While most Civ fans are busy playing Civilization 6 and its latest expansion, thousands of gamers with older machines continue to enjoy the still popular Civilization 5 on Mac.

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Believe it or not, Civilization 5 remains an extremely popular game, almost as popular as the latest Civilization game. In fact, according to Steam Charts, Civ 5 has in average 19,644 concurrent players on Steam compared to the 21,979 on Civ 6.

How can that be possible? How can a game from 2010 be as popular as one of the best strategy games currently available?

Been trying to resume a game with my friend who uses a mac but we keep getting a 'Version Mismatch error' this only started happening today and googling about it only brings up posts from 2010/2013 when Civ V's DLCs were new and some stuff for Civ VI. Dec 07, 2014 Hi all, Long time Civ player, but over the years, I have almost exclusively played on a single machine. As such, I always saved my games locally. Recently, I have started playing on my laptop (Win7x64) while traveling, and would like to be able to continue those games on my iMac (late 2013) when I get home. I have tried to save my game under the 'Steam Cloud' on my laptop, but when I go to the. Mar 30, 2017  Sid Meier's Civilization V is the fifth offering in the multi-award winning Civilization turn-based PC strategy game series. As with earlier installments in the series, Civilization V features the famous 'just one more turn' addictive gameplay that has made it one of the greatest game. Civilization VI offers new ways to interact with your world, expand your empire across the map, advance your culture, and compete against history’s greatest leaders to build a civilization that will stand the test of time. Coming to PC on October 21, 2016.

In this review:

Civ 6 may have better graphics and a more fine-tuned gameplay, but Civ 5 remains a more affordable choice that happens to run great on older Macs (something that can’t be said about Civ 6). But can your Mac run it?

First things first, is the game any good?

Civilization 5 was a good game from Day 1. But that didn’t prevent Firaxis, the game’s developer, from releasing several expansions that further improved the game, sometimes drastically. Brave New World, the second and final expansion, included new civilizations, new Wonders and new units and buildings to play with.

But more importantly, it vastly improved trade, culture, and diplomacy, making Civ 5 a much better game.

I completely agree with Gaming Excellence‘s review:

It’s very hard to describe a Civilization game in great detail without starting to ramble. If you take nothing else from this review, know that Civilization V is more inviting, fun, and engrossing than any lengthy description can truly convey.

On top of that, Brave New World was a game-changer because it solved the one weakness Civ 5 had: a stall end-game. Normally, when you would get to the final stage of a game, all you could do was wait and see if the strategy you chose early on would work.

Without going too much into the details, the introduction of trade routes (which also propagate religion!), all-new tourism-related mechanics, a revamped role of city-states, and more, make Civ 5 infinitely more fun.

A word about Civ 5 on Mac…

It would be unfair not to mention the great job Aspyr did on Civilization 5’s Mac version. Aspyr is one of the two porting companies with the most experience, and it shows. As you’ll see in a moment, Civ 5 has an excellent Mac version that runs smoothly and with virtually no bugs.

On top of that, Aspyr managed to release the game (and both expansions) shortly after their Windows release.

Civilization 5 Mac requirements

As mentioned before, Civ 5 has forgiving performance requirements. Still, make sure your machine meets the official Mac system requirements below:

• OS: 10.12 (Sierra)
• Processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
• Memory: 2 GB RAM
• Hard Disk Space: 8 GB
• Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 2600, NVidia Geforce 8600, Intel HD 4000
• Video Memory: 256 MB

The following video chipsets are not supported: ATI Radeon X1000 series, HD 2400, Nvidia GeForce 7000 series, 8600, 9400 and Intel GMA (950/X3100), HD 3000.

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The Test: Can you play Civilization 5 on Mac?

Civ 5 is, generally-speaking, a safe bet but can your Mac run it? To give you a proper answer, we did what we do best and tested the game on a couple of machines:

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2016): 2.0 GHz Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, Intel Iris Graphics 540 (1.5GB)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2013): 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 4 GB RAM, Intel Iris 5100 (1.5GB)

Why these machines?

