System: Microsoft Xbox 360

Also available for: Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS

Publisher: 2K Games

Reviewer’s rating: ***1/2

ESRB rating: Everyone 10+

Game type: Turn-based strategy

Kind of like: “Sim City” if it was competitive.

Best feature: Complex but accessible gameplay.

Worst feature: Not as full-featured as PC games in the series.

The bottom line: Remember Pinky and The Brain, the genetically enhanced cartoon lab mice who tried to take over the world every night? This would be their favorite video game.

“Civilization Revolution” brings the popular PC series to the living room — for those aspiring tyrants who happen to be console gamers — with the same objective advertised on the original game’s box 17 years ago: “Build an empire to stand the test of time.”

The gameplay is streamlined, of course, and as a result the action moves at a brisk clip (which makes the strategy aspects that much more urgent and engrossing). You pick one of 16 historical civilizations to rule, and then guide your people and their settlements from pre-history to the space age in a matter of 2 to 3 hours. And because each game plays out so differently — from terrain’s layout to the historical timeline to the strengths of competing nations — the replay value is through the roof.

You can even conquer the world in a variety of ways — by capturing the capital cities of your rivals, by becoming an international economic powerhouse, by establishing a worldwide cultural influence, or by winning the space race. Naturally, developing and flexing your military muscle is the most fun.