My favorite strategy games are the ones where you start in a stone age and develop your tribe all the way to the space age. It’s a real fulfilling experience. History lesson too.
So, I’ve compiled all the games where you can start as primitives, stone age tribes, and such and then progress. Either to space age or something close. Industrial age at worst. That’s still something for a primitive tribe.
Witnessing technological progress of civilizations is so much fun. And that’s what these games offer.
Top 15 stone age to space age games:
1. Civilization 6
Civilization 6 is the best stone age to space age game without a doubt. For those who don’t know, Civilization franchise is the most fun and most enjoyable 4x grand strategy video game franchise you can play.
It’s a turn-based game and that’s why I think some people just can’t get into it. But I’d say give it a try, turn-based or not, Civ grows on you.
Civ 6 eras:
- Ancient Era (4000 BC-1000 BC)
- Classical Era (1000 BC-500 AD)
- Medieval Era (500-1350)
- Renaissance Era (1350-1725)
- Industrial Era (1725-1890)
- Modern Era (1890-1945)
- Atomic Era (1945-1995)
- Information Era (1995-2020)
- [DLC] Future Era (2020-2050)
2. Rise of Nations
Rise of Nations is the best RTS amongst the stone age to space age games.
Can play with 18 different nations each with special units and bonuses. Can also build 14 wonders from all over the world. Such as Terra Cotta Army, Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, and the Egyptian Pyramids.
Go for it if you’re looking for a real strategy game because RON is amazing.
Rise of Nations eras:
- Ancient Age: Bows, arrows, and slingshots.
- Classical Age: Longbows, metal weapons.
- Medieval Age: Pikes, armored cavalry.
- Gunpowder Age: Muskets, flintlocks.
- Enlightenment Age: Armored vehicles, oil.
- Industrial Age: Early tanks, aircrafts.
- Modern Age: Helicopters, aircrafts, and tanks.
- Information Age: Aircraft carriers, nuclear bombs, ICBM missiles, and stealth bombers.
3. Empire Earth
Empire Earth is the first stone age to space age RTS game I’ve played. It’s older than Rise of the Nations. May not be as good as Rise of Nations but Empire Earth is still worth playing.
This game has epochs instead of ages. Same thing anyway. Older Empire Earth games have +10 epochs for various time periods. It’s all simplified in Empire Earth 3.
Latest Empire Earth game divided epochs into 5 which are ancient, medieval, colonial, modern, and future epoch.
4. RimWorld
Here we go, first colony simulation game of our list. Rimworld is a sci-fi survival strategy colony simulation set in a distant planet. You take control of crashed colonists and build a new colony.
The game has 7 default scenarios if you have all DLCs. One of them is Lost Tribe which is a very difficult scenario.
All scenarios start with some kind of advanced knowledge and research speed bonus. Lost Tribe starts with zero tech and lowered research speed. They’re tribal after all.
Project tech levels in RimWorld are neolithic, medieval, industrial, spaces, and ultra.
5. The Universim
6. The Fermi Paradox
7. Humankind
Humankind is a turn-based game set on hex grid map. It’s literally same as Civilization series. Is it better? Maybe not but it’s at least different and unique.
There are 7 eras in Humankind. And they are neolithic, ancient, classical, medieval, early modern, industrial, and contemporary.
Every empire starts as nomadic tribe in this game. At the end of each era, you may choose a culture to adopt. That’s what makes Humakind different from Civilization games.
8. War Selection
9. Empires: Dawn of the Modern World
10. Before We Leave
11. Spore
Spore (2008) is my favorite and probably the best God game ever. I just don’t understand why they make a remake…
Anyways, Spore will take you from bacteria to space age galactic lord. It’s a journey. Starting as a single cell, evolving, and then conquering the galaxy is an experience. I don’t think there is any other game like Spore.
Spore takes you from stages to stages instead of eras or ages. To be specific, you go through cell stage, creature stage, tribal stage, civilization stage, and space stage.
12. ARK: Survival Evolved
For the first and last time we have an open-world survival craft game on this list. Ark puts you in a shore of a mysterious island filled with dinosaurs and other monsters. You must craft, build, and survive.
You start with a primitive blueprint. Bows, arrows, axes, slingshot, etc. Then slowly unlock technologies all the way to the modern gear. Such as firearms, explosives, turrets, riot gear, industrial forge, and more.
It’s just another survival where you must hunt, harvest, craft, grow crops, research technologies, and build houses.
13. Evolution of Ages: Settlements
14. Sapiens Craft
15. Rush for the Ages
Rush for the Ages is a fast-paced card game about winning the technology race against your opponents. It’s a civilization like game but played with cards and is much faster. Sign me in.
The game start in antiquity age, then advances into Middle Ages and modern history.
There are 21 civilizations, 7 difficulties, hundreds of cards, and thousands of combinations to explore.