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History in a browser tab

Three browser games
for collectors of empires

Some evenings call for a long game of plans and patience. Every pick on this shelf lets you shape a slice of history at no cost: one builds a tactical empire on a shared map, one carries a humble village through every age of history, and the last grows a Greek city-state across the islands. Each one opens in an ordinary browser window, and joining costs nothing.

Total Battle key art
01 · Strategy on an imperial scale

Total Battle

Grow a modest city into the capital of an empire, then raise an army of infantry, archers, riders and siege engines to command on a living map. Battles turn on choosing the right troops against each opponent, and clans co-operate to take on stronger enemies together.

Good for
Competitive players who enjoy matching troop types and planning ahead.
Typical session
Brief visits several times daily
Where it runs
Desktop browser, with a companion mobile app
Cost
Free of charge to begin, with optional purchases inside each game.
Your first session
  1. Keep your resource buildings upgraded before chasing a bigger army.
  2. Study which troops beat which; a balanced force wastes fewer soldiers.
  3. Join an active clan early, since members share help and hunt together.
Play Total Battle freeOpens totalbattle.com in a new tab
Forge of Empires key art
02 · Building a city across the ages

Forge of Empires

Begin among a few Stone Age huts and guide the settlement onward era by era, through the Bronze Age and the Middle Ages towards eras still to come. A research tree unlocks new buildings, while turn-based battles and guild expeditions add a tactical side.

Good for
Builders who love watching a settlement change across the centuries.
Typical session
10 to 20 minutes
Where it runs
Desktop browser, with a companion mobile app
Cost
Free of charge to begin, with optional purchases inside each game.
Your first session
  1. Set research paths with the next era in mind rather than chasing every unlock.
  2. Leave space for roads and growing buildings as each new age arrives.
  3. Help neighbours each day and join a guild for extra rewards and company.
Play Forge of Empires freeOpens forgeofempires.com in a new tab
Grepolis key art
03 · Strategy set in ancient Greece, with city-states

Grepolis

Settle a polis on a sunny Aegean island, earn the goodwill of the Olympian gods and build up both an army and a fleet. Mythical units and divine powers join the fight, and expanding to new islands means planning every voyage across the sea.

Good for
Fans of ancient myth who enjoy naval planning and alliance politics.
Typical session
A few check-ins spread through the day
Where it runs
Desktop browser, with a companion mobile app
Cost
Free of charge to begin, with optional purchases inside each game.
Your first session
  1. Choose your god with care; each one offers different powers and units.
  2. Build ships early, because islands can only be reached by sea.
  3. Find an alliance soon; a lone city is an easy target for neighbours.
Play Grepolis freeOpens us.grepolis.com in a new tab

Three titles, compared

Total BattleForge of EmpiresGrepolis
GenreStrategy on an imperial scaleBuilding a city across the agesStrategy set in ancient Greece, with city-states
PaceBrisk real timeSteady and unhurriedTimed in real hours
Fellow playersClans on a shared world mapGuilds and helpful neighboursAlliances spanning the islands
Typical sessionBrief visits several times daily10 to 20 minutesA few check-ins spread through the day
Where it runsDesktop browser, with a companion mobile appDesktop browser, with a companion mobile appDesktop browser, with a companion mobile app
CostFree of charge to begin, with optional purchases inside each game.Free of charge to begin, with optional purchases inside each game.Free of charge to begin, with optional purchases inside each game.

What ‘free to play’ means in this wing

Signing up for each of them is free, and months of play need not cost a cent. No core part of any game sits behind a payment wall.

Every studio runs a shop inside its game that sells premium currency, decorations and speed-ups. Lots of players ignore it entirely; where children use the same computer, capping purchases in the studio settings is worth doing.

Your first evening in each world

Each button below a game leads to the official studio home in a new browser tab. Sign up on that page, most often with just an email, and a first capital appears within a minute or two.

Each game begins with a guided introduction. Complete that tour during the first session, as it explains resources, building and co-operation step by step.

Making room for play in a busy week

These empires do not pause when you leave. Construction completes, research advances and troops travel with the tab closed, so checking in each morning and evening keeps everything moving.

Use short visits for routine jobs: collect finished goods, start the next build and reply to your clan, guild or alliance. Save longer sessions for big choices such as a new campaign, a fresh district or an expedition across the sea.

Keeping your account secure

Logins are held by each studio, so a password should only ever be entered on the official studio website. Pick a separate password per game, and add a second login check where the studio allows one.

Real support staff will never request your password by chat or email. Anyone promising premium currency for your login details is after the account, not offering a gift.

Why these three earned a place in the display case

  • An ordinary computer browser is all any of them needs; no launcher has to be fetched beforehand.
  • Signing up is free, and every part of the game can be enjoyed without spending; the shop is purely optional.
  • Buildings, research and armies keep moving while you are away, so a brief visit still pushes things forward.
  • All three have run for many years, with large player communities and studios that keep adding new content.

Nothing is required. A desktop browser handles each game, and every studio also publishes an app for phones.

Yes. Registration costs nothing, play costs nothing, and each in-game store can be ignored.

No. Independent studios build and run them; our buttons simply lead to each official website.

No. Separate studios publish them, which means a separate sign-up for each title.

Construction, study and troop movements continue in your absence; dropping by twice a day is enough.

Forge of Empires, with its steady city growth through the eras. Total Battle suits players after tactical fights, and Grepolis fits those who enjoy island diplomacy.

Yes. Look for clans in Total Battle, guilds in Forge of Empires and alliances in Grepolis; each lets a group of friends band together.