The first installment of the Anno game series was released in 1998 with the title Anno 1602. It was a simple strategy game with a modest storyline for any amateur or expert gamer to catch on to quickly and enjoy.
Surprisingly, the game became one of the most successful with fans calling for more of it. This interest prompted its developers to start releasing new versions of the same game with intricate storylines and excellent world-building.
In just a span of 20 years, the developers of the game have come up with a variety of Anno series games that have kept gamers captivated for hours. The inclusion of state-of-the-art graphics, exciting storylines, and character-building are among the reasons why the franchise has become so popular.
But which of the Anno games rank highly among fans?
Come along as we take a look at the best Anno games yet.
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The Best Anno Games
1. Anno 1800: Seat of Power
This particular game was released in 2020 and has incorporated a number of features from its predecessors. The game is developed against the backdrop of the 19th-century Industrial Revolution.
It allows you to get a glimpse into the history of the world with strong references to Europe. In this game, you’ll have access to materials that were available to the people who were working in the budding industries of the 19th century.
You also get to build houses and commercial premises based on old architecture. You are even free to come up with unique policies to ensure that your town grows into a city, and afterward, a mighty empire.
One of the main highlights of this game is that it encourages players to build a prestigious castle from the ground up. The castle is made up of steel, bricks, concrete, timber, and over 600 windows so you can live like a true king.
You get to explore different regions and colonize areas with some of the most important raw materials or resources. You can then ship your resources back to the central location where you will establish your seat of power.
Anno 1800: Seat of Power is an exciting game that will have you scouring different locations in real time just so you can establish your empire as soon as possible.
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2. Anno 1404: Venice
Next up on this list of the best Anno Games is Anno 1404: Venice. It was released in 2010 after the popular Anno 1440, and therefore, has many similarities.
This game places a lot of emphasis on Venice and differs from its predecessor because it also includes a multiplayer mode. Like most games in this list, it is a real-time world-building game requiring you to be smart as you level up.
In this game, you’ll need to allocate resources intelligently so that your people do not starve to death or run out of important resources such as fuel and building materials.
You’ll also need to scout out other lands and colonize them before taking resources from them and transporting them back home to Venice. There is also the need to cultivate lands for farming purposes and build factories to start creating important machinery or equipment.
While trying to achieve all this, you’ll need to deal with challenges such as facing hostile enemies. Some players may want to colonize your home and take away your resources.
You must, therefore, build an army to deal with both land and naval military threats. You can also opt to reach a diplomatic settlement with those who would otherwise destroy your land.
3. Anno 2070
If you are not a big fan of past architecture and way of life, you’ll find Anno 2070 to be a breath of fresh air. It is set in a futuristic world with a modern take on what is likely to happen in a few years to come.
In this game, you’ll have access to modern technology including equipment and machinery to make your work easy. With these things, you’ll be able to develop massive cities with breathtaking monuments and attractions.
And while you’ll still be able to enjoy things like trading, farming, and incorporating new technologies, you’ll also have to deal with new threats that emerge from every corner of the world.
One of the biggest things you’ll need to deal with is climate change and general environmental pollution. Luckily, the game gives you the option to build your world as a Tycoon or an Ecos.
The difference is that Tycoons are able to build fast but have little to no regard for the effects they have on their environment. The Ecos adopt more sustainable options of building to ensure they live comfortable lives without compromising the environment.
While this is a futuristic concept, you’ll still need to smuggle resources across enemy territories while also building alliances with amenable people in your world. One of the things that make this game stand out is that it tends to have certain themes that are quite relatable to today’s world.
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4. Anno 1602
Another excellent Anno game you can opt for is Anno 1602. As the name suggests, it is set in the past and will therefore have many things in common with real-life human histories.
As soon as you start the game, you’ll be able to choose your own flag and plant it in the middle of the area you want to develop. You can then start building your village from scratch.
Like most games in this series, you’ll need to recruit people to help you build. These may include farmers, construction workers, and casual laborers.
You’ll also need to obtain resources for different purposes including building. To be successful, you have to strike a balance when allocating resources to building and farming or getting more items.
Some of the best ways to ensure your people are safe are by farming, trading, and constructing fortified buildings and villages or towns. Keep in mind that this game presents you with the challenge of overcoming aggressive enemies that wish to destroy you and your empire.
The game allows different players to also take a peaceful approach to dealing with other nations instead of warring all the time. Anno 1602 is unique in the sense that it incorporates some aspects of technology rather than sticking strictly to past innovations.
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5. Anno 1503
Anno 1503 immediately throws you into an immersive world in which you have to use your smarts to build a great empire. The game starts off with you as the main character on a ship alongside some of your AI companions.
Your work is to look around and find a place to settle. Immediately you find a place, you must start building to establish your town.
You’ll have to scout through the land and sea to find more resources that can enrich your city. One of the best things about playing this game is that it features different difficulty levels.
That means if you overcome all the challenges in one stage, you are promoted to the next stage where you face greater challenges and receive better rewards. The game incorporates exciting animals and has some wonderful treasures to help you speed up the process of building.
There are also monsters and other enemy nations to ward off if you want your empire to thrive. Every player gets to choose a unique color to represent his or her country.
