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Romance of the Three Kingdoms
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Romance of the Three Kingdoms

electronic game series
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Article History

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, statistics-based strategy game series created in 1985 by Japanese electronic game developer Koei Co., Ltd. Romance features turn-based play, along with many unique features that set it apart from other war and conquest games. With releases across virtually every gaming medium, Romance of the Three Kingdoms is highly popular in Japan, South Korea, and the United States. It has political and historical themes rooted in China during the 2nd and 3rd centuries ce, when the land was divided between three large kingdoms (Shu, Wei, and Wu).

Romance is based on managing various statistics related to the cities and characters in the game. As the ruler of a Chinese kingdom, a player improves the kingdom’s statistics to effectively do battle with other kingdoms located on a historical map of China. Everything from loyalty to food storage to battle skills is weighed in the game, which requires patience and strategy. In Romance’s first release, players could assume only one role, but later releases offered the option of playing as an adviser, a prefect, a general, or a vassal. The time frame and political themes in the series are based on the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi yanyi), traditionally ascribed to Luo Guanzhong.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, with more than a dozen sequels, has been praised for the exceptional scope that it offers for skillful play, especially in multiplayer games.

This article was most recently revised and updated by William L. Hosch.