The 12 Best 'Lord of the Rings' Games, Ranked

The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age marches onto the rearguard of our list as one of the best Lord of the Rings games. This turn-based RPG from 2004 gave us a new band of heroes to control, with a side story set alongside the epic events of the film trilogy we know and love. There were some solid gameplay hooks here, like the unique stances and combo systems that added a touch of strategy to battles. However, the narrative failed to pull us in the way a proper LOTR tale should, lacking any connection to "Fellowship" favorites such as Aragorn, Legolas, or Gandalf. Still, The Third Age offered some fun RPG elements within the LOTR universe but felt too disconnected from the real action fans craved to make a lasting impact.

Grab your sword and bow and answer the call of battle in 2009's The Lord of the Rings: Conquest. This Pandemic Studios-developed online action title drops you into the boots of Middle-earth's most legendary heroes and villains for epic class-based warfare. Whether you take up the mantle of Aragorn or wield Saruman's deadly magic, these large-scale conflicts across iconic locales like "Helm's Deep" and "Isengard" prove wildly thrilling...at first.

However, behind the initial LOTR rush lies a repetitive hack-and-slash experience lacking the depth to keep the fun going strong all the way to "Mount Doom." Fluid melee and ranged combat coupled with jaw-dropping backdrops recapture the series of films' grand spectacle, but the tedious objectives wear thin fast. However, gathering your fellowship for online and local co-op provides clever class synergy and camaraderie amidst the fray. So while Conquest doesn't hold up in lengthy single-player sessions, joining friends in battle provides just enough exciting Tolkien action to satisfy.

The epic battles of Middle-earth are waged in 2004's The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth. This real-time strategy adaptation fully immerses players in the jaw-dropping conflicts from Peter Jackson's iconic films as the forces of good and evil collide. Commanding the armies of Rohan, Gondor, Isengard, and Mordor across splendidly detailed battlefields is an absolute power trip for any Tolkien fanatic. Seeing "Minas Tirith," Helm's Deep, and other beloved locales from a broad RTS perspective punctuates the epic scale of the franchise’s most legendary face-offs. However, underneath the excellent LOTR aesthetics lies a serviceable but unremarkable RTS experience that follows genre conventions to a fault. Still, The Battle for Middle-earth is noteworthy for how it brings Middle-earth to life, even if it fails to revolutionize real-time strategy in any Palantír-shattering way.

Younger Middle-earth fans can experience the epic journey of Aragorn for themselves in 2010's The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest. This family-friendly action game lets you wield the legendary sword Anduril, recounting your adventures for a young Frodo. The animated storybook visuals and simple combat make Aragorn's Quest an accessible LOTR adventure for gamers of all ages. Co-op allows friends and family to join the quest, battling beasts and overcoming challenges together. While older fans may crave deeper gameplay, Aragorn's Quest gracefully opens up Tolkien's saga for a younger generation. The cheerful writing and cartoony style create a welcoming version of Middle-earth perfect for new LOTR adventurers just getting their feet wet in the expansive world of Middle-earth.

While Frodo and the fellowship bear the "One Ring to Mount Doom," few know of the other brave heroes fighting battles to stop the armies of Sauron. Enter Snowblind Studios' 2011 co-op action RPG The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, which invites up to three players to slash their way through the untold stories of Middle-earth's northern war. Teaming up as a human ranger, an elven mage, and a dwarven warrior, you'll engage in brutal melee combat and ranged attacks against the dark forces of Sauron and Saruman.

Gorgeous settings like "Fornost" and ancient dwarven ruins pair with extensive loot and leveling to satisfy RPG itches although the game's repetitive combat and lackluster side quests slow the pacing somewhat. Yet exploring Tolkien's world with friends still grants a rewarding sense of camaraderie as you vanquish Nazguls, trolls, and other classic LOTR beasts. While it may not rival the Fellowship’s own journey, the War in the North nonetheless spins an engaging new yarn full of online co-op action.

The forces of good and evil clash once more in 2006's The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II, the bigger and bolder sequel to the original The Battle for Middle Earth. This time around we get four distinct factions to command, including elven and dwarf armies joining the fray. The sprawling campaign spans storylines from both the films and Tolkien's novels for the ultimate Middle-earth RTS experience. The Battle for Middle Earth II also introduces giant heroes and ring powers to turn the tide of epic battles. The streamlined UI and enhanced tactical options provide welcomed improvements over the first game's competent but basic RTS gameplay, and the variety of factions and missions should be meaty enough for both RTS fans and Tolkien fans alike. 

