Best games
Best Strategy games of 2009
The 11 best Strategy games released in 2009, ranked from 2,576 critic and player ratings.
The best Strategy game of 2009 is Empire: Total War, with a critic score of 90/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Each game is ranked in one genre only, the one that defines it best, so the same title never tops two different genre charts.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2009.
- 11 games are listed on this page, carrying 2,576 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 11
01
Empire: Total War
Empire: Total War introduces a host of revolutionary new features, including true 3D naval combat. For the first time in the Total War series, you will be able to intuitively command single ships or vast fleets upon seascapes rich with extraordinary water and weather effects that play a huge role in your eventual glorious success or ignominious defeat. After pummelling your enemy with cannon fire, close in to grapple their ship and prepare to board, taking control of your men as they fight hand-to-hand on the decks of these wooden behemoths. In addition, Empire: Total War will see further enhancements to the Total War series’ signature 3D battles and turn-based campaign map. Real-time battles will pose new challenges with the addition of cannon and musket, challenging players to master new formations and tactics as a result of the increasing role of gunpowder within warfare. And the Campaign Map for many, the heart of Total War introduces a variety of new and upgraded elements, including new systems for Trade, Diplomacy and Espionage with agents; a refined and streamlined UI; improved Advisors; and a vastly extended scope, taking in the riches of India, the turbulence of Europe and, for the first time, the untapped potential of the United States of America.
90
/100
02
Anno 1404
82
/100
03
Osmos
Enter the ambient world of Osmos: elegant, physics-based gameplay, dreamlike visuals, and a minimalist, electronic soundtrack. Your objective is to grow by absorbing other motes. Propel yourself by ejecting matter behind you. But be wise: ejecting matter also shrinks you. Relax - good things come to those who wait.
80
/100
Empire: Total War
Empire: Total War introduces a host of revolutionary new features, including true 3D naval combat. For the first time in the Total War series, you will be able to intuitively command single ships or vast fleets upon seascapes rich with extraordinary water and weather effects that play a huge role in your eventual glorious success or ignominious defeat. After pummelling your enemy with cannon fire, close in to grapple their ship and prepare to board, taking control of your men as they fight hand-to-hand on the decks of these wooden behemoths. In addition, Empire: Total War will see further enhancements to the Total War series’ signature 3D battles and turn-based campaign map. Real-time battles will pose new challenges with the addition of cannon and musket, challenging players to master new formations and tactics as a result of the increasing role of gunpowder within warfare. And the Campaign Map for many, the heart of Total War introduces a variety of new and upgraded elements, including new systems for Trade, Diplomacy and Espionage with agents; a refined and streamlined UI; improved Advisors; and a vastly extended scope, taking in the riches of India, the turbulence of Europe and, for the first time, the untapped potential of the United States of America.
90
/100
02
Anno 1404
82
/100
03
Osmos
Enter the ambient world of Osmos: elegant, physics-based gameplay, dreamlike visuals, and a minimalist, electronic soundtrack. Your objective is to grow by absorbing other motes. Propel yourself by ejecting matter behind you. But be wise: ejecting matter also shrinks you. Relax - good things come to those who wait.
80
/100
04
Worms 2: Armageddon
Worms 2: Armageddon is a 2D artillery turn-based tactics video game developed by Team17 and part of the Worms series, released on July 1, 2009 on Xbox Live Arcade. The game is a follow up to the 2007 Worms game, which in-turn was a port of 2006's Worms: Open Warfare.
80
/100
05
Tropico 3
The time is yesterday and the Cold War is in full swing. Through means devious and dubious you have seized power in the Caribbean island country of Tropico, where you now rule as the all-powerful "El Presidente".
79
/100
06
The Path
The Path is a psychological horror art game developed by Tale of Tales originally released for the Microsoft Windows operating system on March 18, 2009 in English and Dutch, and later ported to Mac OS X by TransGaming Technologies. It is inspired by several versions of the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, and by folklore tropes and conventions in general, but set in contemporary times. The player can choose to control one of six different sisters, who are sent one-by-one on errands by their mother to see their sick grandmother. The player can choose whether to stay on the path or to wander, where wolves are lying in wait.
