Age of Empires II#Expansions and sequels

Age of Empires II is a real-time strategy game that focuses on building towns, gathering resources, and creating armies to defeat opponents. Players conquer rival towns and empires as they advance one of 13 civilizations through four "Ages": the Dark Age, the Feudal Age, the Castle Age (representing the High Middle Ages), and the Imperial Age (reminiscent of the Renaissance)—a 1,000-year timeframe.{{Cite web |last=Colayco |first=Bob |date=October 16, 1999 |title=Age of Empires 2: Designer Diary |url=http://www.firingsquad.com/games/aoe2diary/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103073907/http://www.firingsquad.com/games/aoe2diary/ |archive-date=January 3, 2013 |access-date=December 17, 2016 |website=FiringSquad |publisher=FS Media Inc.}} Advancing to a new Age unlocks new units, structures, and technologies, but players must first build certain buildings from their current age and then pay a sum of resources.{{Cite book |title=Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings Manual |publisher=Microsoft Corporation}}{{rp|31}}

Civilian units, called "villagers", are used to gather resources; they are either male or female—sex does not affect their abilities. Resources can be used to train units, construct buildings, and research technologies, among other things; for example, players can research better armour for infantry units. The game features four types of resources: food, wood, gold, and stone. Food is obtained by hunting animals, gathering berries, harvesting livestock, farming, and fishing, both from shore and from boats. Wood is gathered by chopping down trees. Gold is obtained from either gold mines, trade, or collecting relics in a monastery. Stone is collected from stone mines. Villagers require checkpoints, typically depository buildings (town center, mining camp, mill, and lumber yard), in order to store gathered resources.{{Cite web |last=Chin |first=Elliott |title=Overview of Resources |url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/guides/aoe2_gg/p4_02.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310031400/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/guides/aoe2_gg/p4_02.html |archive-date=March 10, 2009 |access-date=September 18, 2008 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}}

Each civilization can purchase upgrades that increase the rate of gathering these resources. Players can also construct a marketplace for trade, where they can trade wood, stone, and food for gold, and use gold to buy other resources. Market prices fluctuate with every transaction.{{Cite web |last1=Bates |first1=Jason |last2=Butts |first2=Steve |date=May 14, 1999 |title=Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings Preview |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/05/14/age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings-2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820081458/http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/05/14/age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings-2 |archive-date=August 20, 2016 |access-date=July 4, 2016 |website=IGN}} Furthermore, markets and docks can also generate gold by using trading carts or cogs, which are sent to visit foreign markets and ports; once they return to the player's market/dock, gold is added to the stockpile. The amount of gold a trade unit earns on each trip is based on the distance it needed to travel to a foreign market; more gold is earned on longer trips. It is possible to trade with enemies' markets or docks, but the player's trading units may be attacked or destroyed by enemy units in the process. Players do not need to keep trading manually, because once they select the port or market the trading units continue to trade automatically and indefinitely.

There are 5 campaigns in The Age of Kings, containing historically based scenarios such as Genghis Khan's invasion of Eurasia, Barbarossa's Crusade, and Saladin's defence of the Holy Land. In the Joan of Arc and William Wallace campaigns, the player can control a unit based on its namesake; in others, players take orders from guiding spirits representative of the army's commander.{{Cite web |last=Chin |first=Elliott |title=Campaign Walk-throughs |url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/guides/aoe2_gg/p6_01.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205163050/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/guides/aoe2_gg/p6_01.html |archive-date=December 5, 2008 |access-date=September 18, 2008 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}}

Additional game modes are available to the player in The Age of Kings.{{Cite web |last=Chin |first=Elliott |title=The First Age, and How to Get Started |url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/guides/aoe2_gg/p4_01.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070704045233/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/guides/aoe2_gg/p4_01.html |archive-date=July 4, 2007 |access-date=September 18, 2008 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}} One mode, random map, generates a map from one of several randomly chosen map-generating scripts, with players starting in the Dark Age with a Town Center, three villagers (or more depending on the civilization), and a scout unit. The game can be won through military conquest, by constructing a special building known as a Wonder and keeping it standing for a certain amount of time, or by obtaining control of all relics on the map for a set amount of time. Deathmatch mode allows players to begin with large amounts of resources, creating a focus on military dominance, while in the regicide mode each player is given a king unit, winning by killing all of the other monarchs.

File:Age ii feudal age celts.jpg civilization in the Feudal Age. The Town Center is visible and has several farms surrounding it; villagers of both sexes work there and elsewhere to gather resources. A scout on horseback is also at the ready. Military buildings such as the barracks, archery range, and stable are visible, as well as economic buildings—the market, blacksmith and mill. The right bottom corner of the screenshot shows the player's walls and a gate.]]

Every player has an ultimate limit to the number of units they can create—a population limit—but cannot immediately use this entire potential population. The population capacity, which can be capped at anywhere between 25Game Reference – Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, Microsoft Corporation, p.28. and 200 in intervals of 25,{{Cite web |last=Wadleigh |first=Matt |date=June 17, 2003 |title=Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings |url=http://www.thunderboltgames.com/reviews/article/age-of-empires-2-the-age-of-kings-review-for-pc.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209155946/http://thunderboltgames.com/reviews/article/age-of-empires-2-the-age-of-kings-review-for-pc.html |archive-date=February 9, 2010 |access-date=February 10, 2010 |publisher=ThunderboltGames.com}} is based on the number of houses, Castles, or Town Centers—the main building in a player's town—which have been built. The Age of Kings introduced two significant new features for unit management: the idle villager button, which helps players identify villagers that have not been assigned a task, and the town bell, which sends all of the player's villagers into their Town Center, Castle, or tower for safety; units garrisoned within these 3 buildings, especially archers, increase the building's firepower (towers fire more arrows with units garrisoned inside), including the Town Center, which cannot fire anything at all without someone garrisoned there.

The Age of Kings also includes five types of military units: infantry, archers, cavalry, siege weapons, and naval units. Certain types of infantry, archers, and cavalry are "counter units" with special defenses against other types of units. The three human classes of military generally follow a rock-paper-scissors model. For example, infantry are generally powerful against buildings but weak against cavalry, thus the infantry counter units—spearmen and pikemen—have attack bonuses against cavalry.{{Cite web |last=Chin |first=Elliott |title=Infantry |url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/guides/aoe2_gg/p3_02.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070525180027/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/guides/aoe2_gg/p3_02.html |archive-date=May 25, 2007 |access-date=September 18, 2008 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}}

Each civilization in The Age of Kings has one or two special units that are exclusive to that civilization. For example, the Britons have access to longbowmen, an archery unit with increased range. These civilization-specific units are generally more powerful, but still follow the basic rock-paper-scissors model. The monk is a special kind of military unit that has the ability to convert enemy units to the player's civilization, and to heal allied units. Monks are also used to collect relics, which accumulate gold once held in the player's monastery—the more relics are captured, the faster the gold is accumulated. Collecting all relics on the map is one method by which a player can win a random map game, depending on the victory condition.{{Cite web |last=Chin |first=Elliott |title=Monks |url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/guides/aoe2_gg/p3_18.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007175909/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/guides/aoe2_gg/p3_18.html |archive-date=October 7, 2007 |access-date=October 3, 2008 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}} Once a player has all the relics in their monasteries, a timer is shown to all players. The player holding all of the relics wins if they maintain control of the relics for the length of the timer.

