Here in this post, I have explained how to play Stronghold Crusader on Mac M1, M2, or M3.
The best castle-building and strategy game, Stronghold Crusader, can be easily played on Apple’s Mac systems. I tested the game on a Macbook Air M1 with 8 GB RAM and the Stronghold Crusader HD ran smoothly with Parallels Desktop and CrossOver with no issues.
Methods to Play Stronghold Crusader on Mac (M1, M2, or M3)
You can play Stronghold on Mac with either Parallels desktop or Crossover. Here I have explained each method with simple steps along with my recommendations.
Parallel Desktop
The Parallels desktop allows you to install virtual Windows on your Mac. The latest version also is compatible with the new MacOS Sonama, which is a huge benefit.
- Download and Install Parallels Desktop.
- Run Parallels Desktop.
- Install Stronghold Crusader HD from Steam.
- Download and Install Game Rangers(for Multiplayer).
- Play and enjoy.
Parallels Desktop allows you to install any updates or patches for Stronghold Crusader HD, the same as running on Windows on a PC. That is the reason the application can any version of Stronghold on Mac, which includes:
- Stronghold: Crusader.
- Stronghold Crusader II.
- Stronghold Crusader Extreme.
- Stronghold.
- Stronghold 2.
- Stronghold Legends.
- Stronghold Kingdoms.
- Stronghold 3.
- Stronghold WarLords
CrossOver
CrossOver deploys more of the game-ported approach. Many games can be played on Mac perfectly via CrossOver.
Follow the steps below to play Stronghold Crusader on Mac with Crossover:
- Install and Download CrossOver.
- Run CrossOver.
- Install and Run Steam.
- Install Stronghold Crusader or any other Stronghold franchise game you want to play.
- That’s it.
CrossOver is a good option if you don’t want to spend too much on Parallels Desktop. It will cost you quite less but comes with some limitations.
Note: Stronghold Crusader 2 and WarLords can be played online on Steam using CrossOver.
Limitations:
- Stronghold Crusader HD can not be played online multiplayer as it needs a separate program, Game Rangers, to allow it to run.
- Secondly, the game can only be installed via Steam. If you have setup files downloaded from torrent or anywhere else, then they can be installed on Parallel Desktop, but not on CrossOver.
Bottom Line
If you want to play Stronghold on a Mac with M1, M2, or M3 processors, I recommend using Parallels Desktop. This software allows you to install GameRanger for playing Stronghold’s multiplayer mode. For single-player skirmish mode, however, I suggest using CrossOver as it is a cheaper option for a yearly license.