful planning, especially when working in co-op. Just make sure you both agree on strategy before jumping into a fight – nobody wants to be the reason you lost to a level 10. | © Crema

18. Fort Triumph (2020)

In Fort Triumph, you and your friends get to manipulate the environment as much as the enemies. Trees? They’re weapons. Rocks? Also weapons. The co-op mode makes sure that you can laugh together as you drop things on enemies – and sometimes accidentally on each other. | © CookieByte Entertainment

17. Age of Wonders: Planetfall (2019) - Triumph Studios

It’s time to take over a sci-fi world with your friends in Age of Wonders: Planetfall. The turn-based battles are all about combining your forces, picking the right moment to strike, and possibly “accidentally” leaving your friend's troops to deal with the toughest enemies. Strategy is fun... especially when someone else takes the fall… | © Triumph Studios

16. Shadowrun: Hong Kong (2015, modded for co-op)

Cyberpunk fantasy, tactical combat, and co-op – what more could you want? With the co-op mod, Shadowrun: Hong Kong lets you and a friend hack the matrix and cast spells in neon-lit alleys. Just make sure you’re ready to argue over who gets to be the decker and who ends up being troll muscle. | © Harebrained Schemes

15. Stoneshard (2024)

In Stoneshard, you and your buddies can jump into a gritty medieval world where every choice matters and every combat turn could be your last. It’s the kind of game where you’ll blame each other when things go wrong – but hey, surviving together is half the fun, right? | © Ink Stains Games

14. Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden (2018)

Mutant Year Zero is part stealth, part turn-based combat, and all teamwork. You and your friends can play as talking animals with guns, sneaking around and taking out enemies before they even know what hit them. Just be ready for the moment when someone forgets to stealth, and you all end up in the thick of it. | © The Bearded Ladies

13. For The King 2 (2023)

For The King is like playing a tabletop RPG without a DM to argue with – just your friends to share in the pain and glory. It’s cooperative roguelike fun where planning and a bit of luck can make the difference between life and respawning back at the inn. Remember: splitting up to cover more ground almost always ends in disaster. | © IronOak Games

12. Expeditions: Viking (2017, modded for co-op)

In Expeditions: Viking, you and a friend can lead your Viking clan to glory... or to complete disaster. With the co-op mod, you can share the responsibilities of raiding, pillaging, and making dubious tactical decisions that might just get your entire party eaten by wolves. Long live the Viking spirit! | © Logic Artists

11. Tales of Maj’Eyal (2012, modded for co-op)

Ever wondered if roguelikes would be more fun with friends? Tales of Maj’Eyal answers that with a co-op mod where you can laugh together as you fail and learn. Deep turn-based combat mixed with permadeath means you'll both be feeling the pain... in a good way, of course! | © Netcore Games

10. Battle Brothers (2017, modded for co-op)

Mercenary life is tough, but it’s a little easier when you’ve got a friend helping to manage the chaos. Battle Brothers with co-op mods lets you share the joy of missing a critical attack and watching your mercenary get turned into mincemeat. If you both survive, it’s probably down to sheer luck. | © Overhype Studios

9. Gloomhaven (2021)

Do you like games that require spreadsheets to keep track of all your options? Then Gloomhaven is perfect for you and your friends! It’s tactical turn-based combat at its finest, where every move matters. Just make sure you’re still friends after debating the best way to handle that boss fight for half an hour. | © Flaming Fowl Studios / Asmodee Digital

8. Inkbound (2024)

Inkbound mixes storybook vibes with turn-based combat, letting you and your pals face procedurally generated dungeons together. The catch? You have to work together when the danger ratchets up. If one of you decides to YOLO into an enemy attack, the rest are right there to witness the inevitable consequences. And maybe laugh a little. | © Shiny Shoe

7. Wasteland 3 (2020)

In Wasteland 3, you’re not just battling mutants – you're also trying to figure out if your friend’s crazy plan to run straight into battle might actually work. Co-op here is all about making big, reckless choices together, and then laughing (or crying) at the results. Post-apocalypse is always better with company. | © inXile Entertainment

6. Jagged Alliance 3 (2023)

Jagged Alliance 3 is what you get when you mix tactical turn-based combat with a heavy dose of ‘80s action movie vibes. Co-op means you and a buddy get to divvy up the mercs, plan out complex ambushes, and then watch everything go wrong in real-time. Because who doesn’t love a good tactical meltdown? | © THQ Nordic

5. Pit People (2018)

If you like your turn-based combat served with a side of weird, Pit People is your game. It’s bright, chaotic, and you can drag a friend along for the ride. Together, you’ll throw your army of cupcakes and robots into the fray and laugh your way through the madness. Who knew strategy could be this wacky? | © The Behemoth

4. Darkest Dungeon (2016, modded for co-op)

Team up in Darkest Dungeon and see which of your friends cracks under the pressure first! The co-op mod lets you share the stress, sanity loss, and inevitable character deaths. It’s a bonding experience where, for once, you get to say, “Hey, at least it wasn’t MY fault we got wiped by that eldritch horror.” | © Red Hook Studios

3. XCOM 2 (2016, modded for co-op)

Alien invasion got you down? Why not add a friend to share the misery! With the co-op mod, XCOM 2 lets you and a buddy take turns sending your squad into tactical disaster – uh, I mean, combat. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll definitely blame each other when the sniper misses a 95% shot. | © Firaxis Games

2. Divinity: Original Sin 2 (2017)

Think you’re good at turn-based combat? Divinity: Original Sin 2 dares you to try out a co-op mode where setting your friends on fire is just another part of your strategy. It’s all fun and games until someone "accidentally" drops a lightning storm on the whole party. Just remember, elemental chaos is best enjoyed with friends. | © Larian Studios

1. Baldur's Gate 3 (2023)

Yes, Larian did it again. Grab your spellbook and gather your friends, because Baldur's Gate 3 is all about turn-based combat with some serious flair. It’s a classic D&D adventure where everyone gets to argue over whose turn it is to cast Fireball and who forgot to heal the tank. With up to four players making decisions, the chaos is almost as fun as the battles themselves! | © Larian Studios