Play Age of Empires: The Age of Kings Online

Summary

Age of Empires: The Age of Kings brings the classic empire‑building feel to the DS in a turn‑based package that feels surprisingly deep for a handheld. You pick from five distinct civilizations—Britons, Franks, Mongols, Saracens, and Japanese—each led by a legendary hero like Joan of Arc or Genghis Khan, and guide them across a grid‑based map where terrain really matters; roads speed you up, forests grant extra range or defense.

The game mixes familiar RTS mechanics with turn‑based strategy: you research technologies, advance through the Dark, Feudal, Castle, and Imperial ages, and earn Empire Points that unlock powerful units and extra maps. A handy combat advisor pops up before each clash, showing the odds and helping you tweak your tactics. Multiplayer supports up to four players, either hot‑seat on a single DS or wireless with each player holding their own copy.

Even though it trims some of the PC version’s political intrigue, the core experience shines. Critics gave it solid scores—around 80 % on GameRankings and Metacritic—and it snagged Game of the Month honors from IGN and EGM, plus a Best Game Design award in Canada. For anyone who loved the original Age of Empires, this portable spin‑off feels like a compact yet faithful tribute.

Storyline

Age of Empires: The Age of Kings on the Nintendo DS lets you lead one of five historic peoples: the Britons, the Franks, the Mongols, the Saracens, or the Japanese.

The game offers a single‑player campaign, a collection of standalone scenarios, and a multiplayer mode for head‑to‑head battles.