Players choose to play as one of 13 civilizations split into 4 architectural styles—Western European (Britons, Celts, and Franks), Central European (Goths, Teutons, Vikings), Middle Eastern (Byzantines, Persians, Saracens, and Turks), and East Asian (Chinese, Japanese, and Mongols) —that determine building appearance in-game.{{Cite web |title=Age of Kings – Buildings |url=http://planetageofempires.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameInfo.Detail&id=79&game=4 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920050959/http://planetageofempires.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameInfo.Detail&id=79&game=4 |archive-date=September 20, 2008 |website=PlanetAgeofEmpires |publisher=GameSpy}} The civilizations have varying strengths and weaknesses with regards to economics, technology, and combat, and each has access to one or more different, very powerful "Unique Units".{{Cite web |last=Kasavin |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kasavin |date=October 12, 1999 |title=Age of Empires: The Age of Kings for PC review |url=http://gamespot.com/pc/strategy/ageofempires2theaok/review.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210211023/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/ageofempires2theaok/review.html |archive-date=December 10, 2008 |access-date=September 18, 2008 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}}{{Cite web |last=Chin |first=Elliott |title=Unique Units |url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/guides/aoe2_gg/p3_11.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081212012749/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/guides/aoe2_gg/p3_11.html |archive-date=December 12, 2008 |access-date=September 18, 2008 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}} Additionally, each civilization provides an individual team bonus in team games.Game Reference – Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, Microsoft Corporation, p.14. To add variety, each civilization has a set of sound bites in its native language that are uttered by units when selected or instructed to perform a task.

Buildings in The Age of Kings are split into economicGame Reference – Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, Microsoft Corporation, p.48. and military categories. Buildings can research technologies and upgrades that increase economic, military, or unit-based efficiency, as well as provide resources for the player.

The most important economic building is the Town Center, where villagers are created, all types of resources can be stored, some technologies are researched, and the player can advance to the next Age. The Town Center can fire arrows at enemy units if villagers or archers are garrisoned inside while enemy units are within range.{{Cite web |title=Age of Empires 2: Age of Kings Prima FastTrack Guide |url=http://guidesarchive.ign.com/guides/11531/pg1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202004043/http://guidesarchive.ign.com/guides/11531/pg1.html |archive-date=December 2, 2008 |access-date=September 28, 2008 |website=IGN}} Other economic buildings include storage buildings for resources, farms, docks (the dock may also produce several military ships), and houses to support a higher population.Game Reference – Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, Microsoft Corporation, pp. 48–53.

Military buildings include unit-producing buildings such as barracks, archery ranges, stables, and castles, as well as defensive buildings such as walls and towers.Game Reference – Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, Microsoft Corporation, pp. 54–58. Military buildings can conduct research to improve the abilities of military units, increasing their strength, defensive capabilities, or other capabilities.Game Reference – Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, Microsoft Corporation, p.54. Castles are a key offensive and defensive building as they can build trebuchets, train the civilization's "unique unit/s", and fire a hail of arrows at enemy units within range, with garrisoned units firing extra arrows.Game Reference – Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, Microsoft Corporation, p.55. Castles can only be built after a player has reached the Castle Age, although in some game options, players begin with an already-built castle as early as the Dark Age.Game Reference – Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, Microsoft Corporation, p.13.

After advancing to the Imperial Age, players can also construct a Wonder, an expensive non-military building. On many gameplay modes building a Wonder triggers a victory countdown; unless it is destroyed within a certain timeframe, the player who built it wins. Every civilization's Wonder is in the shape of a real-world landmark unique to that historical culture.

The Age of Kings shipped with five campaigns, each having multiple playable scenarios that progress a story line, and each centered around a different civilization. The campaign of William Wallace (Celts) serves as a tutorial campaign, and teaches the player how to move units, gather resources, and build armies to defeat the enemy. It takes place during the Wars of Scottish Independence against the English under King Edward I Longshanks. In the Frankish campaign, the player leads Joan of Arc against the English in the Hundred Years' War. The Saracen campaign features Saladin and his efforts to repulse Crusaders in the Middle East, while the Mongol campaign documents Genghis Khan's conquest of Eurasia; finally, the Teuton campaign focuses on Frederick Barbarossa's ambitious expansion of the Holy Roman Empire. The campaigns are sorted numerically to distinguish difficulty, with the William Wallace campaign being the easiest and Barbarossa and Saladin being the two most challenging.

The Age of Kings supports multiplayer over the Internet, or via a local area network (LAN). Up to eight players can take part in one game, with all of the single-player game modes available. The MSN Gaming Zone supported the game until the service closed on June 19, 2006.{{Cite web |date=June 19, 2009 |title=Age of Empires matchmaking on MSN Games has been retired – thank you so much for playing! |url=http://zone.msn.com/en/general/article/aoferetiring.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513130056/http://zone.msn.com/en/general/article/aoferetiring.htm |archive-date=May 13, 2008 |access-date=September 17, 2008 |publisher=MSN Games}}{{Cite web |date=June 23, 2018 |title=An underground community is bringing Age of Empires II back to life |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/E81lrpGzeEx7SPrmeUYNQK/An-underground-community-is-bringing-Age-of-Empires-II-back.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820234835/https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/E81lrpGzeEx7SPrmeUYNQK/An-underground-community-is-bringing-Age-of-Empires-II-back.html |archive-date=August 20, 2018 |access-date=August 20, 2018 |publisher=HT Media Ltd}} After that, various multiplayer gaming services such as GameRanger supported it.{{Cite web |date=April 23, 2013 |title=Age of Empires II: HD Edition Review 10:36 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOVWu8P-Woo&t=10m36s |publisher=YouTube.com |access-date=August 20, 2018 |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709195702/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOVWu8P-Woo&t=10m36s |url-status=live }} Since April 2013,{{Cite web |date=March 8, 2013 |title='Age of Empires 2: HD Edition' coming to Steam |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/news/a464169/age-of-empires-2-hd-edition-coming-to-steam |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820074625/http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/news/a464169/age-of-empires-2-hd-edition-coming-to-steam/ |archive-date=August 20, 2018 |access-date=August 20, 2018 |website=Digital Spy}} Steam supports in-game multiplayer for HD resolution{{Cite news |date=January 5, 2017 |title=Age of Empires 2: Evergreen, not Forgotten |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/shout/overclock/age-empires-2-evergreen-not-forgotten-1340374 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820105704/https://www.thedailystar.net/shout/overclock/age-empires-2-evergreen-not-forgotten-1340374 |archive-date=August 20, 2018 |access-date=August 20, 2018 |work=The Daily Star}}{{Cite web |date=April 20, 2018 |title=Welcome to India's best kept Age of Empires secret |url=https://www.redbull.com/in-en/age-of-empires-indian-micro-community |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820105612/https://www.redbull.com/in-en/age-of-empires-indian-micro-community |archive-date=August 20, 2018 |access-date=August 20, 2018 |publisher=Red Bull}}{{Cite web |date=April 23, 2013 |title=Age of Empires II: HD Edition Review 9:31 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOVWu8P-Woo&t=9m31s |publisher=YouTube.com}}

