5 Games with a historical setting like Blockbuster Inc. that you should try

Games like Blockbuster Inc. · Find similar →

Ranking compiled by Lluis Enric Mayans, Founder & Head of ContentUpdated May 19, 2026How this is calculatedOrdered by an attribute-similarity model, not editorial opinion.

Filter by:Historical×← Back to home

We filtered the 38 games similar to Blockbuster Inc. down to the 5 that fit the “Historical” category. Children of the Nile, Tropico 5 and Caesar III top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Blockbuster Inc..

iRank63/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder

The best games with a historical setting like Blockbuster Inc.

5 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Blockbuster Inc.. Each one has been evaluated across 12 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1Children of the NileClosest overall match

iRank80

GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder

SoloSandbox WorldHistoricalBase BuildingManagement

Steam👍 85%· 465MC75IGDB75· 2

Year 2008Dev Tilted Mill EntertainmentPlaytime ~2hOn PC

✓ Fits the city builders cluster, with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and sandbox world

≠ Where it differs: brings visual isometric, while skipping vibe casual

Children of the Nile™ is a unique gem of a city-building game, unparalleled in both grandeur and attention to detail. As Pharaoh you will guide your people through thousands of years of history: from simple hunter-gatherers to the creation of an immortal civilization.

Where it drifts furthest from Blockbuster Inc.: visuals.

It predates Blockbuster Inc. by 16 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Setting100Progression82World61Visuals0

Details →

Steam

#2Tropico 5Closest on progression

iRank77

GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder

SoloSandbox WorldHistoricalBase BuildingSkill TreeManagement

Steam👍 79%· 14KIGDB72· 14OC76· 52

Year 2014Dev Haemimont Games · Kalypso MediaOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Both are city builders — sharing deep simulation, sandbox freedom and sandbox world

≠ Stands apart with deep RPG systems, multiplayer gameplay and co op, while skipping vibe casual

Where it drifts furthest from Blockbuster Inc.: visuals and game mode.

It predates Blockbuster Inc. by 10 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Setting100Progression95World70Game mode34Visuals0

GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder

SoloHistoricalBase BuildingManagementIsometric

Steam👍 93%· 2.2K

Year 1998Dev Impressions Games · Sierra EntertainmentOn PC

✓ Fits the city builders cluster, with deep simulation, historical setting and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings visual isometric, while skipping sandbox freedom

Where it drifts furthest from Blockbuster Inc.: visuals.

It predates Blockbuster Inc. by 26 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Setting100Progression81Visuals0

GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder

SoloHistoricalBase BuildingIsometric

Steam👍 72%· 934MC67IGDB60· 3

Year 2006Dev Firaxis · 2K GamesPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Same family of city builders: deep simulation, historical setting and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with visual isometric, while skipping sandbox freedom

CivCity: Rome, an innovative city builder inspired by the world of Sid Meiers Civilization, and created by a collaboration between Firefly Studios and Firaxis Games, invites players to shift focus from building a multi-city empire and zoom-in on the great cities of the Roman Empire, culminating in…

Where it drifts furthest from Blockbuster Inc.: visuals.

It predates Blockbuster Inc. by 18 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Setting100Progression55Visuals0

Details →

Steam GOG

#57 Grand Steps: What Ancients BegatClosest on tone

iRank36

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloCasualNarrativeHistoricalCozy

Steam👍 54%· 768RAWG👍 5%· 20IGDB40· 1

Year 2013Dev MousechiefPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Like Blockbuster Inc., it's known for deep simulation, vibe casual and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: turn-based strategy, card game strategy and adventure storytelling, while skipping sandbox freedom

What Ancients Begat is a complete (~15 hour) game of family generations surviving the rise of western civilization. Survival is the ultimate goal. The sub-goals, you choose, build their story. Experience an abstract telling of the lives of our earliest recorded ancestors.

Where it drifts furthest from Blockbuster Inc.: visuals.

It predates Blockbuster Inc. by 11 years, with what that implies technically.

Game mode100Setting100Tone76Genre50Visuals0

Details →

Steam

Explore games similar to Blockbuster Inc. by category

Rankings in the same genre

Best City Builder Games Best Strategy Games