History Main / FourX

* ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders''

* ''VideoGame/SpellforceConquestOfEo''

* ''VideoGame/{{SpellforceConquestOfEo}}''

* ''VideoGame/{{Empire}}'' (a.k.a. ''Classic Empire'')

* Creator/FantasyFlightGames brought out a [[RecursiveAdaptation board game version]] of ''Sid Meier's Civilization'' in 2010, designed by Kevin Wilson. The game remains mostly faithful to its PC counterpart, with production, research, combat, multiple victory conditions and a hidden map to explore, while condensing the whole experience to around 4 hours.
* ''TabletopGame/TwilightImperium'' is basically ''Master of Orion'' as a boardgame.
* ''Eclipse'' is a similar space based 4X game, which has the, highly relative, distinction as a simplified, faster version of games like ''Twilight Imperium''.
* ''Empires of the Void'' is another Space 4X boardgame, though as one reviewer points out, it lacks the eXploration component because the entire map is visible from the beginning of the game.

[[index]]

* ''VideoGame/CivilizationBeyondEarth'', spin-off of ''Civilization V'' and SpiritualSuccessor to ''Videogame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri''.

* ''Videogame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri'' is the [[SpiritualSuccessor spiritual "sequel"]] to ''Civilization'' [-[[RecycledInSpace IN SPACE!]]-]. The game's tagline is "Explore. Discover. Build. Conquer." They even managed to integrate that into the gameplay on a second level: Technologies are divided into types (Explore=scout/exploration/environmental technologies, Discover=pure science, Build=industrial technologies, Conquer=military tech) and a player can have the AI "Governor" of any given base focus on one or more tracks if he/she doesn't care for micromanaging.
** This game is also a bit rare among 4Xs for having a general plot. Through quotes when you construct structures, research technologies, and complete projects (Wonders), a loosely connected story is told, and a canon game progression is hinted at.

* ''Videogame/StarDrive'' is a realtime example.

** ''Videogame/StarRuler2'' refines the 4X mechanics of the first game.

* ''VideoGame/{{1995}}'' is a turn-based 4X space game released in 1995 for Windows 3.11 that continues to have a strong following online.

* ''VideoGame/1995'' is a turn-based 4X space game released in 1995 for Windows 3.11 that continues to have a strong following online.

* ''VideoGame/{{Reunion}}''

The '''[=4Xs=]''' are a subgenre of the [[StrategyGame strategy games]]. The name comes from the 4 "X"'s that comprise a summary of the genre's gameplay:

* ''VideoGame/{{Stars}}'' is a turn-based 4X space game released in 1995 for Windows 3.11 that continues to have a strong following online.

* ''VideoGame/EmpireEarth 2'' combines many 4X elements with RealTimeStrategy using TechTrees and civilization-specific wonders.

* ''Old World'' (formerly known as ''10 Crowns'')

* VideoGame/{{Avorion}}

Gameplay is usually either [[RealTimeStrategy real-time]] or [[TurnBasedStrategy turn-based]]. ''Sid Meier's VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' is one of most famous exemplars of the latter, while probably the best-known of the former is the ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpires'' series. GrandStrategy evolved from this genre, and the easiest way to distinguish them is when any of the big X is reformulated or even absent.

* ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpires'' is a RealTimeStrategy variation.
* ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders'', a SpiritualSuccessor to ''VideoGame/MasterOfMagic''.

Gameplay is usually either [[RealTimeStrategy real-time]] or [[TurnBasedStrategy turn-based]]. ''Sid Meier's VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' is one of most famous exemplars of the latter, while probably the best-known of the former is the ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpires'' series.

* ''VideoGame/CrusaderKings'' and its sequels are "grand strategy" games in a medieval setting, but the significant RPGElements give it a significantly stronger emphasis on politics (both domestic and foreign) than is typical. Notably, every character in the game has a full statblock and opinions of every other character, and the game is heavily driven by RandomEvents.

* ''VideoGame/RiseOfNations'', created when its developers realized they wanted a RealTime ''Civilization'' game.[[labelnote:*]]Just to be clear, that means you can go from throwing sticks to nuclear bombers in half an hour, not that it takes 5000 years to play a game.[[/labelnote]] It's a RealTimeTactics game (with a turn-based RiskStyleMap in campaign mode), but covers a lot of the same ground.

* ''VideoGame/PathfinderKingmaker'' is a hybrid of a 4X game and an isometric TabletopGame/D20System RPG. The majority of gameplay is the latter, but a significant chunk of playtime is devoted to the construction and expansion of the PlayerCharacter's barony into an independent kingdom, from town planning to making policy decisions like annexing and improving provinces, though most of the "explore" and "exterminate" components are handled on the RPG side.

* ''VideoGame/RiseOfNations'', created when its developers realized they wanted a RealTime ''Civilization'' game.[[labelnote:*]]Just to be clear, that means you can go from throwing sticks to nuclear bombers in half an hour, not that it takes 5000 years to play a game.[[/labelnote]] It's an RTS with a RiskStyleMap, but covers a lot of the same ground.

The '''4X's''' are a subgenre of the [[StrategyGame strategy games]]. The name comes from the 4 "X"'s that comprise a summary of the genre's gameplay:

* ''VideoGame/Humankind'': A human history based game from the makers of the endless series.