The Best City-building Games for Linux

Update : Gourdlets added at rank #33.
1

Terra Nil (2023)

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81
Review score
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PC Windows Nintendo Switch Mac OS Linux IOS iPhone Android

Restore the environment to its former glory in Terra Nil, a reverse city-builder game that challenges you to rebuild a barren wasteland. Build grasslands, forests, wetlands and more using advanced eco-technology, and leave behind a pristine wilderness for the animals. With procedurally generated landscapes, each playthrough is unique, challenging and unpredictable. Terra Nil offers a peaceful, meditative experience with lush hand-painted environments, relaxing music and ambient soundscape. Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the ecosystem you've restored with Appreciate mode.


What we like:
  • Relaxing and engrossing gameplay loop
  • Gorgeous and vibrant hand-painted graphics
  • Procedurally generated maps create a unique experience with each playthrough
  • Effortless and straightforward game mechanics
  • Well-balanced difficulty that is not too challenging nor too easy
What could be improved:
  • Limited amount of content for its price
  • Limited replayability

  • city-building
  • relaxing
  • strategy
  • meditative
  • resource-management
  • puzzle
  • isometric

2

Tropico 6 (2019)

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90
Review score
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IOS iPhone Linux Mac OS PC Windows Xbox One

Tropico 6 is a city-building game that offers an engaging mix of elements such as ruling your own island dictatorship, sandbox mode with customizable goals, missions, and easy controller support. You can be a big picture person and make decisions that impact the entire island or get into the minute details of urban planning.


What we like:
  • Engaging mix of elements
  • Sandbox mode with customizable goals
  • Missions
  • Easy controller support:No need for mouse and keyboard or touchscreen
What could be improved:
  • Minor performance issues

  • city-building
  • simulation
  • economy
  • political
  • sandbox
  • management
  • strategy
  • construction
  • military
  • politics

3

Cities: Skylines (2015)

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94
Review score
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PC Windows Mac OS Linux Xbox One Playstation 4 stadia Playstation 5 Xbox Series X

Build and maintain your own city with Cities: Skylines, where you must balance essential requirements like education, electricity, and healthcare while navigating your city's real economy system. With extensive traffic, district, and policy simulations, you have a multi-tiered and challenging environment to master. Customize and share your creations with other city builders. Don't miss out on this modern take on the classic city simulation game!


What we like:
  • Realistic city building simulation
  • Fun to plan, execute, and manage a city
  • Plethora of mods available
  • DLC adds interesting gameplay
  • Can enjoy the game without purchasing DLC
What could be improved:
  • Vanilla game is very basic

  • city-building
  • simulation

4

Paragon Pioneers (2022)

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90
Review score
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Linux Mac OS PC Windows Android IOS iPhone

Paragon Pioneers is a casual island management game where you build and manage a series of island nations. It offers over 100+ buildings to advance through and has an abstract look and mechanics that make it easy to manage on small screens. It's a stress-free game for casual players.

Buy

What we like:
  • Detailed explanations and tutorials
  • No ads or premium currencies
  • Easy to pick up and put down
  • Reminiscent of the Anno series with idle gameplay
  • No inherent time limit
  • Over 100+ buildings to advance through
What could be improved:
  • Long waiting times
  • Lack of a thrilling narrative
  • Game mechanics become increasingly complex
  • Colonization aspect may be troublesome for some players
  • Combat has a limited army size and isn't very interesting

  • idler
  • city-building
  • colony
  • tutorial
  • management
  • base-building
  • building
  • simulation
  • medieval
  • crafting
  • economy
  • top-down
  • relaxing
  • 2d
  • resource-management

5

Farlanders (2023)

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92
Review score
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PC Windows Mac OS Linux

Farlanders is a turn-based city builder set on Mars, with a puzzle game mentality and an engaging story that challenges you to think about the right you have to change the face of a planet. You play as Marco, an architect who discovers that all is not what it seems. Balance resources, build structures and manage colony happiness in this demanding but rewarding space colony simulator.


