Look, let’s be real. If you’ve spent months—or maybe years—tinkering with your city in Forge of Empires, you’re probably chasing a very specific high. It’s that weirdly satisfying blend of watching a tiny village sprout into a sprawling metropolis, the rhythmic "thwack" of collecting resources, and that slow-burn satisfaction of advancing through historical eras. You want a game that respects your time but also gives you a reason to check your phone at 2:00 AM.
Finding games similar to Forge of Empires is actually harder than it looks because most mobile city-builders are just reskinned slot machines. You know the ones. They promise "strategy" but they're really just about who has the biggest credit card limit.
The magic of FoE isn't just the building; it’s the Great Buildings, the Guild Expeditions, and the fact that you can actually win without spending a fortune if you're patient enough. If you’re looking for a fresh start, you need something that captures that "just one more upgrade" feeling without feeling like a total ripoff.
Why Most People Get the Transition Wrong
Most players jump straight into Clash of Clans or Rise of Kingdoms thinking they're the same thing. They aren't. Not even close. Those games are high-stress, "get raided while you sleep" nightmares. Forge of Empires is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a game about efficiency and steady progression.
If you want something that actually scratches that itch, you have to look for games that prioritize long-term city planning and meaningful tech trees.
Take Elvenar, for instance. It’s the most obvious sibling to Forge of Empires, mostly because it’s made by the same developers, InnoGames. Honestly? It’s basically FoE if you swapped the historical accuracy for high fantasy and magic. The big difference—and the thing that usually trips people up—is the grid system. In Elvenar, your buildings change shapes as they level up. A 2x3 workshop might suddenly become a 4x4 monstrosity. It forces you to rethink your entire layout every few weeks. It’s frustrating, but in that good, puzzle-solving way that makes city-builders addictive.
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The Best Games Similar to Forge of Empires Right Now
If you want to move away from InnoGames entirely, you’ve got a few solid options that lean into different parts of the FoE experience.
Rise of Cultures is a big one. It feels like a more modern, polished evolution of the FoE formula. You still have the historical eras, going from the Stone Age to the Industrial Age and beyond. But the combat? It’s actually tactical. You aren't just clicking "auto-battle" and hoping for the best. You have to place your units—archers in the back, infantry in the front—and watch how the AI interacts. It’s a bit more hands-on, which is nice if you're bored of the hex-grid combat in Forge.
Then there’s Dominations.
Created by Brian Reynolds—the guy who worked on Civilization II and Rise of Nations—this game takes the historical progression and dials it up. You pick a nation (like the British, Romans, or Japanese) and each has its own perks. The British get a loot bonus, while the Japanese have a stronger Town Hall defense. It feels "heavier" than Forge. The stakes are higher. You will get attacked, and you will lose resources, but the thrill of moving from the Iron Age to the Space Age feels more earned because of it.
A Quick Word on the "Civilization" Factor
You can't talk about games similar to Forge of Empires without mentioning the Civilization series. While Civ VI is a premium, paid game rather than a free-to-play mobile experience, it is the undisputed king of "one more turn." If you find yourself obsessed with the tech tree in Forge, Civ is your natural home. It’s the difference between playing a game that wants your money and a game that just wants your soul.
The Social Dynamic: Guilds and Trading
One of the biggest hurdles when switching games is losing your Guild. Forge of Empires has a very specific social culture—Great Building swap threads, "poms" (polishing and motivating), and Fair Trade rules.
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SimCity BuildIt tries to do this with "Mayors Clubs," but it feels a bit hollow in comparison. The trading in SimCity is chaotic. You’re constantly refreshing a global market hoping to find a single piece of expansion foam. It’s stressful. However, if you love the aesthetic of Forge and want something that looks breathtaking on a tablet, SimCity is hard to beat. The graphics are miles ahead of almost anything else in the genre. You can see the traffic patterns, the neon lights at night, and the individual citizens walking around.
If the social aspect is what you crave, The Settlers (specifically the older titles or the newer "New Allies" version, though the latter had a rocky launch) focuses heavily on the economy. You aren't just building a house; you’re building a supply chain. You need wood to make charcoal, and charcoal to smelt iron, and iron to make swords. It’s that deep "logistics porn" that makes the late-game Forge of Empires city-management so rewarding.
Why We Keep Coming Back to the Grid
There is a psychological reason we love these games. It’s called the Zeigarnik Effect.
Basically, our brains hate unfinished tasks. When you see a building that takes 12 hours to finish, or a tech node that needs 50 more Forge Points, your brain files that under "incomplete." You’re literally wired to come back and finish it.
The best games similar to Forge of Empires understand this balance. They don't overwhelm you with 50 things to do at once; they give you three things to do tomorrow.
- Township is a weirdly good example of this. On the surface, it looks like a cute farming game. It’s not. It’s a brutal logistics simulator disguised as a cartoon. You’re managing a train station, a plane, and a zoo, all while trying to expand your town. The "town" part of it is very FoE-adjacent, requiring you to balance population with housing and factories.
- Hades' Star is a bit of a wildcard. It’s set in space, and it’s much slower. Like, glacially slow. But the way you manage your home star system and slowly expand into new sectors feels very much like the "Scout a Province" mechanic. It’s a "patience" game. No one can swoop in and destroy your progress in five minutes. That’s a rare find in modern gaming.
Breaking Down the "Pay-to-Win" Problem
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Most mobile strategy games are designed to make you hit a wall. In Forge of Empires, that wall usually hits around the High Middle Ages or when you start needing specific blueprints for Great Buildings like the Arc.
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When looking for games similar to Forge of Empires, you have to look at the monetization.
- Through the Ages (the digital version of the board game) is a one-time purchase. No microtransactions. It’s purely about strategy and historical progression. It’s arguably the "purest" version of this genre.
- Anno 1800 (Console/PC) is another one. It’s not free, but it offers a level of depth that makes FoE look like checkers. You’re managing multiple islands, trade routes, and the transition from manual labor to the industrial revolution.
If you're tired of "Diamonds" or "Gems," moving to a premium title might be the best move you ever make. You pay $20, and you own the experience. No timers. No "Buy 500% Value" pop-ups.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Game
If you're ready to jump ship or just want a "side game" to play while your Forge Points recharge, here is how you should approach it:
- Define what you actually like. If it’s the layout and city-planning, go for Elvenar or SimCity BuildIt. If it’s the historical progression, go for Rise of Cultures or Dominations.
- Check the "Shield" mechanics. If a game doesn't have a "Peace Treaty" or a way to opt-out of PvP, be prepared for a much more stressful experience than Forge.
- Join a community early. These games live and die by their Discord servers and subreddits. If the community is dead, the game is probably on its way out.
- Look for "Cross-Platform" play. One of FoE’s best features is that you can play on your PC at work (shh, don't tell the boss) and on your phone on the bus. Not all clones have a browser version.
The reality is that Forge of Empires is a bit of a unicorn. It’s been around since 2012 for a reason. But the genre has evolved. Whether you want the fantasy vibes of Elvenar or the tactical depth of Rise of Cultures, there's something out there that won't feel like a chore. Just remember: the best city is the one you actually enjoy looking at when you open the app. If it feels like work, it's time to find a new era to conquer.
Check the app store for Rise of Cultures first if you want the closest modern experience, or grab Civ VI on a sale if you're ready to leave the world of microtransactions behind for good.