City Builder games are ones that take time and patience to play, but that is the fun of them. There are thousands of these games, and this list is a very difficult one to make. I basically found some of the best well-known city-builders and some of the best lesser-known ones.
I apologize in advance if any games that you like aren’t on this list, there are only so many games I can put on this list. Keep in mind that this list has a massive selection and not one game is the same as another. Also, show us in the comment section what your favorite game on this list is or any other similar games that you like to play.
10. Foundation
It is a grid-less, sprawling medieval city building simulation with a heavy focus on organic development, monument construction, and resource management. In it, the player must create a prosperous settlement as the newly appointed lord of the region.
As you grow your cities, the people will slowly learn more information and eventually start doing stuff on their own. There is also full modding support for anyone who gets bored of the normal gameplay.
The developers wanted to make a game that was similar to the Anno series if you know what that is. If you don’t I would recommend looking that up because I didn’t put those games on this list.
9. Northgard
It is a strategy game based on Norse mythology in which you control a clan of Vikings vying for the control of a mysterious newfound continent. As you build up your village, undead warriors, dire wolves, and many more enemies will come and attack you as you try to stay alive in this mythical strategy city-builder.
If you enjoy games that you need to think about what you are doing, then this game would most likely interest you. I enjoy mythology in games because it gets rid of the boring gameplay that many games have.
8. Two Point Hospital
It is a hospital simulator. Yes, I know what I said. It does not sound that interesting if you don’t know what it is about. It is actually funnier than you think. It is a hospital simulator with the goal of stopping weird illnesses.
It is a cartoon game and you need to cure illnesses like lightheadedness, but instead of the people being normal, they have light bulbs as heads. People having a Pandemic is them having a pan stuck on their heads. Yeah, it is probably much different than you imagined, but it definitely is a fun game to play. I told you there are a lot of different games on this list.
7. Dawn of Man
It is a game about you leading a group of prehistoric settlers who are trying to form a settlement and ensure their survival from the Paleolithic era until the Iron Age. You have to build and develop a settlement where their settlers can survive and have a constant supply of food, water, and, most importantly, clothing.
You are also responsible for guiding the settlers to create a self-sufficient settlement where they can extract resources easily and hunt food for living.
The settlers have to survive natural disasters such as blizzards and storms, use weapons to fend off raiders, and defend their settlement from animal attacks. It is definitely worth looking into if you like city-builders.
6. Surviving Mars
Surviving Mars is a sci-fi settlement builder all about colonizing Mars and surviving the process. Choose a space agency for resources and financial support before determining a location for your colony.
Build domes and infrastructure, research new possibilities, and utilize drones to unlock more elaborate ways to shape and expand your settlement. It is actually a pretty hard game so if you are gonna get it, make sure that you know that it is not easy. There is also a campaign that you can play through if you like that kind of thing.
5. Cities: Skylines
This game is probably the most well-known game on this list. If you are a fan of the acuity-builder genre, then most likely you will know what this game is. The game is a single-player open-ended city-building simulation. Players engage in urban planning by controlling zoning, road placement, taxation, public services, and public transportation of an area.
Players work to maintain various elements of the city, including its budget, health, employment, and pollution levels. Players are also able to maintain a city in a sandbox mode, which provides more creative freedom for the player. If you like city-builders, then this game is pretty much exactly what this genre entails.
4. Littlewood
It is a game about a small hero who has saved the world from a Dark Wizard. You are then tasked with rebuilding what is left and turning it into a thriving place for people to enjoy.
I have heard a lot of people say that this game reminds them a lot of a pixel animal crossing because of how relaxing and fun it is to play. There is not much more to say about this one other than smaller games like these are very underrated. It looks and feels a lot like that other game called Tinkertown that Casub put into our youtube short a few days ago. It is definitely a great small game.
3. Medieval Dynasty
It is a unique combination of multiple successful genres: Survival: The need to survive, feed and ensure survival through hunting, farming and cultivation of the land. Simulation: Create tools and weapons, construct and extend houses, stables and all manner of buildings as you grow an empire.
This game is different because it is actually in first person. This is the only game that you see and build everything from the eyes of the player. It definitely is a complicated game, but enjoyable because of the difficulty. It is a game worth looking into.
2. Frostpunk
It is a city-building survival game. Players take on the role of a leader in an alternate-history late 19th century, in which they must build and maintain a city during a worldwide volcanic winter, managing resources, making choices on how to survive, and exploring the area outside their city for survivors, resources, or other useful items.
You are pretty much the only living city alive and you must rely on the giant generator in the middle of your colony to keep you and your people alive from the cold. Along the way, you have to make important laws that will either make the people happy or benefit the colony as a whole. It definitely is a different type of city-builder.
1. Age of Empires III
Ok this is my favorite game on this list. For those of you who don’t know this game, the game portrays the European colonization of the Americas, between approximately 1492 and 1876 AD. There are fourteen civilizations to play within the game and they all have a specific look and flag to them.
There has also been a ton of DLCs added over the course of time that add even more tribes and countries to the roster. You can build up a village and go through all time periods. You can build up your army and have a massive war with other colonies or you can team up. I would say it is more of a strategy game, but it is worth putting on this list.
