Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a 1999 city-building game developed by Impressions Games. Set along the Nile across the eras of ancient Egypt, it tasks players with founding cities, managing farming tied to the river's annual flooding, meeting citizens' evolving needs for goods and religion, trading with other cities, and undertaking grand monuments such as pyramids and sphinxes built brick by brick over many years.
Building on the studio's Caesar formula, Pharaoh added distinctive Egyptian themes, worker camps for monument construction, gods who could bless or curse the city, and refined systems that many fans consider a high point of the classic city-building genre. Its depth, atmosphere, historical flavor, and campaign spanning dynasties won wide praise, and it later received the Cleopatra expansion.
Pharaoh received a modern remastered edition that updated its visuals and quality-of-life features, making this beloved ancient-Egypt city-builder readily accessible to both returning fans and newcomers.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to Pharaoh, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
| Alternative | Price | Steam Deck | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingdoms Reborn Indie | € 24,99 | Steam Deck Playable | PC |
| Pharaoh: A New Era | € 29,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC |
| Builders of Egypt | € 29,99 | Steam Deck Playable | PC |
| Ancient Cities | € 29,99 | Steam Deck Playable | PC |
| Pharaoh + Cleopatra (GOG) | € 9,99 | Not on Steam | PC |
Kingdoms Reborn Indie
€ 24,99An indie city-builder with exploration and optional online co-op.
Kingdoms Reborn runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Pharaoh: A New Era
€ 29,99A full official remake with modernised graphics and interface.
Pharaoh: A New Era runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Builders of Egypt
€ 29,99A modern Nile-set city-builder in the classic style.
Builders of Egypt runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Ancient Cities
€ 29,99A prehistoric settlement builder with seasons and survival pressure, for slower city planning.
Ancient Cities runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Pharaoh + Cleopatra (GOG)
€ 9,99The original with its expansion, patched to run on modern Windows if you prefer it to the remake.
Pharaoh + Cleopatra (GOG) runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
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