Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
- #15 The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game – Definitive Edition
- #14 The Lord of the Rings: Conquest
- #13 Helm’s Deep
- #12 Lego The Lord of The Rings
- #11 The Lord of the Rings Online
- #10 The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age
- #9 Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth
- #8 The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth
- #7 The Last Days (of the Third Age of Middle-Earth)
- #6 The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
- #5 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- #4 Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
- #3 Middle-earth: Shadow of War
- #2 The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II
- #1 Third Age – Total War
The Lord of the Rings is a massively popular franchise. Outside of the novels and blockbuster movies, we also have a slew of video game titles to enjoy after finishing the final pages or letting the credits roll. In this list, we’re showcasing some of the very best games inspired by The Lord of the Rings. Be sure to let us know any that we may have missed on social media.
#15 The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game – Definitive Edition
Platform: PC
Release Date: August 29, 2019
Genre: Adventure, RPG, Strategy
Card games may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Lord of The Rings, but if you’re a fan of digital card games like Hearthstone, you might want to check into The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game. This title focuses on completing challenges rather than fighting off random opponents, and players will craft decks to fight against Sauron’s forces through three different story-driven quests.
It’s worth pointing out that the base game only came with the campaign mode, but the title has since received a Definitive Edition. Those that already own the game will receive the Definitive Edition for free, which includes two additional storyline campaigns along with a brand new game mode called The Mirror Of Galadriel. This is essentially a mode that allows players to compete in randomly generated quests.
A cooperative game mode allows two players to work together, making this a great game to play with fellow Tolkien-heads.
#14 The Lord of the Rings: Conquest
Platform: PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS
Release Date: January 13, 2009
Genre: Action
The 2009 title The Lord of The Rings: Conquest decided to make a few changes to the beloved franchise, in particular how the narrative ends. Rather than the Ring being destroyed, it’s kept and a slew of battles for the Ring rage on.
While the storyline is understandable, the gameplay is the weak spot in this title. The game follows a similar pathway to Star Wars: Battlefront or even Dynasty Warriors, both of which have a tendency to become repetitive after a while. Within the campaign, you’ll take control of generic characters for each side of the war. Fortunately, during certain points of the game, you’ll control some of the more high-profile characters like Gandalf as you take on countless orcs. While the campaign has a cooperative game mode, this title really opens up with multiplayer. The battles are a bit more intense and there are various game modes to keep things interesting.
#13 Helm’s Deep
Platform: PC
Release Date: November 20, 2013
Genre: MMORPG
Left 4 Dead 2 might have launched back in 2009, but it’s still being supported by a dedicated community of fans. The first-person shooter includes four-player cooperative gameplay that hasn’t gotten old after over a decade. Players typically fight against a horde of undead zombies, but the community has brought out plenty of new levels and content for other players to enjoy. One of those fans-created maps is the battle of Helm’s Deep. You’ll need a copy of Left 4 Dead 2 on PC but from there you reenact the beloved battle. It’s not a long game but it’s something fans will adore.
#12 Lego The Lord of The Rings
Platform: iOS, Android, PC, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, OS X, PS 3, PS Vita, Wii, Xbox 360
Release Date: PS Vita, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS – October 30, 2012
PC, SP3, Xbox 360, Wii – November 13, 2012
OS – February 22, 2013
iOS, Android – November 7, 2013
Genre: Action-adventure
The Lego-based video game titles are typically well-developed pieces that are more family-friendly. Every big movie typically gets the Lego video game treatment and that holds true for The Lord of the Rings. Released back in 2012, the game combines the narrative of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Of course, as you can imagine, the narrative is toned down for a younger audience.
Just like the other Lego-based video game titles, Lego The Lord of the Rings has players going through a more comical journey as they attempt to destroy the One Ring. You’ll battle against an assortment of enemies, collect Lego pieces, complete mini-games, and solve puzzles. Throughout the campaign, players will get to swap between iconic characters, each with their own unique attributes. Since this game features the entire trilogy narrative, it will only take players about ten hours to complete the main storyline.
#11 The Lord of the Rings Online
Platform: PC OS X
Release Date: April 24, 2007
Genre: Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
The Lord of the Rings Online is an MMORPG launched in 2007 which you can still play for free right now. With a focus on Tolkien’s novels rather than the cinematic blockbuster films, classic fans will enjoy meeting characters and engaging with plot points not seen in Jackson’s movie trilogy. Overall, this is everything you would expect to find in an MMORPG based on the franchise.
