How to play Anno 1404 on Mac

PlatformsComputer

Game summary

Anno 1404 is a city-building and economic simulation game with real-time strategy elements. Released in 2009, it was developed by Related Designs, produced by Blue Byte, and published by Ubisoft. Though the game centers on a series of fictional events, the overall concept of the storyline is based upon real life aspects of medieval and renaissance history such as the Crusades, advancements in gothic architecture, construction of cathedrals, and hanseatic trade involving the rise of patrician merchants and early forms of capitalism.
First released: Jun 2009

Play Anno 1404 on Mac with Parallels (virtualized)

The easiest way to play Anno 1404 on a Mac is through Parallels, which allows you to virtualize a Windows machine on Macs. The setup is very easy and it works for Apple Silicon Macs as well as for older Intel-based Macs.

Parallels supports the latest version of DirectX and OpenGL, allowing you to play the latest PC games on any Mac. The latest version of DirectX is up to 20% faster.

Our favorite feature of Parallels Desktop is that when you turn off your virtual machine, all the unused disk space gets returned to your main OS, thus minimizing resource waste (which used to be a problem with virtualization).

Anno 1404 installation steps for Mac

Step 1
Go to Parallels.com and download the latest version of the software.
Step 2
Follow the installation process and make sure you allow Parallels in your Mac’s security preferences (it will prompt you to do so).
Step 3
When prompted, download and install Windows 10. The download is around 5.7GB. Make sure you give it all the permissions that it asks for.
Step 4
Once Windows is done installing, you are ready to go. All that’s left to do is install Anno 1404 like you would on any PC.
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🕹 Editor's notes

The Anno series of city-building games has brought another wonderful edition in the form of Anno 1404, termed Dawn of Discovery, in North America. Anno 1404 features a massive simulation of sea trading, land-exploring, and city-building activities that culminate in you becoming of the most influential characters in the world. 

Explore the seas and find new lands ripe for settlement. Build towns and grow communities from scratch and elevate them into medieval metropolitan cities booming with infrastructure, commerce, and life. This is world building simulation that you do not want to miss! 

Plot

Anno 1404 lets you embark on a quest for world supremacy through trade, development, commerce, or war. The game has an interesting campaign mode featuring plenty of well-written characters that add much flare to the story. 

Encounter imperial officials, noble lords, crusaders, and viziers as you navigate the political landscape of this highly detailed medieval setting. Enlist yourself in a grand crusade that will take you to the edge of the world and draw you into a plot to overthrow the emperor. Anno 1404 is everything you can expect from a world-building simulator and much more!

Gameplay

Dawn of Discovery maintains the golden standard of the Anno series and offers captivating gameplay that immerses you in the world. Players can delve into the exciting campaign or choose from six sandbox modes that provide loads of strategy-based fun. 

Explore a collection of maps with varying objectives and difficulties. Start off small and work to establish colonies that expand into commercial hubs, or go big with the imperator mode and overcome massive challenges that force you to plan every move. Engage in explosive sea battles to assert your dominance while engaging with powerful AIs that create an exhilarating and complex ecosystem.

Games like Anno 1404 playable on Mac