We always strive to test games on as many machines as possible. And the more different they are the one from one another, the better. That’s how we ensure these Mac Performance Reviews help as many as possible.

In this case, though, we decided to focus on lower-end machines. We know this is a relatively easy game to run, so why bother testing it on a top of the line 27-inch iMac. This time we decided to focus on older models with integrated graphics.

These are the settings we used to run Civilization 5’s internal benchmark :

• 1280×800 resolution
• Quality settings: Medium (except Texture Quality set to High)
• Vsync: Off

Using our in-house benchmarking tool, we ran the game on every Mac using the same settings.

The Results: Finally, a Civilization everyone can enjoy!

As a reminder, this is how we describe the different levels of performance:

• Below 20 FPS: Unplayable: Laggy gameplay, full of stutters and slowdowns.
• 20-30 FPS: Borderline: Can be OK in slow-paced games. Still, not optimal.
• 30-45 FPS: Playable: Acceptable for most (most gaming consoles do this).
• 45-60 FPS: Smooth: Fluid gameplay, with no perceivable stutters.
• 60+ FPS: Very Smooth: For hardcore and professional players, a luxury for most.

For the sake of clarity, we always aim for at least 30 FPS, which is more than enough for most gamers.

Can my Mac run Civilization 5?

Of all of our Mac Performance Reviews, this is one of the most straightforward. Can your Mac run it? Unless you have a Mac from 2010 or older, you should be fine running Civilization 5 on Mac.

I know some of you may be thinking “duh, turn-based strategy games can even run on a potato”. But just take a look at the newer Civilization 6. Granted, it’s a good looking game, but for a turn-based game, it’s extremely demanding.

And unless you have a brand-new Mac (or one with a dedicated graphics card), you should stay away from it.

You can read all about it in our official Civ 6 Performance Review.

Can you play Civilization 5 on a MacBook Pro?

Both of our test machines were MacBook Pros and both easily ran Civ 5. Even the 2013 model did fine, running the game at a comfortable 62.8 Frames per second. If you have a MacBook from at least 2013, you can be certain you’ll be able to run Civ 5 without a problem.

But what if you have an even older machine? Based on the official system requirements, Civ 5 supports MacBooks with Intel HD 4000 graphics. The only models that featured those graphics were the 2012 models, meaning owners of MacBooks from 2012 should be safe too.

But what if you have an older Mac?

This is where it gets risky. The oldest Mac models that can support Civ 5 are, in theory, those that can run on macOS Sierra (based on the game’s system requirements). And these are the oldest machines that support macOS Sierra:

• MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)
• MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
• MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
• Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
• iMac (Late 2009 or newer)
• Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)

In any case, we always recommend staying on the safe side and making sure your machine meets the minimum system requirements before buying this game.

PS: These are our favorite accessories for playing/testing games on Mac!

Download Civilization 5 for Mac: What version should you get?

Civilization 5 is available from most digital stores and prices are stable across the board. You can really get it from your favorite store.

The real question is what version you should get and whether or not you should get the Expansions separately or as part of a bundle or special Edition. In case it wasn’t clear before, we’re convinced Civ 5 is a much better game thanks to its last expansion, Brave New World and it would be a shame to experience Civ 5 without it.

For that reason, we recommend going for the Complete Edition, which includes the base game and all available expansions.

Taking into account that the base game is $29.99 and every expansion is $29.99 each, the Complete Edition, which is only $39.99, is a steal!

Civilization 5 Mac Review

Civilization 5 may not be the most advanced Civ game available on Mac. That would be Civ 6, which has better graphics and more fine-tuned gameplay. Still, there's a reason Civ 5 has almost as many players as the latest Civ: Civ 5 is much cheaper and far easier to run, even on older MacBooks!

Disclaimer: Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission (this is how we pay the bills). This commission comes at no additional cost to you.

9 Civilization Alternatives & Similar Games for Mac OS

1. Thrive

Thrive is an addictive, Role-playing, Puzzle, Single-, and Multiplayer Life-Simulation about the evolution of Life. The game lets the player control a tide-pool and raise it into cosmic dominance.