79
/100
07
Angry Birds
Angry Birds is a 2009 physics-based casual puzzle video game developed by Finnish video game developer Rovio Entertainment. Players control a flock of multi-colored birds on a mission to rescue their eggs from green-colored pigs. Using a slingshot, they launch the birds at these pigs stationed in or around different structures. The goal is to eliminate all the pigs on each level with a limited number of birds.
75
/100
08
Dawn of Discovery
Dawn of Discovery (Known as "Anno 1404" in Europe) is a city-building and economic simulation game with real-time strategy elements. Released in 2009, it was developed by Related Designs, produced by Blue Byte, and published by Ubisoft. Though the game centers on a series of fictional events, the overall concept of the storyline is based upon real life aspects of medieval and renaissance history such as the Crusades, advancements in gothic architecture, construction of cathedrals, and hanseatic trade involving the rise of patrician merchants and early forms of capitalism.
72
/100
09
Plants vs. Zombies
Zombies are invading your home, and the only defense is your arsenal of plants! Plants vs. Zombies is a tower defense video game developed and published by PopCap Games. As a horde of zombies approaches along several parallel lanes, players must defend their homes by placing plants, which fire projectiles at the zombies or otherwise detrimentally affect them.
71
/100
10
Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor
Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor is the expansion to the Game of the Year winner and highest rated real time strategy franchise Company of Heroes. Featuring new campaigns to overcome, units to command, and battlefields to conquer, Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor delivers evolved gameplay mechanics and 3 episodic adventures including 9 new missions, 3 new Multiplayer Modes, and new abilities to master.
70
/100
11
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 - Uprising
64
/100
Worms 2: Armageddon
Worms 2: Armageddon is a 2D artillery turn-based tactics video game developed by Team17 and part of the Worms series, released on July 1, 2009 on Xbox Live Arcade. The game is a follow up to the 2007 Worms game, which in-turn was a port of 2006's Worms: Open Warfare.
80
/100
05
Tropico 3
The time is yesterday and the Cold War is in full swing. Through means devious and dubious you have seized power in the Caribbean island country of Tropico, where you now rule as the all-powerful "El Presidente".
79
/100
06
The Path
The Path is a psychological horror art game developed by Tale of Tales originally released for the Microsoft Windows operating system on March 18, 2009 in English and Dutch, and later ported to Mac OS X by TransGaming Technologies. It is inspired by several versions of the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, and by folklore tropes and conventions in general, but set in contemporary times. The player can choose to control one of six different sisters, who are sent one-by-one on errands by their mother to see their sick grandmother. The player can choose whether to stay on the path or to wander, where wolves are lying in wait.
79
/100
07
Angry Birds
Angry Birds is a 2009 physics-based casual puzzle video game developed by Finnish video game developer Rovio Entertainment. Players control a flock of multi-colored birds on a mission to rescue their eggs from green-colored pigs. Using a slingshot, they launch the birds at these pigs stationed in or around different structures. The goal is to eliminate all the pigs on each level with a limited number of birds.
75
/100
08
Dawn of Discovery
Dawn of Discovery (Known as "Anno 1404" in Europe) is a city-building and economic simulation game with real-time strategy elements. Released in 2009, it was developed by Related Designs, produced by Blue Byte, and published by Ubisoft. Though the game centers on a series of fictional events, the overall concept of the storyline is based upon real life aspects of medieval and renaissance history such as the Crusades, advancements in gothic architecture, construction of cathedrals, and hanseatic trade involving the rise of patrician merchants and early forms of capitalism.
72
/100
09
Plants vs. Zombies
Zombies are invading your home, and the only defense is your arsenal of plants! Plants vs. Zombies is a tower defense video game developed and published by PopCap Games. As a horde of zombies approaches along several parallel lanes, players must defend their homes by placing plants, which fire projectiles at the zombies or otherwise detrimentally affect them.
71
/100
10
Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor
Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor is the expansion to the Game of the Year winner and highest rated real time strategy franchise Company of Heroes. Featuring new campaigns to overcome, units to command, and battlefields to conquer, Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor delivers evolved gameplay mechanics and 3 episodic adventures including 9 new missions, 3 new Multiplayer Modes, and new abilities to master.
70
/100
11
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 - Uprising
64
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Strategy game of 2009?
Empire: Total War currently tops the ranking with a score of 90/100 across 276 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.