20 Games Like SimCity to Play in 2025
Finding the best games like SimCity isn’t easy – few city-building games capture its perfect blend of creative freedom, strategic planning, and satisfying problem-solving.
This guide will help you stretch that creative and strategic SimCity itch further through some of the best modern simulation games.
From sprawling modern cities to quirky towns where buildings have distinct personalities, these city builders turn resource management and urban planning into hours of immersive fun. Ready to find your next favorite city? Let’s get building.
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Our Top Picks for Games Like SimCity
Are you on the hunt for the best city-building games and ultimate city-building experiences? These three top picks are the cream of the crop. Each offers a unique twist on the genre – perfect for fans of games like SimCity.
- Cities: Skylines (2015) – Cities: Skylines is often hailed as the spiritual successor to SimCity, setting the gold standard for modern city-building games. Gain complete control over zoning, traffic flow, and infrastructure.
- Tropico 5 (2014) – Want to combine city-building with political strategy in one of the most unique simulation games? Tropico 5 lets you rule your island nation across multiple eras, balancing tourism, trade, and citizen demands.
- Tropico 6 (2019) – The sequel takes everything fans loved about Tropico 5 and turns it up a notch. Multiple islands, expanded logistics, and deeper political systems give you more freedom to craft a flourishing empire.
This is just the start. From megacities to island paradises, there’s a game in this guide to satisfy any city-builder craving. Keep reading, skimming, or scrolling to discover the full list of games like SimCity – each with unique mechanics, stunning visuals, and urban planning brilliance.
20 Best Games Like SimCity That Bring Cities to Life
For city-builder fans, SimCity is the holy grail of the genre. The games in this list all mirror SimCity’s brilliance in their own unique ways, offering something for gamers who enjoy a variety of themes and playstyles.
Ready to improve your city-builder knowledge and find your next adventure? Let’s go!
1. Cities: Skylines [Best Modern SimCity Successor]
| Our score | 10
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| Type of game | City building / Management simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2015 |
| Creator/s | Colossal Order / Paradox Interactive |
| Average playtime | 150–200 hours |
| Best for | Players wanting full creative control over a modern city |
| What I liked | Freedom, modding community, realistic citizen simulation |
Cities: Skylines is often hailed as the spiritual successor to SimCity, giving players full control over building and managing a sprawling urban landscape. From zoning districts and creating road networks to balancing budgets and citizen services, every action shapes how your city grows.
The game stands out for its realistic simulation of traffic, public transport, and pollution, and how citizens’ needs evolve. Its depth and freedom easily place it among the best strategy games focused on urban planning.
Start small, prioritize traffic and services, and expand gradually. Planning ahead prevents your city from spiraling into chaos as it grows.
The modding community is brilliant, offering everything from realistic landmarks to new gameplay mechanics that extend replayability. There are endless new and clever ways to optimize traffic flow, manage large metro networks, or create entirely themed cities. The game also introduces co-op features for fans of the best co-op games for city planners.
Whether you’re experimenting with sprawling metropolitan layouts or cozy residential towns, Cities: Skylines rewards creativity, planning, and foresight. Visuals are clean and informative, making it easy to see how your decisions ripple across the city.
DLC expansions – from transit-focused additions to environmental challenges – give even veteran players new reasons to keep building.
My Verdict: Cities: Skylines stands tall among the best city building games ever released, offering unmatched freedom and depth. Its realistic simulation, expansive DLCs, and thriving mod community make it a must-play for anyone craving a true SimCity successor.
2. Tropico 5 [Best Dictator-Themed City Builder]
| Our score | 9.8
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| Type of game | City building / Political management simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2014 |
| Creator/s | Haemimont Games / Kalypso Media |
| Average playtime | 50–100 hours |
| Best for | Players who want city-building with political flair |
| What I liked | Humor, island-themed city management, multiple eras |
Tropico 5 puts you in the shiny shoes of “El Presidente,” ruler of a tropical island nation. It’s one of the best simulation games for players who love political humor and strategic control. You’re not just placing roads and houses – you’re juggling elections, trade agreements, and citizen demands while keeping tourism booming.
From colonial times to the modern era, each era adds layers of complexity: new buildings, technologies, and economic strategies.
