Dive into the chaos of the Middle Ages with Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, the 1999 real-time strategy titan from Ensemble Studios that redefined the genre. Released on September 30, 1999, for Windows (with a Mac version in 2001), this sequel to the original Age of Empires catapulted players into a world of knights, castles, and conquest—selling over two million copies in its first three months and cementing its legacy as a gaming icon.
Pick from 13 civilizations—Britons, Franks, Mongols, and more—and build your empire from a scrappy Dark Age hamlet to a sprawling Imperial Age powerhouse. Gather wood, stone, gold, and food to raise armies of swordsmen, archers, and trebuchets, then crush your enemies in epic sieges. The campaign mode throws you into history’s deep end with five story-driven arcs—think Joan of Arc leading the French charge or Genghis Khan tearing across the steppes. Want chaos? Skirmish mode lets you clash with up to seven AI foes or friends in multiplayer battles that’ll test your wits and reflexes.
The Genie engine powers it all with crisp 2D visuals—castles crumble, villagers hustle, and battles erupt in glorious isometric detail. The Conquerors expansion (2000) ups the ante with five new civs (like the Aztecs and Spanish), unique techs, and a campaign tracing the fall of Montezuma. Sure, the pathfinding can be a little wonky, and the AI occasionally cheats, but the depth keeps you hooked—micro your troops, manage your economy, and outsmart your rivals. From booming your population to turtling behind stone walls, every choice matters.
Re-released as The Gold Edition with Conquerors bundled in, and later reborn in 2013’s HD Edition with sharper graphics and Steam Workshop support, Age of Empires II remains timeless. It’s raw, it’s relentless, and it’s still inspiring historians and gamers alike 25 years later. Available on PC (and a PS2 port if you’re feeling retro), this is strategy gaming at its peak—wololo your way to victory!