And video games provide an excellent platform for these stark warrior clans. With massively influential games like God Of War and The Banner Saga putting these seafaring warriors front & center, their popularity is only rising. Vikings are often seen as violent pagan brutes, and many games thrive in this setting. Still, a lot more care has gone into presenting a more realistic view in recent years – one of close-knit clans made rough and hardened by the harsh lands they inhabited. Regardless of where you land, Viking video games have most bases covered. Join me as we take a look at the absolute best Viking-themed games you can play right now.
25. Rune (2000)
Platforms: PS2, PC Our fascination with Vikings in gaming isn’t a recent development. Even if they weren’t always as notorious as they’ve become nowadays. To get to where we are today, we’ve tread on many stepping stones, such as the original Rune. This classic action-adventure follows King Ragnar in his fight against Loki, who’s set Ragnarok in motion. The locales, enemies, and many story elements are all firmly rooted in Viking lore and shine thanks to the game’s beautiful visuals.
24. Raiders of the North Sea (2019)
Platforms: iOS, Android, Switch, PC Even before we obsessed over the bearded men and braided women of the north in gaming, they were popular on other media, such as strategic tabletop games. This is a video game ranking, so we’ll be talking about Raiders of the North Sea’s digital version, which handles calculations and many other technicalities for you, so you can focus on strategy. This turn-based game is all about allocating your workers intelligently to acquire the resources needed to outfit your crew, improve your longboat, and have the most successful raiding campaign among your friends.
23. The Lost Vikings (1993)
Platforms: SNES, Genesis, Amiga, PC Another oldie but goody from the past millennium is The Lost Vikings, a puzzle-platformer with a bit of a cult following. You’ll control three Vikings who’ve lost their way through time and try to lead them back to the right time period. To achieve this, you’ll have to make use of each of their diverse abilities and make your way through treacherous levels and lots of puzzles. The game is no God of War. But if you’re in the mood for something with vibrant 16-bit graphics and a lot of charm, be sure to check it out.
22. Ancestors Legacy (2018)
Platforms: PC Real-time strategy and historical gaming come together in many well-known franchises such as Age of Empires and Empire Earth. Ancestors Legacy is a recent offering with a more focused lens. Instead of over 20 civilizations to play as, the roster is reduced to four. This includes the Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, Teutons, and Slavs. Each nation has a couple of campaigns to go through, all set in the Dark Ages. While the campaigns are great, what makes this game shine is its complex multiplayer, which features a day-night cycle that affects gameplay and several other unique twists.
21. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014)
Platforms: WiiU, Switch Only a tiny percentage of people would link Donkey Kong with Vikings. But the latest installment in the Donkey Kong Country saga puts the tough-skinned Norsemen front & center as the monkey’s rivals. After a clan of Viking-themed anthropomorphic animals called the Snowmads arrives to take over the island, it’s up to the DK crew to retake their home. That includes making their way through some of the most carefully-designed levels in the genre and fighting the Snowmads head-on from time to time.
20. Niffelheim (2018)
Platforms: Switch, PC For a more grimdark representation of the Viking experience, consider Niffelheim, a charming 2D side-scroller beat-em-up with a gritty aesthetic and lots of Norse mythological themes. In this game you play a fallen Viking warrior who wakes up in Niffelheim rather than Valhalla. You’ll need to prove yourself a worthy warrior by surviving the inhospitable landscape and fighting your way up to Odin’s table. While the beat-em-up gameplay is fun, it’s greatly complemented by other elements such as wave-based survival. Tip: play it co-op to get the most fun out of exploring dungeons and fighting colossal enemies.
19. Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage (2013)
Platforms: iOS, Android, PC Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage began its life as a flash-based game. Now it’s re-released for mobile platforms with a more polished aesthetic and improved mechanics. The basis of the game is pretty simple: a bunch of Vikings have fallen off their boat and now need your help making it back. To assist them you’ll have to slice through ice, wood, and other materials in their way and make a path to the longboat.
18. Viking Squad (2016)
Platforms: PS4, PC One of the least realistic representations of the northern clans can be found in Viking Squad, a cartoonish beat-em-up reminiscent of Castle Crashers. Like the latter, this game is ideal for playing co-op with friends, and the cartoonish aesthetic is perfect to help you make out what’s going on in the anarchy that these battles can become. If you’re into chaotic massacres, you’ll love this.
