Best Free Games Like Age of Empires (Series) Top RTS Games & Historical Games like Age of Empires (Series)

The best free alternative to Age of Empires is 0 A.D., which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Age of Empires and many of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to Age of Empires are Starcraft, Warzone 2100, OpenRA and openage.

Age of Empires alternatives are mainly RTS Games but may also be Historical Games or City Building Games. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Age of Empires.

Age of Empires

133

Paid • Proprietary
RTS Game

Age of Empires is an epic real-time strategy game spanning 10,000 years, in which players are the guiding spirit in the...

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Age of Empires alternatives page was last updated

0 A.D.
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
RTS Game
Historical Game
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
43 0 A.D. alternatives
0 A.D. is a free, open-source, cross-platform real-time strategy (RTS) game of ancient warfare. In short, it is a historically-based war/economy game that allows players to relive or rewrite the history of Western civilizations, focusing on the years between 500 B.C. and 500 A.D.
- - 0 A.D. is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Age of Empires.
- - 0 A.D. is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Age of Empires.
Suggest and vote on features
0 A.D. Features
1. Multiplayer0 A.D. offers a game mode for more than one player.
2. Single player0 A.D. has one or more single player game modes.
3. Player vs PlayerYou can compete against other real players in 0 A.D..
4. Endless gameplay0 A.D. offers at least one game mode that allows you to play indefinitely.
Comments about 0 A.D. as a Alternative to Age of Empires
Almost everyone thinks 0 A.D. is a great Age of Empires alternative.
David
0 A.D. is arguably the closest comparable game to Age of Empires 2. The civilizations and more advanced units within them are obviously different but play-wise and strategy-wise, the two are very close. Meanwhile, 0 A.D. has visuals that eclipse the later 3D graphics of AoE 3.
Positive comment •
1

Guest
0 A.D. was originally based off of Age of Empires II and is a /great/ alternative to the series. It includes many advanced features and multiplayer support, and is completely open source! How much better can you get? (0 A.D. is currently in alpha development, so there a a couple of bugs and a few features are missing, but it is still very playable and fun.)
Positive comment •
7

Guest
It not only has most features present in AoE2, but also improves upon those features. The fact that it is open source means also: infinitely better mod support, constant improvements to AI and other aspects of the game. Also free and easy to install and to play multiplayer.
Positive comment •
4

Guest
Historically it is a good game and always will be
Positive comment •
2
Starcraft (Series)
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
RTS Game
Mac
Windows
Battle.net App
32 Starcraft alternatives
Starcraft is a strategy game by Blizzard Entertainment. Based in the distant future, you must gather resources and expand your forces to lead them to victory. The newly formed Terran Dominion faces the arrival of two hostile alien races: the savage Zerg, and the enigmatic...
Represent entire series of Starcraft games.
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Starcraft Features
1. MultiplayerStarcraft offers a game mode for more than one player.
2. Single playerStarcraft has one or more single player game modes.
Free to play
Sci-fi
Opinions about Starcraft as a Alternative to Age of Empires
Most users think Starcraft is a great Age of Empires alternative.
Warzone 2100
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
RTS Game
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
PortableApps.com
Flathub
Snapcraft
27 Warzone 2100 alternatives
Warzone 2100 is a real-time strategy game, was originally developed by Pumpkin Studios and published by Eidos Interactive. In 1999, it was released commercially for Microsoft Windows and Sony PlayStation. Pumpkin Studios ended their support for Warzone 2100 on January 5, 2000.
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Warzone 2100 Features
1. PortableWarzone 2100 can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
2. MultiplayerWarzone 2100 offers a game mode for more than one player.
3. Single playerWarzone 2100 has one or more single player game modes.
4. Player vs PlayerYou can compete against other real players in Warzone 2100.
OpenRA
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
RTS Game
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Flathub
.NET Framework
Mono
29 OpenRA alternatives
OpenRA is an open-source reimplementation of Westwood’s Command and Conquer Red Alert game engine, updated to use the hardware acceleration of modern video cards using OpenGL.
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OpenRA Features
1. MultiplayerOpenRA offers a game mode for more than one player.
2. Single playerOpenRA has one or more single player game modes.
3. Player vs PlayerYou can compete against other real players in OpenRA.
Opinions about OpenRA as a Alternative to Age of Empires
Almost everyone thinks OpenRA is a great Age of Empires alternative.
openage
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
RTS Game
City Building Game
Historical Game
Windows
Linux
BSD
39 openage alternatives
Free (as in freedom) open-source RTS Age of Empires engine. Written from scratch in C++, Python, Cython, Qt/QML, OpenGL/GLSL, Vulkan, ...
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openage Features
1. Single playeropenage has one or more single player game modes.
2. Multiplayeropenage offers a game mode for more than one player.
3. Player vs PlayerYou can compete against other real players in openage.
Widelands
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
RTS Game
Historical Game
Mac
Windows
Linux
26 Widelands alternatives
Widelands is a free, open source real-time strategy game with singleplayer campaigns and a multiplayer mode. The game was inspired by Settlers II™ (© Bluebyte) but has significantly more variety and depth to it. Still, it is easy to get started through playable tutorials.
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Widelands Features
Open API
Comments about Widelands as a Alternative to Age of Empires
pros, cons and recent comments
Guest
different game play and concept
Negative comment •
0
MegaGlest
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
RTS Game
Historical Game
Mac
Windows
Linux
17 MegaGlest alternatives
MegaGlest is an open source 3D-real-time strategy game, where you control the armies of one of seven different factions: Tech, Magic, Egyptians, Indians, Norsemen Persian or Romans. The game is setup in one of 14 naturally looking settings, which -like the unit models- are...
Suggest and vote on features
MegaGlest Features
1. MultiplayerMegaGlest offers a game mode for more than one player.
2. Player vs PlayerYou can compete against other real players in MegaGlest.
3. Single playerMegaGlest has one or more single player game modes.
Comments about MegaGlest as a Alternative to Age of Empires
pros, cons and recent comments
Guest
Similar gameplay. Great graphics.
Positive comment •
-1
CaesarIA
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
RTS Game
Historical Game
City Building Game
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
Wine
Steam
29 CaesarIA alternatives
CaesarIA is an open source remake of Caesar III game released by Impressions Games in 1998, it aims to expand the possibilities of the classical city-building simulators and to add new features showing the city life. Now the game work with Windows, Linux, Mac, Haiku and Android.
- - CaesarIA is the most popular Android alternative to Age of Empires.
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CaesarIA Features
1. MultiplayerCaesarIA offers a game mode for more than one player.
Medieval
Comments about CaesarIA as a Alternative to Age of Empires
Most users think CaesarIA is a great Age of Empires alternative.
Guest
different game play and concept
Negative comment •
0

Guest
I enjoy the city build experience
Positive comment •
0
Freeciv for Android
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Android
Android Tablet
16 Freeciv for Android alternatives
Port of Freeciv to Android - similar to Civilization series.
- - Freeciv for Android is the most popular Android Tablet alternative to Age of Empires.
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Freeciv for Android Features
Optimized for Touch screen
Comments about Freeciv for Android as a Alternative to Age of Empires
pros, cons and recent comments
Guest
different gameplay and concept
Negative comment •
0
Dune Legacy
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Mac
Windows
Linux
Flathub
39 Dune Legacy alternatives
Dune Legacy is an effort by a handful of developers to revitalize the first-ever real-time strategy game. The original game was the basis for the hugely successful Command and Conquer series, and the gameplay has been replicated an extended to a wide variety of storylines and...
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Dune Legacy Features
1. Endless gameplayDune Legacy offers at least one game mode that allows you to play indefinitely.