StarCraft

61 Games like StarCraft that you should try

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StarCraft is hard to replace: few games combine real-time strategy, combat tactical and setting scifi in quite the same way. We analyzed over 2,000 titles across 10 gameplay attributes and found 61 genuine alternatives — not generic genre suggestions. Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, Bloons TD 5 and Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time lead the list, with Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars reaching a 94/100 similarity score. Every game here is ranked by how closely it replicates what makes StarCraft special.

iRank88/ 100

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GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

Tags

SoloMultiplayer

Year 1998Dev Blizzard Entertainment

Quick answer

The closest game to StarCraft is Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars — scoring 94/100 on our similarity scale. Bloons TD 5 and Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time follow close behind.

#1Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars94 #2Bloons TD 590 #3Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time92 #4Stronghold88 #5Stronghold Crusader88

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Games like StarCraft

61 similar games found

#1Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

94

iRank86

Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerMeleeTacticalSci-FiIsometric

Steam👍 90%· 9.2KRAWG👍 83%· 225MC85IGDB85· 4

Year 2007Dev Electronic Arts Los Angeles · Electronic ArtsPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Xbox

✓ Same family of tower defense games: real-time strategy, tower defense planning and melee combat

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, strong narrative focus and post-apocalyptic world, while skipping loot and gear systems

90

iRank95

Bloons TD 5

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerTacticalMeleeIsometric

Steam👍 95%· 12K

Year 2011Dev Ninja KiwiOn PS4 · Android · PC

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing tower defense planning, combat tactical and melee combat

≠ Where it differs: brings deep simulation, sandbox freedom and vibe casual, while skipping real-time strategy

Steam PS Nintendo

#3Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time

92

iRank80

Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerTacticalSci-FiDark

IGDB80· 1

Year 2013Dev PopCap Games · Electronic ArtsOn Android · iOS

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with real-time strategy, tower defense planning and combat tactical

≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling, survival mechanics and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping melee combat

88

iRank96

Stronghold

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerTacticalMeleeIsometric

Steam👍 96%· 10K

Year 2001Dev Firefly Studios · Take-Two InteractiveOn PC · Mac

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing real-time strategy, tower defense planning and combat tactical

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and strong narrative focus, while skipping setting scifi

#5Stronghold Crusader

88

iRank92

Stronghold Crusader

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerTacticalMeleeIsometric

Steam👍 98%· 21KIGDB80· 1

Year 2002Dev Firefly Studios · Take-Two InteractiveOn PC

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing real-time strategy, tower defense planning and combat tactical

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and sandbox world, while skipping setting scifi

89

iRank85

Sol Survivor

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerSci-FiCo-opDark

Steam👍 90%· 439MC75

Year 2010Dev Cadenza InteractivePlaytime ~5hOn PC

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: survival mechanics, roguelike runs and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping real-time strategy

#7Stronghold HD (2012)

88

iRank88

Stronghold HD (2012)

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerTacticalIsometricNarrative

Steam👍 96%· 10KRAWG👍 82%· 310MC81

Year 2012Dev FireFly StudiosPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Same family of tower defense games: real-time strategy, tower defense planning and combat tactical

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and strong narrative focus, while skipping melee combat

#8Infested Planet

89

iRank79

Infested Planet

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalMeleeSci-FiIsometric

Steam👍 94%· 3.0KRAWG👍 59%· 44MC75OC77· 10

Year 2013Dev Rocket Bear GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with real-time strategy, tower defense planning and combat tactical

≠ Stands apart with visual topdown and visual 2d, while skipping multiplayer gameplay

#9Gratuitous Space Battles

94

iRank58

Gratuitous Space Battles

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerMeleeTacticalSci-FiIsometric

Steam👍 70%· 877RAWG👍 24%· 42MC72IGDB65· 2

Year 2009Dev Positech GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Same family of tower defense games: real-time strategy, tower defense planning and melee combat

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation, turn-based strategy and sandbox freedom, while skipping loot and gear systems

