City life isn't always a walk in the park; unless you're actually walking through a park. It's noisy, crowded, and commutes can be frustrating. If only there was a way to design the perfect city to end all your urban woes.

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Luckily, game designers feel your pain and for years they have provided us with an outlet to play a god and construct our very own utopias. Why brave the real streets when you can just build your own to go anywhere your heart desires? We've constructed our very own list of the best city-building games of all time so that you can find the ideal way to create a world of your very own.

Updated March X, 2024 by Jacqueline Zalace: City-building games can be a wonderful time sink, but sometimes, you just want a bit of variation. We understand this, so with this update, we've added a few new city-building games for you to try. Additionally, we've removed a few that no longer stack up against the others.

23 Little Cities VR

Little Cities - Player giving a thumbs up to a stadium

One of the most satisfying things about city builders is that they allow you to create sprawling settlements that you'd love to live in. Little Cities takes that compelling gameplay and takes you right into the city you build thanks to the wonders of virtual reality, allowing you to see close-up the inner workings of your metropolis.

It has all the usual trappings of a city builder, but brings it to a whole new level of immersion. You actually get to interact with the people who live in your city, too. You can wave at them and watch them as they go about their daily lives, whether they're indulging in some exciting skiing or hot air ballooning, or simply taking a breather to eat their lunch.

22 Sumerians

Sumerians - a view of a developing city

Set in ancient Mesopotamia, Sumerians allows you to build up a small settlement into a sprawling city. This game stands out from its contemporaries by utilizing zoning mechanics most often seen in modern city builders, which helps the settlements you make feel more realistic and alive.

After leaving Early Access in October 2023, Sumerians receives frequent updates from its solo developer. It's an underrated gem that proves to be as educational as it is enjoyable.

21 Timberborn

A Barrelbot Carrying Cargo In Timberborn

Most cities are built by and inhabited by humans - most. In Timberborn, settlements are built by beavers, who are under your control. It's your job to direct these furry critters around as they build houses, gather resources, and do what beavers do best - dam.

As you'd imagine, water plays a very important part of the game, and this is one of the ways that Timberborn sets itself apart from its compatriots on the city builder scene. The game is currently in Early Access but enjoys a dedicated fanbase and oodles of positive reviews.

20 Against The Storm

Against the Storm settlement centre

Roguelikes are very popular, getting blended with every other genre you can think of. Against the Storm blends roguelike progression into the city builder genre, and adds a dash of fantasy in for good measure.

This game is incredibly compelling - turning a city builder into a 'just one more game' experience works incredibly well, and the randomized nature of the game means you won't get bored easily. It feels like a well-rounded, full experience, despite still being in Early Access.

19 Kingdoms Reborn

Kingdoms Reborn small colony

Kingdoms Reborn is a city builder that mostly revolves around resource management and the betterment of your residents' lives. You're responsible for choosing their location, providing them with food and luxuries, and expanding your territory to attract more people.

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Interestingly, Kingdoms Reborn can be played online with other players in real time on the same map. You can play cooperatively with gifts and plan to share resources or play competitively by cornering the global markets or using the game's basic military mechanics to flex your might. It's a very interesting game that shines when you play with a pal.

18 Songs Of Syx

Songs Of Syx(1)

If incredibly complex colony simulators are what you enjoy, Songs of Syx might scratch the eternal itch. Less a city builder and more a city-state builder, Songs of Syx lets you dive into the minutiae of your residents' lives and encourages micromanagement.

It cannot be understated that the scale of this game is immense, and it's a truly impressive feeling to watch your tiny colony grow into an empire capable of defending itself.

17 Ostriv

Ostriv small rural village

If you're looking for a relaxing yet still compelling experience, Ostriv might be exactly what you need. In this game, you build a village in the countryside of Ukraine, tending to the needs of your villagers and becoming prosperous.

The attention to detail in Ostriv is very impressive. Of particular note is the way that your residents will make use of their land to grow crops or keep livestock, which they can then use to make money or simply survive.

16 Going Medieval

Gameplay of Going Medieval showing a farm being tended

Going Medieval is a colony sim game that follows a small group of people who find themselves without a home thanks to the Black Death. You'll start out with a handful of raw materials and eventually work your way towards building a whole settlement.

While the game is still in Early Access, Going Medieval boasts a great deal of content, consistent updates, and the capability to pull off some really impressive building projects, if you have the time and patience to pursue such a thing.

15 Townscaper

A cluster of small buildings tiered into a massive town sitting in the middle of the water

While Townscaper isn't a city builder in the traditional sense, there is no doubt that the whole purpose of this game is to build a settlement. You have many options for colors and styles, and it's a very calming experience overall.

Townscaper has come into its own as a tool for those who wish to use their manufactured towns as set pieces in their tabletop games. It lets you make a town exactly as you need it in exactly the configurations you need.

14 SimCity

SimCity 3000 Gameplay

The SimCity franchise has been around for a long time. The first entry in the series dates back almost 30 years. It is essentially the grandfather of all city-building games and paved the way (no pun intended) for many games to come. These titles are still relevant in the gaming sphere, extending from PCs and consoles to finding a new home on mobile devices.

