Games Like Surviving Mars: Why Ikariam is an Exciting Alternative in the Browser
Looking for games like Surviving Mars? If you enjoy building, planning and watching a colony grow step by step, you might also like Ikariam – an ancient strategy building game that runs directly in your browser. Instead of settling the red planet, you build your cities on islands in an ancient world. No download, no purchase – just start playing in your browser.
On this page, we'll show you what makes Surviving Mars special, what Ikariam offers, and where the two games differ, so you can decide for yourself whether Ikariam suits your strategy preferences.
What Makes Surviving Mars Special
Surviving Mars was developed by Haemimont Games and Abstraction and published by Paradox Interactive. It was released on 15 March 2018 and is classified in the genres Simulation and Strategy.
Key Features According to Steam
- Single-player experience with Steam achievements
- Full controller support
- Steam Workshop, Steam trading cards and Steam Cloud
- Thematic focus: building the first functioning human colony on Mars
- Game world shaped by oxygen shortage, dust storms and the challenge of surviving on an alien planet
Surviving Mars is a classic full-price game – not free-to-play and not playable in the browser.
What Ikariam Offers
Ikariam is an ancient building and strategy game in the browser. You found cities on islands, build up your economy, research technologies and can compete or ally with other players.
Economy and Research
The research area Economy is deeply interconnected. Early on, you unlock technologies like Preservation (12 research points) or Pulley (24 research points). In the medium term, research like Wine Culture, Improved Raw Material Extraction, Geometry and Architecture are added. In the long term, the path leads via Bureaucracy and Utopia to several stages of the Future of Economy.
Examples of Economic Research
- Architecture (3,672 RP): Allows construction of architecture offices – described as planned design saving marble in building construction.
- Culinary Specialities (10,764 RP): Allows training of cooks in the barracks. According to the description, cooks boost the fighting spirit of troops and can also throw themselves into the fray.
- Leisure Holiday (7,200 RP) and Legislation (8,242 RP) as further stages of economic development.
Military, Seafaring and Pirate Fort
In the Pirate Fort you can launch privateering expeditions. A first privateering expedition brings you, for example, 115 privateering points and 40 gold. The upgrade level determines crew, range and type of expeditions. Generally: the shorter the expedition, the higher the yield per time – short expeditions of 2:30 min provide mathematically more points per second than long 16-hour expeditions.
At sea there are also powerful units like the Balloon Carrier, a floating fortress with balloons that can attack enemies from the air as well. Requirements are a War Dock Level 7 and a Floating Base.
Sea Chart Archive and Logistics
The Sea Chart Archive reduces your fleet's travel times with each upgrade level. With 50 islands, time savings can range from a few minutes to several hours per journey depending on the upgrade level – an example of the strategic depth of logistics in Ikariam.
Where Ikariam Differs from Surviving Mars
Both games share the appeal of building something of your own and planning long-term. But the differences are clear:
- Setting: Surviving Mars is set on Mars and focuses on colonisation, oxygen and dust storms. Ikariam is set in an ancient island world.
- Platform: Surviving Mars is a PC game via Steam. Ikariam runs in the browser without installation.
- Price: Surviving Mars is a paid game. Ikariam is free-to-play.
- Player Interaction: According to Steam categories, Surviving Mars is a single-player title. Ikariam is designed for multiplayer – with trading, privateering expeditions and naval battles between players.
- Game Rhythm: Ikariam is a long-lived building game with long research and construction times that works well alongside everyday life.
Both approaches have their strengths – Surviving Mars as a focused single-player colonisation simulation, Ikariam as a permanently running strategy browser game with other players.
Comparison Table: Surviving Mars vs. Ikariam
| Feature | Surviving Mars | Ikariam |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | PC (Steam) | Browser |
| Free-to-Play | No | Yes |
| Setting | Mars / Sci-Fi Colonisation | Ancient Island World |
| Genre | Simulation, Strategy | Building Strategy |
| Game Mode | Single-player (according to Steam) | Multiplayer in Browser |
| Playable Immediately Without Installation | No | Yes |
FAQ: Games Like Surviving Mars
Is Ikariam a Direct Clone of Surviving Mars?
No. Surviving Mars is a colonisation simulation on Mars, Ikariam is an ancient building strategy game in the browser. What both share is a focus on building, planning and economy.
Does Ikariam Cost Anything?
No, Ikariam is free-to-play and can be played directly in your browser – without purchase and without installation.
What Can I Research in Ikariam?
In the economy area, for example, Preservation, Pulley, Wine Culture, Architecture, Culinary Specialities, Bureaucracy, Utopia and several stages of the "Future of Economy". Research is a central element of progression.
Are There Other Browser Alternatives?
Yes, if you like strategy in the browser, you might also want to check out Kingsage – a medieval strategy game in the browser.
Try Ikariam in the Browser Now
If you enjoy the building, researching and long-term planning in Surviving Mars, Ikariam offers a different but related experience: ancient setting, deep economy and research trees, seafaring and multiplayer strategy – completely in the browser and free. Start your island kingdom and see for yourself whether ancient times captivate you as much as the red planet.