Prioritize trade routes early and invest in tourism hotspots. A strong economy gives you more political freedom to experiment with city layouts and public services without risking revolt.
Visually charming with a playful style, Tropico 5 balances city management with political strategy. You can micro-manage construction projects or focus on big-picture decisions like boosting exports or nudging citizens’ happiness to stay in power.
Every choice – building a factory, opening a tourist resort, or adjusting taxes – carries consequences, making the game feel alive and unpredictable. The replayability is strong: different maps, scenarios, and island layouts keep the challenge fresh, while the humor and whimsical aesthetic set it apart from serious modern city builders.
My Verdict: Tropico 5 is the perfect blend of humor, politics, and city management. It’s engaging, replayable, and a must-play for anyone who wants their city-building with a side of dictatorship flair.
3. Tropico 6 [Best Political Satire City Builder]
| Our score | 9.5
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| Type of game | City building / Political management simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2019 |
| Creator/s | Limbic Entertainment / Kalypso Media |
| Average playtime | 60–120 hours |
| Best for | Players seeking deeper political strategy alongside city-building |
| What I liked | Multiple islands, expanded logistics, complex political systems |
Tropico 6 takes everything fans loved about Tropico 5 and cranks it up. You now manage multiple islands simultaneously, each with unique challenges, resources, and citizen demands.
Expanded logistics let you shuttle goods, manage trade, and optimize production across your empire. Political mechanics are deeper, too: balancing factions, navigating elections, and appeasing international powers add strategic layers to every decision.
The game’s aesthetic retains that playful, satirical charm – palm trees, cheeky advisors, and tongue-in-cheek humor make city management feel fun rather than tedious. You can micro-manage each building or focus on big-picture policies, giving freedom to approach city-building in a way that suits your playstyle.
Focus on developing efficient transport networks between islands early. Moving resources and goods efficiently unlocks your economic potential and keeps citizens (and factions) happy.
Replayability is strong thanks to varied maps, sandbox modes, and scenario challenges. Whether making sprawling metropolises or intricate island chains, Tropico 6 rewards careful planning and creative action.
My Verdict: Tropico 6 elevates political city-building to an art form. It’s complex, hilarious, and endlessly replayable – perfect for players who want satire, strategy, and sprawling urban empires all in one.
4. Frostpunk [Best Survival City Builder Under Pressure]
| Our score | 9.4
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| Type of game | City building / Survival simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2018 |
| Creator/s | 11 bit studios / 11 bit studios |
| Average playtime | 40–80 hours |
| Best for | Players who love survival challenges combined with city management |
| What I liked | Harsh environment mechanics, moral choices, tense atmosphere |
Set in a frozen, post-apocalyptic world, you must guide a colony through extreme weather. Frostpunk flips the city-building genre on its head, forcing players to manage scarce resources and help citizens survive brutal conditions.
It’s easily one of the best survival games for players who want every decision to matter. Whether you’re building a heat generator, rationing food, or enforcing laws – everything affects the well-being of your population.
Always plan for the long winter early – stockpile coal and food before expanding your city. Early preparation prevents crises from snowballing into full-blown disasters.
The visual style reinforces the oppressive cold, making every step feel urgent. Unlike modern city-builders, success isn’t just about expanding infrastructure; it’s about keeping citizens alive and maintaining hope in the face of impossible odds.
Resource scarcity, harsh weather, and social unrest create a tense, rewarding challenge that keeps players engaged.
My Verdict: Frostpunk is a gripping survival city-builder that tests both your planning and moral judgment. We deem it perfect for players seeking tension, strategy, and a city that feels alive under pressure.
5. Anno 1800 [Best Industrial-Era Economic Builder]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | City building / Economic simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2019 |
| Creator/s | Blue Byte / Ubisoft |
| Average playtime | 60–120 hours |
| Best for | Players who enjoy deep economic strategy and production chains |
| What I liked | Complex production lines, period architecture, trade, and diplomacy |
Anno 1800 transports players to the dawn of the industrial era and is one of the most detailed city builders on PC. You’re tasked with building a thriving city while managing complex production chains and trade networks.
You’ll balance the needs of citizens, maintain supply lines, and expand both your city and influence in the world. Every decision you make – from factory placement to resource allocation – impacts efficiency and citizen satisfaction. Fans of the best RTS games will recognise the game’s deep trade and warfare mechanics.