Prior to the completion of Age of Empires, Ensemble Studios had signed a contract with Microsoft for a sequel. The design team chose to set The Age of Kings in the Middle Ages as a logical progression from the ancient era setting of Age of Empires. The design team was conscious of attempting to capture the broad appeal of the first game without making the game's design too similar. Nonetheless, they attempted to appeal to the vast demographic who played Age of Empires.{{Cite web |last=Pritchard |first=Matthew |date=March 7, 2000 |title=Postmortem: Ensemble Studio's Age of Empires II: Age of Kings |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131844/postmortem_ensemble_studios_age_.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218121154/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131844/postmortem_ensemble_studios_age_.php |archive-date=February 18, 2021 |access-date=February 18, 2021 |website=Gamasutra |language=en}} The Age of Kings{{'}}s design team intended to complete the game within a year by using code from the original and reusing the Genie game engine.{{Cite web |title=The Art of Empires |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/features/gdcarchive/2000/terrano.doc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922103001/http://www.gamasutra.com/features/gdcarchive/2000/terrano.doc |archive-date=September 22, 2008 |access-date=September 22, 2008 |website=Gamasutra |format=.doc}} Several months into the process they found they would not be able to complete a game of the quality they sought in that time. Ensemble Studios informed Microsoft they would need another year and instead created Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome, an easily developed expansion pack of Age of Empires, as a compromise which could be released for Christmas 1998. To help meet the next year's deadline, additional programmers, artists, and designers were employed.{{Cite web |last=Pritchard |first=Matthew |date=March 7, 2000 |title=Postmortem: Ensemble Studio's Age of Empires II: Age of Kings |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131844/postmortem_ensemble_studios_age_.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218121519/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131844/postmortem_ensemble_studios_age_.php?page=2 |archive-date=February 18, 2021 |access-date=February 18, 2021 |website=Gamasutra |language=en}} To overcome another significant objection to the original game—its path-finding—the team completely redesigned the game engine's movement system. The game took two years to complete with 50 full-time employees on a budget of less than $10 million.{{cite web|first=Bob|last=Weinstein|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91951403/florida-today/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106043722/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91951403/florida-today/|title=Game industry lures top programmers|newspaper=Florida Today|page=44|archivedate=January 6, 2022|date=January 5, 2000|accessdate=June 23, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

The original Age of Empires was criticized for its artificial intelligence (AI), which did not "cheat" by attributing itself extra resources or using other techniques the human player could not, making it easier to defeat than in many other real-time strategy games.{{Cite web |title=Dave Pottinger |url=http://www.microsoft.com/games/empires/behind_dave.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080429220619/http://www.microsoft.com/games/empires/behind_dave.htm |archive-date=April 29, 2008 |access-date=September 20, 2008 |publisher=Microsoft}} For The Age of Kings, Ensemble Studios attempted to develop a more powerful AI system that still did not compromise by cheating. Industry veteran Mario Grimani led Ensemble Studios in the creation of the new system. The Age of Kings saw the introduction of a triggers system for its scenario editor. The triggers allow messages to be displayed, or actions to take place, based on pre-set criteria or "events".{{Cite web |last=Greg Street |date=August 27, 1999 |title=Age of Empires II: The Barbarossa Campaign |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/27/age-of-empires-ii-the-barbarossa-campaign |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160718221017/http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/27/age-of-empires-ii-the-barbarossa-campaign |archive-date=July 18, 2016 |access-date=July 6, 2016 |website=IGN}} The scenario editor was also improved by the new AI system. The AI and trigger systems interacted regularly in the single-player campaigns.{{Cite web |last=Greg Street |date=September 10, 1999 |title=Age of Empires II: The Genghis Khan Campaign |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/09/10/age-of-empires-ii-the-genghis-khan-campaign |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809033729/http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/09/10/age-of-empires-ii-the-genghis-khan-campaign |archive-date=August 9, 2016 |access-date=July 6, 2016 |website=IGN}}

The team was less successful in resolving other issues; programmer Matt Pritchard complained following the release of Age of Empires that there was still no process by which patches could be issued. Extensive cheating in multiplayer games of Age of Empires came as a result of several bugs in the game, which resulted in Microsoft promising Ensemble Studios there would be a patch process for The Age of Kings. Upon release, there were several bugs that needed immediate attention, but the patch process was not yet ready. The first patch was released 11 months later.{{Cite web |last=Pritchard |first=Matt |date=March 7, 2000 |title=Postmortem: Ensemble Studios' Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings — What Went Wrong |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20000307/pritchard_03.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922194858/http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20000307/pritchard_03.htm |archive-date=September 22, 2008 |access-date=September 21, 2008 |website=Gamasutra}}{{Cite web |title=Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings Downloads |url=http://www.microsoft.com/games/age2/downloads.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007064333/http://www.microsoft.com/Games/Age2/downloads.htm |archive-date=October 7, 2008 |access-date=September 21, 2008 |publisher=Microsoft}}

Ensemble Studios developed a new terrain system for The Age of Kings, with 3D presentation capabilities that were vastly superior to those of Age of Empires. Pritchard noted an improvement in the team's artistic abilities following their work on the past two games, and he is noted as saying that "AoK became a showcase for their improved talent".{{Cite web |last=Pritchard |first=Matt |date=March 7, 2000 |title=Postmortem: Ensemble Studios' Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings — What Went Right |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20000307/pritchard_02.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624171958/http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20000307/pritchard_02.htm |archive-date=June 24, 2008 |access-date=September 20, 2008 |website=Gamasutra}} However, he complained about the lack of an art asset management tool, while other departments gained new tools and automated procedures to assist in design and play testing.

The soundtrack for The Age of Kings was directed by Stephen Rippy, who has since taken that role for all games in the Age of Empires series. Music for the game was split into two categories. For "in-game" music, Rippy's team took musical elements from a variety of cultures and combined them to create a mixed sound. "Pre-game" music was designed to be unique to the civilization in question. Campaigns based on historical figures would include "a theme that will at least be rooted in [the character's] culture".{{Cite web |last=Suciu |first=Peter |date=May 1, 2001 |title=Soundtracks on CD-ROM: Stirring Music That Accompanies the Interactive |url=http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/daily/article.cfm?articleID=3268 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330080808/http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/daily/article.cfm?articleID=3268 |archive-date=March 30, 2012 |access-date=September 29, 2011 |magazine=Film Score Monthly}}

A demo of The Age of Kings was released on October 16, 1999.{{Cite web |title=Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings (demo edition) |url=http://www.ign.com/games/age-of-empires-ii/pc-709972 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626193932/http://www.ign.com/games/age-of-empires-ii/pc-709972 |archive-date=June 26, 2016 |access-date=July 6, 2016 |website=IGN}} It featured the learning campaign, a sample of a random map game, and the ability to play via the MSN Gaming Zone. Much to Ensemble Studios' disappointment, numerous incomplete versions of the game were leaked. These were picked up by warez sites, and sold illegally throughout the Pacific Rim; warez versions of the game were even sold outside Microsoft's offices in South Korea.