The game offers addictive and quite engaging gameplay and lets the player navigate the game world around him with editors to change organisms, solar systems, culture, and technology.

It consists of seven different stages, such as Aware, Microbe, Society, Space, and more. The game offers competitive gameplay inspired by strategy and rough-like games.

You can also download.revolves around Duriarti who is an evil professor who has escaped from the prison and has taken all the inhabitants of Sunny Valley as hostages in order to conduct hideous experiments. Supercow needs to face various different enemies which include snails, moles, crows, spiders and dogs etc. This game is a source of entertainment for the people of all age groups. Now in such chaotic situation supercow comes into the arena in order to help residents. This dynamic arcade game has got loads of challenging levels.

The player can create and customize his organisms on its journey from different insignificance, use various tools to raise and convert them into complex creatures. The game includes core features such as Strategy Gameplay, Rough-like Element, Simulation, and more.

2. Darwin Pond

Darwin Pond is an Action Role-playing, Strategy, and Life Simulation about the Artificial Life created and published by Rocket Science Games.

The game allows the player to dive into the virtual world filled with millions of wiggly things known as the Swimmers. The primary task is to control all the swimmers and raise them from a tiny organism to the complex creature.

During the gameplay, the player must help the Swimmers from the beginning and use all the resources to survive them. It consists of challenging levels, and each level offers its unique gameplay and creatures. The game looks simple yet hard to master.

Explore the game world, complete challenging stages, and earn points. With cool features, addictive gameplay, brilliant mechanics, and fantastic background sounds, Darwin pond is a beautiful game to play and enjoy.

3. Planetoid 3D

Planetoid 3D is an Action Role-playing, Real-time Strategy, and Single-player Simulation developed by Luke. The game takes place in the space environment and includes various races and allows the player to create his own.

The player must explore the 3D environment, fight against enemies, and survive as long as the player can. Build structures on any planet, develop new technology, and conquer other colonies, loot their resources, and expand the city.

The game includes a massive series of objectives, in which the player has to conquer dozen of planets and destroy thousands of asteroids. The player can customize his spaceship loaded with deadly weapons. It unlocks powerful weapons and items as the player completes the level.

Planetoid 3D includes core features such as Exploration, RTS, RPG, Building, Fighting against opponents, and more. With the addictive gameplay, superb mechanics, and stunning visuals, Planetoid 3D is a beautiful game to play and enjoy.

4. Darwinia

Darwinia is an Action Role-playing, Real-time Strategy, Isometric, and Single-player video game developed and published by Introversion Software. The game offers a combination of fast-paced, strategy, and combat elements and takes place in a virtual world inside the computer and revolving around the life form called the Darwinians.

According to the story, the game world is overrun by the virus and become out of control. The primary task of the player is to destroy the virus infection and rescue the Darwinian.

Games Like Civ 5 For Mac Pro

The game consists of various levels and lets the player complete them and see how life evolves. The gameplay is a mixture of action, puzzle, hacker, god game, and strategy elements. During the gameplay, the player can operate multiple programs through task managers and can upgrade his weapons and programs with earn points and rewards.

Civ 5 Mac Download

Explore the computer world and wipe out all virus infections to complete the level and progress. Darwinia offers the best mechanics, addictive gameplay, and stunning visuals.

5. The Sandbox

The Sandbox offers exciting, Pixel Graphics, Sandbox, Building, Crafting, Cross-Platform, and Single-player Simulation created and published by Pixowl Inc. The game lets you assume the role of the lord and allows you to create and destroy what you want.

You can create different buildings with different blocks and craft items, weapons, and other things. Control pixel character and fight against enemies in your way to become the master. The game consists of fourteen different and allows you avatars to complete each one by achieving objectives.

It includes new vicious enemies such as a Mummy, a Slime, a Predator, and a Grunt Soldier. You have to survive in this horror world, which is full of many enemies, obstacles, and more. Explore different landscapes or design your own, various chemical reactions, compose your chiptunes, and more.

