Age of Ants#

#Controls

#Desktop

#Mobile / Handheld

#About

Age of Empires II is one of the most beloved real-time strategy games of all time. This PICO-8 adaptation distills the core RTS experience into a compact form — manage workers, gather three resource types, build a tech tree of eight structures and twelve upgrades, and command up to 99 units per player across a single map with four possible starting positions.

The ant-themed retheme replaces medieval factions with insect warfare: worker ants gather leaves, nectar, and stone; soldiers defend the colony; and specialized units like spiders, beetles, mantises, and caterpillars each fill distinct tactical roles. The original soundtrack and faithful AoE2-inspired controls round out a surprisingly complete RTS experience within PICO-8's constraints.

#Gameplay

#Mechanics

• Resource Gathering: Collect three resource types using worker ants — each resource fuels different buildings and units
• Base Building: Construct eight building types including mounds, barracks, castles, and specialized production facilities
• Unit Production: Train nine unit types across infantry, cavalry, siege, and support roles with distinct strengths and weaknesses
• Tech Tree: Research twelve upgrades (most repeatable) to strengthen your colony over time
• AI Opponents: Face up to two allied AI opponents with Easy, Normal, and Hard difficulty modes
• Save System: Save games via screenshot generation — drag and drop to reload

#Strategy Tips

• Prioritize worker production early to accelerate resource gathering and building speed
• Balance your army composition — no single unit counters everything
• Spider webs act as selective walls: only your spiders can pass through them
• Workers auto-allocate to farms when multiple are selected

#Credits

• Developer: eeooty
• License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
• Original Game: Age of Empires II by Ensemble Studios