Rise of Nations

Rise of Nations is what happens when someone looked at Age of Empires and Civilization and said, “What if we just… mashed them together and made it awesome?” Released in 2003 and still hoarded by strategy nerds like ancient relics, this real-time strategy classic lets you guide a nation from ancient times to the modern age—building cities, nuking enemies, and occasionally forgetting to upgrade your farms for 200 years.

It’s got borders, attrition, tech trees, and enough nations to make you feel like you’re doing homework. But somehow, it all clicks. One minute you’re sending spearmen into battle, the next you’re launching stealth bombers. If you’ve ever wanted to play chess while juggling flaming torches, Rise of Nations is the RTS for you.