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Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings

50 Games like Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings that you should try

Games like Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings · Find similar →

Looking for games like Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings? The NextGameLike editorial team analyzed its gameplay DNA — real-time strategy, tactical combat and historical setting — against over 6,700 titles. These 50 alternatives are ranked by real similarity, not marketing tags. Medieval II: Total War leads with 83/100, followed by the rest of the list.

NextGameLike83/ 100

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GenreStrategySubgenreRTS
Tags
SoloMultiplayer
Year 1999Dev Ensemble Studios

Quick answer

The closest game to Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is Medieval II: Total War — scoring 83/100 on our similarity scale. Rise of Nations and Stronghold 2 follow close behind.

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Top games similar to Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings

50 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. Each one has been evaluated across 8 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

1

Medieval II: Total War

83
NGL94
Medieval II: Total War
Closest on genre
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalRangedMedievalHistoricalIsometric
Year 2006Dev The Creative Assembly · SegaOn Linux · PC · Mac

If Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings worked for you because of tactical combat, a medieval setting and single-player focus, the same is here. To that it adds an isometric view. Its own ground is deep simulation and melee combat.

Released 7 years after Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Genre100Game mode100Setting100Visuals100Combat90
2

Rise of Nations

83
NGL92
Rise of Nations
Closest overall match
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalRangedHistoricalMedievalIsometric
Year 2003Dev Big Huge Games · Microsoft Game StudiosOn PC · Mac

If Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings worked for you because of tactical combat, historical setting and single-player focus, the same is here. Both also lean on an isometric view. What it adds of its own: fantasy world.

Released 4 years after Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Visuals100Setting84
3

Stronghold 2

83
NGL83
Stronghold 2
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalRangedMedievalHistoricalIsometric
Year 2005Dev Firefly Studios · 2K GamesOn PC

It shares the essentials of what Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings does: tactical combat, a medieval setting and single-player focus. The common ground extends to an isometric view. Where the two diverge is visuals: a top-down view.

Released 6 years after Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Genre100Game mode100Setting100Combat91Visuals65
4

Total War: Shogun 2

80
NGL91
Total War: Shogun 2
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalRangedHistoricalMedievalIsometric
Year 2011Dev The Creative Assembly · SegaOn Linux · PC · Mac

It shares the essentials of what Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings does: tactical combat, historical setting and single-player focus. The common ground extends to an isometric view. It sets itself apart with turn-based strategy and co-op play.

Released 12 years after Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Genre100Combat100Setting100Visuals100Game mode72
5

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

80
NGL88
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalRangedHistoricalMedievalIsometric
Year 2019Dev Forgotten Empires · Microsoft StudiosPlaytime ~5hOn PC · Xbox

If Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings worked for you because of tactical combat, historical setting and single-player focus, the same is here. The common ground extends to an isometric view. It sets itself apart with deep simulation and co-op play.

Released 20 years after Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Genre100Combat100Setting100Visuals100Game mode70
6

Rome: Total War

77
NGL94
Rome: Total War
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalRangedHistoricalIsometric
Year 2004Dev The Creative Assembly · SegaOn Android · PC · iOS

If Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings worked for you because of tactical combat, historical setting and single-player focus, the same is here. The common ground extends to an isometric view. It sets itself apart with turn-based strategy and melee combat.

Released 5 years after Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Combat90Setting73
7

Shogun: Total War

76
NGL89
Shogun: Total War
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalRangedHistoricalIsometric
Year 2000Dev The Creative Assembly · SegaOn PC

Its point of contact with Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is tactical combat, historical setting and single-player focus. To that it adds an isometric view. Its own ground is turn-based strategy and melee combat.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Combat81Setting73
8

Empire Earth

83
Empire Earth
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalRangedHistoricalMedievalIsometric
Year 2001Dev Stainless Steel Studios · Sierra EntertainmentOn PC

It shares the essentials of what Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings does: tactical combat, historical setting and single-player focus. To that it adds an isometric view. Its own ground is a sci-fi setting.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Visuals100Setting82
9

Stronghold 2: Steam Edition

75
NGL81
Stronghold 2: Steam Edition
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalMedievalHistoricalIsometric
Year 2005Dev FireFly Studios · 2K GamesOn PC

Held in common with Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings: tactical combat, a medieval setting and single-player focus. The common ground extends to an isometric view. Where the two diverge is visuals: a top-down view.

Released 6 years after Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Genre100Game mode100Setting100Combat78Visuals65
10

Medieval: Total War

73
NGL77
Medieval: Total War
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalHistoricalMedievalIsometric
Year 2002Dev The Creative Assembly · ActivisionOn PC

Held in common with Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings: tactical combat, historical setting and single-player focus. Both also lean on an isometric view. The distance is in combat — its own ground is melee combat.

Released 3 years after Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Setting85Combat59
11

Europa Universalis IV

71
NGL86
Europa Universalis IV
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalHistoricalMedievalIsometric
Year 2013Dev Paradox Development Studio · Paradox InteractivePlaytime ~6hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

What carries over from Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is tactical combat, historical setting and single-player focus. To that it adds an isometric view. Its own ground is deep simulation and a sandbox world.

Released 14 years after Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Genre100Visuals100Setting86Combat78Game mode70
12

Stronghold 3 Gold

83
NGL36
Stronghold 3 Gold
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalRangedHistoricalMedievalIsometric
Year 2012Dev FireFly StudiosPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

What brings it close to Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is tactical combat, historical setting and single-player focus, and the two track each other on genre, combat and visuals. To that it adds an isometric view. Its own ground is deep simulation and a sandbox world.

Released 13 years after Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Genre100Combat100Visuals100Game mode93Setting86
13

Napoleon: Total War

69
NGL89
Napoleon: Total War
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalHistoricalIsometric
Year 2010Dev The Creative Assembly · Feral InteractiveOn PC · Mac

Genre puts it alongside Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, and so does tactical combat, historical setting and single-player focus. The common ground extends to an isometric view. Where the two diverge is setting and combat: melee combat and fantasy world.

Released 11 years after Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Combat68Setting60
14

Total War: Attila

70
NGL80
Total War: Attila
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalHistoricalMedievalIsometric
Year 2015Dev The Creative Assembly · SegaOn Linux · PC · Mac

Held in common with Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings: tactical combat, historical setting and single-player focus. The common ground extends to an isometric view. It sets itself apart with turn-based strategy and strong narrative focus.

Released 16 years after Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Genre100Visuals100Setting83Combat71Game mode70
15

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade

68
NGL90
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalHistoricalIsometric
Year 2006Dev Relic Entertainment · SEGAPlaytime ~2hOn PC

Shelved next to Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings for good reason: tactical combat, historical setting and single-player focus. The common ground extends to an isometric view. Where the two diverge is setting and combat: melee combat and a sci-fi setting.

Released 7 years after Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Combat61Setting45

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Found one on the list you already love? Open its own list: the games that play most like it, ranked, with the reason for each.

Explore games similar to Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings by category

If Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the historical or the medieval that hooked you? There is a list of just that.

Rankings in the same genre

Sometimes what you want is not a Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings look-alike but simply the best RTS Games there are. That is what these rankings are for: no comparison to anything, just the highest-rated games. And if you feel like widening the net, the Strategy Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.