Prioritize efficient layouts for production chains early on. Keeping factories and resource hubs close together saves time, reduces transport costs, and keeps your citizens happy.
The game shines with beautifully detailed historical architecture and immersive visuals. Sandbox, campaign, and DLC expansions offer hours of content, while the multiplayer mode shines, cementing it as one of the best multiplayer games for city-building enthusiasts.
Exploration, trade diplomacy, and city growth all intertwine, making it more than just a building game – it’s a living industrial ecosystem.
My Verdict: Anno 1800 is a masterclass in industrial-era city-building. Its deep economic systems, elegant visuals, and replayability make it perfect for strategy and city-builder enthusiasts alike.
6. Surviving Mars [Best Sci-Fi Colony Builder]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | City building / Sci-fi colony simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2018 |
| Creator/s | Haemimont Games / Paradox Interactive |
| Average playtime | 50–100 hours |
| Best for | Players who enjoy building and managing colonies in alien environments |
| What I liked | Mars colony management, research systems, challenging environment |
Surviving Mars ranks as one of the best sci-fi games, offering a simulation that drops you onto the red planet with one goal: build a functioning colony from scratch. You’ll manage oxygen, power, and water while constructing habitats, research labs, and resource extraction facilities.
Every decision – from assigning workers to managing resources, planning supply chains, and expanding your colony – directly impacts citizen survival and growth.
Focus on building a strong supply chain early, especially oxygen and water systems. A stable foundation prevents cascading problems as your colony expands.
The game’s sci-fi setting adds a unique layer of challenge compared to traditional city builders. Harsh Martian conditions, random events, and limited resources keep players on their toes.
Exploration and anomaly research provide extra depth, while sponsor selection allows for different play styles and strategies.
My Verdict: Surviving Mars is one of the best space games for players who love creative, strategic colonies. Fans of futuristic colonization and survival challenges will find hours of engrossing gameplay here.
7. Timberborn [Best City Builder With Beavers]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | City-building simulation with unique theme |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2021 |
| Creator/s | Mechanistry / Lumberyard |
| Average playtime | ~35 hours |
| Best for | Players who enjoy creative layouts and environmental strategy |
| What I liked | Charming art, water management mechanics, thoughtful pacing |
Timberborn puts you in charge of a bustling beaver civilization, where every decision matters. You’ll build dams, manage water flow, and guide your workforce to gather resources, construct buildings, and maintain production chains.
Seasonal droughts and flooding force careful planning, making the environment just as challenging as the colony itself.
Prioritize vertical construction and efficient water routing early – this prevents flooding and ensures a stable supply of resources.
Unlike traditional city builders, the gameplay rewards clever engineering: vertical construction, efficient water routing, and automated production loops are key to a thriving settlement. Managing dams and power flows adds a logic challenge similar to the best puzzle games.
The art style is bright and cheerful, with each beaver bustling around a lively, growing city. Online, you’ll find ingenious dam and layout tips, adding a community-driven layer of strategy to the game.
My Verdict: Timberborn stands out for combining city-building mechanics with environmental puzzles and a charming, beaver-led civilization. It’s a creative twist for players looking for different content from traditional city management games.
8. Block’hood [Best Eco-Friendly Micro City Builder]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | Eco-focused city-building simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2017 |
| Creator/s | Plethora-Project / Devolver Digital |
| Average playtime | ~12 hours |
| Best for | Players who enjoy experimenting with interconnected systems and an ecological twist |
| What I liked | Innovative block-based mechanics, environmental interdependence, sandbox creativity |
Block’hood is a city-builder with a twist: you construct neighborhoods block by block, balancing resources, energy, and citizen needs. Each block affects its neighbors, creating a delicate web of interdependence. You’ll need to carefully plan resource flow and ensure stability while avoiding decay or collapse.
Modes range from freeform sandbox to challenge-based scenarios, letting you experiment or strategize with different objectives. The pixel-art aesthetic is minimal yet charming, emphasizing the importance of thoughtful layout over flashy graphics.
Focus on early resource chains and interdependent blocks to prevent cascading failures later in your city.
