.Modding SDK available as a free download. That doesn't mean your configuration wont run Civ V, it just means we have not tested and vetted your configuration. Visit the Civilization V community page to share your experience with other Linux players and learn about how to send bugs to Aspyr. Developed by Firaxis Games.
> >Sid Meier's Civilization II
4.5 / 5 - 181 votes
Description of Sid Meier's Civilization II Windows
Read Full ReviewWhile Sid Meier's Civilization would not get a proper “sequel” until Alpha Centauri, the 1991 4X game spawned a genre-defining franchise of remakes. Civ II is NOT an incremental upgrade of its predecessor; instead it significantly expands on elements of the original while implementing new features and functionality that would eventually find their way into Alpha Centauri in a more polished state.
Civ II's improvements include a much larger tech tree, substantially more unit types, more city structures, support for larger maps, and rudimentary city-planning AI. Even better, though it may still be hard for “island” cultures, the “Earth” world map is not completely unplayable! Changes to how the “Senate” handles aggressive and treacherous diplomatic strategies make playing Republics and Democracies more interesting.
Available playable civilizations (including new ones, such as the Sioux and the Celts) are a strange mix, and many representative leaders chosen for the cultures range from poor to out-and-out head-scratchers, but that's no different from any Civ game.
The city-planning AI is relatively weak, and the priority of city improvements it uses makes it unuseful as a time-saver until late game; the more granular approach in Alpha Centauri is far better, but it has its roots here. The costume-wearing advisors, filmed in live action, add an element of cheesiness to the game not present in the original, but it's a fun touch (and the Foreign Minister is cute!)
Civ II is not just bigger on your disc; it is a much longer game—you won't knock out Civ II in an evening. Or even just a few evenings. Be ready to hunker down for several weeks as you bring your faction from the stone age to the stars!
Review By P. Alexander
Check out the civfanatics website for more infos, tips and strategy: http://www.civfanatics.com/civ2/.
Also, don't miss this reddit gem: I've been playing the same game of Civilization II for almost 10 years. This is the result.
Sid Meier's Civilization II has the following addons available: Sid Meier's Civilization II Scenarios: Conflicts in Civilization and Civilization II: Fantastic Worlds, don't miss them!
External links
How to play Sid Meier's Civilization II Windows
- Download the “sid-meier-s-civilization-ii_window-04r4.zip” and extract it where you can easily find it.
- Civ 2 uses an older .bin disk image. You may need to convert it to .iso. My recommended program for converting .bin to .iso is WinBin2Iso. It's free and does not have a maximum file-size for conversion. http://download.cnet.com/WinBin2Iso/3000-20432_4-75450182.html
- Once the .bin file has been converted, use VCDRom to mount the virtual disc. Instructions on how to setup window's Virtual CDRom Control Panel can be found here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=38780
- Once VCDRom has been installed and configured, click Add Drive.
- Click Mount and locate the .iso file.
- Click OK to close the Virtual CDRom Control Panel.
- Go to the newly mounted virtual CD drive from your computer; you will find the contents of the Civilization 2 .iso.
- Double Click the Setup.exe and choose your language.
- The Civilization 2 setup wizard will install the game from the virtual disc.
Captures and Snapshots
Screenshots from MobyGames.com
Comments and reviews
Unski Tunkio2020-01-010 point
Does this version work? I had some problems with the program crashing (win10) and losing the maps...?!
Best game of the universe2019-11-130 point
@PG ahah me too, after finish (over 100 time..) now i'm enjoy this game with scenario, and create new personal world's... xD
Ace2019-11-05-2 points
I am trying to download the driver for CD-ROM but i can’t do it and I don’t know what I’m doing wrong is there a video tutorial or something to help
pokedude1042019-10-125 points
This was my first PC game ever. I would sit and watch my dad play it every day and I eventually figured out how to play just from watching. I loved it so much and played the absolute crap out of it for many many years and I've never really completely stopped playing it. I've still got the original thick manual and tech tree poster that came with the box that my dad thankfully held onto but sadly I lost the CD ages ago and after tearing the house apart more than once accepted it was gone. Thank you so much for uploading the vanilla version and not the MGE with that horrible AI aggression bug in it. I've been searching for this specific version since I lost the CD and I'll be burning one of my few remaining fresh CD-R's with this to replace it. You guys are godsends
Beler2019-08-041 point
Possibly the best pc game. Maybe it had ports, but this is the best version.