The game includes core features such as up to 200 Elements to Combine, 20 superb Campaigns, Intelligent Life Form, interactive Bodies, Craft World, etc. With addictive and wholly immersive gameplay, brilliant mechanics, and excellent pixel visuals, The Sandbox is the best game as compared to other god games. Try it out, and you’ll surely enjoy it.

6. Godus

Godus is a Fantasy-based, Strategy and Single-player video game developed and published by 22Cans. In this game, the ultimate task of the player is to use his strategy and create tents to progress.

At the start, the player can create a tent for those people who were rescued from drowning. As the game advances, the player can breed his work to help himself during the gameplay. It allows the player to explore the massive world, interact with the environment, collect numbers of resources, and complete challenging tasks to progress.

The game offers excellent gameplay, offering brilliant mechanics to immerse the player deep into the brilliant world full of challenges. The gameplay consists of several levels, and each level of the game offers more enjoyable gameplay than the last one.

Godus offers the most prominent features such as unlockable achievements, Upgrades, simple controls, and collectible items. With quite addictive gameplay, a well-written storyline, and beautiful visual details, Godus is an excellent game to play and enjoy.

7. Species: Artificial Life, Real Evolution

Species: Artificial Life, Real Evolution is an Action, Role-playing, RTS and Single-player Life-Simulation. The game is a base on three major principles of life and Evolution such as Mutation that tell the difference between children and parents, Variation that is written by genes and state of every creature and last one is Natural Selection that teaches the creatures who to survive in all kind of environment. It is an excellent game for that player who wants to learn about nature. In this competition, the player can control each and everything such a Sun, Moon, Day and Night, Human, Insects, and Trees, etc. The game offers the verity of levels, and each level of the game offers different and more enjoyable gameplay of the last one. Species: Artificial Life, Real Evolution offers addictive gameplay, enjoyable background music, easy controls and brilliant graphics details.

8. Civilization: Beyond Earth

Civilization: Beyond Earth is a 4X Turn-based Strategy, Single and Multiplayer video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K Games. The game takes place in the futuristic setting, where the human approaches the space to find new colonies to settle.

According to the plot, the Earth becomes uninhabitable because of a disaster called the Great Mistake. The player plays the game on hexagonal-based gird that iterating the ideas which building upon the engine of its predecessor.

The gameplay is different from the previous title, Civilization series. It allows the player to select the Advance Empire led by the advance figure, each with a unique personality. The game consists of a variety of missions, and each offers different tasks to complete.

In the beginning, the player has few resources. But after the progress, the player can unlock extra stuff to develop new units and buildings, which makes the game more exciting and enjoyable. Civilization: Beyond Earth features a well-written storyline, excellent visual details, simple controls, and enhanced game mechanics.

9. Spore

Spore is an Open World, Sandbox, Sci-fi, Strategy, and Single-player Simulation developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. The game provides you with action role-playing, real-time strategy, and combat elements and lets you control the development of a species.

You must explore the spacefaring culture and developed social and intelligent creature. The game takes place in the procedurally generated world and consists of various stages. Develop a species from its beginning as a microscopic organism into a complex animal.

Each stage of the game offers a different playing style that you enjoy. The game has the primary condition to win; the player must reach a massive black hole situated at the center of the galaxy and receive a staff of life.

Complete challenging levels earn experience points and progress in the game. The game consists of various stages, and each has its playing style with different tasks to achieve. With the best mechanics, addictive gameplay, brilliant visuals, and immersive story, Spore is a beautiful game to play and enjoy.

More About Civilization

Civilization is an Action, Strategy, Turn-based, and Single-player video game developed by MPS Labs and published by MicroProse. The game lets the player get into the role of the ruler of an Empire.

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In the game, the player will start with one little shelter, and his goal is to build a massive empire against two or six other Civilization. The player must play strategically, explore the game world, take a decision about where to create new villages, and construct units to defend them.

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The game offers the combination of RTS, RPG, and combat elements and lets the player fight against other Civilizations and defeat them to loot their resources. With the best mechanics, addictive gameplay, brilliant visuals, and fantastic sounds, Civilization is the best game to play and enjoy.