There’s a range of classes to choose from before you embark on a grand adventure filled with quests, NPCs to meet, and battles to win. Since this game launched back in 2007, several expansions have been released in the many years since to give players more content to enjoy. The latest expansion came in 2021. Furthermore, there’s been rumors that we would see The Lord of the Rings Online get a big visual update soon which may help bring in a new resurgence to the community.
#10 The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age
Release Date: November 2, 2004
Genre: Role-playing
The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age is a unique RPG, split between exploration and turn-based combat. Developed under EA, the narrative is aligned with the film trilogy, but not as strictly as some other games on this list. Overall, the game hits certain beats of the plot points while also throwing players into new events such as battles that were not shown in the films. This is due to EA not having the rights to adapt the novels, so any content made had to be either directly from the movies or tied to the film narrative in some way.
Overall, the story is centered around another group of heroes that are trying to save Middle-earth by destroying the One Ring. Several of the characters in the party resembles many of the stars of the Fellowship, such as the ranger Elegost and the dwarf Hadhod.
As mentioned, this game is split between two modes. Players will be able to freely explore areas until they trigger a battle, in which case the game transitions into a turn-based RPG. There’s even a leveling system attached that allows players to fine-tune their playstyle.
#9 Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth
Platform: PC
Release Date: April 19, 2019
Genre: Adventure, RPG, Strategy
Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth is an app and not really a game you can play on its own. This is a companion application for your mobile phone that requires the Lord of the Rings – Journeys in Middle-Earth board game. If you own the board game, this application will help you advance through different campaigns and keep track of things like XP and your inventory.
Even if you’re not much of a board game player, this helpful addition could help ease you into this blast of a tabletop game. You’ll find the companion application is free to download for both Android and iOS platforms. However, keep in mind that if you want anything outside of the first main campaign, you’ll need to purchase the additional DLC packs.
#8 The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth
Platform: PC
Release Date: December 6, 2004
Genre: Real-time strategy
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth is a real-time strategy game that fans have been enjoying since 2004. Released exclusively for the PC, this game doesn’t put much focus directly on the Fellowship as they attempt to destroy the One Ring, instead offering both a good and evil campaign to play as you attempt to overtake the map.
Much like other RTS titles, players will be presented with a map. From there, they control their various units as they attempt to capture certain points of interest. Depending on the campaign side you choose to play, different missions will become available. For instance, if you pick the good side, you’ll have some iconic battles from the films to play through. Meanwhile, the evil side will start to tell an alternative story of Sauron’s success. Unfortunately, the game is no longer supported as the servers came to an end back in 2010, but the community keeps the title alive unofficially.
#7 The Last Days (of the Third Age of Middle-Earth)
Platform: PC
Release Date: November 2011
Genre: Mod
Much like Left 4 Dead 2’s mod of Helm’s Deep, The Last Days (of the Third Age of Middle-Earth) is a mod for Mount & Blade: Warband. An action RPG strategy game, Mount & Blade: Warband came out in 2010, and this mod simply replicates The Lord of the Rings while keeping the title’s addicting gameplay intact. This is a single-player campaign where players are able to create their character, with races including humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, Uruk, or Uruk-hai.
While the mod offers a new storyline and settings for Mount & Blade: Warband, the combat is mainly the same with just a few key differences. For instance, you won’t be able to start a siege but can still aid in sieges. Likewise, troops will remain stationary at the start of battles until the order of attack is given. In terms of the storyline adaptation, while there is the ability to go through the game fighting for either side of the war, the developers behind the mod choose to go through the novels as their source material rather than Peter Jackson’s film trilogy.
#6 The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
Platform: PC, PS 2, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Xbox, Mobile, OS X
Release Date: PC – November 3, 2003
PS2 – November 4, 2003
Game Boy Advance, GameCube & Xbox – November 5, 2003
Mobile – December 1, 2003
OS X – April 10, 2004
Genre: Hack and slash, action
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King was a must-buy back when it launched. As the title suggests, this game is based on the events of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, the third installment of Peter Jackson’s trilogy. From the start to the very end of this game, there’s non-stop action as you take control of various members of the Fellowship. Levels do a great job of throwing players into large-scale battles with familiar characters from the film joining the fray.