17. Vikings: Wolves of Midgard (2017)
Platforms: All major consoles Also if you dig action RPGs like Diablo or Path of Exile, you have to give Vikings: Wolves of Midgard a try. It follows a Viking chieftain on a grief-fueled revenge journey after their people are massacred, mowing down hordes of enemies ranging from mythological abominations to other Vikings. Combat is simple at first. But becomes flashier as you unlock more skills until it’s nothing short of a power fantasy. The variety of weapons at your disposal is also sure to keep things fresh.
16. Volgarr the Viking (2013)
Platforms: All major consoles Not all Viking journeys are the same. And the one starring Volgarr the Viking has to be one of the most unique. This 2D side-scroller mimics the look of a 16-bit era title, and its gameplay is strongly reminiscent of the classic Castlevania games. If you like challenging games you can brag about having cleared, Volgarr’s quest to slay a dragon at Odin’s behest is one to have under your belt.
15. Die For Valhalla! (2018)
Platforms: All major consoles Another great beat-em-up based on Norse mythology is Die For Valhalla!, starring a Valkyrie that fights by possessing the corpses of fallen warriors. Different warriors have different abilities, which will help you get through varied challenges across many levels. You’ll also unlock new skills for your Valkyrie as you mow down more enemies. The charming art style is reminiscent of something like Don’t Starve, but much more rough. In a way that’s appropriate, since the whole theme of the game is desecrating corpses for profit. Like most good beat-em-ups, this game shines exceptionally bright if played in co-op with a friend.
14. Vikings: War of Clans (2015)
Platforms: iOS, Android, PC I’ve never been a big fan of mobile games with generic titles like Vikings: War of Clans, but this game isn’t just any Clash of Clans knock-off, but a full-fledged MMO strategy game with a focus on community. This free-to-play title sees you create a clan with your friends and slowly but surely grow in power by recruiting new allies and improving individually. The objective is to gradually become strong enough to challenge the most powerful clan around and take over the Place of Power, present in every server’s center. This is a nice change of pace and an entirely different gaming experience to the solitary endeavors we’re used to.
13. Dead in Vinland (2018)
Platforms: PC After the relative success of Dead in Bermuda, developer CCCP decided to reprise the innovative concept with a new coat of Viking paint. Dead in Vinland has you directing a Norse family who’s become stranded on the mysterious land of, well, Vinland. Both physical and mental health are of the utmost importance, so exploring the island for resources can be just as crucial as cultivating healthy interpersonal relationships. The art style is one of this game’s greatest assets, and I assure you every activity in this game is a sight to behold – from felling beasts to just sitting around the fire with your family.
12. Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia (2018)
Platforms: PC There’s a lot to love about the famous Total War series, including its massive-scale battle simulations and the complex nature of politics and economy you must manage in-between battles. If you’re up for that level of complexity and can’t get enough of historically-accurate campaigns, you have to check out Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia. This relatively recent title is all about settling and conquering territory for your faction, to ensure their survival and legacy. Of the ten factions to choose from, four are Vikings. But you can also go for the Anglo-Saxons and other rival nations to mix it up.
11. Expeditions: Viking (2017)
Platforms: PC In a similar historically-accurate vein is Expeditions: Viking, a story-driven party-based SRPG set in the late eighth-century shores of England. With combat comparable to Divinity: Original Sin, this incredible title fully immerses you into your role as a Norse chieftain trying to carve out a place for your clan. Warfare, trade, and politics are all equally important on your way to success, which makes this game a feel a bit like playing through a historical novel. If you’re a history buff, this is one of the best options.
10. Eitr
Platforms: PS4, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Classic Mac OS Named after a magical liquid said to give life to all things in Norse mythology, Eitr started-out as a promising 2D Dark Souls clone, and then fell into development hell. The game has been in development for quite some time, and even the planned released date of “sometime in 2020” sounds like a shaky claim. Still, it only takes a couple of seconds of gameplay to get anyone’s heart pumping with excitement, thanks to the incredibly stylish pixel-based graphics and excellent character design. The dark nature of Viking myth and their stark worldview simply bleed through in a way few games have achieved.
9. For Honor (2017)
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One For Honor seems to come up in almost every video game discussion, be it because of its crunchy fighting, memetastic community, or just because of how unique it is. The Vikings that we find in For Honor feel like the bloodthirsty warmongers we want them to be. And fighting against Knights, Samurai, and the Wu Lin sounds like a dream come true for a people whose only desire is to die in an epic battle and ascend to Valhalla.
