Summary
- Anno games vary in complexity, with earlier titles being simpler and later titles offering more challenge.
- Anno 1602 is great for beginners due to its basic mechanics and simple gameplay.
- Anno 2070, despite its complexity, features an excellent campaign tailored to new players.
The Anno franchise is one of the most successful of all city-building series of games. The franchise specializes in providing deep and complex simulations of economic and resource-gathering gameplay. Earlier games in the franchise were quite simple, but later titles are much more complex, and can offer a significant challenge to even the most experienced gamers.
From a beginner's viewpoint, all of the games in the franchise are fairly simple to pick up and learn. However, there have been a few titles that suit newcomers to the franchise better than others. Either because they are simpler to play, or they include a comprehensive tutorial system.
6 Anno 1602
The First Game In The Franchise
Anno 1602: Creation of a New World
- Released
- April 1, 1998
- ESRB
- everyone e10+
- Developer(s)
- Sunflowers Interactive Entertainment Software GmbH
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- Real-Time Strategy, City Builder
Anno 1602 was the very first Anno game, and is still very playable today. Sure, it is a little simpler than modern offerings in the franchise, but this is part of what makes it great for beginners to the series. Basic military combat and simple supply chain and trade mechanics are easy to master.
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The campaign is also very simple and straightforward to play through. The reason the game made this list, as it is very much a cut-down version of the up-to-date titles in the franchise. It may lack some of the polish that Anno games had in later releases, but the fact that it is simple to pick and learn to play, means it can act as a fantastic primer to Anno games.
5 Anno 1701
Refining The Game Mechanics
Anno 1701: Dawn of Discovery
- Released
- June 8, 2007
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo DS
Based in the 18th century, Anno 1701 adds a little more polish and refinement to the gameplay mechanics first pioneered in Anno 1602. Visually, it looks much better, and the gameplay is smoother and more intuitive. The AI has been improved in relation to diplomacy and trade as well, making actions much more predictable.
The economic gameplay is very beginner-friendly, and is much easier to understand than Anno 1602. Overall, the game has a much simpler to understand structure. On top of all this, the campaign is more tutorial focused at the start, and the UI has been much easier to understand and navigate. Overall, a great game for beginners to the Anno franchise to try.
4 Anno 1404
With An Oriental Flavor
Anno 1404
- Released
- June 23, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- Real-Time Strategy, City Builder
Anno 1404 is set during the Middle Ages, and for the first time in the franchise, Oriental civilizations and cities can be found in the game. Setting up production chains in this game is much simpler than the previous two entries on this list, it also includes a sandbox mode, so that players can try out building cities without any restrictions at all.
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The campaign is story-driven, and includes a very good tutorial at the start, much more structured than previous tutorials in the franchise. Overall, the new player onboarding stage of gameplay is excellent, and this makes it a great choice for beginners to the Anno franchise.
3 Anno 1800
Covering The Industrial Revolution
Anno 1800
- Released
- April 20, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Microsoft Windows
- Genre(s)
- Real-Time Strategy, Simulation
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Anno 1800 takes a bit of a shift from the general gameplay of the franchise, and players more like an historical city builder in many respects. That being said, it is still a great game, just a little different. The economic simulation is one of the standout features of this title, and is arguably the best in the franchise. The new workforce management system adds a further level of complexity, and the naval warfare is new as well.
For beginners, Anno 1800 is a good starting point. It is less complicated than later titles, but has many similar gameplay features. The tutorial is comprehensive, but the most useful feature for new players is the automation tools, which are easy to use and can simplify gameplay considerably.
2 Anno 2205
Heading Into The Future
Anno 2205
- Released
- November 3, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Blue Byte
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- City Builder
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Anno 2205 is the first game in the franchise that moves away from a historical setting, and instead, focuses on a possible future. Space is introduced in this game, and the player is able to build space stations and create off-world colonies. Despite these new features, the gameplay is actually simplified over previous titles in the franchise, which is one of the reasons it is so good for beginners.
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The main reason that Anno 2205 is placed so high on this list, however, is because conquest and combat are de-emphasized. This makes the game a much more relaxing and slower paced game, making it ideal for beginners who are keen on learning as they play.
1 Anno 2070
Combat Climate Change
Anno 2070
- Released
- November 17, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- City Builder, Real-Time Strategy
Anno 2070 mixes things up a little compared to other titles in the franchise, primarily due to the new challenge of dealing with the impact of climate change. Building cities and infrastructure in this game is all about making them sustainable and eco-friendly. Underwater exploration and construction has also been added in this title. For the first time, players can choose from one of three factions to play as well. Military might is much less important in Anno 2070, which means beginners don’t need to worry about being wiped out due to not understanding the game fully.
The main reason why Anno 2070 gets the top spot on this list, is due to the excellent campaign mode, which introduces new gameplay features slowly, not moving on to more advanced features until the player understands the previous lessons. Yes, it is one of the most complex games in the franchise, but its slick execution and the intuitive UI make it perfect for beginners.
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