The more you play, the more you’ll discover creative ways to chain building functions and optimize resource networks, turning a simple neighborhood into a highly efficient mini-city.
My Verdict: Block’hood is perfect for players who enjoy experimenting with systems and ecology. Its unique content makes every building placement meaningful, and the mix of challenge and creativity keeps the gameplay engaging and rewarding.
9. Hearthlands [Best Retro Pixel City Management]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | Medieval city-building strategy |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2020 |
| Creator/s | Monomyth Games / Monomyth Games |
| Average playtime | ~15 hours |
| Best for | Players who enjoy light city-building with strategic depth |
| What I liked | Charming pixel art, procedural worlds, strategic simplicity |
Hearthlands turns city-building into a strategic dance with pixels and heroes. Set in a medieval-fantasy world, you guide your town across a procedurally generated map, managing resources, heroes, and citizen needs without micromanaging every step.
Unlike sprawling modern city sims, Hearthlands encourages big-picture decisions: where to place your workshops, how to expand territory, and when to send heroes on quests.
Focus on strategic placement of production buildings first – keeping resource chains efficient makes the difference between a thriving town and constant shortages.
Its retro pixel art and colour give it a unique charm, making every village feel alive despite the simplified mechanics. I loved all the inventive ways to balance hero expeditions with town growth – it’s a game with a subtle depth.
My Verdict: Hearthlands is perfect for players who want the satisfaction of building and expanding a city without drowning in micromanagement, blending strategy, exploration, and charming visuals into a bite-sized city-building experience.
10. Buildings Have Feelings Too! [Best Quirky Living City Builder]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | Simulation / Puzzle City Builder |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2021 |
| Creator/s | Blackstaff Games / Whitethorn Digital |
| Average playtime | ~12 hours |
| Best for | Players who enjoy whimsical, character-driven city-building |
| What I liked | Charming art, buildings with personality, accessible mechanics |
Buildings Have Feelings Too! turns the city-building formula on its head: here, buildings are almost alive. Each structure has moods, needs, and preferences, and your job is to grow a city that keeps them happy. Instead of focusing solely on citizens or traffic management, you juggle resources and layouts to ensure buildings thrive.
The game’s aesthetic is bright, cute, and whimsical, offering a refreshing break from high-pressure or realistic simulations. Reddit fans praise its playful charm and surprisingly clever puzzle-like challenges that emerge as your city grows.
Pay attention to building synergies – certain structures boost each other’s happiness, making strategic placement key to maximizing your city’s potential.
It’s a perfect mix of casual management and light strategy, where creative placement can make all the difference.
My Verdict: This quirky city-builder is ideal for players seeking a relaxing, imaginative experience with personality and humor, blending puzzle mechanics with simulation in a uniquely charming way.
11. Planetbase [Best Space Survival City Builder]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | Sci-Fi Colony / Survival City Builder |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2015 |
| Creator/s | Madruga Works / Madruga Works |
| Average playtime | ~15 hours |
| Best for | Players who love challenging survival and strategy in a sci-fi setting |
| What I liked | Harsh environmental challenges, base-building depth, resource management |
Planetbase drops you on a distant planet with one goal: build and maintain a self-sufficient colony. You’ll manage oxygen, power, water, and food while constructing habitats, laboratories, and industrial facilities.
Every choice – from worker assignments to resource allocation – directly impacts colonists’ survival and efficiency. It’s one of the best colony sim experiences that offers strategic depth that fans of survival-driven management will appreciate.
The game’s harsh planetary environments add tension and strategic depth compared to traditional city-builders. Random events like dust storms or meteor strikes force adaptation, while research and base expansion keep gameplay dynamic.
Plan your base layout carefully – placing essential facilities near each other minimizes resource transport time and keeps colonists efficient, especially during emergencies.
The more you play, the more you’ll discover clever ways to optimize supply chains and defend against environmental hazards, and watch your colonies thrive.
My Verdict: Planetbase is perfect for players seeking a survival-driven, strategic city-builder with a sci-fi twist. The combination of infrastructure planning, resource management, and environmental challenges makes every session a rewarding test of skill.
