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Civilization (series) facts for kids

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Civilization
Genres Turn-based strategy, 4x game
Developers MicroProse
Activision
Firaxis Games
Publishers MicroProse
Activision
Infogrames Entertainment, SA
2K Games
Creators Sid Meier
Platforms Main series:
Microsoft Windows, Linux, OS X
Spin-offs:
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, iOS, Android, Nintendo DS, Windows Phone, Facebook Platform, PlayStation Vita
First release Civilization
1991
Latest release Civilization VI
October 21, 2016

Civilization is a super popular series of video games where you build and guide a civilization through history. The first game came out in 1991. Sid Meier created the first game and has helped with most of the others. That's why his name is often in the title, like Sid Meier's Civilization.

There are six main games in the series. Plus, there are many expansion packs and spin-off games. Some board games have even been made based on the video games!

Sid Meier - Game Developers Conference 2010 - Day 4 (3)
Sid Meier, the brilliant mind behind the Civilization series.

What is Civilization?

The main Civilization games are called turn-based strategy games. This means you take turns playing, like in a board game. They are also known as "4X" games. This stands for eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate. Your goal is to win by doing these actions better than your opponents.

The games start way back in time, even before 1 A.D. You guide your civilization through thousands of years. You can go all the way to modern times and even into the future!

How to Play

In each turn, you make important decisions for your civilization. You decide what new technologies to research. You also choose which cultures and government styles to develop. You can talk to other civilizations through diplomacy. This means you can make friends or declare war.

You also build things in your cities. You can create new buildings or units. Units are like soldiers, settlers, or workers. You move these units around the world map. Sometimes, you'll fight battles against other civilizations.

To help new players, the Civilization games have special computer advisors. These advisors suggest what units, city improvements, or technologies you should focus on. They give advice based on how your game is going.

You can play Civilization by yourself against the computer. You can also play with friends. This can be on the same computer or online.

All the games in the series have similar gameplay. You always build a civilization from ancient times to the near future. The first game, Civilization, was released in 1991. New games and updates have been coming out ever since!

Main Games in the Series

Here's a list of the main Civilization games and their important updates:

Main Series
Title Release Year What's New
Civilization 1991 This is where it all began!
— CivNet 1995 An updated version with better graphics and sound. It also let you play with friends online.
Civilization II 1996 This game showed the world map from a new angle, called an isometric view.
— Civilization II: Conflicts in Civilization 1996 The first expansion pack for Civilization II.
— Civilization II: Fantastic Worlds 1997 The second expansion pack for Civilization II.
— Civilization II: Test of Time 1999 Included the original Civilization II plus new challenges and features, like an alien world.
Civilization III 2001 Added new ideas about culture. You could win by having a strong culture, and your culture could even take over nearby cities.
— Civilization III: Play the World 2002 The first expansion pack for Civilization III.
— Civilization III: Conquests 2003 The second and last expansion for Civilization III.
Civilization IV 2005 Introduced new features like religion and different types of government.
— Civilization IV: Warlords 2006 The first expansion pack for Civilization IV.
— Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword 2007 The second expansion pack for Civilization IV.
Civilization V 2010 Changed the map from squares to hexagons (like honeycombs). Also, only one military unit could be in each space.
— Civilization V: Gods & Kings 2012 The first expansion pack for Civilization V.
— Civilization V: Brave New World 2013 The second expansion pack for Civilization V.
Civilization VI 2016 Introduced "unstacked" city tiles. This means city improvements are built outside the main city center. It also added a separate way to develop culture.

Related pages

These are the versions of the game. They are in order from oldest to newest.

Images for kids

  • CivII 01

    The main game screen in Civilization II

  • Civ01

    Conducting negotiations with Stalin of the Russians in the original Civilization

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Civilization (serie) para niños

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