Sid Meier's Colonization
| Sid Meier's Colonization | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | MicroProse |
| Publisher(s) | MicroProse |
| Designer(s) | Brian Reynolds, Sid Meier |
| Series | Civilization |
| Platform(s) | Amiga, DOS, Windows, Macintosh, Linux |
| Release | 1994, 1995 |
| Genre(s) | Turn-based strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Sid Meier's Colonization is a computer game by Brian Reynolds and Sid Meier released by MicroProse in 1994. It is a turn-based strategy game themed on the early European colonization of the New World, starting in 1492 and lasting until 1850. It was originally released for DOS, and later ported to Windows 3.1 (1995), the Amiga (1995), and Macintosh (1995).
Colonization is much like a more developed version of Sid Meier's previous game Civilization (1991) in visual design and handling, but the two have marked differences in gameplay. Instead of forging a nation from nothing, the player manages the cross-Atlantic expansion of an established one in the service of the Crown. As the colonies become more self-sufficient their subservience shifts from boon towards bane, and to win the player must ultimately declare independence and defeat the Royal Expeditionary Force in battle.
The game begins in 1492. The player controls the colonial forces of either England, France, The Netherlands, or Spain; the other powers are then played by the computer. The choice of nation is important, as each nation has unique abilities that favor certain strategies. There is a choice between a historical map (America) or a randomly generated map (the New World); the randomly generated map shifts the focus of the game toward exploration—in this mode the game has considerable replay potential.
The journey begins with two units traveling on a ship to the new world; as the ship moves into the unknown, the map is revealed. Subsequently, the New World is discovered, the Indians are met, a colony is built, colonists begin to change the land to be more productive, the ship is sent back to Europe to collect more colonists, any superfluous items are sold and the exploration of the world begins. The game revolves around harvesting food and manufacturing and trading goods. Resources gleaned from the land are converted into commodities and either used or sold (usually back in Europe). The prices of commodities fluctuate depending upon supply and demand. The more of a commodity is sold by the colonial powers, the less the markets will be willing to pay for them. With money, a player is able to buy goods, recruit new colonists, or buy ships or artillery. While maintaining an income, the player is also required to protect his colonies from potential invasion by equipping and stationing soldiers. Moreover, the player is required to manage his citizens effectively, educating the populace in various skills to increase their productivity in areas such as farming, gathering of resources, or manufacturing.
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