12. Cities XXL [Best Classic Large-Scale City Builder]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | Large-scale city-building simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2015 |
| Creator/s | Focus Home Interactive / Focus Home Interactive |
| Average playtime | ~20 hours |
| Best for | Players who enjoy building sprawling cities without overwhelming complexity |
| What I liked | Huge maps, flexible layouts, urban planning freedom |
Cities XXL lets you manage sprawling urban landscapes with ease. You’ll craft roads, zoning areas, and public services while keeping citizens happy and the economy afloat.
Unlike some deep simulations, it simplifies management, making it approachable without sacrificing the thrill of building a massive city.
Use the map’s large scale to your advantage – plan multiple districts for residential, commercial, and industrial zones to prevent bottlenecks and keep services efficient.
The game’s large maps encourage creativity, from dense downtown cores to industrial outskirts. Managing traffic flow, utilities, and population growth adds strategic depth, while the visual representation of your city evolving keeps the experience satisfying.
My Verdict: Cities XXL is ideal for fans of classic city-building who want the freedom to construct vast urban environments without getting bogged down in micromanagement. Its balance of simplicity and scale keeps gameplay fun and engaging.
13. Anno 2205 [Best Futuristic Economic Builder]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | Futuristic city-building and economic simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2015 |
| Creator/s | Blue Byte / Ubisoft |
| Average playtime | ~25 hours |
| Best for | Players who love managing multiple cities with a futuristic twist |
| What I liked | Multi-region management, production lines, and high-tech infrastructure |
Anno 2205 expands the city-builder formula into a futuristic playground, letting you manage multiple cities on Earth and even the Moon. You’ll oversee production chains, resource distribution, and population growth across diverse environments.
The game challenges you to balance efficiency with expansion, from energy grids to specialized industries.
Its sleek, sci-fi aesthetic makes the cities feel alive and technologically advanced. Campaign missions provide structured goals, while sandbox mode lets you experiment freely with layouts and economies.
Focus early on energy and resource networks – a well-balanced supply chain prevents bottlenecks and keeps your high-tech cities thriving.
Get ready to optimize your production chains and maintain high citizen satisfaction across multiple regions.
My Verdict: Anno 2205 is perfect for players craving a futuristic take on city-building, offering complex economic systems without losing the joy of watching your cities grow and evolve.
14. Anno 2070 [Best Eco-Themed Futuristic City Builder]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | Eco-conscious city-building simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2011 |
| Creator/s | Blue Byte / Ubisoft |
| Average playtime | ~22 hours |
| Best for | Players who enjoy balancing futuristic cities with environmental strategy |
| What I liked | Pollution management, water/energy mechanics, and diverse building options |
Anno 2070 pushes city-building into a near-future world threatened by climate change. You’ll manage rising sea levels, energy production, and pollution while constructing vibrant, modern cities.
The game rewards careful planning: placing the right buildings and technologies directly affects citizen happiness, production efficiency, and environmental impact.
Prioritize renewable energy sources early on — sustainable power keeps citizens happy and prevents ecological disasters down the line.
Its blend of strategy and futuristic aesthetics keeps the gameplay engaging. Players often share creative solutions for reducing pollution or balancing industrial growth with eco-friendly policies.
Campaign and sandbox modes provide both structured challenges and open-ended experimentation.
My Verdict: Anno 2070 is ideal for players who want a futuristic city-builder with meaningful environmental strategy, making every decision feel impactful while still letting your cities flourish.
15. Islanders [Best Minimalist City Builder]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | Relaxed, minimalist city-building simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2019 |
| Creator/s | Grizzly Games / Thunderful Publishing |
| Average playtime | ~12 hours |
| Best for | Players who enjoy stress-free city planning and aesthetic layouts |
| What I liked | Simple mechanics, visually pleasing, low-pressure gameplay |
Islanders strips city-building down to its essentials, letting you place buildings and watch your town grow organically. There are no disasters, no complex budgets – just a satisfying loop of placement, scoring, and expansion. Each choice impacts your city’s aesthetic score, encouraging creativity over efficiency.
Focus on balancing building types to maximize your points — thoughtful placement often beats random expansion.
The game’s charm lies in its simplicity: clean graphics, a relaxing soundtrack, and intuitive controls make it perfect for casual sessions. You’ll love getting into creative layouts and competing for high scores – the game proves that complexity can emerge even in a minimalist framework.
