The Settlers II: 2 Open Source Clones Compared
Return to the Roots aims to be a faithful reproduction of the original Settlers II, reusing the original's graphics and sound, which means it requires a copy of The Settlers 2 Gold Edition's DATA and GFX files to run. Widelands took a different path: inspired by Settlers II but built into a structurally different game with its own free assets, no original files needed, and Lua-scripted mod support for custom scenarios that Return to the Roots does not offer.
Comparison table
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Linux, Windows, OSX
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Active
- Last updated
- today
- Stars
- 3,061
- Contributors
- 178
- License
- GPL-2.0
- Engine
- —
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- NoWidelands is a free and open-source game with its own original assets.
- Modding support
- YesScenarios can be scripted using Lua; see documentation at https://www.widelands.org/documentation/lua_index/
- Multiplayer
- Multiplayer
Availability
- Status
- Playable
- Platforms
- Windows, Linux, OSX
- Play in browser
- No
- Mobile
- No
Project health
- Development status
- Active
- Last updated
- 5d ago
- Stars
- 588
- Contributors
- 69
- License
- GPL-2.0
- Engine
- SDL2
Compatibility
- Requires original assets
- YesThe original The Settlers 2 Gold Edition is required; DATA and GFX folders must be copied from the original game.
- Modding support
- —
- Multiplayer
- Online
| Title | Widelands | Return to the Roots |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Playable | Playable |
| Platforms | Linux, Windows, OSX | Windows, Linux, OSX |
| Play in browser | No | No |
| Mobile | No | No |
| Project health | ||
| Development status | Active | Active |
| Last updated | today | 5d ago |
| Stars | 3,061 | 588 |
| Contributors | 178 | 69 |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Engine | — | SDL2 |
| Compatibility | ||
| Requires original assets | NoWidelands is a free and open-source game with its own original assets. | YesThe original The Settlers 2 Gold Edition is required; DATA and GFX folders must be copied from the original game. |
| Modding support | YesScenarios can be scripted using Lua; see documentation at https://www.widelands.org/documentation/lua_index/ | — |
| Multiplayer | Multiplayer | Online |
| Preview | | |
Frequently asked questions
Are the The Settlers II clones on this page open source?
Yes — every clone catalogued here is an open-source project. Availability, license, and development-status details for each one are listed in the comparison table above.
What license do these The Settlers II clones use?
Widelands and Return to the Roots (GPL-2.0).
Do I need to own the original The Settlers II to play these clones?
Widelands runs standalone, no original files needed; Return to the Roots requires original game assets to play.
Which The Settlers II clone is the most actively maintained?
Widelands and Return to the Roots are currently under active development, based on recent commit activity. See the "Development status" row above for every clone's current status.
See the full write-up for each clone, or go back to The Settlers II.