PG2019-06-239 points
THE BEST GAME EVER!
I am also playing CIV2 since 20 years....
I am also playing CIV2 since 20 years....
Idea -Man !2019-04-185 points
I know its not the same but there is a Fantastic freeware version of civ2 called FreeCiv !
I have played it on my x64 i3-350 linux laptop...
it has more options than Civ does.
I kinda prefer it tho its non-identical.
Have fun....
I have played it on my x64 i3-350 linux laptop...
it has more options than Civ does.
I kinda prefer it tho its non-identical.
Have fun....
Quaid2019-04-109 points
The best civ game ever
gggq12018-04-09-18 points
won't run what do I do?
Anonymouse2018-03-143 points
Thanks for this game.
I am an old gamer/programmer and can not play much games anymore.
To complcated.
So thanx again
I am an old gamer/programmer and can not play much games anymore.
To complcated.
So thanx again
Viking2018-01-01-3 points
Game is in Russian and French only, beware.
MikeyInTheD2017-12-294 points
Game stopped working after I ran the latest Windows 10 update sometime in December 2017. So disappointed since I had it working on Windows 10 without a virtual machine previously.
Bob2017-11-27-6 points
Can somebody fix my comp
Falls2017-11-191 point
Thanks!
reyalp_ron2017-10-20-2 points
thnx for hosting, running win10 hope i get it to run
Stevie the Roman, and his old game.2017-09-0618 points
I've been playing this game for 20 years now. It's still my favourate game!
The newer versions have gotten too complicated. I don't like them.
To get this 16 bit game working in Windows 10 64 bit, I had to do the following:
- install Oracle's Virtualbox x64. (free program)
- install Windows XP as a virtualbox client. (Just follow VirtualBox's help, very easy)
- update XP with SP3 (free from MS)
- install Civilization 2 :-) (you can install any app/game this way)
Works great in windowed, full screen or seamless mode, just like another Win 10 program.
The newer versions have gotten too complicated. I don't like them.
To get this 16 bit game working in Windows 10 64 bit, I had to do the following:
- install Oracle's Virtualbox x64. (free program)
- install Windows XP as a virtualbox client. (Just follow VirtualBox's help, very easy)
- update XP with SP3 (free from MS)
- install Civilization 2 :-) (you can install any app/game this way)
Works great in windowed, full screen or seamless mode, just like another Win 10 program.
mike2017-08-270 point
so what do i do after its been downloaded?
It wants me to find an AP in the app store.
It wants me to find an AP in the app store.
Steve2017-08-254 points
Only supports french and russian - neither of which work for me =(
Cavebear2017-08-140 point
I played games on Atari, then Commodore 64, then on Windows1. The first day I loaded Civ 2 was on a Friday Night. I played until I dropped on Sunday and called in sick the Monday. And kept playing when I woke up.
Now I can't play on Win10. I've tried some fixes but can't get them to work. Tried the Civ 2 Multiplayer fixes and no luck there either.
I think I'll see if the local PC store has any old boxes...
Other ideas?
Now I can't play on Win10. I've tried some fixes but can't get them to work. Tried the Civ 2 Multiplayer fixes and no luck there either.
I think I'll see if the local PC store has any old boxes...
Other ideas?
Cerran2017-03-01-3 points
If it's the 16 bit version of the game, it won't run on a 64 bit system, period (thanks Microsoft). If the civ2xp64patcher file doesn't help, you have a 16 bit program. What you *might* want to do is see about getting the Civilization Chronicles pack that has the 32-bit versions of Civ2, MGE and ToT with it. Good luck.
Another workaround for the dreaded 'Hit B to Try To Build A City, But Nuke Your Game Instead' bug is to build from the menu. I figured that one out the hard way. ;-)
Another workaround for the dreaded 'Hit B to Try To Build A City, But Nuke Your Game Instead' bug is to build from the menu. I figured that one out the hard way. ;-)
alp2017-02-07-1 point
Dave 92
I doubt your tablet will play this...you cuold try it in DosBox (i run most of my games in it) or if its actually a Windows Game you could load Virtual Box on your PC and install windows 95 or 98 (ISO's are online I am sure....) Youtube should have plenty of virtual box and Dos Box videos to show how.