In January 2000, three months after its release, Microsoft had shipped two million copies of The Age of Kings. The game topped sales charts in the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, and South Korea.{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2000 |title=Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings Crowned No. 1 On Holiday Sales Charts Around the World |url=https://news.microsoft.com/2000/01/27/age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings-crowned-no-1-on-holiday-sales-charts-around-the-world/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111234638/http://news.microsoft.com/2000/01/27/age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings-crowned-no-1-on-holiday-sales-charts-around-the-world/ |archive-date=November 11, 2014 |access-date=September 24, 2008 |website=News Center |publisher=Microsoft}} It spent the next two and a half years on top 20 sales lists.{{Cite book |last=Walker |first=Mark |title=Games That Sell! |publisher=Wordware Publishing, Inc. |year=2003 |isbn=978-1-55622-950-3 |pages=175–188 |chapter=Chapter 19: Age of Empires II: Good, Semi-Historical Fun |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G1FqWstFy_YC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430080643/https://books.google.com/books?id=G1FqWstFy_YC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0 |archive-date=April 30, 2016 |url-status=live}} The Age of Kings was the top-selling game in October 1999,{{Cite web |title=The October Hit List |url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/072/072332p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061212012053/http://pc.ign.com/articles/072/072332p1.html |archive-date=December 12, 2006 |access-date=September 27, 2008 |website=IGN}} and the fourth highest-selling game in 1999.{{Cite web |last=Amer Ajami |date=January 25, 2000 |title=1999's Best-Selling Game |url=http://gamespot.com/news/2446252.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403075102/http://www.gamespot.com/news/2446252.html |archive-date=April 3, 2009 |access-date=September 27, 2008 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}} The game's sales in the United States alone totaled 469,376 by the end of 1999,{{Cite journal |last=Staff |date=April 2000 |title=Eyewitness; Shake Your Money-Maker |journal=PC Gamer US |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=32}} which drew revenues of $20.2 million, the second-highest domestic gross that year behind SimCity 3000.{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=January 19, 2000 |title=PC Data Top Selling PC Games for 1999 |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/025/147/pc_data_1999.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817183027/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/025/147/pc_data_1999.html |archive-date=August 17, 2000 |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus}} Domestic sales rose another 442,318 units ($19.56 million) from January through October 2000, according to PC Data.{{Cite web |last1=Asher, Mark |last2=Chick, Tom |author-link2=Tom Chick |title=The Year's Ten Best-Selling Games |url=http://www.quartertothree.com:80/features/pcdata_top_10/years_bestsellers.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010202214600/http://www.quartertothree.com/features/pcdata_top_10/years_bestsellers.shtml |archive-date=February 2, 2001 |website=Quarter to Three }} It finished the year as the seventh-largest computer game hit in the United States, with 595,016 in sales and $26.2 million in revenue.{{Cite journal |last=Staff |date=April 2001 |title=Eyewitness; It's All in the Numbers |journal=PC Gamer US |volume=8 |issue=4 |pages=40, 41}} Age of Empires II{{'}}s domestic success continued in 2001: with sales of 478,557 units ($19.4 million),{{Cite web |last=Bradshaw, Lucy |author-link=Lucy Bradshaw (game developer) |date=January 31, 2002 |title=Markle Forum on Children and Media |url=https://cat.nyu.edu/current/news/media/marklesimcity.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040619191112/https://cat.nyu.edu/current/news/media/marklesimcity.pdf |archive-date=June 19, 2004 |publisher=New York University}} it claimed tenth place for the year.{{Cite web |last=Walker, Trey |date=February 7, 2002 |title=2001 game sales break records |url=http://www.gamespot.com:80/news/2002/02/07/news_2846252.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041019101827/http://www.gamespot.com/news/2002/02/07/news_2846252.html |archive-date=October 19, 2004 |access-date=January 20, 2019 |website=GameSpot }}

In the German market, Age of Empires II debuted in first place on Media Control's sales charts during October 1999, and by March 2000 had spent 17 weeks in the rankings.{{Cite press release |title=VUD Sales Awards: Februar 2000 |date=March 20, 2000 |publisher=Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland |location=Paderborn |url=http://www.vud.de:80/presse/februar2000.php3 |language=de |access-date=December 10, 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030422012926/http://www.vud.de/presse/februar2000.php3 |archive-date=April 22, 2003 }} It received the Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland's (VUD) "Platinum" award within one month of release,{{Cite web |date=November 29, 1999 |title=Gold und Platin für 'Age of Empires II' |url=http://www.mediabiz.de/games/news/gold-und-platin-fuer-age-of-empires-ii/72173 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204192840/http://www.mediabiz.de/games/news/gold-und-platin-fuer-age-of-empires-ii/72173 |archive-date=December 4, 2018 |website=GamesMarkt |language=de}} indicating sales of 200,000 units across Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.{{Cite press release |title=VUD Sales Awards: November 2002 |publisher=Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland |url=http://www.vud.de:80/presse/november2002.php3 |language=de |access-date=December 10, 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030110014620/http://www.vud.de/presse/november2002.php3 |archive-date=January 10, 2003 }} By the end of February 2000, it had reached "Double-Platinum" status (400,000 sales) and become the German market's "most successful PC game of the past 12 months", according to the VUD. The game later received a "Platinum" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA){{Cite web |title=ELSPA Sales Awards: Platinum |url=http://www.elspa.com:80/?i=3944 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515224703/http://www.elspa.com/?i=3944 |archive-date=May 15, 2009 |website=Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association}} for at least 300,000 copies sold in the United Kingdom.{{Cite web |last=Caoili, Eric |date=November 26, 2008 |title=ELSPA: Wii Fit, Mario Kart Reach Diamond Status In UK |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918063107/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |archive-date=September 18, 2017 |website=Gamasutra}}

Between the 2019 re-release and global lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the game has seen a resurgence in popularity.{{Cite web |last=Bolding |first=Jonathan |date=May 9, 2020 |title=Age of Empires 2 Is Quietly Having an Incredible Year |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/age-of-empires-2-is-quietly-having-an-incredible-year/ |access-date=May 12, 2020 |website=PC Gamer |language=en-US |archive-date=May 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511112337/https://www.pcgamer.com/age-of-empires-2-is-quietly-having-an-incredible-year/ |url-status=live }}

{{Video game reviews

| MC = 92/100{{Cite web |title=Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings Critic Reviews for PC |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150306060744/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings/critic-reviews |archive-date=March 6, 2015 |access-date=April 12, 2016 |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive}}

| Allgame = {{rating|4.5|5}}{{Cite web |last=Michael L. House |title=Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings - Review |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=19528&tab=review |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115013524/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=19528&tab=review |archive-date=November 15, 2014 |access-date=September 22, 2008 |publisher=AllGame}}

| CVG = 9.0/10{{Cite magazine |last=Alex Constantides |title=Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings |url=http://computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=8504 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014232252/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=8504 |archive-date=October 14, 2008 |access-date=September 22, 2008 |magazine=Computer and Video Games}}

| Edge = 8/10{{Cite magazine |title=Edge Online: Search Results |url=http://www.edge-online.co.uk/edgedb/search.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070321080648/http://www.edge-online.co.uk/edgedb/search.php |archive-date=March 21, 2007 |access-date=September 22, 2008 |magazine=Edge}}

| EuroG = 9/10{{Cite web |last=Geoff Richards |date=November 9, 1999 |title=Age of Empires II : Age of Kings |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/aok |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203113938/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/aok |archive-date=February 3, 2009 |access-date=September 22, 2008 |website=Eurogamer |publisher=Gamer Network}}