And unlike other games that emphasize combat for progress, this particular game tends to lean more on developing a strong economy to ensure that citizens have enough to thrive.
Anno 1503 encourages players to utilize technology as a way of quickly becoming a strong empire. The game’s later version has a multiplayer mode ensuring that different players from around the world can compete for resources and control of large chunks of land.
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6. Anno 1701 A.D
As is the case for most games in this series, Anno 1701 A.D. is an empire-building game that is set in the 18th century. The game includes Anno 1701 and its expansion Anno 1701: The Sunken Dragon.
It requires you to identify a conducive environment where you can build a settlement and then expand it to become a great empire. To survive, you are going to have to use a mix of strategies that include trading, farming, and warfare.
If you are able to convince other nations to trade with you, chances are that you will have a stable empire. However, if diplomacy fails, you’ll have no choice but to call your military force into action.
Keep in mind that this is a multiplayer game meaning anyone can decide to attack your nation and loot all your resources at any time. As you build your empire, you must also train an army and build fortresses to keep your country safe.
The game has numerous locations for you to explore and treasures for you to unearth. It also offers a lively environment where you get to enjoy your own citizens cheering or holding protests.
Additionally, this game has been updated to work with modern operating systems and includes vivid graphics of flora and fauna. Anno 1703 even includes natural disasters such as tornadoes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.
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7. Anno 2205
Anno 2205 is another excellent game to try out, especially if you are the kind of person that loves imagining how the future would look a few years from now. The game gives off a futuristic feel thanks to its setting being the year 2205.
In this game, you are part of the human species’ next step into evolution thanks to the fact that humanity has finally achieved the knowledge of harnessing fusion energy. But things are not as simple as you may think because all over the globe there is a race to establish one superior force.
It is up to you to use strategy to build bustling cities fast and fortify all of them to withstand human attacks and natural calamities. Once your cities are strong enough, you’ll need to make the journey into space and settle on the moon.
The moon is an important location because it is the only place you can find helium-3 which is the most important element in fusion energy. In Anno 2205, you’ll be able to build even larger cities and colonize diverse places around the globe.
One of the best things about this game is that it incorporates state-of-the-art graphics so that you’ll enjoy the realistic feel of your world. Buildings, vegetations, animals, cars, and planes all have a realistic look to them.
The game also utilizes animations to bring your world to life. For instance, you’ll be able to enjoy animated battles, interactions among AI players, and animal actions.
8. Anno 2070: Deep Ocean
In the future, land resources have been used to a point where harnessing them may cause catastrophe. That is why the geniuses of the future decide to explore the depths of the ocean and harness geothermal energy.
This particular series of the Anno games offer you a break from the ordinary world and instead immerses you deep down into the ocean. As you explore, you’ll come across amazing species of animals and sights that can only be dreamed of by people who live on land.
To win in this game, you’ll need to fortify your place on land before you start establishing underwater colonies. You’ll also need to create new waterways and come up with strategies to move resources from the ocean to land.
Unlike other games that emphasize expansion through conquest, Anno 2070: Deep Ocean tends to lean more toward trading and diplomacy. As you develop your underwater empire, you’ll have to deal with challenges such as power malfunction that can result in a tsunami to destroy everything you have built.
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9. Anno 1800: Land of Lions
This is another exciting game you can jump into and start to build your own empire. The game establishes that you live in a land where the ruler is called Emperor Katema.
The ruler has to work out ways for his people to thrive and build a large empire. There are two categories of people in the land including the selfless Shepherds and the traditionalist Elders.
You must come up with ways of doubling your resources to ensure fast growth for the nation. Some of the things you can do to acquire what you need include trading, manufacturing, and farming.
You can also go on quests to find hidden treasures that will make your country rich enough to expand. While trying to establish your empire, there will be foreign influences that try to keep the Land of Lions divided.
It is up to you to fight off such influences and try to unite the warring regions of your empire so as to ensure long-term stability and prosperity.
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10. Anno 2205: Tundra
This is an add-on for the original Anno 2205. In this game, you are going to go on quests to discover new resources and learn new ways to develop your cities.
Anno 2205: Tundra is set 100 years after a calamity hit an area called the Tundra. As humans fled the region, a new virus arose and caused a lot of fear.
For years, the area has been a desolate place with no human daring to venture into it. However, as resources diminish in other regions, you are left with no option but to make your way to this deadly region.
While many think the region is uninhabitable, you’ll find out that there are ways to dry out the icy wastelands and establish a colony where you can generate a lot of resources.
The region will be repopulated with Tundra scientists and Tundra protectors. The scientists are responsible for carrying out research and tests while the protectors keep everyone safe from attacks by enemies including human invaders and animals.
One of the best things about this game is that you get a futuristic vehicle that you can use to fly over the entire region while protecting it or looking for important items.
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Wrapping Up
Anno games have been entertaining gamers globally for years now. They are among the few games that stimulate the player to think deeply before making any moves.
That is because every action a player takes has an impact on their gameplay and their environment. With so many Anno games to choose from, you can rest assured that there is one that will keep you entertained throughout.
If you are new to the Anno series of games, it is prudent to start out with Anno 1602 and then work your way up. However, if you don’t want to play the whole series, you can go ahead and pick any on the list that seems to capture your imagination.
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