author: Retromaniak
Caesar 3. 32 best tycoon and economic video games in 2023
Table of Contents
CAESAR III IN A NUTSHELL
- Year of release: 1998
- Platforms: PC, Mac
- Theme and type: economic city builder in ancient realities
The Caesar series is one of the oldest and most entitled in our list. Its first edition appeared in 1992 on Amiga computers, and a year later it was ported to PC, Atari ST and Mac. The authors didn't overly exert themselves, and simply reused the mechanics appearing in city-builders like SimCity, and created visuals befitting an ancient-era simulator. The end result was so good that there have been four installments released, as well as several side titles, such as Pharaoh (based in Ancient Egypt), Zeus: Lord of Olympus (Ancient Greece) or Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom (Ancient China).
The story of Caesar III takes place in Ancient Rome, with the player receiving a task to build and develop a city for the glory of the Empire. The role of the player is not only limited to construction of new buildings - you also have to develop industry and trade, which allows to raise funds for further expansion. In addition, we must take care of daily needs of our residents, construct public buildings and provide places of entertainment, such as the Coliseum.
It is worth getting into the good graces of ancient gods by building temples and organizing festivals to honor them. The game provides a lot of flexibility, and there is no lock of simple battles. If the mission proceeds successfully and according to our plan, in the end we can be crowned and become a Caesar. If not, your adventure may end up in a cage filled with lions...
The Caesar III is the last installment of the series, which was developed by original game designers from the Impressions Games studio. Unfortunately, the studio was closed in April 2004 by Vivendi. This production, released in 1998, is still available in leading digital distribution platforms. Time has passed by and it may have a negative impact on Caesar III. Only true retro maniacs will enjoy this one.
The final installment Caesar IV , saw the light of the day in 2006. The game, designed by a completely different development team (Tilted Mill Entertainment studio), despite a much better visual setting has not been properly polished and is only a substitute that offers just a drop of the classic third part of the series.
Capitalism 2
CAPITALISM II IN A NUTSHELL
- Year of release: 2001
- Platforms: PC, Mac
- Theme and type: simulation of enterprise management in the era of capitalism
Capitalism II is the second installment in the series of economic strategies, initiated in 1995 by the Chinese developer team called Enlight Software, founded by Trevor Chan, who specializes in this type of games. This game, which is in fact a very extensive version of the original, once again allows you to play the role of a world financial shark, whose goal is to earn millions of dollars and take over the world economy. Sounds familiar? The road to success leads through construction of new factories, creation of mines or modern shopping centres, and then it all gets down to proper management of the growing business. During the game you can trade with over 60 different goods, invest in new technologies and take over smaller companies such as airlines, newspapers, TV and radio stations.
And what is the main distinguishing feature of Capitalism II? The colorful and attractive visual design conceals an extremely complex economic game, which perfectly simulates a number of trade and economic relations in the perspective of harsh reality of the titular capitalism. During the gameplay we can try to eliminate our competitors by buying their shares on the stock exchange. There is also an option to purchase advertising and promotion in various media such as television, radio and the press.
Over time, we can establish our company's headquarters and then employ specialists in finance, marketing or PR. Finally, players get an opportunity to operate on the real estate market by building, buying or renting residential and commercial premises. What is important, before you start playing, many gameplay options can be adjusted in detail to your prefered and the expected level of difficulty.
Unfortunately, Capitalism II, released in 2001, hasn't received any continuation and no other similar games have been created so far. And although the game can still be purchased on popular digital distribution platforms, time has clearly left an imprint on it. To collectors and fans of retro style, who would like to try it anyway, we recommend purchasing a used retail (boxed) edition of this title.