Game | ★ Best Overall | Best for MacBook | Best Value |
Genre | Turn-based | Turn-based | Real-time |
Release date | 2016 | 2018 | 2015 |
Metascore | |||
Our rating | ★★★★☆ Full Review | ★★★★★ Full Review | ★★★★★ Full Review |
Requirements | High | Low | Low |
Check Price |
Games | Games | Our take | Demand Level | Free games only? |
---|---|---|---|---|
Into the Breach ✅ Not demanding | Into the Breach | From the team that did FTL: Faster than Light, comes another excellent turn-based strategy game. Into the Breach puts you in charge of giant Mechs that will have to fight Alien invaders and save as many humans as possible. This is a game that uses charming retro graphics that accomplish to things. First, you won't need a powerful machine to run it at all. And second, the graphics won't distract you from the excellent gameplay Into the Breach offers. Metascore | Not demanding | No |
Factorio ✅ Not demanding | Factorio | If you think Factorio sounds like a factory-building simulation you’d be right. And if all you’re doing is building factories you can bet they’re going to be big, require lots of resources, and attract lots of enemies. Add in cross-platform cooperative multiplayer, modding support, and a map editor, and Factorio takes factory building to the next level. If you’re a fan of building big, complex systems that do cool things, Factorio is for you. Metascore | Not demanding | No |
RimWorld ✅ Not demanding | RimWorld | A single player, sci-fi survival game, RimWorld has you attempting to keep alive the survivors of an interstellar shipwreck on an alien world. How you proceed is largely up to you: RimWorld provides an almost overwhelming amount of detail you can tweak and there are multiple approaches you can take. RimWorld is also known for its personality; players actually get amused at the weird ways their colonies are wiped out after so much careful building and planning. Metascore | Not demanding | No |
This War of Mine ✅ Not demanding | This War of Mine | Perhaps the most unique game on this list, This War of Mine is a single-player survival game simulating war from the perspective of a group of civilians in a bombed out city. By day you craft, take care of yourself and your group, and plan for the night, when you venture out to gather resources including food, fuel and weapons. With Overwhelmingly Positive reviews on Steam and low hardware requirements, This War of Mine suits many Mac gaming needs. Metascore | Not demanding | No |
Kingdoms and Castles Construction and Management | Kingdoms and Castles | Kingdoms and Castles, from Lion Shield, LLC, is as you might expect a city building sim set in Medieval times where you start by building your hamlet and graduate to building your castle. Considered more of a “lite” city sim builder, with low-poly graphics and smallish maps, Kingdoms and Castles offers an alternative to the modern-era city builders. Metascore | Not demanding | No |
Surviving Mars ⚠️ Fairly Demanding | Surviving Mars | Along with Northgard above, Surviving Mars is one of the newest games on this list. It offers a unique, Mars-based twist on the city building sim. Building a city on Mars offers unique challenges, like making sure your colonists have air to breath, and developer Haemimont Games has thrown in some mysteries inspired by classic science fiction depictions of Mars to keep things interesting and different every time you play. Metascore | Fairly Demanding | No |
0 A.D. ✅ Not demanding | 0 A.D. | This open-source, historical, real-time strategy game comes from Wildfire Games, a group of volunteer game developers from around the globe who are obviously big fans of Age of Empires 2. In 0 A.D, you will begin development of your city, raise a mighty army, build an empire, and contend with rivals to take over the world. Those rivals can be on Windows, Linux, and Mac. And did we mention it’s free? Metascore | Not demanding | Yes |
Endless Legend ✅ Not demanding | Endless Legend | A fantasy entry in the 4x turned-based genre dominated by the Civilization series, Endless Legend comes from AMPLITUDE Studios, who brought us Endless Space and Dungeon of the Endless. Working to survive and unravel the mystery of why your planet seems on a cycle of doom, you will build and lead a civilization using resources, skills, and magic. Cross-platform multiplayer rounds things out for those seeking a fantasy-based Civilization-like game. Metascore | Not demanding | No |
Dawn of War 3 ⚠️ Fairly Demanding | Dawn of War 3 | Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 3 is an RTS set in the Warhammer universe. Featuring big armies, huge heroes, and an increased focus on multiplayer (only cross-platform between MacOS and Linux), developer Relic has announced the end of DoW III support meaning no new content will be coming. However if you can find it on sale, it should be supported on your machine for years. Metascore | Fairly Demanding | No |
Stellaris ⚠️ Fairly Demanding | Stellaris | A universe-spanning, grand strategy 4x game, Stellaris focuses on exploration and story more than combat, though there will be fighting. Another game from Paradox Development Studio, the connections to Europa Universalis are clear. Explore the universe, upgrade your technology, build fancy ships, meet with aliens and decide the path you want to take to universal domination. Metascore | Fairly Demanding | No |
Hearts of Iron 4 ✅ Not demanding | Hearts of Iron 4 | The latest in the series of turned-based, WW2 grand strategy games, Hearts of Iron is considered the deepest, most authentic simulation of WW2 on a world scale. Choose your nation and run it exactly as you wish, from making economic, diplomatic and political decisions to how, when and where you fight. Metascore | Not demanding | No |
StarCraft ✅ Not demanding | StarCraft | That’s right, the original also makes this list, because it’s just that good. And free. Possibly the best RTS of all time, StarCraft has you gathering and building as one of three races in a story that connects them all. The Brood War expansion is also free, and there’s no reason you shouldn’t grab them and play them (again) now. Metascore | Not demanding | Yes |
Tooth and Tail ✅ Not demanding | Tooth and Tail | Another lighter RTS, in Tooth and Tail you play as one of four different weaponized animal factions battling over control of the food supply. Tooth and Tail features short battles, pixel graphics, multiplayer, and system requirements that should appeal to owners of less powerful machines. While the single-player is hampered by some balance issues, the game is an affordable and different take on the genre. Metascore | Not demanding | No |
Crusader Kings 2 ✅ Not demanding | Crusader Kings 2 | Another from Paradox, Crusader Kings 2 applies their formula to the Middle Ages, allowing you to rule your domain over generations as the descendants of a family dynasty. The game is infamous for throwing random events at you that you'll need to handle with grace or put your kingdom in danger. As with other Paradox games, the strategy is deep and can be complex, but the game is worth it. Metascore | Not demanding | No |
Offworld Trading Company ✅ Not demanding | Offworld Trading Company | Offworld Trading Company is a rare RTS that features no combat. That’s right, you’ll be collecting resources, but not to build armies. Instead, you’ll be on Mars trying to build the next big company, play the stock market, and defeat your enemies in commerce, not on the battlefield. It also features a difficult AI and cross-platform multiplayer. Metascore | Not demanding | No |
Rome: Total War ✅ Not demanding | Rome: Total War | The highest rated Total War game ever, Rome: Total War has to be on anyone’s best Mac strategy games list. With the classic Total War combination of empire building strategy and battle tactics, Rome: Total War allows you to lead one of Rome’s famous families all the way to the top. And as an older title, it’s perfect for all of you with less powerful Macbooks. Metascore | Not demanding | No |
Below 20 FPS | Unplayable | Laggy gameplay, full of stutters and slowdowns. |
20-30 FPS | Borderline | Can be Ok in slow paced games. Still, not optimal. |
30-45 FPS | Playable | Acceptable for most (most gaming consoles do this). |
45-60 FPS | Smooth | Fluid gameplay, with no perceivable stutters. |
60+ FPS | Very Smooth | For hardcore and professional players, a luxury for most. |