PC Gamer takes a look back at Sid Meier's Colonization from 1994:

Revisiting Colonization, Sid Meier's overlooked resource juggler

Sell, steal, survive.

Paving over the entirety of the New World may not be an easy task but, with a few hundred years and a copious coin purse, it is possible to become more of a threat to the environment than Jeremy Clarkson. Sid Meier’s Colonization may not now be the most grand looking game but, back in the day, Civilization’s little brother was something of a treat. 

Released in 1994 by MicroProse, the now oft-overlooked strategy management game pulled in positive coverage on the Amiga, despite lingering in the shadow of the wider-known Civilization series. Colonization is one of those games that lures you in with the promise of a sedate strategy experience as you begin to colonise the New World—either the actual Americas or a randomly generated map. You build, harvest, manufacture, trade, and bolster rebel sentiment until you can stick two fingers up at the tax-grabbing King, declare independence, and fight for freedom.

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Back in 1994 Colonization felt like a big game. It was. It even came with an in-game Colonopedia, yielding details on Founding Fathers, terrain, buildings, and more. It seems more compact by today’s standards but there’s absolutely nothing wrong in that—it’s even kind of cosy. It has enough of a challenge and addictive edge to keep me returning and that there’s a dedicated fan community still playing, swapping strategies and comparing scores, is no surprise. It’s a game that’s easy to get into, hard to master, and nigh on impossible to get away from. I’ve tried, believe me.