Memoir '44 is a light wargame or war-themed strategy board game for two players.

Memoir '44 simulates over a dozen of the battles connected with the D-Day invasions in World War II.

It uses an enhanced version of the same Command & Colors game system as found in Battle Cry.

Players start the game by choosing a scenario, representing a battle from World War II.

In some scenarios, additional Medals may be gained from the board map itself, for capturing and holding certain terrain hexagons (hexes) or battlefield objectives.

Official scenarios (the ones published in scenario booklets and on the Days of Wonder internet site) have full support from the DoW team and are thoroughly playtested to ensure balance between the two players (e.g. not a total overrun of German troops at the start of the Soviet campaign) and others represent tougher battles like the assault on Omaha Beach, where the Allied player has difficulty in crossing the beach inland.

After all orders are completed, a player replenishes their hand by drawing a new Command Card from the deck.

These tactic cards consist of special actions or enhancements to battling (such as adding an extra die).

Examples of tiles include landmarks like a radar station (with optional special rules), roads (which enhance movement), railroads and a train, new bridges and badges (Airborne, engineers).

One side features a desert map for use with the Terrain Pack and Mediterranean Theatre expansion and the other side features a winter map for use with the Eastern Front expansion or snowy scenarios on the Western Front.

The expansion also features new terrain tiles, all in Pacific style, including jungles and rice paddies.

Also included are War Ships (destroyer, Aircraft carrier) and the night visibility chart, which influences fighting and range.

This expansion introduces the British army, consisting of infantry, 25 pounder gun-howitzers, and Crusader tanks.

It also includes new terrain, obstacles, badges, rules, 8 new scenarios, and a new class of special weapon equipment.

These battlemaps are large battles played in Overlord style (or even bigger, as is the case with Tigers in the Snow).

Battlemaps have included "Hedgerow Hell", "Tigers in the Snow", "Sword of Stalingrad", "Disaster at Dieppe", "Battles of Khalkin Gol", and "Through Jungle and Desert".