Games Like SimCity (Series) Great City Building Games & Simulation Games like SimCity (Series)

SimCity is described as 'Series of city-building simulation games, where you are given the task of founding and developing a city, while maintaining the happiness of the citizens and keeping a stable budget' and is a popular city building game in the games category. There are more than 25 games similar to SimCity for a variety of platforms, including Windows, iPhone, Android, iPad and Linux apps. The best SimCity alternative is Cities: Skylines. It's not free, so if you're looking for a free alternative, you could try Cytopia or CSM - Cities: Skylines Multiplayer. Other SimCity like games are Tiny Glade, Citystate, Micropolis and Pocket City.

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SimCity alternatives are mainly City Building Games, but if you're looking for Simulation Gamess or Sandbox Games you can filter on that. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to SimCity.
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SimCity is a series of city-building simulation games, where you are given the task of founding and developing a city, while maintaining the happiness of the citizens and keeping a stable budget.

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SimCity alternatives page was last updated Jan 31, 2025
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  1. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Cities: Skylines is a modern take on the classic city simulation. The game introduces new game play elements to realize the thrill and hardships of creating and maintaining a real city whilst expanding on some well-established tropes of the city building experience.

    29 Cities: Skylines alternatives

    License model

    Country of Origin

    • FI flagFinland
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Steam
    • Playstation
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Xbox

    Cities: Skylines Features

    1.  Works Offline
    2.  Moddable

    Cities: Skylines VS SimCity

     
    Comments about Cities: Skylines as an Alternative to SimCity
    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Positive Aug 23, 2017
    3

    It's got the core mechanics(building, zoning, stats) down flat, and the graphics make it easy for any ole granny to get into it. The graphics are pretty intensive though

    Guest
    Positive Mar 10, 2021
    0

    its just better than simcity

    Guest
    Positive Apr 27, 2020
    0

    Citirs: Skylines is not just a alternative to SimCity. In my opnion, it is better! =)

    Show more comments
    3 of 4 comments
    SimCity Icon
    Cities: Skylines icon
    • Almost everyone thinks Cities: Skylines is a great SimCity alternative.

    • Cities: Skylines is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to SimCity.

    • Cities: Skylines is the most popular commercial alternative to SimCity.

    • Cities: Skylines is Paid and ProprietarySimCity is also Paid and Proprietary
  2. Tiny Glade icon
     9 likes
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    Tiny Glade is a relaxing free-form building game. Tap into the joy of making something pretty with no management, no combat, or wrong answers — just kick back, doodle some castles, and turn forgotten meadows into lovable dioramas.

    36 Tiny Glade alternatives

    License model

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Steam
    • SteamOS

    Tiny Glade Features

    1.  Works Offline
    2.  Single player
    3.  No registration required
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Building game

    Tiny Glade VS SimCity

     
  3. Cytopia icon
     3 likes
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    Cytopia is a free, open source retro pixel-art city building game with a big focus on mods. It utilizes a custom isometric rendering engine based on SDL2.

    29 Cytopia alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Cytopia Features

    1.  Endless gameplay
    2.  Works Offline
    3.  Building game

    Cytopia VS SimCity

     
    • Cytopia is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to SimCity.

    • Cytopia is Free and Open SourceSimCity is Paid and Proprietary
  4. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    CSM is a multiplayer mod for Cities: Skylines. This mod aims to provide a simple client-server experience where users can play and build together in a single game. Initially, resources such as money, costs demand will be synced between clients.

    26 CSM - Cities: Skylines Multiplayer alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Self-Hosted
    • Cities: Skylines

    CSM - Cities: Skylines Multiplayer Features

    1.  Multiplayer
    2.  Mods

    CSM - Cities: Skylines Multiplayer VS SimCity

     
    • CSM - Cities: Skylines Multiplayer is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to SimCity.

    • CSM - Cities: Skylines Multiplayer is Free and Open SourceSimCity is Paid and Proprietary
    • CSM - Cities: Skylines Multiplayer is MultiplayerSimCity is not according to our users
  5. Citystate icon
     1 like
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    Combining the classic city building game experience with advanced macro-economics, Citystate aims to be the most realistic urban simulator ever made. Build the cities of a new Nation and bring about your vision of the ideal society.

    30 Citystate alternatives

    License model

    Country of Origin

    • FR flagFrance
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Steam

    Citystate Features

    1.  Building game

    Citystate VS SimCity

     
  6. Micropolis icon
     9 likes
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    Micropolis is a open city-building simulator game and is based on the original source code of SimCity , which was donated to the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project by Electronic Arts as free and open source software under the terms of the...

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    Discontinued

    The online version and theFacebook app are unavailable. The source code and the Java version are available from Google Code.

    Micropolis VS SimCity

     
    Comments about Micropolis as an Alternative to SimCity
    Guest
    Positive Dec 11, 2015
    1

    It is the original source code ported into Java.

    SimCity Icon
    Micropolis icon
    • Micropolis is Free and Open SourceSimCity is Paid and Proprietary
  7. Pocket City icon
     1 like
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    Build your own unique city as the new mayor. Create residential, commercial, and industrial zones. Build parks and recreation spots. Respond to crime and disasters. Watch your city come alive!

    25 Pocket City alternatives

    License model

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad

    Pocket City VS SimCity

     
    • Pocket City is the most popular Android, iPhone & iPad alternative to SimCity.

    • Pocket City is Paid and ProprietarySimCity is also Paid and Proprietary
  8. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    The game (developed by Monte Cristo and originally released on October 2009) offers challenging gameplay about money and space management as well as urban planning. It provides a variety of planning tools and a unicque setup for zoning.

    License model

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • FR flagFrance
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Cities XL (Series) VS SimCity

     
  9. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Create a sprawling industrial city. Compete with the other Great Houses of Titan for resources, territory, and power. Do battle with ships, technology, influence, or the sheer productive power of your factories.

    License model

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • CA flagCanada

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Industries of Titan VS SimCity

     
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    Take part in building the ideal Soviet Republic in this city-builder as you harvest and process raw materials, design logistical infrastructure, and provide everything your loyal citizens need.

    License model

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • SK flagSlovakia
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Steam
    • Windows

    Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic Features

    1.  Single player
    2.  Endless gameplay
    3.  Resource management

    Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic VS SimCity

     
10 of 35 SimCity alternatives