What we like:
  • Vibrant visuals
  • Realistic environments
  • Dynamic building system
  • Strategic choices
  • Challenging gameplay
  • Turn-based city builder
  • Procedurally generated maps
What could be improved:
  • Complexity can be overwhelming for some players
  • Steep learning curve
  • Requires careful resource management

  • city-building
  • turn-based
  • mars
  • colony
  • resource-management
  • base-building
  • simulation
  • building
  • strategy
  • space
  • procedural
  • pixel
  • management
  • survival

6

Kingdoms and Castles (2017)

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94
Review score
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Linux Xbox Series X Xbox One PC Windows Mac OS Playstation 5 Playstation 4 j

Kingdoms and Castles is a city-building simulation game about growing a kingdom from a tiny hamlet to a sprawling city and imposing castle. Make trade agreements, alliance, and war with neighboring AI controlled kingdoms. Each villager and resource is individually simulated.


  • city-building
  • colony
  • simulation
  • medieval
  • strategy
  • farming
  • management

7

Synergy (2024)

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88
Review score
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early access Linux PC Windows Mac OS

Synergy is a city-building game in which humanity must survive in a strange and hostile world. Build a city while respecting the ecosystem. Explore and analyze your environment. Provide for the needs of your citizens.


  • diplomacy
  • post-apocalyptic
  • economy
  • base-building
  • city-building
  • building
  • trading
  • steampunk
  • resource-management
  • survival
  • management
  • simulation
  • strategy
  • farming

8

Songs of Syx (2020)

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93
Review score
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Linux Mac OS PC Windows

'Songs of Syx' is an immersive fantasy city-builder where you evolve from a tiny colony to a sprawling empire. Battle with legions, manage a diverse population, and shape your society in a living world of gods and creatures. With a blend of strategy and simulation, every decision can lead your kingdom to prosperity or downfall. Ready to rule?


What we like:
  • Unique blend of city-building and grand strategy
  • Tactical battles with huge armies
  • Dynamic world with evolving narrative
  • Deep management of population and resources
  • Regular updates enhancing gameplay
What could be improved:
  • Combat system needs refinement
  • User interface can be unclear in battle and on world map

  • city-building
  • colony
  • grand-strategy
  • simulation
  • base-building
  • moddable
  • building
  • empire
  • fantasy

9

ISLANDERS (2019)

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90
Review score
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Mac OS Linux PC Windows

Build beautiful cities without the stress of resource management in ISLANDERS. Explore infinite procedurally generated islands, unlock new packs of buildings and expand your settlements to vast cities. With intuitive and rewarding city-building gameplay, a relaxing atmosphere, beautiful vibrant colors, and no complex tutorials or overwhelming menus to navigate, ISLANDERS is the perfect game to just pick up, play and beat your high score. It's a simple game that lets anyone create and explore their own little worlds at an affordable price.

Buy

What we like:
  • Very tranquil and calming game
  • Simple yet challenging gameplay
  • Stunning graphics and soothing soundtrack
  • Addictive and time-consuming
  • No complex tutorials or overwhelming menus to navigate
What could be improved:
  • May not be as calming as intended due to the need for improvement in each island
  • May not be what some players expect from a city-building game
  • Limited explanation on where to place pieces and clunky snapping of the pieces together
  • The addition of certain achievements may ruin the game for some players

  • city-building
  • relaxing
  • minimalist
  • strategy
  • colony
  • beautiful

10

Surviving Mars (2018)

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83
Review score
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Xbox One Playstation 4 Linux Mac OS PC Windows

Colonize Mars and build the first functioning human colonies on the Red Planet in Surviving Mars. Choose a space agency for resources before determining a location for your colony, and then build domes and infrastructure, research new possibilities, and utilize drones to expand your settlement. Keep your colonists alive and unlock the mysteries of this alien world. Each colonist is a unique individual with problems and strengths that influence the behavior of the others, making for a challenging and immersive gameplay experience. Are you ready to build a smart, functional colony on a planet not fit for human life?


What we like:
  • Addictive gameplay loop
  • Good music and graphics
  • Unique "city builder in space" concept
  • Interesting mods available
  • Realistic colonization of Mars theme
What could be improved:
  • Heavily reliant on DLCs for complete experience
  • Shallow gameplay with limited decision-making
  • Slow pace with lack of backstory
  • Inconsistent quality in available buildings and vehicles

  • city-building
  • simulation
  • survival
  • sci-fi
  • mars

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