The first of several movie tie-in games, 2002's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers thrust fans right into the heart of Aragorn and Legolas' epic journey. This action-hack and slash perfectly captured the look and feel of Peter Jackson’s beloved films while blending satisfying combat and stunning cinematic set-pieces. Battling hordes of "Uruk-hai" and snarling Orcs as Aragorn. Gimli or Legolas provided a visceral rush, especially when unlocking and chaining together lethal attack combos. Iconic moments like the raid on the "Wargs" and "Battle of Helm’s Deep" came alive with heart-pounding urgency. Despite some repetitive combat, The Two Towers was a dream come true for devotees eagerly awaiting their chance to step into Middle-earth. Never before had Tolkien’s world felt so immersive and alive. This movie tie-in set a new bar for authentic interactive recreations of cinematic masterpieces.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King complemented its cinematic counterpart with a grand interactive journey across Middle-earth. This sequel took the hack-and-slash foundation of The Two Towers video game and expanded it into a sweeping RPG-lite experience worthy of Jackson's trilogy finale. With nine epic levels, including Minas Tirith, "Shelob’s Lair," and the climactic showdown at "Black Gate," The Return of the King provided more upgrade options to customize your heroes. And seamlessly transitioning to key movie moments further blurred the lines between game and cinema. The Return of the King marked a masterful realization of Tolkien’s fantasy as interactive entertainment and twenty years later it reigns as one of gaming’s most transportive translations of a beloved film franchise.

Everything is awesome in 2012’s LEGO The Lord of the Rings, a charming LEGO recreation of the beloved film trilogy. Developer TT Games masterfully converted the epic scope of Middle-earth into a more lighthearted and accessible adventure. Running, climbing, and fighting your way through 18 levels spanning all three films never lost its pure fun factor and hilarious character interactions will keep you constantly entertained. Beyond the humor, you can spend dozens of hours collecting hundreds of unlockable characters and exploring the vast world fueled. By humorously reimagining The Lord of the Rings in LEGO form, TT Games struck gaming gold and was able to respect the legendary source material while amplifying its inherent fun and wonder. This silly Middle-earth journey is one of LEGO's finest pop culture mashups, thoughtfully blending familiar fantasy with cheerful irreverence.

The Lord of the Rings Online brought Tolkien’s living, breathing Middle-earth to life as one of gaming’s most immersive explorable online worlds. Choosing from four races and nine classes, players embark on their own personal quests while interacting with LOTR lore like the Fellowship passing through "Bree." The staggering amount of story content and sprawling landscapes from Ered Luin to Mordor captured the epic scope of the books. Joining up with friends to battle through enemy-packed instances like "Thorin’s Hall" offered terrific co-op camaraderie. While the combat lacked finesse early on, Lord of the Rings Online remains the definitive MMORPG for Middle-earth fans seeking to make their own legends and one of the best Lord of the Rings games around. 

Middle-earth: Shadow of War expands on its predecessor's revolutionary "Nemesis" system and has great ambitions. Gorgeous new landscapes like Minas Ithil showcase the power of the new "Ring" while unlocking epic abilities to dominate legions of Sauron's forces. Refinements in gear, skills, and progression also provide added depth. However, the campaign can drag in sections, and microtransactions proved controversial.

Even so, Shadow of War remains a genre standout, though not quite matching the magic of the first game, Shadow of Mordor. Despite its relative shortcomings though, developer Monolith Productions did an excellent job of evolving the innovative Nemesis system into a dynamic living world full of emergent rivalries and stories. This makes vanquishing your very personal Uruk nemeses relentlessly addictive and rewarding.

With 2014's Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, Monolith Productions struck gold by debuting the innovative Nemesis system. This revolutionary mechanic delivered unparalleled dynamic storytelling by having enemy Uruks remember you, hold grudges and move up the ranks. Set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, you play as the ranger Talion, wielding new wraith abilities to exact revenge upon Sauron's forces. The expansive open world provided limitless opportunities for experimentation with the Nemesis system through assassination missions, beasts, betrayals, and more.

From mind-controlling captains to manipulating the hierarchy of Uruks and Orcs, Shadow of Mordor uniquely wove dynamic systemic storytelling into its sandbox. Even after the credits rolled, shaping your personal stories of vendettas with procedurally-generated rivals kept the game endlessly playable. As such, Shadow of Mordor is the best Lord of the Rings game due to its innovative Nemesis system and incredible gameplay.