#10Defense Grid: The Awakening

88

iRank82

Defense Grid: The Awakening

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalSci-FiIsometric

Steam👍 96%· 5.3KRAWG👍 59%· 106MC81IGDB86· 2

Year 2008Dev Hidden Path EntertainmentPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Xbox · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, real-time strategy and combat tactical

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation, while skipping melee combat

95

iRank47

Oil Rush

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerSci-FiIsometricPost-Apocalyptic

Steam👍 58%· 535RAWG👍 13%· 54MC67IGDB50· 2

Year 2012Dev UniginePlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with real-time strategy, tower defense planning and setting scifi

≠ Its own twist: post-apocalyptic world, while skipping combat tactical

#12Harvest: Massive Encounter

87

iRank79

Harvest: Massive Encounter

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloSci-FiBase Building

Steam👍 79%· 162

Year 2008Dev Oxeye Game StudioPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Same family of tower defense games: tower defense planning, real-time strategy and setting scifi

≠ Its own twist: base building, while skipping combat tactical

#13AI War: Fleet Command

89

iRank69

AI War: Fleet Command

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerTacticalMeleeSci-FiIsometric

Steam👍 82%· 1.6KRAWG👍 26%· 50MC80IGDB90· 1

Year 2009Dev Arcen GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Same family of tower defense games: real-time strategy, tower defense planning and combat tactical

≠ Where it differs: brings deep simulation, turn-based strategy and punishing difficulty, while skipping loot and gear systems

#14Creeper World: Anniversary Edition

82

iRank97

Creeper World: Anniversary Edition

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

Solo

Steam👍 97%· 966

Year 2016Dev Knuckle CrackerPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Same family of tower defense games: tower defense planning and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings deep simulation, while skipping real-time strategy

83

iRank91

Bloons TD 6

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerTacticalMeleeSkill TreeIsometric

Steam👍 97%· 386KRAWG👍 81%· 208

Year 2018Dev Ninja KiwiPlaytime ~8hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, combat tactical and melee combat

≠ Stands apart with sandbox freedom, survival mechanics and vibe casual, while skipping real-time strategy

Steam Epic itch.io

Games like StarCraft

Cubemen

Cubemen

Tower Defense · RTS

Thronefall

Thronefall

Tower Defense · Simulation

Stronghold Legends: Steam Edition

Stronghold Legends: Steam Edition

Simulation · Sandbox

Craft The World

Craft The World

Simulation · Sandbox

Plants vs. Zombies

Plants vs. Zombies

Tower Defense · Puzzle

Bad North

Bad North

Turn-Based Strat · Simulation

Go Home Dinosaurs!

Go Home Dinosaurs!

Tower Defense · Puzzle

Gratuitous Tank Battles

Gratuitous Tank Battles

Simulation · Tower Defense

Fieldrunners

Fieldrunners

Tower Defense

Farm for your Life

Farm for your Life

Simulation · Puzzle

Rankings in the same genre

Best Tower Defense Games Best Strategy Games

Frequently asked questions

What is the best game similar to StarCraft?: The closest game to StarCraft is Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, scoring 94/100 on our similarity scale. They share 8 gameplay attributes, including real-time strategy, tower defense planning and single-player focus. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.
What are the top games like StarCraft?: The three closest games to StarCraft are: 1. Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars (94/100, 8 shared attributes) 2. Bloons TD 5 (90/100, 6 shared attributes) 3. Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time (92/100, 6 shared attributes). All share StarCraft's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 61 candidates across 10 dimensions.
Is Bloons TD 5 similar to StarCraft?: Yes, very much so — Bloons TD 5 scores 90/100 similarity to StarCraft. They share 6 attributes, including tower defense planning and single-player focus. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.
What RTS games are similar to StarCraft?: The best RTS games similar to StarCraft are Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time, Stronghold and Stronghold Crusader. All share the RTS genre alongside other key StarCraft attributes like real-time strategy, tower defense planning and single-player focus.
How is similarity to StarCraft calculated?: We compare StarCraft against every game in our catalog using 10 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the StarCraft experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.