Designed by Sid Meier and Bruce Shelley, the original Civilization is widely considered one of the most influential turn-based strategy games ever made. Civilization launched with many innovative features that persist in the series to this day.

Assuming the role of one of history's greatest leaders, chosen from a roster of 15, players guided their chosen civilizations from the dawn of recorded history circa 4000 BC all the way to the year 2100, by which time the game predicted that space voyages to Alpha Centauri will be a reality.

Being the first civilization to assemble a spaceship and complete that journey was one of three ways to achieve victory in the original Civilization. Other options included conquering every city belonging to other civilizations, and scoring the most points before the game ends after a predetermined number of turns or upon reaching the year 2100. Multiple paths to victory remain a defining part of what it means to be a Civilization game to this day.

Regardless of which victory type players pursued, every crucial economic, political, and military decision was theirs alone to make. Scientific advancements, wonders of the world, military strength, and population growth were just a few of the factors they had to consider while building an empire to stand the test of time.