I doubt your tablet will play this...you cuold try it in DosBox (i run most of my games in it) or if its actually a Windows Game you could load Virtual Box on your PC and install windows 95 or 98 (ISO's are online I am sure....) Youtube should have plenty of virtual box and Dos Box videos to show how.
Marty2017-01-02-16 points
Crashes as soon as game starts, how can i fix
dave922016-11-061 point
Any recommendations to be able to play this on. My Surface tablet everything I have tried is failing, surely it can play such an old game
Harambe2016-09-09-25 points
how to play windows 10?
spartan2016-07-111 point
I once spent two days solid playing civ 2 when it was first released. I missed a days work and only stopped playing when I fell asleep at the keyboard. I cannot wait to get back into the game on windows10. Better graphics on todays 'steam games'but not a patch on civ 2 playability.
90's was the time of games2016-07-040 point
i remember nana pulling the plug on the PC just to get me off this game and now using windows 10 i can play this again, oh how i miss original games like Civilization
NOR2016-06-160 point
If the game crashes when you try to build a city ('b'), download 'CIV2xp64patcher', by Masterx (google it:)). The game works on my Windows 10 system...
Wood2016-05-12-3 points
Just download XP mode for windows and install on that.
Echo2016-04-303 points
This game does work on windows 8.1 but you need to run it in Compatibility Mode
scotty_f2016-04-21-12 points
I have a copy of Civ. II gold edition, Windows version, and can't seem to run it on a brand new 64-bit platform with Windows 10. Does the patch below fix this problem?
![Civilization Game Free Download Civ 5 Full Civilization Game Free Download Civ 5 Full](/uploads/1/2/6/5/126501067/867899474.jpg)
Blitzky2016-04-12-4 points
Is the Civilization 2 works on Windows 8.1 64bit please reply early as possible thank you.
The FACE2015-11-14-1 point
SHELBY - If CIV2 crashes when you try to build a city by using the 'b' key, then use the Menu options and select 'build city' option. Then use you cursor to click on the dialog boxes. This works on my old XP netbook that I use when traveling. Hope it works for y'all too.
furmichi2015-11-05-1 point
How can I get it to run properly? I've tried running in compatibility mode.
Ziffphlebs2015-10-21-11 points
Can I play this on my kindle?
Drew2015-10-180 point
The 28 mb download works great in my Xp virtualbox! I had Russian and French options on install, and French was really French but Russian was just English.
I have the real cd at home and so far the only difference I can see is it doesn't highlight the city radii. A minor point, this is great!
I have the real cd at home and so far the only difference I can see is it doesn't highlight the city radii. A minor point, this is great!
AS2015-09-24-33 points
Is there an 'easy' (not terribly techy) way to play this on Windows 10?
Playa2015-07-292 points Windows version
On building cities--use the dropdown menu instead of pressing 'b'.
Shelby2015-05-244 points Windows version
Game crashes any time I try to build a city. Suggestions?
Jenn2015-05-170 point Windows version
Mine will only play in French. I didn't even INSTALL the french version. x.x
FURMICH2015-03-053 points Windows version
Awesome!
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We’ve had to wait longer than usual, but with Civilization VI out now a new dawn is breaking once again on the venerable 4X series, ready to give us a fresh take on the fantasy of guiding a nation from the dawn of time through to the near future.
Related: find out more about Civilization 6 in our review.
Even though the basic formula remains the same, the devs have never rested on their laurels, always rejigging the visuals and mechanics between entries in bold and drastic ways. Sometimes it’s worked, and sometimes it hasn’t. But 25 years on from its inception and going stronger than ever, it’s fair to say that Civ has – to quote the original’s box – ‘built an empire to stand the test of time.’
As you’re about to see, and then subsequently spit your cup of coffee all over your screen like a sitcom character, we’ve included the Call to Power games. We’ve also omitted Beyond Earth and Alpha Centauri, even though the former carries the Civ nomenclature and the latter carries the Meier name.