| GamePro = {{rating|5|5}}{{Cite web |last=Nash Werner |date=November 24, 2000 |title=Age of Empires II |url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/2443/age-of-empires-ii/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921080438/http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/2443/age-of-empires-ii/ |archive-date=September 21, 2008 |access-date=September 22, 2008 |magazine=GamePro}}

| GSpot = 9.1/10

| GSpy = 89/100{{Cite web |last=Carlos Salgado |date=October 18, 1999 |title=A Game Fit for Kings |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/reviews/aoe2_a.shtm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905141134/http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/reviews/aoe2_a.shtm |archive-date=September 5, 2008 |access-date=September 22, 2008 |website=GameSpy}}

| GameRev = A−{{Cite web |title=Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings – PC Review |url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/age-of-empires-2-the-age-of-kings |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160707012714/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/age-of-empires-2-the-age-of-kings |archive-date=July 7, 2016 |access-date=July 4, 2016 |website=Game Revolution}}

| IGN = 8.8/10{{Cite web |date=October 8, 1999 |title=Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings |url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/161/161531p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008053129/http://pc.ign.com/articles/161/161531p1.html |archive-date=October 8, 2008 |access-date=September 22, 2008 |website=IGN}}

| PCZone = 9.0/10{{Cite web |last=Richie Shoemaker |title=Age Of Empires II: The Age Of Kings |url=http://computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=2702 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014230751/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=2702 |archive-date=October 14, 2008 |access-date=September 22, 2008 |magazine=PC Zone}}

}}

The Age of Kings received a 92% positive rating according to video game review aggregator Metacritic, based on 21 critics’ reviews.

According to Eurogamer's Geoff Richards, "the list of new features and improvements over the original game is over a page long". GamePro{{'}}s review similarly focused on "new additions to the genre itself" which it argued made The Age of Kings outstanding. These included the idle unit button and town bell. GameSpy's Carlos Salgado was appreciative of other features; he praised the ability to create individual profiles for different players and to customize hotkeys. Meanwhile, IGN appreciated the new abilities given to the villager unit—the review stated villagers "now play an important role not only in the collection of resources, but also in town defense and even in combat."

AllGame's Michael L. House enjoyed the use of sound bites in civilizations' native languages, which he said was "very influential in developing an era-enhancing atmosphere". Eurogamer said this feature "gives [villagers] a personality, rather than the standard 'Acknowledged' grunt of military RTS games", also stating that the use of female villagers provided a good variety. Game Revolution's review explained that by being set in a more recent epoch of human history, The Age of Kings was able to "add character to an otherwise impersonal style of gameplay". Computer and Video Games approved of The Age of Kings{{'}} use of shorter, more focused campaigns, compared to its predecessor, while Game Revolution noted that even in slower sections of the campaign, the historical narrative helped maintain player interest. GameSpot said that with the screen full of units, "you can begin to imagine how their historical equivalents once prospered", while GameSpy said The Age of Kings presents "realism rarely seen in the RTS genre". IGN staff argued that while the strengths and weaknesses attributed to different civilizations made the game more realistic, the fact that they were still mostly the same prevented The Age of Kings from "delivering the same battlefield impact of StarCraft or Tiberian Sun".

House also praised the gameplay interface, which he said "couldn't be simpler", as well as the advanced unit grouping and path-finding systems. Nash Werner of GamePro said that the battlefield formation tools were wonderful, and complained only that they could not be assigned to naval units. Computer and Video Games generally agreed, stating that "the controls are very user-friendly and well explained". GameSpot's Greg Kasavin wrote that despite the game's improved graphics, "there's nothing foreign about its appearance" and that most game features will be "immediately recognizable if you've played a real-time strategy game before". PC Zone agreed, but in a negative sense—it argued that The Age of Kings "is essentially an update of a two-year-old game".

Richards was surprised by the quality of The Age of Kings{{'}} graphics, considering they were all bitmapped. However, AllGame complained that units were sometimes difficult to tell apart, a point numerous reviewers agreed on. It also considered the sound of The Age of Kings a negative, but not something significant enough to draw players away from the game's overall quality. IGN stated that cutscenes were somewhat bland, but that overall the graphics added "an amazing amount of detail to the actual game". IGN's main criticism was directed at the in-game speech used in campaigns; it rhetorically asked "why can't they just find a Frenchman to do a French accent?" Alex Constantides of Computer and Video Games rated the graphics highly, saying that some in-game buildings are "so grand you'll even feel guilty about burning them to the ground". Werner agreed: "the most noticeable graphical advancements", he wrote, were "the sheer size and scale of things". Game Revolution stated "AOE2 is the best looking of the 2D RTS games out there right now".

The Age of Kings won GameSpot's Strategy Game of the Year in 1999,{{Cite web |title=Strategy Game of the Year |url=http://gamespot.com/features/1999/p3_09a.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228084919/http://www.gamespot.com/features/1999/p3_09a.html |archive-date=December 28, 2008 |access-date=September 27, 2008 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}} and was a nominee for Game of the Year.{{Cite web |title=Game of the Year nominees |url=http://gamespot.com/features/1999/p4_01.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090110010852/http://www.gamespot.com/features/1999/p4_01.html |archive-date=January 10, 2009 |access-date=September 27, 2008 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}} GamePower also named it Strategy Game of the Year, while PC Gamer and Computer Gaming World gave it Editor's Choice awards. The editors of PC Gamer US named it their 1999 "Best Real-Time Strategy Game", and wrote that it "takes everything we know about the real-time strategy genre and polishes it, and polishes it, and then polishes it some more."{{Cite journal |last=Staff |date=March 2000 |title=The Sixth Annual PC Gamer Awards |journal=PC Gamer US |volume=7 |pages=46, 47, 49, 50, 54–56, 60, 62 |number=3}} The Age of Kings won "Computer Strategy Game of the Year", "Computer Game of the Year", and tied for "Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development" (with Thief: The Dark Project) during the AIAS' 3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; it also received nominations for "Game of the Year", "Outstanding Achievement in Animation", "Outstanding Achievement in Game Design", and "Outstanding Achievement in Game Play Engineering".{{Cite web |title=Third Interactive Achievement Awards - Game of the Year |url=http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_titleofyear.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001011211428/http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_titleofyear.html |archive-date=October 11, 2000 |access-date=January 27, 2023 |website=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences}}{{Cite web |title=Third Interactive Achievement Awards - Personal Computer |url=http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_pc.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001011204415/http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_pc.html |archive-date=October 11, 2000 |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=Interactive.org |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences}}{{Cite web |title=Third Interactive Achievement Awards - Craft Award |url=http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_craft.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001011155820/http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_craft.html |archive-date=October 11, 2000 |access-date=January 11, 2023 |website=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences}} IGN ranked The Age of Kings the 53rd best game of all time in 2005,{{Cite web |title=IGN's Top 100 Games – 51–60 |url=http://top100.ign.com/2005/051-060.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080930003331/http://top100.ign.com/2005/051-060.html |archive-date=September 30, 2008 |access-date=September 27, 2008 |website=IGN}} and the 10th best PC game of all time in 2007.{{Cite web |last1=Dan Adams |last2=Steve Butts |last3=Charles Onyett |date=March 16, 2007 |title=Top 25 PC Games of All Time |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/03/16/top-25-pc-games-of-all-time?page=3 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618145509/http://pc.ign.com/articles/772/772285p3.html |archive-date=June 18, 2012 |access-date=July 6, 2016 |website=IGN}} GameFAQs users placed it 56th in a poll of the best games ever.{{Cite web |title=Fall 2005: 10-Year Anniversary Contest – The 10 Best Games Ever |url=http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/contest/top10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219143901/http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/contest/top10 |archive-date=December 19, 2008 |access-date=September 27, 2008 |website=GameFAQs}} A 2023 poll conducted by GQ which surveyed a team of video game journalists across the industry listed Age of Empires II the 98th best video game of all time.{{Cite web |date=May 10, 2023 |title=The 100 greatest video games of all time, ranked by experts |url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/best-video-games-all-time |access-date=May 10, 2023 |website=British GQ |language=en-GB |archive-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510142624/https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/best-video-games-all-time |url-status=live }}

