The best city building games emerged in 1989 with the release of the legendary SimCity by Maxis studio. This game changed the way games were played and became a worldwide hit very quickly, making it one of the most famous games of all time. Even though SimCity was the first of its kind, it was hard for the brand to stay popular over time.
When the fifth installment came out in 2013, die-hard fans didn’t care much for it. One of the main complaints was that the game’s mechanics were too easy compared to those of its predecessors. Also, players felt like their big ideas couldn’t be fully realized because their cities were too small. Fans have heard rumors about a possible continuation of the series, but nothing concrete has come out yet. Below we have mentioned the best city building games.
Best City Building Games comparison table
| Game | Genre | Mode | Price | Official Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Cities VR | City-building | Single-player | $19.99 | Visit Website |
| Timberborn | City-building | Single-player | $29.99 | Visit Website |
| The Architect: Paris | City-building | Single-player | $39.99 | Visit Website |
| Cities XL | City-building | Single-player | $9.99 | Visit Website |
| Against The Storm | City-building | Single-player | $14.99 | Visit Website |
| Kingdoms Reborn | City-building | Single-player | $24.99 | Visit Website |
Little Cities VR
Features
- Building a city in virtual reality.
- Detailed cityscapes make for an immersive experience.
- Realistic relationships based on physics.
- Cities that can be changed and have different buildings and sites.
- City growth and managing resources make for a fun game.
One of the best things about city builders is that they let you make big, beautiful towns that you’d love to live in. With virtual reality, Little Cities brings you right into the city you build, so you can see how it works up close. It has all the things you’d expect from a city builder, like putting down roads and deciding where buildings go, but it takes immersion to a whole new level.
With the Little Citizens update, you’ll be able to talk to the people who live in your city, which makes the game even more immersive. You can wave at them and watch them go about their day, whether they’re doing something exciting like skiing or hot air ballooning or just taking a break to eat their lunch. Currently, this is one of the best city building games for android and iPhone you can download now.
Pros
- Immersive virtual reality experience
- Unique and charming art style
- Hands-on city building mechanics
Cons
- Requires VR equipment to play
- May have performance issues on lower-end systems
Timberborn
Features
- A unique city-building game with a beaver theme.
- As a group of beavers, you can build a strong society.
- Management of water that changes over time.
- Resource chains and building systems are hard to understand.
- Focus on finding a balance between surviving and staying alive.
Most of the time, people build and live in cities. In Timberborn, settlements are built by beavers, which you control. It’s your job to guide these furry animals as they build houses, gather resources, and do what beavers do best: build dams. As you might expect, water is a very important part of the game. This is one of the ways that Timberborn is different from other city builders. The game is still in Early Access, but it has a loyal following and a lot of good reviews. Thus, this is one of the best city building games you can download now.
Pros
- Innovative concept of building cities with beavers
- Detailed and customizable building options
- Dynamic environment and resource management
Cons
- Limited replayability due to lack of diverse scenarios
- Steeper learning curve for new players
- Some players may find the beaver theme less appealing
The Architect: Paris
Features
- A game about building up the beautiful city of Paris.
- Recreate and build landmarks and monuments that are well known.
- Building styles and design can be changed in many ways.
- Be true to history and pay attention to the details.
- Take care of city functions, infrastructure, and transportation.
The Architect: Paris is a very different kind of city builder, but it will appeal to gamers who care a lot about details and the way things look. In this game, you can change everything about buildings, from their heights to their awnings and plants. In reality, The Architect: Paris is more of a city designer game than a city builder game, but it has a unique take on the genre. It can take hours of your time because it makes you think creatively and want to be perfect. Currently, this is one of the best city building games you can download now.
Pros
- Focuses on building and managing a historically significant city
- Beautiful and realistic depiction of Paris
- Offers educational value and cultural immersion
Cons
- Limited scope compared to other city building games
- Less emphasis on complex city management mechanics
- May appeal more to fans of Paris or architecture enthusiasts
Cities XL
Features
- Large-scale game about building cities with a focus on city growth.
- There are huge areas and many ways to build.
- Graphics that are detailed and look real.
- Managing the business and infrastructure is a complex task.
- Players can work together to build a city with this feature.
Cities XL should be on this list just because it was so ambitious back when it came out. At first glance, it looked like a simple city-building game, but it also had an online multiplayer part that was, to say the least, interesting. Cities XL also let players talk to each other on a planet that stayed the same. Each player owns a city, and each player can even trade with other players. In this way, each player runs a virtual world.
Sadly, this online service was shut down a few months later, and Cities XL went from being a city-building MMO to just being a single-player game. Even so, it was a big deal at the time and one of the best city-building games before SimCity and Cities: Skylines made 3D city-building games better. Still, this is one of the best city building games you can download now.
Pros
- Large variety of buildings and structures to choose from
- Extensive city customization options
- Supports multiplayer gameplay
Cons
- Performance issues and optimization problems
- Lack of depth in gameplay mechanics
- Limited modding community and support
Against The Storm
Features
- Post-apocalyptic game about making cities and staying alive.
- Rebuild society after a storm that caused a lot of damage.
- Weather and the way the world works are hard.
- Exploration and getting resources.
- Making strategic decisions and growing a city.
Roguelikes are very popular right now, and you can mix them with just about any other type of game. In Against the Storm, roguelike progression and city building are mixed with a little bit of fantasy for good measure. This game is very interesting. Making a city builder into a “just one more game” experience works very well, and the fact that the game is random means you won’t get bored quickly. Even though it is still in Early Access, it feels like a full, well-rounded experience. Currently, this is one of the best city building games for iPhone and android you can download now.
Pros
- Unique blend of city building and tower defense mechanics
- Challenging gameplay with strategic elements
- Atmospheric graphics and immersive setting
Cons
- Limited content and progression options
- Some players may find the tower defense aspect distracting
- Steep difficulty curve may discourage casual players
Kingdoms Reborn
Features
- A mix of a survival game, a city-building game, and a strategy game.
- Build and run a country from the Middle Ages.
- Focus on balancing the production of resources, the economy, and the growth of the people.
- Events that change and problems to solve.
- Find out about new technologies and open new buildings and improvements.
Kingdoms Reborn is a city-building game that is mostly about managing your resources and making the lives of your people better. You are in charge of where they live, making sure they have food and nice things, and growing your territory to attract more people. Overall, this is one of the best city building games you can download now.
Kingdoms Reborn is an interesting game because it can be played online with other people on the same map at the same time. You can play cooperatively by giving gifts and making plans to share resources, or you can play competitively by cornering the global markets or showing off your power with the game’s basic military mechanics. It’s a fun game that’s even better when you play with a friend.
Pros
- Deep and complex city building mechanics
- Dynamic economy and resource management
- Engaging progression system and tech tree
Cons
- Lack of tutorial or guidance for new players
- Some players may find the UI and controls unintuitive
- Performance issues reported by some players
FAQs
SimCity is a well-known series of games where players build and run their own cities. It has many realistic simulation elements, such as zoning areas for residential, commercial, and industrial development, running public services, balancing budgets, and meeting the needs and wants of the city’s people.
Cities: Skylines became popular because it had a large modding community, complex city planning mechanics, and simulation features that were true to life. It gives players a wide range of tools to build and run their cities, such as road networks, public transportation, city policies, and city services.
Anno 1800 is known for taking place in the past and putting a lot of focus on trade and the economy. It takes place in the 19th century and has a very detailed world where players must build and grow their cities, set up trade routes, do diplomacy, and manage their resources to do well in an industrial age.