8. Northgard (2018)
Platforms: PC Old-school RTS games like Age of Empires and Starcraft were my bread and butter back when I was younger. And it’s always a pleasure to re-live the same gameplay with a new coat of paint. Northgard goes a bit further than that by placing massive focus on surviving the world around you rather than just playing to build an army and decimate your foes.
7. Bad North (2018)
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, iOS, Android If you’re tired of RTS games with user interfaces that look more complex than an airplane’s control cabin, then Bad North is the perfect game to switch things up. After disembarking on an island, it’s your job to find the right spot to make your stand quickly. Its UI is virtually nonexistent, instead using simple mechanics and minimally-designed landscapes to let you keep track of everything visually. With an atmospheric score and great sound effects backing up excellent gameplay that doesn’t need overly-complicated skills or units to keep you interested, Bad North is an RTS game developers could learn a lot from.
6. TES V: Skyrim (2011)
Platforms: All major consoles & PC While The Elder Scrolls doesn’t take place on Earth and therefore lacks any actual Vikings, the Nords that make their home in the cold and harsh lands of Skyrim are pretty close. By this point, I’m sure everyone knows this game. It was re-released so many times I’ve lost count. And somehow, people keep buying it. It’s a testament to consumerism, and just how much of an impact it had on gamers during the last decade. Win the civil war, defeat vampires, build your dream home, or become a dangerous raider. Whatever you do, you’ll be having fun surrounded by monsters, places, and people inspired by Norse myth.
5. JOTUN (2015)
Platforms: PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC, Wii U, Linux, Mac OS I’m a sucker for indie games. And JOTUN is one of the most beautiful, engaging indie experiences based on Norse mythology. Its gorgeous hand-drawn characters and landscapes are captivating, and the slow, precise combat makes for a pretty unique experience. The colossal bosses can easily overwhelm you even if you’re careful. But this mighty female warrior can overturn fate if you keep trying. The calm, almost solemn exploration that happens whenever there’s not a titan trying to squash you is also key to this experience.
4. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (2020)
Platforms: All major consoles I couldn’t responsibly place a game that hasn’t come out (as of this writing) in the top 3 …. But I couldn’t just ignore what’s shaping up to be the most amazing Viking game in the history of humankind. Brought to you by the genius minds behind AC: Odyssey, this Norse adventure will let you explore northern England during the Dark Ages as Eivor, a mighty clan leader trying to settle these lush farmlands for the benefit of their clan. If the previous two installments in the Assassin’s Creed franchise are anything to go by, this game should blow our minds.
3. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (2017)
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC It’s unusual to see a self-published indie game look as detailed and photorealistic as Ninja Theory’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. But this game isn’t just a pretty face. Instead, the stunning visuals and cinematic combat serve only as a vehicle for a gripping story marked by Senua’s frequent hallucinations. Developer Ninja Theory worked alongside many specialists in the field to make sure their portrayal of Senua as a psychotic Pict warrior was not only realistic, but also respectful of people who suffer from psychotic hallucinations. With excellent sound design, atmospheric locales, and a great narrative, Hellblade is one of the most immersive mythological games out there.
2. The Banner Saga (2014)
Platforms: Android, iOS, Linux, PC, MacOS, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch The Banner Saga is one of those games that works perfectly to demonstrate what indie developers are capable of, when not crushed under a corporate structure. It has gorgeous visuals, engaging strategic gameplay, and one of the most moving stories I’ve played in the last couple of years. In this game, there’s no light and dark. Just the complexity and tough decisions that you confront while trying to keep your people alive. If you enjoy intense difficulty that’ll get your brain juices flowing, you’ll love The Banner Saga. If not, just tone down the difficulty and experience the emotional story.
1. God of War (2018)
Platforms: PS4 I’m always up for giving indie Kickstarter games the gold. But even The Banner Saga can’t hold a candle to the all-around masterpiece that is God of War. Like the previous installments, the game features plenty of cool weapons, gorgeous locales, and colossal bosses based on Norse mythology. What sets this title apart from its predecessors is the story at its core. It’s a tale of a father and child learning to be there for each other after losing their most loved one. Watching Kratos remain steadfast in his attempts at connecting with his son is moving, and it’s a fantastic character arc for the Ghost of Sparta.