The Age of Kings was highly influential on its genre. Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, a 2001 game by LucasArts, shared The Age of Kings{{'}} game engine, and was heavily influenced by its mechanics.{{Cite web |last=Tom Chick |date=November 21, 2001 |title=Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Review |url=http://gamespot.com/pc/strategy/starwarsgalacticb/review.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013120840/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/starwarsgalacticb/review.html |archive-date=October 13, 2007 |access-date=September 27, 2008 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}} Empire Earth{{'}}s design was also similar to that of The Age of Kings; GameSpot said it "borrows most of that game's controls, interface features, and even some of its keyboard shortcuts".{{Cite web |last=Kasavin |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kasavin |date=November 14, 2001 |title=Empire Earth Review |url=http://gamespot.com/pc/strategy/empireearth/review.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907190909/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/empireearth/review.html |archive-date=September 7, 2008 |access-date=September 27, 2008 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}} Rick Goodman, designer of Age of Empires and The Rise of Rome, designed Empire Earth.{{Cite web |last=Steve Butts |date=November 29, 2001 |title=Empire Earth |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/11/30/empire-earth |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305112114/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/11/30/empire-earth |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |access-date=July 6, 2016 |website=IGN}} GameSpot's Scott Osborne argued that the gameplay of Cossacks: European Wars was heavily based on The Age of Kings.{{Cite web |last=Scott Osborne |date=April 12, 2001 |title=Cossacks: European Wars Review |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/cossacks-european-wars-review/1900-2702187/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20151015093222/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/cossacks-european-wars-review/1900-2702187/ |archive-date=October 15, 2015 |access-date=July 4, 2016 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}}

A PlayStation 2 port was released by Konami in 2001 for Europe{{Cite news |last=Jarkendia |date=March 23, 2021 |title=Cómo era jugar con mando a Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings desde PS2... para soñar con un Age of Empires en Xbox Series X y S |url=https://www.vidaextra.com/estrategia/como-era-jugar-mando-a-age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings-ps2-para-sonar-age-of-empires-xbox-series-x-s |access-date=October 11, 2023 |work=Vidaextra |language=es |archive-date=September 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915031503/https://www.vidaextra.com/estrategia/como-era-jugar-mando-a-age-of-empires-ii-the-age-of-kings-ps2-para-sonar-age-of-empires-xbox-series-x-s |url-status=live }} and in 2002 for Japan.{{Cite news |title=コナミ、プレイステーション 2版「AGE of EMPIRES II」公式サイトを開設.2002年2月に遂に発売 |url=https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20011227/konami.htm |access-date=October 11, 2023 |work=game.watch.impress.co.jp |archive-date=October 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007022347/https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20011227/konami.htm |url-status=live }} A Nintendo DS spinoff, Age of Empires: The Age of Kings was released in 2006.{{Cite news |last=Adams |first=David |date=February 14, 2006 |title=Age of Empires Rules Retail |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/02/14/age-of-empires-rules-retail |access-date=October 11, 2023 |work=IGN |archive-date=October 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231023154406/https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/02/14/age-of-empires-rules-retail |url-status=live }}

An expansion for The Age of Kings, The Conquerors, was released in 2000. It introduced numerous new game features, including unique technologies for each civilization, and five new civilizations. Two of these, the Aztecs and the Mayans, represent the New World and have a distinctive architectural style. Other new civilizations are the Huns, Koreans, and Spanish.

In 2005, a mobile version of Age of Empires II was released for Java mobile devices (J2ME), called Age of Empires II Mobile and developed by In-Fusio. It featured much simplified gameplay and graphics, designed for the mobile devices of the time.{{Cite web |title=Age of Empires II Mobile for J2ME (2005) |url=https://www.mobygames.com/game/j2me/age-of-empires-ii-mobile |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219015919/https://www.mobygames.com/game/j2me/age-of-empires-ii-mobile |archive-date=February 19, 2019 |access-date=February 18, 2019}}{{Cite web |title=Age of Empires II Mobile's summary |url=https://www.ign.com/games/age-of-empires-ii-mobile |website=IGN |access-date=October 14, 2024}}{{Cite web |title=Age of Empires® II : Mobile's description |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/age-of-empires-ii-mobile |website=Gamesindustry.biz |date=September 21, 2005 |access-date=October 14, 2024 |archive-date=August 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806194740/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/age-of-empires-ii-mobile |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Age of Empires II Mobile's preview |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/age-of-empires-ii-mobile/age-of-empires-ii-mobile/ |website=Pocket Gamer |author=Mike Abolins |date=September 27, 2005 |access-date=October 14, 2024 |archive-date=October 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020122655/https://www.pocketgamer.com/age-of-empires-ii-mobile/age-of-empires-ii-mobile/ |url-status=live }}

The success of Age of Empires II also spurred the continuation of the franchise: the third historical game in the series, Age of Empires III, was released in 2005. The game portrayed the European colonization of the Americas. Aside from one significant feature, the home city, the game's design was largely similar to that of its predecessor.{{Cite web |last=Joe Dodson |title=Age of Empires III – PC Review |url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/pc/age_of_empires_3 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725140601/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/pc/age_of_empires_3 |archive-date=July 25, 2008 |access-date=October 3, 2008 |publisher=Game Revolution}}

The multiplayer-only Age of Empires Online was released in 2012. While the game was freely accessible, it featured premium content which could either be earned through gameplay or purchased, enabling the player to use higher-tier equipment and new game modes. Active development of the game ended on January 1, 2014, when executive producer Kevin Perry stated that adding new content was "no longer cost effective," and announced that the game would be moving from "development phase" to its "support phase".{{Cite web |last=Martin Gaston |date=January 4, 2013 |title=Age of Empires Online no longer in active development |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/age-of-empires-online-no-longer-in-active-development/1100-6402016/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101084404/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/age-of-empires-online-no-longer-in-active-development/1100-6402016/ |archive-date=January 1, 2015 |access-date=January 2, 2015 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}} The game servers were subsequently shut down on July 1, 2014.{{Cite web |last=Eddie Makuch |title=RIP Age of Empires Online |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/rip-age-of-empires-online/1100-6420872/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104192240/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/rip-age-of-empires-online/1100-6420872/ |archive-date=January 4, 2015 |access-date=January 2, 2015 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}}

