Choose King of the World
Choose King of the World if you want an Indie and Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. King of the World launched in 2018.
King of the World vs Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
King of the World and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition 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. King of the World (2018) is 1 year older than Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019). Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (95.1% positive) than King of the World (84.9% 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 Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
Choose Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition if you want the LAN PvP, LAN Co-op, and Adjustable Text Size side of the pairing. 60,009 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both King of the World and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op, 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
 King of the World |  Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2019 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Free To Play | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | Free to play | 34.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 84.9% positive (86 reviews) | 95.1% positive (60,009 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Contec Games | World's Edge, Forgotten Empires, CaptureAge, Tantalus Media, Wicked Witch, Feral Interactive |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- King of the World (2018) is 1 year older than Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019).
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (95.1% positive) than King of the World (84.9% positive).
- King of the World is free; Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is paid (34.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Playable.
King of the World vs Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition — FAQ
- Should I play King of the World or Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition first?
- If you want chronology, King of the World (2018) came out before Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019). 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 King of the World and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition 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.
- Do both King of the World and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: King of the World ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op.
- Is King of the World free?
- Yes — King of the World is a free-to-play Steam title. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is paid (34.99 USD).