My Verdict: Islanders is a calming, creative city-builder for players who want the joy of shaping a town without the stress of survival or complex resource management. Its minimalist approach makes it accessible while still engaging for those who love planning and design.
16. Banished [Best Medieval Survival City Builder]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | Survival-focused city-building simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2014 |
| Creator/s | Shining Rock Software / Shining Rock Software |
| Average playtime | ~25 hours |
| Best for | Players who enjoy deep resource management and harsh survival challenges |
| What I liked | Strategic planning, medieval setting, emergent storytelling through survival |
Banished throws you into the life of an exiled community, tasked with building a new town from scratch. Every decision matters: allocate labor, manage food supplies, build housing, and prepare for harsh winters. Unlike modern city-builders, the focus isn’t on skyscrapers or traffic – it’s on keeping your citizens alive and your town sustainable.
The game’s visual simplicity masks the depth of its systems. Reddit discussions often revolve around clever resource allocation, long-term planning, and survival strategies.
Plan your town layout with efficiency in mind – proximity to resources and workplaces drastically affects citizen productivity and survival.
Balancing workforces, preparing for disasters, and managing population growth create a constant tension that keeps players engaged.
My Verdict: Banished offers a tense but rewarding city-building experience, perfect for strategy fans who enjoy survival challenges and thoughtful planning. The satisfaction comes from seeing your town thrive against the odds.
17. Endzone – A World Apart [Best Post-Apocalyptic City Builder]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | Post-apocalyptic city-building simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2020 |
| Creator/s | Gentlymad / Assemble Entertainment |
| Average playtime | ~30 hours |
| Best for | Players who enjoy survival-focused management with environmental challenges |
| What I liked | Harsh survival mechanics, resource planning, environmental hazards |
Endzone – A World Apart places you in a world recovering from a nuclear disaster. Your goal is to rebuild civilization, balancing resources, protecting citizens, and mitigating environmental hazards like radiation, droughts, and toxic rain.
Every building, field, and decision affects survival, making planning essential. The game adds unique tension with its post-apocalyptic aesthetic and realistic challenges.
Prioritize clean water and radiation-free zones early — citizen health determines your colony’s long-term survival.
Soon enough you’ll be looking up strategies for efficient resource use, citizen allocation, and disaster mitigation, to help master the harsh world.
The game’s mix of survival, city management, and long-term planning sets it apart from standard city-builders.
My Verdict: Endzone is perfect for players seeking a gritty, high-stakes city-building challenge. It rewards foresight, careful resource management, and creative problem-solving in a beautifully desolate setting.
18. Aven Colony [Best Alien World City Builder]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | Sci-fi colony-building simulation |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2017 |
| Creator/s | Mothership Entertainment / Team17 |
| Average playtime | ~25 hours |
| Best for | Players who enjoy building and managing colonies on alien worlds |
| What I liked | Unique alien biomes, terraforming mechanics, challenging resource management |
Aven Colony drops you on a distant planet to build and manage a thriving human settlement in a truly alien environment. You’ll oversee housing, jobs, water, and energy while dealing with unpredictable weather, alien flora, and resource scarcity. Planning your colony layout and balancing priorities is crucial for survival.
The game’s sci-fi setting provides fresh challenges compared to traditional city-builders. Reddit players often share tips on optimal supply line setups, terraforming strategies, and how to handle alien hazards efficiently.
Adapt your colony layout to local terrain and weather patterns – flexible planning is key to avoiding disasters and maximizing efficiency.
Exploration and campaign missions offer depth, while managing citizen demands keeps the simulation engaging and dynamic.
My Verdict: Aven Colony is ideal for players seeking a blend of strategy, resource management, and sci-fi world-building. It challenges your organizational skills while letting you explore a visually captivating alien landscape.
19. Townscaper [Best Casual Creative City Builder]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | Casual city-building simulation |
| Platforms | PC, Switch, iOS |
| Year of release | 2020 |
| Creator/s | Oskar Stålberg / Raw Fury |
| Average playtime | ~10–12 hours |
| Best for | Players who enjoy relaxed, creative city-building without pressure |
| What I liked | Intuitive building mechanics, charming visuals, stress-free gameplay |
Townscaper turns city-building into a meditative, creative experience. You place and remove blocks, and the game automatically generates buildings and streets based on your ideas. There are no objectives, disasters, or time limits – it’s purely about shaping charming, colorful towns to your liking.
