I'm new to tropico, what game (4,5,6) should I play and why?

[SmokeNixon]

Can you guys help me out please?

[Kaihekoa]

Doesn't really matter, they're all the same concept. Buy the cheapest if you don't already have it. The newer ones have contracted DLC madness and should be avoided unless buying a complete edition at a reasonable price.

[City Builder]

I've played them all at one point or another and this is my opinion.
Play 5 first and 6th second. 4 was pretty good back in the day but it's not aged nearly as well as I would have hoped (yeah I know... That could drum up some hate since many see 4 as the absolute best)

My reasoning for that is that (for me) I keep trying to play 5 again but after playing 6 it feels uncomfortable to play 5 again. I won't comment the pro's and con's for each game, only say that there are many QOL improvements in 6 that make it feel clumsy for me to replay 5 again.

[Kunovega]

Start at the beginning, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

[JVC]

1-3 haven't aged well. If in doubt, start with no. 5 or 4.

[beardog]

6 is the best,
5 is like 6 but not so good
4 has not some features comparing to 6, but is good itself

[Kunovega]

Originally posted by beardog:

6 is the best,
5 is like 6 but not so good
4 has not some features comparing to 6, but is good itself

4 has better personality and background customization for el presidente, you can change how you approach the game in a wider variety of ways

4 has the most trees and decorations to customize the island of any in the series, not just premade parks

4 is the last one with granular pay and rent giving you full customizable ability to dictate who makes what and where they can afford to live

4 you were not just a true dictator but you could be any dictator you wanted to be and decorate your island how you wanted

6 you are always the same and your in game options are limited to one style of dictator and you can't decorate your island with interesting gimmicks

[Dark Sun Gwyndolin]

I've found that I struggle to enjoy old games, so for me it's a choice between 5 and 6, maybe 4. Tropico 6 is a bit too expensive for me to drop cash without having played the series before, so I'd be choosing between 5 (newer) and 4 (can get all the DLC for cheap). And then, if I like it, I'd get 6 on a future sale.

[raki-can]

steam is now a summer sale, have you bought one (or all?) yet?
If you are still lost, I recommend Tropico 5.
Because management of entertainment and welfare is simplified and easy for beginners to understand.
Many people find this to be boring and unsatisfactory, but for beginners it will work just like a tutorial.
If you play this and feel that you are not good enough, you may want to purchase Tropico 4 or Tropico 6.

[76561198051514398]

5 is the one I had the most fun with, 4 is pretty good but has a lot of annoying issues and is lower scaled compared to 5 and 6, 6 is like a mix of 4 and 5.

[The Sandal Bomber ™©]

Originally posted by raki-can:

steam is now a summer sale, have you bought one (or all?) yet?
If you are still lost, I recommend Tropico 5.
Because management of entertainment and welfare is simplified and easy for beginners to understand.
Many people find this to be boring and unsatisfactory, but for beginners it will work just like a tutorial.
If you play this and feel that you are not good enough, you may want to purchase Tropico 4 or Tropico 6.

This 5 feels like it plays a lot easier for newer people to Tropico. T6 has some nice improvements but i didnt enjoy the split islands made it harder to manage as a newer player.

[FirestormMk3]

I can't speak too well on six as while I've watched it it's the only one I haven't played. Personally I'd recommend 4 with all DLC as it's the most feature complete Tropico to date. In fact, outside of the whole "multiple tiny islands" and public transportation aspects almost every "new" feature in 6 is something that was in 4 and stripped out for 5. 4 still gives you the most control over your economy and government if you want to excercise it (you can also do things in pretty broad strokes like 5 but you don't have to) and is the last one where you can implement a fully socialist government and classless society where all needs are provided by the state and income levels are equal.

Scrolling up after typing all that I can see the OP has already purchased 5, but I'd still consider asking this question in the other Tropico forums and considering 4 even after 5. I honestly believe that outside of the grid placement system and era system you'll find 4 to be a step-up in complexity and satisfaction from 5. I still consider it to be the high-point of the series - each game got better up through 4 with Modern Times and then 5 (espiecially before DLC) for the first time took a step back.