Why? Because Civ games, to us, are about guiding a people from prehistory to the future, journeying through recognisable periods of human history and doing it on Earth. While CtP deviates from that formula slightly, it’s still very recgonisable as the classic Civ experience. Beyond Earth and Alpha Centauri? Well, their names say it all.
Which entries propelled Civ to glory, and which are best left in the past? Join us as we chart the series from its ancient era to the modern day, and rank each of the Civilization games from worst to best.
8 – Civilization: Call to Power
Purists will scoff at the inclusion of Activision’s ambitious yet shambolic stab at the great empire-builder, but it marked a blip in the history of the series that’s kind of fascinating.
Call to Power arose out of legal tussles between Activision and Microprose over the board game origins of the ‘Civilization’ trademark. Made without Sid Meier, Jeff Briggs and co at the helm, it was Activision’s first stab at the Civ franchise, which perhaps explains why they seemingly crammed every idea into it that a single game could possibly hold.
Featuring outlandish ideas like space warfare and underwater cities, as well as a whole wealth of sneaky units like lawyers, slavers, televangelists with televisions for heads and, errr, steampunky blimps that beamed advertising onto enemy Civs, Call to Power was nothing if not ambitious. It was marred by a poor interface and bad implementation however, with all the extra content making the game feel bloated and unfocused, with the late-game feeling like a hellish rabble of conflicting ideas that, frankly, was a bit grim to be a part of.
Let’s just call it ‘Franken-civ’ and move on…
7 – Civilization II
Civ 2 probably deserves an apology for being put in line right next to the black sheep of the family, because it really is a far superior game. It took the series out of a top-down view into a more immersive isometric perspective, expanded the number of techs and playable civs, and deepened war and diplomacy.
Yet when I upgraded from Civ 1 to Civ 2, I remember that for all its added polish and depth, it felt somehow colder than the original; little things like the fact that leader screens were just generic portraits, the static city view, and those awful video clips of advisors dressed up like they were going to a Roman-themed uni party.
Not that those niggles stopped me from pouring half a decade of my life into it, and remembering its sweetly 90s soundtrack to this day. Just like every other Civ game – it ranks among the greatest games of its time.
6 – Civilization
Where it all began. It’s fitting that one of my enduring memories of Civ is that pixellated cutscene of a young Earth smouldering into existence, because that’s precisely the role this game played for the series – setting the scene for generations to come.
With its blocky bird’s-eye view, only seven leaders and a comparatively small tech tree, of course the original is also technically the crudest, but it had some flourishes that gave it a big personality.
Meeting each leader was a treat, and your negotiations with them would be dramatised by their contorting, shifting faces as you inevitably pissed them off for calling them an ostrich or not handing over your techs to them. The city view – fully animated by gorgeous sprites – remains the best in the series, and the different looks of the advisers when you changed government were a great touch. It had a charm that was unmatched until much later in the series.
5 – Call to Power 2
If the purists were scoffing before, they’ll be choking on their self-righteous lentils that Call to Power 2, which doesn’t even have the word ‘Civilization’ in the title, makes it onto this list among the Sid Meier thoroughbreds.
For all intents and purposes it is a Civ game, and Activision’s second and final stab at the Civ formula was a big improvement on its bloated predecessor. Yes, there are still slavers and those blasted lawyers being a nuisance, but the improved interface, better diplomacy, and ability to automate units make it much enjoyable. It even introduced a couple of innovations like cultural borders and ‘armies’, both of which were taken on in subsequent games (the latter appears in Civ VI as the ‘combined arms’ mechanic, where you can stack certain military units with others to make them more effective).
Call to Power 2 cut out its predecessor’s underwater cities and space colonisation, but still has its share of interesting features – like global warming and futuristic army units – that spiced up the gameplay. The source code for the game was released in 2003, and if you do want to give it a crack you can buy it at GOG. It’s best played with the CtP2 Apolyton patch, which fixes many of the bugs and improves AI (nice to see that there’s someone out there actually cares about the black sheep of the Civ extended family).