The simplicity is deceptive: arranging blocks cleverly can produce surprisingly complex and visually stunning cities.
Experiment with placement near water edges — the game generates visually appealing bridges and waterfronts, adding character without extra effort.
You’ll soon be experimenting with water, bridges, and islands to create organic, unique layouts. The minimalist interface and responsiveness make it accessible to newcomers while still satisfying seasoned builders.
My Verdict: Townscaper is perfect for anyone who wants a creative city-building fix without the stress of resource management or citizens’ needs. It’s relaxing, visually delightful, and endlessly replayable.
20. Roman Triumph: Survival City Builder [Best Ancient Survival Strategy Game]
| Our score | 9.1
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| Type of game | Historical survival city builder |
| Platforms | PC (Steam Early Access) |
| Year of release | 2025 (Early Access) |
| Creator/s | Emperor Games |
| Average playtime | ~15–20 hours (current version) |
| Best for | Players who enjoy historical strategy and resource survival challenges |
| What I liked | Realistic Roman setting, tough survival mechanics, evolving systems |
Roman Triumph: Survival City Builder blends historical realism with survival management in the age of the Roman Republic. Players must build, expand, and protect their fledgling settlement from starvation, rebellion, and nature itself. It’s less about a decorative city and more about making hard choices to keep your citizens alive and loyal.
The early access version already impresses with its deep resource systems and authentic Roman atmosphere – think legion training, aqueduct management, and citizen morale balancing.
Prioritize food storage early – grain supply determines whether your empire thrives or collapses before the first winter.
Each new challenge feels grounded in history, from droughts and bandit raids to senate politics. On Reddit, players praise the game’s punishing but satisfying balance, calling it “Banished meets Total War.”
My Verdict: Roman Triumph offers a gritty, grounded take on the city-building genre. If you want to test your strategy skills in a brutal Roman sandbox where every decision matters, this one’s worth keeping on your radar.
My Overall Verdict
If SimCity sparked your love for city-building, 2025 is the perfect time to rekindle it. The genre has evolved far beyond grid layouts and tax sliders – now it’s about shaping worlds, surviving extremes, and testing your creativity in new ways.
- For players craving full creative control, Cities: Skylines remains the undisputed modern classic. Its depth, realism, and thriving mod scene make it the go-to for building sprawling, living cities.
- For strategy lovers who enjoy politics and humor, Tropico 6 delivers the perfect blend of satire and empire management – proving dictatorship can be surprisingly fun.
- If you thrive under pressure, Frostpunk turns city-building into a desperate fight for survival, forcing tough moral choices that linger long after you log off.
- For dreamers and casual creators, Townscaper is pure artistry – no stress, no spreadsheets, just creativity flowing block by block.
- And for players drawn to the unknown, Surviving Mars offers a red-planet twist that rewards careful planning and scientific ambition.
Whichever world you choose, each of these city-builders carries the same spark that made SimCity iconic – the thrill of creation, the challenge of balance, and the joy of watching your world come alive.
FAQs
What is the best game like SimCity?
The best game like SimCity is Cities: Skylines, which is widely considered one of the best city-building games and the best modern alternative. With a massive modding community and extensive DLCs, it provides countless hours of creative and strategic gameplay for any city-building fan.
What type of game is SimCity?
SimCity is a city-building and management simulation game. Players plan, construct, and maintain urban environments, balancing budgets, resources, and citizen needs. It combines strategic thinking, creativity, and problem-solving.
What replaced SimCity?
Cities: Skylines is generally seen as the spiritual successor to SimCity. It improves on the formula with larger maps, more realistic simulations, deeper traffic and zoning systems, and extensive mod support.
Why was SimCity discontinued?
SimCity was discontinued due to declining sales and critical backlash, particularly over the always-online requirements and limited city size in the 2013 reboot.
What makes SimCity so addictive?
What makes SimCity so addictive is how its appeal lies in its mix of creativity and strategy. Watching your city grow, solving traffic and budget challenges, and responding to citizens’ needs creates a constant feedback loop.
