Games like Cities: Skylines: Why Ikariam is worth a look
If you enjoy Cities: Skylines because you like building, planning and watching a settlement grow, you might also enjoy Ikariam in your browser. Ikariam is a building and strategy game set in an ancient setting that you play directly in your browser – no installation, no purchase. This page compares both games objectively so you can decide for yourself whether Ikariam suits your playing style.
What makes Cities: Skylines special
According to Steam, Cities: Skylines is a city-building simulation game by Iceflake Studios and Colossal Order, published by Paradox Interactive. It was released on 24 October 2023 and is categorised in the Simulations genre.
- Focus on building a city and its development into a metropolis
- Complex simulation with a vibrant economy
- Single-player experience with Steam achievements, Steam Cloud and full controller support
- Family library support
Cities: Skylines is not a free-to-play title – so entry requires a purchase on Steam.
What Ikariam offers
Ikariam is a building game set in ancient times that runs directly in your browser. The focus is on economy, research and island settlement. A central role is played by the research tree – in the Economy section, for example, you can progress through the following research:
- Preservation (12 research points)
- Pulley (24)
- Prosperity (112)
- Wine culture (336)
- Improved raw material extraction (1,204)
- Geometry (2,236) and Architecture (3,672)
- Holiday resort (7,200), Legislation (8,242), Culinary specialities (10,764)
- Bureaucracy (106,560), Utopia (241,200)
- Up to "Future of the Economy" in multiple levels (532,800 to 5,328,000)
Research unlocks specific opportunities. Examples from the Wiki:
- Architecture allows the construction of architectural offices and requires Geometry (Economy) as well as Polytheism (Science).
- Culinary specialities allow chefs to be trained in the barracks and require Holiday resort (Economy) and Market (Seafaring).
In addition, there are military-maritime elements: In the Pirate Fortress you can command privateering raids that bring privateering points and gold. The upgrade level of the fortress determines available raids, the crew and the range. According to the Wiki: the higher the ratio of profit per time, the more effective the raid – short raids tend to be more efficient.
For seafaring and exploration there is also the Sea Chart Archive, which saves time when visiting multiple islands with each level – an example of the numerous upgrade levels and detailed values that Ikariam offers.
Where Ikariam differs from Cities: Skylines
Both games share the joy of building – but are different types of games:
- Platform: Cities: Skylines is played via Steam, Ikariam runs in your browser – no installation, immediately playable.
- Pricing model: According to Steam, Cities: Skylines is not a free-to-play title. Ikariam is freely accessible in the browser.
- Setting: Cities: Skylines is a modern city-building game. Ikariam is set in an ancient-inspired world with islands, research, seafaring and pirate fortresses.
- Game focus: Cities: Skylines describes itself as a realistic city-building game with complex simulation. Ikariam places a clear emphasis on research tree, raw materials and maritime actions.
- Number of players: Cities: Skylines is categorised on Steam as single-player. Ikariam is a browser-based building game – designed for an ongoing world.
Comparison table: Cities: Skylines vs. Ikariam
| Criterion | Cities: Skylines | Ikariam |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Steam (PC, controller support) | Browser |
| Free-to-play | No | Yes, playable free in browser |
| Setting | Modern city / metropolis | Ancient times, islands, seafaring |
| Genre | Simulation (City building) | Building and strategy game with research |
| Game mode according to source | Single-player | Browser-based building game |
FAQ
Do I need to download Ikariam?
No. Ikariam runs in your browser and is immediately playable – unlike Cities: Skylines, which is installed via Steam.
Does Ikariam cost anything?
Ikariam is freely accessible as a browser game. According to the Steam entry, Cities: Skylines is not a free-to-play title.
Is Ikariam a city-building game like Cities: Skylines?
Both games have a building character, but are oriented differently. Cities: Skylines describes itself on Steam as a realistic city-building game with complex simulation. Ikariam places a clear emphasis on research (e.g. Economy with stages from Preservation to Utopia and Future of the Economy), islands and maritime elements such as privateering raids.
What can I research in Ikariam?
In the Economy branch, the research tree extends from Preservation (12 points) via Architecture (3,672), Culinary specialities (10,764) and Bureaucracy (106,560) to several levels of "Future of the Economy" (up to 5,328,000 points), according to the Wiki.
Try Ikariam in your browser now
If you enjoy planning and building with Cities: Skylines, you can test Ikariam without obligation: free of charge, with no download, directly in your browser. This way you can find out for yourself whether you enjoy the ancient setting with research, islands and seafaring.