Ikariam Beginner Guide

What is Ikariam?

Ikariam is a free browser strategy game by Gameforge set in an ancient island world. You found a city on an island, construct buildings, research technologies and trade with other players. The game runs in real time — your city continues to develop even when you are offline.

Siden its launch in 2008, Ikariam has steadily evolved. The Infinite Horizons Update in 2025 brought new content and improvements. Currently, Ikariam is available in over 30 languages and played by hundreds of thousands of players worldwide. What makes it special: it rewards forward-thinking planning rather than frantic clicking. You decide whether to expand your realm through trade, diplomacy or military strength.

Your First Steps

After registration you start on a random island with a small town. Your first focus should be on upgrading the sawmill — wood is the basic resource for all buildings. At the same time, you increase your Town Hall capacity to accommodate more citizens.

Important in the first minutes: look at the island view. You can see your neighbours, the shared sawmill and your island's luxury resource. The luxury resource determines what you can produce and trade — it is a key factor for your long-term strategy.

The Right Order

First build the sawmill to level 3 to 5, then the Town Hall to level 3. After that comes the Academy for your first research. Don't forget to regularly assign new workers to the sawmill — production only increases with active workers. Every empty worker slot is wasted potential.

Understanding Resources

Ikariam has five resources: wood on every island, plus one luxury resource each — wine, marble, crystal glass or sulphur. You need all five, so trade with neighbouring islands is essential. The earlier you start trading, the faster your realm grows.

Prioritising Research

The Academy is your most important building besides the Town Hall. First research Wealth in the Økonomi branch, then Preservation in the Seafaring branch to unlock trade ships. Militær research is not yet necessary in the first week — invest your limited research points in economic technologies instead.

Many beginners underestimate the Science branch. The Paper research significantly reduces research costs and pays for itself within a few days. Plan it as your third or fourth research.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Building military too early is the most common mistake. Soldiers cost upkeep in gold per hour and significantly slow your growth. Fokus on economy and research in the first days.

Satisfaction is also often neglected. When your population is unhappy, citizens emigrate and your production drops. Upgrade the Tavern in good time and ensure sufficient wine supply.

The third classic mistake: building too many buildings at once. Fokus on a few key buildings and bring them to higher levels, rather than having ten buildings at level 1.

Tips for Fast Progress

• Join an alliance — experienced players will help you and you get protection
• Use the daily login bonus for extra resources and Ambrosia
• Keep your satisfaction above 100% so your population grows
• Plan building orders before bed — this way you use the night productively
• Only deploy workers in buildings you currently need — unused workers pay taxes
• Make cultural treaties with neighbours to expand faster

Next Steps After the First Week

Once you have a stable economy, three paths open up: expansion through founding colonies on islands with other luxury resources, military build-up for protection and raiding, or focus on research for long-term superiority. Most successful players combine all three approaches depending on the server situation.