About this game
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is a PlayStation 2 game released in 2001, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, published by Konami. It is a real-time strategy.
Gallery
The Story Behind
The PlayStation 2 port was released exclusively in Europe and Japan on November 2, 2001, published by Konami through a cross-licensing agreement with Microsoft. The original Age of Empires II was designed for mouse and keyboard by Ensemble Studios in 1999; real-time strategy games demand swift micromanagement, selecting units by dragging a cursor, and clicking through menus simultaneously. KCET (Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo) adapted all of that control language to a DualShock analog stick, remade campaigns to fit stricter hardware limits, and cut forest density to balance the wood economy. A North American release never happened; the game reached only European and Japanese players.
Tricks & Tales
The Conquerors expansion released for PC in August 2000, a full year before this PlayStation 2 port; yet the PS2 version shipped with none of that expansion's civilizations, campaigns, or units. Player count was capped at four instead of eight. Forests were thinned across the maps, shifting the wood economy. Graphics and animations were visibly downgraded from the 1999 PC original. Reviews noted that the analog stick controls — moving a pointer-style cursor with an acceleration curve rather than 1:1 mouse tracking — worked better than expected for the genre, though the inherent gap between a controller and a mouse remained. A Dreamcast port by Konami was announced, then quietly canceled.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
The PS2 is region-locked. A machine and a disc must belong to the same region to work together: NTSC-J (Japan and parts of Asia), NTSC-U/C (North America), or PAL (Europe, Australia). A Japanese console plays Japanese games. It is also Japanese 100-volt hardware — a fat model used in North America's 120 volts or Europe's 220–240 needs a step-down transformer; the slim models use an external adapter that can be swapped for the right one. DVD films carry their own separate region code, fixed to the console as well.
Maintenance Tips
The PS2's most vulnerable part is its optical drive. The laser pickup weakens with age, producing the famous Disc Read Error — discs that load slowly, read intermittently, or read games but not DVDs (or the reverse). Keeping the vents and internal fan free of dust matters, especially on the larger 'fat' models, which run warmer. Replacement laser units are still made, but match the part number to your exact model before buying, as several incompatible types exist. DualShock 2 controllers commonly develop sticky or drifting analog sticks with age; the rubber and contacts wear, and both are repairable.
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings copies regularly.
Will a European or Japanese PlayStation 2 disc work on my North American PS2?
No. PlayStation 2 discs are region-locked — a European PAL copy of Age of Empires II will not run on a North American NTSC console, and the reverse is equally true. The game released in Europe and Japan only, with no North American release. To play a PAL disc, you need a European PlayStation 2, or a modified console with region-locking disabled. The disc itself is physically identical, but the console checks the region code and refuses to boot foreign software.
How should I clean a PlayStation 2 disc?
Wipe the disc gently from the center hole straight out toward the edge — never in circles. Use a soft microfiber cloth, dry or lightly dampened with water; isopropyl alcohol works for stubborn fingerprints. PlayStation 2 discs are dual-layer DVDs with data on both layers, making them more sensitive to scratches than CD-based PlayStation 1 discs. Store them upright in their cases, not stacked flat, and keep them out of direct sunlight.
Unexpected Discoveries
Games you weren't looking for — but might be glad you found.
Rooms this game lives in
Wander deeper — explore the themed rooms where Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings sits alongside its kin.
Memories from around the world
This is a young museum, and this page is still waiting for its first voices. The memories people send reach Taisei personally, and the ones that move him find a home here over time — always with the writer's blessing. Yours could be the very first for this game.
Share your memory ↑