The best city builder games, according to hackers
21 city builder games recommended in Hacker News comments over the past year, ranked by how many separate people recommend each one.
- Most recommendedSimCity 300023 people recommend it
- Least regretMicrolandia20 recommend, 0 criticize
- Free and lovedSimCity, but with Permits19 people recommend it
All city builder games
- SimCity 3000Fans praise its aesthetics, soundtrack and advisor system; some report speed problems on newer PCs.23recommend
- SimCity 2000Recommended as a fun, nostalgic city builder with engaging problems to solve. Critics say the simulation feels simplistic and the pipes frustrate.20recommend
- SimCityClassic city builder people recommend for its addictive, charming sandbox play, with the earlier versions favored. Critics say the 2013 launch failed under load and had tiny plots.20recommend
- Cities: SkylinesRecommended for its satisfying progressive city-building, large land plots and good graphics, though many say it only shines with mods and that road building is awkward.20recommend
- MicrolandiaRecommended for a detailed, people-centred simulation that stays fun rather than dry, with a distinctive voxel art look and openly documented simulation parameters.20recommend
- SimCity, but with PermitsA browser city builder that teaches civics through permits and petitions, praised for its detailed design and customization. Critics say the constant petitions and cluttered interface get in the way of play.19recommend
- SimTowerRecommended as a fondly remembered 1990s Maxis building game, with praise for its elevator scheduling and replay value. No recurring complaints.11recommend
- SimCity 3k in 4kFans recommend this patch for preserving SimCity 3000 with good audio and macOS support. The main caveat is that premium buildings can quickly drain your budget.10recommend
- LucasArts AfterlifeFun, funny and memorable game with great music that people still replay years later. Caveat: it is very hard.9recommend
- TimberbornCity builder where wrong guesses about fluid dynamics can kill everyone; people find it fun, chill and neat since its 1.0 release, though some say it feels unfinished.8recommend
- SimCity 4Deep, long-lasting city simulation that people still replay for its micromanagement and scope; the interface is often called dated and cluttered.7recommend
- Cities: Skylines 2People recommend it for its in-depth city simulation and built-in mod tooling, though critics say it launched with poor optimisation and heavy performance demands.7recommend
- MicropolisFree, open source engine from the original SimCity lineage, recommended for nostalgic fun and as a starting point for new software.7recommend
- The Settlers 2Recommended as a polished strategy game where optimizing resource flows across a node graph is rewarding, and as a nostalgic favorite.7recommend
- Manor LordsPeople recommend it as a fun, laid-back medieval city builder that looks like a medieval village and captures details such as women's work and home gardens.6recommend
- Workers & Resources: Soviet RepublicA SimCity-style city builder based on Soviet central planning, recommended for its simulation over its looks and for how absorbing it is.6recommend
- TinyCityCommenters call this free, tiny city simulator for the Thumby console cool and nice work.6recommend
- Songs of SyxRecommended as an accessible, cheap, Dwarf Fortress-style city sim with a passionate developer behind it.5recommend
- FrostpunkPeople recommend it for its grim, atmospheric city-building and how hard it is to stop playing once a run starts.5recommend
- Skyline Co-opPeople recommend this cute building game, which feels like the original SimTower and is built around democratic socialism. Critics mention wonky gameplay and heavy CPU use.5recommend
- SerflingsPlayers recommend it for its engrossing pacing and atmosphere, and say it stays playable years later. The critic reports that the campaign is broken and that some maps hang the game.5recommend