The demo for Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings was released for Windows on October 16, 1999, about two weeks after the release of the full version. While the demo version is no longer available from the developer, it can still be found online.
Where to Download the Age of Empires 2 Demo for Free
You can download the Age of Empires II demo for free from File Planet and similar download websites. You might also be able to find a torrent file of the demo on a torrent site. Simply extract the compressed game files and run the installer.
Information in this article applies to the original PC version of Age of Empires II. There is no demo for Age of Empires II on PS2.
What Is Age of Empires 2?
Like its predecessor, AOE 2 is a simulation game in which players manage societies over the course of thousands of years. A big part of ensuring your civilization’s survival entails building a military and warring with neighbors.
Always scan files you download from the internet for malware using an antivirus program.
The original release featured five solo campaigns and a 4-on-4 skirmish mode that pit players’ armies against one another in combat. An expansion called Age of Empire II: The Conquerors, released in 2000, introduced five new civilizations.
What’s in the Age of Empires 2 Demo?
Originally available via the official Age of Empires website, the demo was also released as a CD by a number of PC gaming magazines such as PC Gamer and Computer Gaming World. It included the opening tutorial mission as well as a random skirmish battle against AI opponents and a four-player multiplayer game on a random map.
Age of Empires II relied on MSN Gaming Zone for match-matching, and since that service has been discontinued, you must now use GameRanger to play the multiplayer portion of the demo. GameRanger is a web application used to support multiplayer capability for older games.
Age of Empires II HD and the Definitive Edition
The second entry in the Age of Empires series was so loved by fans and critics that Ensemble Studios has released several enhanced editions of the game over the years. Age of Empires II HD Edition, which came out in 2013, included improved graphics for HD displays and matchmaking via Steam. In addition to the Conquerors expansion, the HD edition has two additional expansions: The Forgotten and The African Kingdoms.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition was released in 2019 in celebration of the original game’s twentieth anniversary. On top of all previously released expansions, the Definitive Edition boasts 4K resolution support, four new civilizations, and a brand new solo campaign called The Last Khans.
Unfortunately, there are no free demo versions of the Age of Empires II remakes or expansions; however, it is still possible to play the original demo to see what the game was like in 1999.
Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day
