Humans have been romanticizing war ever since we invented it. From ancient epic poems about the battlefield exploits of larger-than-life heroes to Oscar-winning films, war stories are some of the most powerful in the world. They’re a natural fit for video games, and many historical conflicts have been brought to life this way.
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There have been a lot of wars throughout human history. How many games have been made about the most famous ones? We decided to take a look and see which historical wars have the most titles, from shooters to strategy and everything in between.
These numbers were compiled from several sources, including Google, Wikipedia, and Giant Bomb; the sheer volume of titles for each listing means that all numbers are approximate.
9The Gulf War (1990-1991 CE): 20+ Titles
The invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq prompted a military intervention by thirty-nine countries. While fairly short as wars go, the Gulf War was the final armed conflict of the Cold War and set the tone for the global post-Soviet era.
Given that Desert Storm and its deeply-unpopular followup are still relatively recent, with veterans and families still feeling the long-term effects, it’s no surprise that there aren’t a ton of games about it. As one of the few full-scale wars of the modern era, though, it’s a natural setting for games likeConflict: Desert Stormshowcasing late-twentieth-century military hardware. In particular, the mid-1990s saw several military flight sims set in the skies over Iraq and Kuwait, likeF-117 Night StormandF-15.
8The Third Crusade (1189-1192 CE): 30+ Titles
Medieval Europe saw a huge number of wars overland, religion, and personal grievances. These were usually short, bloody affairs, and few have caught the modern imagination like the Third Crusade. Led by King Richard “the Lionheart” of England, the Third Crusade was anattempt by the Christian kingdoms of Western Europe to conquer Jerusalem.
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The 2000’s saw several titles centered on the Third Crusade, includingboth Medieval: Total Wartitles and the originalAssassin’s Creed. Nowadays, theCrusader Kingsfranchise is easily the most popular set of games on the subject.
7The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 CE): 40+ Titles
The unrest of the French Revolution gave rise to amilitaristic empirethat took the unified power of Europe to stop. Napoleon Bonaparte is widely considered to bethe best military commander in history, and his charisma, ruthlessness, and prowess on the battlefield made him the world’s most dangerous person at the beginning of the nineteenth century.
For all that they impacted the history of Europe,the Napoleonic Wars remain a niche topic of interestboth for gamers and history buffs in general. As the last major pre-industrial conflict, though, they’re the go-to setting for lines of infantry in snappy uniforms and heart-pounding naval battles at the end of the Age of Sail.Total War: Napoleonis one of the most accessible examples thanks to its recognizable brand, while games likeAusterlitz,March Of The Eagles, andCossacksgive players plenty of chances to step into the boots of the Little Corporal or his many enemies.
6Sengoku Jidai (1467-1615 CE): 45+ Titles
While Sengoku Jidai - the Warring States Period - istechnically comprised of dozens of smaller conflictsover a century-and-a-half, its impact as a single period of strife can’t be overstated. Feudal lords across Japan conquered, vassalized, and destroyed their enemies, until ultimately the islands wereunited under a single authority,the Tokugawa Shogunate.
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Considered the height of samurai warfare and culture, Sengoku Jidai is portrayed in games as a time of scheming machinations, honorable adherents to bushido, and bitter betrayals. It’s the go-to period for games inspired by Japanese history, notablySamurai WarriorsandSengoku Basara.There’s even been aPokemonadaptation of the period!
5The American Civil War (1861-1865 CE): 50+ Titles
One of the most exhaustively-studied conflicts in history, the American Civil War offersa compelling narrative that translates extremely well into video games. The Southern states, fearful that the newly-elected President Abraham Lincoln would restrict or outlaw the practice of slavery,attempted to secede from the USA, prompting an armed response to restore the Union.
American Civil War games tend to be made by and for players who take a serious interest in the subject. From classic titles likeSid Meier’s Gettysburgto more recent adaptations likeGrand Tactician: The Civil War, you can usually bet that these games will have a heavier-than-average focus on historical authenticity.
4The First World War (1914-1918 CE): 60+ Titles
The First World War infamously sawunprecedented numbers of casualtieswith very little advancement of the front as armies struggled to adapt to rapidly advancements in weapons technology. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria triggered achain reaction of invasionsacross Europe and beyond, leading to a conflict larger and more deadly than anything the world had seen up to that point.
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While there are plenty of strategy games and shooters about the Great War, including the recentWestern Front, there is also a unique subgenre of horror games set on the battlefields of France. Juxtaposing supernatural horror with the grim reality of life and death in the trenches has proven particularly effective, such as inAmnesia: The Bunker, and with overall interest in the conflict growing we’ll probably see more World War 1 titles in the future.
3The Three Kingdoms Period (220-280 CE): 75+ Titles
Few eras blend history with legend as much as the Three Kingdoms Period, thedecades of war following the collapse of the Han Dynastyin China. Former vassals to the Emperor staked their own claims to the throne, willing to fight Imperial troops and each other to rule the Middle Kingdom.
Dynasty WarriorsandRomance Of The Three Kingdomsare two long-running series that dramatize the period with flashy costumes, over-the-top martial arts, and heroes with the strength of a thousand soldiers. Due to its status asone of the defining moments in Chinese history, the Three Kingdoms period has seen dozens of adaptations in Asia, but comparatively few reach the Western market.
2The Vietnam War (1955-1974 CE): 80+ Titles
Easily themost infamous of the many proxy warsfought between the United States and the Soviet Union in the latter half of the twentieth century, the Vietnam War was deeply controversial and remains so to this day. When the Soviet Union supported an insurgency attempting to overthrow the Vietnamese government, the United Statessent troops to prevent the creation of a new communist nation.
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Games set during the Vietnam Wartend to be shooters,focusing on the struggle for survival in dense, trap-filled jungles where ambushes could come form anywhere. The heavy use of air strikes during the conflict also lent itself to a handful of flight simulators, particularly in the early 1990s.
1The Second World War (1939-1945 CE): 500+ Titles
The Second World War is the most-adapted historical conflict for video games, and the margin is not close. Following years of unopposed territorial expansion in Central Europe, the German Reichattempted to conquer Poland, leading Britain, France, and the Soviet Union to intervene.
The sheer volume of World War 2 games means that if you have any interest in the conflict at all, chances are there’s a game for you. Tank, naval, and aerial combat sims abound, going all the way back to arcade shoot-‘em-ups like1943.If you prefer to focus on the overall strategy and tactics of the war,Company Of HeroesandHearts Of Ironare great choices.Call Of Dutygot its start as a World War 2 shooter, andWolfensteintakes a sci-fi alternate-history approach to the battle against the Reich.
Whether you’re commanding battleships off of Midway or defending the streets of Stalingrad, the Second World War is the go-to setting for battlefield gaming, and that’s unlikely to change any time soon.
