ICBM similar games & best alternatives

ICBM

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2020

Should you play it?

ICBM is a real-time strategy game of nuclear destruction. Research new technologies, build up your nuclear stockpile and use a combination of ships, planes and missiles to strike at the heart of your opponents’ cities while keeping your population safe from harm.

What works

  • Deep strategic gameplay
  • Extensive research and customization
  • Active modding community
  • Engaging multiplayer with alliances and betrayals
  • Good value for price

Things to keep in mind

  • Lackluster presentation and graphics
  • Steep learning curve for new players
  • Limited diplomacy and story elements
  • Ai can be cautious or dumb at times
  • Performance issues with many units

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • Hearts of Iron IV

  • Dummynation

  • Making History II: The War of the World

  • SuperPower 2 Steam Edition

  • Plague Inc: Evolved

  • Interplanetary: Enhanced Edition

More story-driven

Games that feels like ICBM but with deeper narrative immersion

  • Stellaris

  • Gary Grigsby's War in the East 2

  • Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game

  • Terra Invicta

  • Gary Grigsby's War in the East

  • Civil War II

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

ICBM: A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Status, Fellowship, Domination. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Violence, Leadership. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Exploration.

Last update: 03/08/2026