In 2012, Hidden Path Entertainment began working on a high-definition remake of Age of Empires II, an effort spearheaded by Matt Pritchard, an original lead programmer at Ensemble Studios. On March 7, 2013, its release was announced, branded as Age of Empires II: HD Edition. It has improved graphics, widescreen support and new multiplayer options through Steam. It was released on April 9, 2013, and there was a pre-order available on April 5.{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Tom |date=March 7, 2013 |title=Age of Empires 2 HD Edition announced, will Rome onto Steam next month |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-03-07-age-of-empires-2-hd-edition-announced-will-rome-onto-steam-next-month |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130310034310/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-03-07-age-of-empires-2-hd-edition-announced-will-rome-onto-steam-next-month |archive-date=March 10, 2013 |access-date=March 7, 2013 |website=Eurogamer |publisher=Gamer Network}} HD Edition received mixed reviews, with aggregate review website Metacritic assigning a score of 68 out of 100 based on reviews from 20 critics. Critics agreed that the HD Edition changed very little from the original game, though Steam Workshop integration was widely praised.{{Cite web |last=Daniel Starkey |title=Review: Age of Empires II HD |url=http://www.destructoid.com/review-age-of-empires-ii-hd-edition-251841.phtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205014751/http://www.destructoid.com/review-age-of-empires-ii-hd-edition-251841.phtml |archive-date=December 5, 2013 |access-date=December 20, 2013 |publisher=Destructoid}}{{Cite web |last=Paul Dean |date=April 12, 2013 |title=Age of Empires 2 HD review |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-04-12-age-of-empires-2-hd-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205015139/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-04-12-age-of-empires-2-hd-review |archive-date=December 5, 2013 |access-date=December 20, 2013 |website=Eurogamer |publisher=Gamer Network}}

Three official expansion packs were released for HD Edition. The first, The Forgotten, is based on a fan-made expansion, The Forgotten Empires. The pack introduces five new civilizations: the Incas, Indians, Italians, Magyars, and Slavs. It includes new maps, campaigns (Alaric I, Bari, Dracula, El Dorado, Francesco I Sforza, and Prithviraj), units, a new game mode, an increase of the maximum population limit from 200 to 500,{{Cite web |title=Age of Empires II HD: The Forgotten |url=https://www.forgottenempires.net/aof |access-date=August 21, 2018 |website=forgottenempires.net |archive-date=August 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190828100055/https://www.forgottenempires.net/aof |url-status=live }} and numerous balance and gameplay adjustments.{{Cite web |title=Age of Empires 2 HD: The African Kingdoms: Neue Erweiterung erscheint morgen, Trailer zeigt die neuen Zivilisationen |trans-title=Age of Empires 2 HD: The African Kingdoms: New expansion will be released tomorrow, trailer shows the new civilizations |url=http://www.gamona.de/games/age-of-empires-2-hd-the-african-kingdoms,neue-erweiterung-erscheint-morgen-trailer-zeigt-die-neuen:news.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211002052/http://www.gamona.de/games/age-of-empires-2-hd-the-african-kingdoms%2Cneue-erweiterung-erscheint-morgen-trailer-zeigt-die-neuen%3Anews.html |archive-date=December 11, 2015 |access-date=May 9, 2016 |website=gamona.de |language=de}}{{Cite web |date=November 3, 2015 |title=AoE 2 HD Edition: "The African Kingdoms" erscheint in Kürze |trans-title=AoE 2 HD Edition: "The African Kingdoms" will be released soon |url=http://www.pcgames.de/Age-of-Empires-2-HD-Edition-Spiel-17579/News/The-African-Kingdoms-erscheint-in-Kuerze-1176678/ |access-date=May 9, 2016 |website=PC GAMES |language=de |archive-date=April 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427082434/http://www.pcgames.de/Age-of-Empires-2-HD-Edition-Spiel-17579/News/The-African-Kingdoms-erscheint-in-Kuerze-1176678/ |url-status=live }} The expansion pack was developed by the team that created the mod with the assistance of SkyBox Labs.{{Cite web |title=Age of Empires II: The Forgotten |url=http://skyboxlabs.com/game/age-of-empires-ii-hd-the-forgotten/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705135814/http://skyboxlabs.com/game/age-of-empires-ii-hd-the-forgotten/ |archive-date=July 5, 2014 |access-date=July 22, 2014 |website=SkyBox Labs}}

A second expansion pack for Age of Empires II HD, The African Kingdoms, was released on November 5, 2015, and introduces four new civilizations: the Berbers, Ethiopians, Malians, and the Portuguese. It includes new maps, campaigns (Tariq ibn Ziyad, Yodit, Sundjata, and Francisco de Almeida), as well as new units, new game modes including Capture the Relic and Treaty, and numerous balance and gameplay adjustments.{{Cite web |date=November 5, 2015 |title=Age of Empires II: The African Kingdoms se muestra en imágenes |trans-title=Age of Empires II: The African Kingdoms is shown in pictures |url=http://peru.com/entretenimiento/extramania/age-of-empires-ii-the-african-kingdoms-se-muestra-imagenes-noticia-417352 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151107005433/http://peru.com/entretenimiento/extramania/age-of-empires-ii-the-african-kingdoms-se-muestra-imagenes-noticia-417352 |archive-date=November 7, 2015 |access-date=May 9, 2016 |website=Perú.com |language=es}}{{Cite web |title=Recensione Age of Empires 2 HD: The African Kingdoms |trans-title=Review Age of Empires 2 HD: The African Kingdoms |url=http://www.everyeye.it/articoli/recensione-age-of-empires-2-hd-the-african-kingdoms-28146.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422194808/http://www.everyeye.it/articoli/recensione-age-of-empires-2-hd-the-african-kingdoms-28146.html |archive-date=April 22, 2016 |access-date=May 9, 2016 |website=Everyeye.it |language=it}}{{Cite web |last=Cicarelli |first=Daniele |date=November 5, 2015 |title=La nuova espansione di Age Of Empires II, The African Kingdoms, disponibile ora su Steam / Orgoglio Nerd |trans-title=The new expansion for Age of Empires II, The African Kingdoms, available now on Steam / Nerd Pride |url=http://www.orgoglionerd.it/news/2015/11/la-nuova-espansione-di-age-of-empires-ii |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151107183553/http://www.orgoglionerd.it/news/2015/11/la-nuova-espansione-di-age-of-empires-ii |archive-date=November 7, 2015 |access-date=May 9, 2016 |website=www.orgoglionerd.it |language=it}}

The third expansion pack, Rise of the Rajas, was released on December 19, 2016.{{Cite web |title=Age of Empires II HD: Rise of the Rajas |url=http://www.forgottenempires.net/age-of-empires-2-hd-rise-of-the-rajas |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221211227/http://www.forgottenempires.net/age-of-empires-2-hd-rise-of-the-rajas |archive-date=December 21, 2016 |access-date=January 10, 2017}} It is set in Southeast Asia, and adds four civilizations (Burmese, Khmer, Javanese, and Vietnamese), each with its own fully voice-acted campaign (Bayinnaung, Suryavarman I, Gajah Mada, and Lê Lợi, respectively), as well as a new map type with environments, units such as the ballista elephant, improved AI, and more.{{Cite web |date=December 13, 2016 |title=Rise of the Rajas Available for Pre-Order Now! |url=http://steamcommunity.com/games/221380/announcements/detail/528441854369375523 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220160106/http://steamcommunity.com/games/221380/announcements/detail/528441854369375523 |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |access-date=January 10, 2017 |publisher=Steam}}