As you progress through the campaign you’ll earn more experience points that can be used to purchase new attacks or increase stats like your health, which will be applied to all characters in your party. The gameplay is also very accessible, allowing anyone to pick up a controller and get into the game rather easily. There is also cooperative gameplay support so you and a friend can go through the game together.
#5 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Platform: PS2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, mobile phone
Release Date: PS2 – October 21, 2002
Game Boy Advance – November 12, 2002
Xbox – December 30, 2002
GameCube – December 31, 2002
Mobile – May 1, 200
Genre: Action, hack and slash
You could easily swap this game with our previous entry on the list, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. With similar gameplay focused on the second game in the trilogy, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers throws players into the heat of the many memorable battles in the film.
As mentioned above, this hack-and-slash title will toss you into a barrage of enemies, pitting you against the forces of evil in iconic battles from the film. While the game may have been released back in 2002, it’s still just as fun today as it was when it was first released. Sometimes, age makes things all the better.
#4 Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Linux, OS X
Release Date: PC, PS4, Xbox One – September 30, 2014
PS3, Xbox 360 – November 18, 2014
Linux, OS X – July 30, 2015
Genre: Action-adventure
One of the more recent releases on this list is Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. This title brings players into a new storyline, one which follows a ranger named Talion who is slaughtered, along with his family, by a group of Orcs. Without dabbling too much into the lore and backstory, Talion is connected with a spirited Elf Lord named Celebrimbor. Talion is then given a new lease on life as he seeks revenge for his loved ones.
Released back in 2014, the game is often compared to the Batman Arkham video game titles for its combat. Talion is able to drop down into a group of Orcs and deliver a barrage of attacks while pulling off counter-attacks rather fluidly. Of course, with the help of Celebrimbor, Talion also comes with a few unique powers and abilities that allow players a more stealth approach.
#3 Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Platform: PC, PS, Xbox One
Release Date: October 10, 2017
Genre: Action role-playing, hack and slash
Middle-earth: Shadow of War is the sequel to Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, and it brings back everything we loved from the first game and more. A lot of what we mentioned above holds true–you have the intense Batman Arkham-style combat with a range of upgrades to further buff your character up more.
Once you get past the learning curve of the game, it’s an enjoyable experience. If you played enough of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, you’re going to find an easier time getting used to how things work in Shadow of War, though a few issues popped up when the title first released. Like a lot of recent games, this one was absolutely filled with microtransactions. At the time, every game was featuring loot boxes and some type of in-game purchases, but fortunately, that’s no longer a thing in Shadow of War. It wasn’t too long after the game launched that the developers went back to remove all microtransactions after player complaints.
#2 The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II
Platform: PC, Xbox 360
Release Date: PC – February 28, 2006
Xbox 360 – July 5, 2006
Genre: Real-time strategy
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II is the sequel to the 2004 release The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth. This is also an RTS title with bigger and more expansive battles than before. Players can engage in two campaigns with the story either focusing on an Elf’s attempt to eliminate Sauron and restore Middle-earth to a peaceful state or Sauron’s attempt to destroy the remainder of Middle-earth.
Unlike the last installment, EA was able to gain the ability to adapt the novels alongside the movie franchise. This means that there are more battles that were not included in the movies. You’ll be controlling units around the map while building up structures, fortifying defenses, gathering resources, and making upgrades during your battles. The game was widely well-received when it launched in 2006 but similar to the last installment, the official servers have shut down. However, the dedicated community of players have been able to keep the game running through unofficial game servers.
#1 Third Age – Total War
Platform: PC
Release Date: April 27, 2009
Genre: Mod
For our number one pick, we have another incredible mod. Third Age is a game mod for Medieval II: Total War. If you’re familiar with Total War, the gameplay should be easy to get through. In this RTS title, instead of fighting historical medieval battles, you’re now able to transport yourself to the high fantasy world of Middle-earth.
Third Age brings in a map that’s filled with over 100 settlements featured in the lore of Lord of the Rings along with faithfully rebuilt locations. Players can travel from Minas Tirith to Isengard, all while battling against different factions. Speaking of factions, there are quite a few of them scattered across the lands, and each will have its own strengths and weaknesses. The group behind this mod even reworked the AI to make it a bit more of a challenge.