4 – Civilization III
The oldest Civilization game that manages to feel timeless, thanks to a spit-and-polished pixel aesthetic, lovely animations, and deep systems that remain a central part of the series to this day. Civ III introduced Civilization traits, endowing each civ with more individuality, and encouraging different strategies depending on which one you chose. It built on the idea of national borders established in CtP 2, and was also (regrettably) the last Civ game to have a city view.
Civ III had a few maverick features too. You could monopolise strategic resources and luxuries then sell them on for a premium, had to deal with corruption in distant cities, and even faced the occasional volcanic explosion. Best of all, leaders would wear clothing befitting of their era; who wouldn’t want to see Abe Lincoln wearing a fur hat and jerkin in 1000BC?.
With the Play the World and Conquests expansions, Civ III remains a rich and pleasantly pixellated entry that’s still a joy to revisit.
3 – Civilization V
In a huge overhaul, Firaxis ‘de-stacked’ units and changed the map from a square grid to a hex grid for Civ V. This helped make maps feel more geographically natural than ever before, and wars far more satisfying, as good tactics and positioning could often defeat a far bigger force. City-States were a welcome new feature too.
Civ V was far from perfect upon release. The AI was bonkers (not in the ‘fun-at-a-party’ way), vassalage from Civ IV was dropped, and espionage felt over-simplified. With the expansion packs Civ V truly came into its own, though the fact that these were required to make the it shine meant that the game felt like it went backwards before truly moving forwards.
Gods and Kings reintroduced religion, now more customisable and robust, while Brave New World added in Tourism and Ideologies, both of which combated the series’ trademark late-game lull. Check out the Civ V Community Patch Project as well if you want an interesting rejig of the rules, better AI, and the reinstatement of Civ IV features like vassal states and deeper espionage.
This is undoubtedly the most polished Civ to date, and held top spot on this list until my heart made me do a last-second u-turn. Much like Civ II to Civ I, this just lacked that extra ‘something’ in relation to its predecessor…
2 – Civilization VI
It’s not easy to rank a vanilla Civ game and compare it with entries that had a couple of expansion packs and several years to come to full fruition, but at the same time it’s kind of irresistible.
Where Civ V pared back on many of the great features introduced in its predecessor, the latest entry retains just about all of them. Religion, tourism, espionage and city-states are all here, and have been rejigged to offer the deepest Civ experience yet, which is deceived by the bold, colourful visual style that looks incredible in motion.
The big decision to de-stack cities, spreading them across several tiles with separate zones for different building types, was an inspired one, forcing you to be more tactical about city placement. The option to merge different unit types and form armies, meanwhile, gets rid of the unit clutter that oft plagued Civ V.
From the scrawled maps that have replaced the dreaded Fog of War, to the Wonders that now stand proud and massive on their own tiles, to the art style of the leaders (whose personalities are now bolstered by new ‘Agendas’), Civ VI feels a fitting celebration of the series on its 25th anniversary. The AI remains chaotic, but with patches and expansions inevitable, Civ VI has the potential to claim the throne.
For now, however, the King (or Deity?) remains unchallenged…
1 – Civilization IV
Remember the charm I prattled on about while discussing the original Civ? Well, this is where it made a triumphant return – with full 3D graphics. From that sweeping, lovely menu music (Baba Yetu), to Leonard Nimoy sagely giving you inspirational quotes each time you discovered a technology, to the fact that in the late-game you could seamlessly zoom out into space and see the whole world, Civ IV was a real charmer.
It wasn’t just superficial, either. Religion as a tool of control made its debut, and with the expansions we got fantastic features like vassal states and espionage (I’ll never forget my successful death-or-glory mission to sabotage Mansa Musa’s spaceship production and steal the Space Race victory).
For all its charms, Civ IV was still flawed. War was an unstrategic slog consisting of the infamous Stacks of Doom, the late-game dragged on (despite the inclusion of corporations in the Beyond the Sword expansion), and religion was never as effective as it could’ve been.
Even though going back to it now is surprisingly tough after playing the complete version of Civ V, the depth and presentation of Civ IV, and its role in progressing the series, wins it the top spot.
So there we have it. The definitive Civ rankings so you don’t need to do them yourself (or get enraged about how wrong we are).