What's the generic name for strategy games where you have nodes that can be used to take over other neutral or enemy nodes, usually where each owned node generates power? Here's a few I've found by searching "games like [example]":
- Phage wars
- Solarmax
- Nano Wars
- Auralux
- dotHack
- Bubble Domination
- Galcon
- Eufloria
- Oil Rush
I find myself really drawn to these types of games, and never know what to call them.
Best Answer
Typically this distinct game design element (played on a graph of nodes and edges) is referred to as a node-based game.
It's usually not seen as a distinct genre by itself, but tacked on as a qualifier to more distinctly describe a game.
For example, if your game is a node-based RTS, that means that the game takes place on a grid of nodes, can be controlled and evolves in real-time, and has some element of strategy such as unit types or economy.