Following the previous installment, the game returns to the series' traditional city-building and ocean combat mechanics, but introduces new aspects of gameplay, such as tourism, blueprinting, and the effects of industrialisation influences on island inhabitants.

While it is set in the context of colonial trade, the featured architecture is Victorian Era and the economic engine is factory labour.

The core gameplay of Anno 1800 takes place in the Old World, where the needs of the citizens, workers and artisans are central to the management of production and supply chains.

Unlike its colonial 18th century predecessor Anno 1701, the game has a blueprint feature[3] that helps the player to plan out the city.

Like Anno 2205, the game features multisession gameplay, though unlike its predecessor, combat and city-building sessions are not separated.

[7] It helps the player by allowing them to plan out their city with silhouetted blueprint buildings, without immediately spending valuable resources on actually constructing them.

Seat of Power lets the player choose which policies will influence the settlements in the vicinity of a palace.

In Land of Lions the player is challenged with exploring a desert, navigate social class and build an irrigation system to counter water shortage.