Colonization games can take many forms, from fast-paced action-RTS games to slower, grand strategy titles unraveling over centuries. Generally, they involve themes such as exploration, resource management, production development, and, more often than not, combat.
Whether taking place on distant planets, in former kingdoms, oreven on a micro-scale in your own backyard, there are plenty of games spanning several genres that incorporate thethemes and mechanics of colonization.
8 Best Strategy Games For Beginners
If you don’t want to read the manual, I’ve got you covered.
The following games incorporate all the previously mentioned functions and rank among the very best of their respective genres. So, raise the sails and fire up the engine thrusters; it’s time to set foot into the unknown and claim it as our own.
12Empires of the Undergrowth
An Insect RTS
Empires of the Undergrowth
In what is one of the most unique and memorable strategy games in recent years, Empires of the Undergrowth gives players control of an ant colony who must expand and flourish in some pretty formidable and hostile environments.
Starting underground with a few eggs and a queen, players can amass huge colonies andplay as several different types of ant species, battling against rival colonies, spiders, frogs, and many other such predators.
There are several game modes, including straightforward battles and a brilliant campaign that centers around the story of a scientist conducting genetic experiments in his formicarium. Empires of the Undergrowth is a truly memorable RTS experience and one of the best colonization games around.
11Tropico 6
A Hilarious Political Simulator
While it may not be the first game that springs to mind, Tropico 6 is arguably one of the best colony sims around.
Players will start during the colonial era on a remote tropical island and have to build up a functioning society out of virtually nothing, taking them right the way through the modern era and even the space age.
As well as having some of thebest music in any video game, the environment itself can be very relaxing and enjoyable to take in.
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While plenty of games go for a rush of action or adventure, sometimes you need something slower and more thoughtful. Enter management simulators.
As for gameplay, it’s really up to the player. you may choose whether to be a staunch capitalist, an environmentalist, a holy inquisitor, or just about anything else when it comes to governing your people.
The game’s main challenge lies in balancing the needs of different population groups, which will change and evolve over time. It is also a fair challenge to keep the checkbooks balanced and avoid manipulation from oppressive superpower governments.
10Surviving Mars
The Red Planet Base Builder
Surviving Mars
Colonizing Mars is all the rage these days, and few games do it better than Surviving Mars. Starting with a small group of robots and a first colony ship, the aim is to build up a prosperous colony where the main enemy is the environment.
In addition to sandstorms, water shortages, electrical failures, and anomalies, players also have tomonitor their colonists' psychological health. Ensuring that colonists' needs are met is paramount to building successful bases, which can grow to becomethe size of entire cities and civilizations.
Various cool DLC, such as Green Planet, are also available, which enables terraforming projects, among other things. Overall, Surviving Mars is a great base-building and colonization game.
8Age of Empires 3
A Strategy Classic With Deep Settlement Mechanics
Age of Empires 3
The Age of Empires series is known for its brilliant settlement-building mechanics,solid RTS combat, and unique faction traits. Age of Empires 3, the most comprehensive of the series, covers a more recent time period than its medieval predecessors, focusingon the Colonial Era.
The game features several major European factions, as well as Asian and even Native American cultures, each with its own particular play styles and benefits and unique units and buildings.
When it comes to building up small colonies and pitting them against one another, few games do it better than Age of Empires 3, which still retains a fair degree of popularity even well over a decade after its release.
7Stellaris
Colonization of Alien Species
Paradox Interactive’s Stellaris is largely considered one of the best sci-fi strategy games ever. Players can choose from an immense variety of species with fully customizable ideologies, traits, and biological capabilities.
Though it’s certainly possible to ‘play tall’ and stay within a confined area, the gamerewards exploration and expansion, which inevitably results in confrontations with other species and their varying cultures.
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While not every culture can be subjugated or absorbed, several mechanics enable players to create multicultural empires, though this comes with its own set of inevitable challenges and tensions.
Players can even use gene editing and modification to combine species and produce their own races, from biological insectoids to cybernetic humanoids.
6Empire: Total War
A Colonial Era Classic
Empire: Total War
WHERE TO PLAY
Although it might not be the most popular game in the Total War series, Empire is certainly the game that best captures the scale and atmosphere of the Discovery and Colonial eras.
Players can choose from several powerful nations and launch grand campaigns in India, Africa, and the Americas.
Empire Total War’s advantage over other grand strategy games of the same time period is in its detailed combat. Using muskets, ships, cannons, and cavalry, you may command huge armies and engage insome of the best battles in the action-RTS genre.
It may not feature the complex political and economic mechanics of some other games, but Empire Total War is certainly one of the forerunners in colonization games - you may even recreate your very own British Empire!
5Victoria 3
Complex Government And Economic Management
Victoria 3
Victoria 3 isn’t exactly a “beginner-friendly” game, and can be difficult even for seasoned strategy enthusiasts to fully come to grips with.
However, this challenge can be extremely rewarding, especially for those with an interest in history, diplomacy, and how technological developments came to shape the world during the Industrial Revolution and beyond.
The central mechanics of the gamerevolve around building stable economiesand appeasing several subgroups under your rule.
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Deep economic models make every action you take more impactful and give some weight to decisions beyond just right-clicking a problem away.
Building stable productions and ensuring workers don’t revolt is essential to a successful playthrough, though trade and war also play a large role.
Assimilating new territories and their cultures is a key part of Victoria 3. Each nation can choose from various colonization options, ranging from pure exploitation to softer resettlement.
3Anno 1800
A Wonderful Colony Sim
Anno 1800 is a fairlylaid-back colony sim and production-management gameset in the early Victorian Era. Players can go from humble farming and logging settlements to creating colossal mega-cities at the height of the Industrial Revolution.
While the main challenge of the game is maintaining a positive cash balance, rival factions compete for territories due to their resource deposits and strategic positioning along trade routes.
Over the years, a variety of expansion packs and mods have been added, enabling players to travel to new locations such as Africa and the Arctic.
Though not especially serious in tone, Anno 1800 can be a challenging game that requires players to think deeply about resources, territory, and infrastructure.
