Battle Worlds: Kronos
A hex-grid wargame with three campaign storylines.
Battle Worlds: Kronos, a turn-based strategy game from King Art Games, launched on PC in 2013 as a spiritual successor to the Battle Isle series. Set in a distant galaxy after two centuries of peace, two political factions vie for control of an empty throne. Players command a small army of ground, sea, and air units on a hex grid, completing objectives like escorting key units, holding positions, or capturing enemy headquarters. Each unit can perform multiple actions per turn, with some able to move and attack, while others have wild cards for extra moves or strikes. The core experience is a campaign mode featuring three storylines.
The project was funded via Kickstarter in April 2013. The PC version arrived on November 4, 2013, with a Trains expansion adding a third campaign in May 2014. An iOS version followed on November 10, 2014, and ports for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One came on April 26, 2016. The Nintendo Switch version released on June 11, 2019.
Critics gave the game "mixed or average" reviews, according to Metacritic. TouchArcade noted that despite its substantial content, story, replayability, and fun gameplay, it would benefit from developer attention to tighten weak spots. Nintendo Life found it less accessible than Wargroove but praised its complex, challenging take on hex-based strategy. Nintendo World Report acknowledged interface quirks and steep difficulty, but concluded that fans of turn-based strategy would find enjoyment.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Battle Worlds: Kronos
- Developer
- King Art Games
- Publisher
- Crimson Cow · THQ Nordic
- Platforms
- Linux, macOS, Windows, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch
- Released
- November 4, 2013 (PC) · November 10, 2014 (iOS) · April 26, 2016 (PS4, Xbox One) · June 11, 2019 (Switch)
- Genre
- Turn-based strategy
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Set after 200 years of peace, the game follows two opposing political factions competing for control of a vacant throne in a far-off region of the galaxy. The player controls a small army of ground, sea, and air units on a hex grid, completing objectives such as escorting important units, defending positions, and capturing enemy headquarters. Each unit has multiple actions per turn, with some having a move and attack option and others possessing wild cards for extra moves or attacks.
The main part of the game is the campaign mode, which consists of three storylines. The game was funded through Kickstarter in April 2013, and the PC version was released on November 4, 2013. The Trains expansion, released in May 2014 for the PC version, added a third campaign. The iOS version followed on November 10, 2014, and console versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were released on April 26, 2016, with a Nintendo Switch version arriving on June 11, 2019.
Reader's Guide
Battle Worlds: Kronos received mixed or average reviews from critics according to Metacritic. TouchArcade noted that with its substantial content, story, replayability, and generally fun gameplay, the game would benefit from additional developer attention to tighten weak spots. Nintendo Life observed that while less accessible than titles like Wargroove, Battle Worlds: Kronos offers a more complex and challenging take on turn-based hex strategy. Nintendo World Report concluded that despite interface quirks and campaign difficulty that may deter some players, there is enjoyment for fans of the turn-based strategy genre. The game's legacy lies in its role as a spiritual successor to the Battle Isle series, bringing a hex-grid wargame with multiple campaigns and unit action systems to various platforms over several years.
Did You Know?
- The Trains expansion added a third campaign to the game.
- The Nintendo Switch version was released on June 11, 2019.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Battle Worlds: Kronos and who made it?
It is a turn-based hex-grid strategy game developed by King Art Games, first released on PC in November 2013. The title positions itself as a spiritual successor to the classic Battle Isle series and presents three campaign storylines set in a far-off galaxy.
How does combat and unit control work in Battle Worlds: Kronos?
Players lead a mixed force of ground, sea, and air units across a hex grid, where each unit can take multiple actions per turn—some move and strike, while others spend wild cards for bonus movement or extra attacks. Missions revolve around objectives such as escorting key units, holding a position, or seizing the enemy headquarters.
What platforms can I play Battle Worlds: Kronos on?
Beyond its original PC release, the game was ported to iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. A Trains expansion pack, adding new units and scenarios, shipped in May 2014.
What is the story of Battle Worlds: Kronos about?
The setting is a distant galaxy that has enjoyed roughly two centuries of peace until two rival political factions begin vying for an empty throne. Players experience the escalating conflict through three separate campaign narratives.
Why is Battle Worlds: Kronos considered important for turn-based strategy fans?
It breathed new life into the Battle Isle formula years after the original series had gone quiet, and its April 2013 Kickstarter campaign demonstrated that classic hex-grid wargaming still had a hungry audience. The subsequent multi-platform rollout kept the experience accessible to a much wider group of strategy players throughout the mid-2010s.
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