Choose Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization
Choose Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization launched in 2008.
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization vs Sid Meier's Civilization® IV
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization and Sid Meier's Civilization® IV both land in Strategy on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Strategy games on Steam. Sid Meier's Civilization® IV (2006) is 2 years older than Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization (2008). Sid Meier's Civilization® IV scores higher on Steam reviews (95.2% positive) than Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization (87.2% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Sid Meier's Civilization® IV
Choose Sid Meier's Civilization® IV if it's currently about 20% cheaper on the Steam Store. Sid Meier's Civilization® IV launched in 2006.
Both Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization and Sid Meier's Civilization® IV sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization |  Sid Meier's Civilization® IV | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2008 | 2006 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 3.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87.2% positive (847 reviews) | 95.2% positive (42 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player |
| Developers | Firaxis Games | Firaxis Games |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Sid Meier's Civilization® IV (2006) is 2 years older than Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization (2008).
- Sid Meier's Civilization® IV scores higher on Steam reviews (95.2% positive) than Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization (87.2% positive).
- Sid Meier's Civilization® IV is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization (3.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
- Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Sid Meier's Civilization® IV has no Deck rating yet.
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization vs Sid Meier's Civilization® IV — FAQ
- Should I play Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization or Sid Meier's Civilization® IV first?
- If you want chronology, Sid Meier's Civilization® IV (2006) came out before Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization (2008). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization and Sid Meier's Civilization® IV similar?
- They overlap on Strategy on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Sid Meier's Civilization® IV doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.