Clash of Clans is one of those madly addicting mobile games that will make you roam the internet in search of a PC version. If that’s why you’re here, I have good and bad news.
The bad is Clash of clans has not made it to PC and Mac platforms yet. The good is you can use Bluestacks 4 as a workaround. Bluestacks is an android emulator – a program that allows you to play android apps on your computer. The latest edition of Bluestacks comes in Windows and Mac versions, meaning you can command your Clash of Clan troops from a PC or a Mac.
After installing Bluestacks 4, you will be prompted to set up your google account. This is important because you will need it to access google play store services. Setting up your account will also help you retrieve your CoC base in case you want to continue from where you left.
Requirements for Playing Clash of Clans in Bluestacks 4
The oldest supported operating systems are Windows 7 or Mac OS Sierra. So any OS released after that will do just fine.
The CPU requirements are not very specific as any recent AMD or Intel processor will get the job done. However, a computer with multiple CPU cores will guarantee a smoother gaming experience.
For demonstration purposes, I used an old Dell workstation with a quad-core Intel Xeon E31225 CPU (3.1GHz), 6GB of RAM, and an Nvidia Quadro k620 card with 2GB of VRAM.
I have used Bluestacks on devices with as little as 4GB of RAM, but this is barely enough if you’re looking to play games like clash of Clans. The recommended minimum for those who want to play android games should be 8GB. Serious gamers should aim for 16GB.
The screenshot below shows the average RAM usage on my PC during a CoC game. It never exceeded the 5GB mark.
If your PC has a dedicated GPU, that’s a plus. Bluestacks allows you to tweak and optimize your graphics settings for gaming. You can select the preferred graphics card as well as the number of CPU cores to exploit.
To avoid hiccups, make sure that your PC or Mac is running the latest graphics drivers.
Why play Clash of Clans on PC?
The obvious reason for wanting to play an android game on a PC is to have a fuller experience.
A computer displays Clash of Clans on a wider interface. This is not only visually satisfying but also convenient if you want to keep an eye on all activities in your game scene.
Add that to the amusement of listening to the comical sound effects of Clash of Clans on a vivid speaker system.
There are many more reasons to consider. Perhaps Clash of Clans is draining your phone battery; maybe you lost your phone but don’t want to miss the next clan battle. In any case, gaming on a PC always feels different.
Controls
When I installed Clash of Clans on PC for the first time, I did not make any customizations to the controls. It was easy to figure out how things worked.
After a few failed trials, I could zoom in and out of the game by holding down the CTRL button and scrolling the mouse wheel. The rest was a matter of clicking and dragging.
If you don’t like the way things are set up, you can override the default control settings through the Bluestacks sidebar tool.
Just hover your cursor over each button to reveal its function. In Bluestacks 4, you can customize keyboard and gamepad controls, and access the game guides.
My experiences
Attack and defense strategies of CoC are still the center of fun, but with the PC version, you’re getting an enhanced graphical interface and better control of the game.
When I enabled full-screen mode on a 24-inch monitor, it felt as if I was playing a real CoC PC version. Every part of my base was clearly visible and there was no need for zooming when making an attack.
I also found it easier to control the game on a bigger screen. With a wider graphical interface, I made more accurate commands by directing the mouse pointer to where I needed it to be. In spite of that, using the mouse to control a game that requires you to click repeatedly for long periods can be discomforting. If you’re planning to play Clash of clans on PC for long, I’d recommend a gamepad. You can configure it with the help of BlueStacks Gamepad Support.
Apart from a more immersive display interface, I enjoyed smoother gameplay and clear audio, despite using an 8-year-old workstation.
Final word
You don’t need a real PC version of clash of Clans to enjoy the game on your computer. An android emulator such as Bluestacks will help you enter the PC space in no time.
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