It may not be the most innovative title on this list, but the formula they created is still solid today and definitely worth your time. You can even check out the final entry in the series, SimCity: Buildit, for free on your favorite mobile device.

13 Medieval Dynasty

fields in medieval dynasty

Medieval Dynasty is an odd one where rather than being some omniscient figure dictating where buildings are built and what your residents do, you are instead just some guy who dictates where buildings are built and what your residents do.

The settlement-building features of this game are incredibly fun to interact with and they turn the game from a simple survival game with a generations system into something far grander.

12 Foundation

A small settlement with villagers from Foundation on the PC

While this title is currently in Early Access, Foundation is a very promising medieval-era city builder from Polymorph Games who proudly advertise their game's lack of a grid and focus on the procedural nature of settlement building.

The game is very good at emulating what it must have felt like to manage a medieval settlement, with many events being out of your hands and the enforcement of a reactive rather than proactive gameplay style. In addition to that, the game has a thriving modding community sure to extend the title's lifespan many years.

11 Surviving Mars

surviving mars lake with domes

If space colonies are more your thing, Surviving Mars is a great option to feed the explorer in you. You will begin your journey on Mars, which is currently a barren wasteland. Luckily, the game provides all the tools required to make it habitable. This title is not for the faint of heart, however.

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You will be battling the deadly atmosphere, lack of oxygen, and infertile land, making your job all the more difficult. After you've established a livable settlement, you will start attracting humans to your colony. It is now your job to ensure their survival and trust us, it's not easy. Get ready to micro-manage!

10 Aven Colony

aven colony gameplay showing colony

In Aven Colony, players will face a barrage of alien abnormalities as they try to establish their otherworldly civilizations. Alien plagues, extreme weather, and hostile species await you as you attempt to carve out your own little corner of space.

Your job as overseer is to ensure the survival of your citizens. This involves mining minerals for resources, building hospitals, and maintaining order. Once your city is stable, the game then introduces bigger goals to entice you further. This may include large-scale military operations or exploration missions.

9 Banished

A snowy village as seen from above

Banished is a unique take on the city-building formula, since it delves into the medieval era. In that regard, you control a group of exiled travelers in Banished whereupon you're forced to build your village and eventually city from scratch after being banished by a feudal lord.

This also makes Banished a survival title on top of a city-builder-- something you don't usually experience in city-builder games. The game even makes it so that your primary resource is townspeople who get old, get sick, and even die, making managing them an important element of this game. It's worth playing alone for its unique take.

8 Frostpunk

Frostpunk closeup of generator

Frostpunk, as the title suggests, focuses on the importance of warmth and surviving the harsh cold. In an alternate version of history, humanity has been defeated by climate change and has been forced to contend with extreme cold that has decimated most of the planet. The tale is a grim one, to be sure.

As the leader of humanity's last hope, you must use what little resources are left to try and construct a haven to keep the dwindling population alive. Frostpunk is not for the weak-willed and will challenge you both technically and morally. As the story unfolds you will be faced with difficult choices that will ultimately change the world around you.

7 Anno 2070

anno 2070
via Ubisoft

Few games are as addictive in nature as Anno 2070. The game intrigues players by using the carrot-on-a-stick method that rewards you consistently the more you play. Set in the not-so-distant future, Anno 2070 provides players the opportunity to reshape civilization after disasters have decimated much of the planet (we're sensing a common theme).

There is a little something for everyone here: large-scale economies to manage, warfare among other factions, and deep gameplay. No seriously, you can build a city underwater! Embrace the future and build a new world.

6 Tropico 6

city builder - tropico 6, industrial port scene

Tropico is a far lighter take on the city-building genre than our last few entries. That is to say, it is far more comedic in nature. The gameplay here is still complex enough to keep you busy for hours on end. In Tropico 6, you begin as a governor in the Colonial era, with aspirations of becoming "El Presidente" of your ever-evolving island nation.

You will lead the inhabitants of your tropical paradise through the ages while trying to hold your seat in office. You must do whatever it takes to maintain your power, whether it's rigging elections, bribing officials, or flexing your military muscle by issuing edicts. Politics will play a huge part in this game so get ready to get dirty.

5 Caesar 3

Caesar 3 City Overview

Impressions Games have always been veterans of the city-builder genre, as many old gamers will know. Back in their heyday, one of their finest games was Caesar 3 where the players take on the role of a classical Roman governor trying to improve their very own Roman city - or even Rome itself - amidst the turmoil and barbarian threats.

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While the graphics are outdated by today's standards, Caesar 3's gameplay is enough to hook many players today. It introduces layer upon layer of mechanics and cause-and-effect gameplay designs where every improvement or building in your city can initiate a domino effect. Do note that it has a steep learning curve.

4 Pharaoh

Pharoah City

Pharaoh is another game made by Impressions Games and to best sum it up, it's Caesar 3 but with an ancient Egyptian skin. That sounds like a derivatively bad thing but Pharaoh is often considered as one of the finest city-building games of its time. Pharaoh also makes some significant alterations to its city-building formula compared to the Caesar games.

For one, players have more control over the management of the civilians and their quality of life. Pharaoh also encompasses many of the quirks of ancient Egyptian culture (such as god worshipping) and seamlessly combines it into gameplay, making the game appear like a history lesson as well.