Anno 1602: Creation of a New World is a real time strategy set in the Early Modern era. In the game, players must build a city and manage resources while trading, exploring lands, and battling enemies. It is an economic-oriented game where the main goal is to develop the different islands. Players start the game by controlling an unnamed territory. The first mission is to look for an island to colonize. The game has a tutorial scenario where players can learn how to play the game.
After choosing a character name, players can then select one of four banner colors to represent the nation. Users can then choose a scenario to play, or play the free play mode. As the game progresses, players must upgrade buildings and perform upgrades in order to meet the citizens’ needs. This also progresses the nation’s economy. As the population grows, more buildings become available to the player. Constructing these buildings is essential to bring in more money to the colony.
Anno 1602 comes with a Scenario Builder. This tool is used for creating customized scenes that can be played with the game. The game can be played in multiplayer mode through a network or online. Up to four players can engage in the game at the same time.