A turn-based game, also known as turn-based strategy, is a game where each participant plays in turn. Once every player has taken a turn, that round of play is over, and any special shared processing is done. This is followed by the next round of play.

Most board games are turn-based, because otherwise gameplay would get out of hand. Many single-player strategic video games are also turn based. However, when a particular player gains access to the game during his/her turn it is not uncommon to value the time taken by the player to make the move to improve the fairness of the game. In chess a pair of stop clocks are used to track the time taken by players to make their move.

Turn-based gaming refers to Internet gaming sites that allow for game play to extend beyond a single session, over long periods of time—often taking months for complex games like Go or Chess to finish.

Examples of some board games:

• Risk, Monopoly, Parcheesi, Scrabble, Sorry!, Uno, Poker,
• Chess, Go, Othello, Risk, Diplomacy

Examples of Play by mail games:

• Atlantis PbeM

Examples of computer games/video games:

• Battle for Wesnoth, Civilization, Evernight, Heroes of Might and Magic, Jagged Alliance, Magic: The Gathering, X-COM, Pokémon, Roguelike games, Fallout (in combat), Warlords.

Compare: Continuous game, Real-time strategy, Linear Motion Battle System