{{Main|Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition}}

On August 21, 2017, at Gamescom, Microsoft announced a remaster titled Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition was in development by Forgotten Empires, Tantalus Media, and Wicked Witch Software.{{Cite web |last=Knezevic |first=Kevin |date=August 21, 2017 |title=Age Of Empires 2 And 3 Remasters Announced |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/age-of-empires-2-and-3-remasters-announced/1100-6452723/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726104041/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/age-of-empires-2-and-3-remasters-announced/1100-6452723/ |archive-date=July 26, 2018 |access-date=September 6, 2017 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}} On June 9, 2019, Microsoft revealed the gameplay trailer at Xbox E3 2019. The game includes all content from the previous editions and expansions, as well as four new civilizations, additional campaign missions, and new 4K graphics. It was released via Xbox Game Pass for PC, the Microsoft Store, and Steam on November 14, 2019.{{Cite web |date=August 19, 2019 |title=Age of Empires: DE launches on Steam with cross play support, Age of Empires II DE also coming on November 14 |url=https://www.onmsft.com/news/age-of-empires-de-launches-on-steam-with-cross-play-support-age-of-empires-ii-de-also-coming-on-november-14 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819231310/https://www.onmsft.com/news/age-of-empires-de-launches-on-steam-with-cross-play-support-age-of-empires-ii-de-also-coming-on-november-14 |archive-date=August 19, 2019 |access-date=August 19, 2019 |website=OnMSFT.com |language=en}} Definitive Edition has received multiple expansions:

• Lords of the West released on January 26, 2021.{{Cite web |last=Stevens |first=Ian |date=January 26, 2021 |title=The Lords of the West Have Arrived in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, Available Now |url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/01/26/the-lords-of-the-west-have-arrived-in-age-of-empires-ii-definitive-edition-available-now/ |access-date=January 28, 2021 |website=xbox.com |archive-date=January 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127170822/https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/01/26/the-lords-of-the-west-have-arrived-in-age-of-empires-ii-definitive-edition-available-now/ |url-status=live }} It added two new civilizations, the Burgundians and Sicilians, and three new campaigns (Edward I, Dukes of Burgundy, and the Hautevilles).{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2020 |title=Pre-Order Age of Empires II: DE - Lords of the West, coming January 26th! |url=https://www.ageofempires.com/news/pre-order-lords-of-the-west/ |access-date=December 16, 2020 |website=Age of Empires |archive-date=January 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107080710/https://www.ageofempires.com/news/pre-order-lords-of-the-west/ |url-status=live }}
• Dawn of the Dukes released on August 10, 2021.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OJ14RVFDGQ |title=Age of Empires: Fan Preview |date=April 10, 2021 |publisher=Xbox |access-date=April 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/5OJ14RVFDGQ |archive-date=December 21, 2021 |url-status=live |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} The expansion's focus is on Central Europe and includes new campaigns (Jadwiga, Algirdas and Kęstutis, and Jan Žižka) and two new civilizations, the Poles and the Bohemians.{{Cite web |title=Dawn of the Dukes |url=https://www.ageofempires.com/games/age-of-empires-iv/dawn-of-the-dukes/ |access-date=June 14, 2021 |website=ageofempires.com |archive-date=June 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614134201/https://www.ageofempires.com/games/age-of-empires-iv/dawn-of-the-dukes/ |url-status=live }}
• Dynasties of India was released on April 28, 2022. It features three new civilizations (Bengalis, Dravidians, and Gurjaras), and reworks to the existing Indian civilization, which was renamed the Hindustanis. Three new campaigns (Babur, Devapala, and Rajendra Chola) were also introduced.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.ageofempires.com/news/dynasties_of_india_is_here/ |title=Pre-Order Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition – Dynasties of India! |date=April 14, 2022 |publisher=Age of Empires |access-date=April 14, 2022}}{{cbignore}}
• Return of Rome was released on May 16, 2023. It brings content from Age of Empires: Definitive Edition into Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, as well as adding the Roman civilization. Three campaigns covering Sargon of Akkad, Pyrrhus of Epirus, and Trajan were also included.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.ageofempires.com/news/return-of-rome-everything-you-need-to-know/ |title=Return of Rome: Everything You Need to Know |access-date=August 16, 2023 |website=ageofempires.com |archive-date=October 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016184736/https://www.ageofempires.com/news/return-of-rome-everything-you-need-to-know// |url-status=live }}
• The Mountain Royals was released on October 31, 2023.{{Cite web |date=October 31, 2023 |title=New DLC Available Now: The Mountain Royals |url=https://www.ageofempires.com/news/new-dlc-available-now-the-mountain-royals/ |access-date=January 23, 2024 |website=ageofempires.com |archive-date=January 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123141145/https://www.ageofempires.com/news/new-dlc-available-now-the-mountain-royals/ |url-status=live }} It contains two new civilizations, Georgians and Armenians, three new campaigns (Tamar, Ismail, and Thoros), as well as providing an extensive rework of the Persians.{{Cite web |date=October 16, 2023 |title=Pre-Order Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition – The Mountain Royals! |url=https://www.ageofempires.com/news/pre-order-aoe-ii-de-the-mountain-royals/ |access-date=January 23, 2024 |website=ageofempires.com |archive-date=October 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020150536/https://www.ageofempires.com/news/pre-order-aoe-ii-de-the-mountain-royals/ |url-status=live }}
• Victors and Vanquished was released on March 14, 2024.{{Cite web |date=March 14, 2024 |title=New DLC Available Now: Victors and Vanquished |url=https://www.ageofempires.com/news/new-dlc-available-now-victors-and-vanquished/ |access-date=April 20, 2024 |website=ageofempires.com |archive-date=April 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419191324/https://www.ageofempires.com/news/new-dlc-available-now-victors-and-vanquished/ |url-status=live }} This expansion did not add any new civilizations or major changes to the game, but rather focused on adding new scenarios, adding 19 to the game. The scenarios cover Gaiseric, Vortigern, Charlemagne, Ragnar Lodbrok, Björn Ironside, Harald Fairhair, Robert I, Otto I, Seljuk, Thorfinn Karlsefni Thórdarson, Alexios Komnenos, Stephen of Blois, Temujin, Mstislav Mstislavich, Constantine XI, Mehmed II, Shimazu, Oda Nobunaga, and Francis Drake.
• Chronicles: Battle for Greece was released on November 14, 2024. It is a spin-off from the main series. Battle for Greece is the first 'Chronicles' installment of the game and features 3 new Civilizations from the Antiquity Period: the Achaemenids, Athenians, and Spartans. The DLC also includes a 21-scenario Grand Campaign covering the events of the Ionian Revolt, Greco-Persian Wars, and Peloponnesian War.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.ageofempires.com/games/aoeiide/chronicles-battle-for-greece/|title=Chronicles: Battle for Greece |website=ageofempires.com}}

• List of game engine recreations

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• {{official website}}
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{{Age of Empires series}}

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