Age of Empires Gets a Gloriously Retro PICO-8 Demake
One. More. Turn.
For anyone who spent countless hours meticulously building civilisations and commanding armies in the original Age of Empires, a new fan project offers a delightful trip down memory lane, albeit viewed through a distinctly lo-fi lens. Dubbed Peak of Empires, this charming 'demake' lovingly recreates the essence of the classic real-time strategy game within the cosy constraints of the PICO-8 fantasy console.
Developed by creators 'taxicomics' and 'oNek', Age of Pico shrinks the grand scale of Age of Empires down to a mere 128x128 pixel display. Yet, despite the blocky, retro aesthetic – reminiscent of something you might find booting up on a ZX Spectrum – the core gameplay loop remains remarkably intact. Players will find themselves gathering familiar resources like wood, food, stone, and gold, constructing buildings (keeping a watchful eye on housing capacity), and directing workers to chop, mine, farm, or build.
The game, available to play for free directly in your web browser or as a download via its Itch.io page, currently features five distinct scenarios. The objective is straightforward: eliminate all enemy units on the map to claim victory and advance. Control is handled via mouse (recommended by the developers) or controller, allowing you to select units and issue commands. There's even a handy alert for 'lazy' workers, ensuring your burgeoning empire keeps ticking over.
The project clearly stems from a deep affection for the source material, originating from a PICO-8 forum post discussing the idea. Taxicomics, who has created several other demakes and retro-inspired projects, teamed up with pixel artist oNek to bring the concept to life. The result, as one early player noted, feels like a curious but compelling blend of Age of Empires and the classic puzzler Lemmings, focusing on task delegation within a strategy framework.
Impressively, Peak Of Empires is still receiving attention from its creators. Updates as recent as 7 and 8 April 2025 added in-game instructions, refined camera controls (including better controller support), adjusted unit movement speeds, and fixed various bugs. It's a testament to the passion behind this nostalgic project, offering a free, engaging slice of retro strategy perfect for a quick break – or perhaps a longer session, for old times' sake.
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