City building games are one of my comfort genres, and thankfully PC hosts some of the best ones. Be it a game that focuses on an extremely specific niche or some standard builders, there’s something for everyone. If you’re interested in the concept and want some to try out then keep reading as we list out the best city building games on PC right here!
Remember that I specifically focus on games where you build an entire city. So, no management-focused builders like Rollercoaster Tycoon or Two Point Hospital will be mentioned here. With that said, here are my picks:
1. Cities: Skylines
- Developer(s): Colossal Order
- Release Date: March 10, 2015
When EA fumbled the launch of their SimCity reboot, Colossal Order launched a city builder that many consider one of the best spiritual successors to the franchise. Cities: Skyline is a standard city builder, where you choose a map and keep building while managing the town’s finances.
If you’ve played any old SimCity builder, you’ve seen almost everything from this game. However, with years of support and excellent mod support, this game has become a go-to city builder for all the budding builders.
2. Go-Go Town!
- Developer(s): Prideful Sloth
- Release Date: June 18, 2024
One of the first few early-access city-builders on this list is a mix of city buildings and games like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley. Go-Go Town puts you in the duties of a mayor, who has to build and manage their town to the best of their abilities.
Build houses, streets, and decorations, all to bring in more citizens to your town. Turn the visitors into residents, and keep building a thriving community!
3. Banished
- Developer(s): Shining Rock Software
- Release Date: February 18, 2014
One of the earliest indie games launched on Steam so happens to be a city builder in a class of its own. Banished is a medieval city builder that allows you to build a complete medieval city from scratch. Your Townspeople are your resources, and betterment is your goal.
While the base experience can feel a little dry compared to other city builders, it still accomplishes much with its limited availability. And its potential opens up after you start toying around with the mods. So don’t go underestimating what we consider to be one of the best city builders on PC.
4. Foundation
- Developer(s): Polymorph Games
- Release Date: February 1, 2019
One of the widely popular city builders, Foundation is another builder set in medieval times. However, unlike most city builders, this isn’t a grid-based building. Instead, in Foundation, you can build your structures wherever you want without any road planning. Age of Empires vibes anyone?
Place a structure, and let the citizens do their magic with roads. Another unique thing about Foundation is its modular building, where you can customize the look of unique structures. It is currently in early access so more things will be added. However, as of today, Foundation has quite a solid base for you to join and enjoy.
5. Frostpunk
- Developer(s): 11-bit Studios
- Release Date: April 24, 2018
Another great city builder that gained quite a recognition for its choice-based gameplay is Frostpunk. In Frostpunk, you manage and build a steampunk city after the world gets covered by a permanent Ice Age.
The entire game is about survival, as you gather materials from nearby to ensure the engine keeps running, as that runs the heater and the power for your city. Furthermore, you’ll have to make hard decisions in your governance to ensure public opinion stays high.
6. Manor Lords
- Developer(s): Slavic Magic
- Release Date: April 26, 2024
One of the newer early-access city builders and a real-time strategy game, Manor Lords, has quickly become one of my favorites. In the game, you aim to build your medieval town inspired by an old European setting. Furthermore, the game also allows you to manage an army and protect your border or attack other lords and take over their region.
If that sounds interesting then you should know that we loved Manor Lords for the variety it brought to the table as one of the best city builders on PC.
7. Timberborn
- Developer(s): Mechanistry
- Release Date: September 15, 2021
Timber is a post-apocalyptic city builder where Beavers have overtaken the world and are trying to rejuvenate the barren wastelands. Your job is to build a city to sustain your colony while ensuring the greenery returns. There is a dam mechanic where you can hold water for the drought season and vertical crafting to build a beaver megacity.
8. Tropico 6
- Developer (s): Limbic Entertainment, Realmforge Studios
- Release Date: March 29, 2019
The sixth entry in the long-running president city builder, Tropico 6, will surely make you fulfill your lingering dreams of being a president. In it, your job is to run a tropical island-inspired by island nations like Cuba.
While the standard building mechanics exist, you will also get to manage the trading between countries and overrun the region as you see it. Either be an evil president or the people’s president in one of the best city-building games for PC.
9. Farthest Frontier
- Developer(s): Crate Entertainment
- Release Date: August 9, 2022
A hardcore medieval city builder, Farthest Frontier does most things you’d expect from a medieval city builder. You have randomly generated maps, many choices to build your ideal city, and unique systems like age-specific diseases.
Farthest Frontier possibly has one of the better citizen AIs I’ve seen in a building game and a unique trading system where you take advantage of the items your town abundantly produces.
10. Fabledom
- Developer(s): Garena Games
- Release Date: May 13, 2024
A unique city builder currently in early access, Fabledom allows you to build a city in a world where fiction and fairy tales are real. It is a relatively straightforward experience that is easy to pick up but still challenging for people who want that extra difficulty.
Furthermore, Fabledom allows you to interact with mythical creatures, even dragons! However, interacting with a dragon might not be the best idea. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for the best city building games on PC with a fantasy twist, this one is it.
11. Pharaoh: A New Era
- Developer(s): DotEmu
- Release Date: February 15, 2023
Pharaoh: A New Era is a remake of a relatively niche title that many consider one of the best city builders of its time. In the New Era, you can either play through a campaign where you build your Egyptian empire as a Pharaoh and build through the ages.
Of course, you have the standard sandbox mode and a custom editor where you can either download a player-created campaign or make one yourself.
12. Urbek City Builder
- Developer(s): Estudios Kremlinois
- Release Date: July 13, 2022
The final game on our city builder list is a relatively standard one. Urbek City Builder is what you’d expect from any old city builder but with modernity added to it. You can zone regions, gather resources, build towns, and build education centers to advance your city. This is a good alternative if you don’t want to sink your teeth into something heavy-duty like Cities: Skylines. So for all the simple times, go for this one.
And these are the best city building games on PC that I strongly recommend playing. Of course, these are only some from an otherwise cluttered genre catering to different gamers, so let me know about your favorite city builder in the comments below.
