BAge of Empires II: Definitive Edition
A classic real-time strategy game where players lead civilizations from the Dark Age to the Imperial Age through resource gathering, city building, and tactical warfare.
Parent verdict
Is Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition good for kids?
Yes — a great pick for most kids
Rated Ages 12+. Best for history, logic, and planning.
Reviewed by Hess Polanco, parent tester & co-founder · Updated April 17, 2026
The busy-parent summary
Time required
30-60 minutes
Safety level
Moderate
Best for
History, logic, and planning
Ages
Ages 12+
Great for your child
It makes history feel alive and gives them a sense of agency as a leader.
Great for you
It offers a sophisticated intellectual space to bond over shared strategic goals.
Parent notes
Disable the global chat in public lobbies to avoid exposure to mature language. Set time limits as 'games' can easily run longer than an hour.
The Connection Grade™ breakdown
Four things we grade, each one judged on what this game actually does. Open any row to see why.
Teaming up against AI lets parent and kid divide military and economic duties cleanly, though the intense real-time pace can pull your attention away from communicating during sudden attacks.
Skills this builds
- Splitting map duties, such as one player managing defensive walls while the other builds an army
- Tributing wood, food, or gold at the Market when one player falls short of advancing to the next age
- Coordinating joint flank attacks against an enemy base using complementary unit types
Try this together
Play a 2v2 skirmish against moderate AI where one of you plays the Franks for heavy cavalry and the other plays the Britons for archer support.
Parents also ask
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