5 best games like SimCity

Best games like SimCity. Image: Major Thriftwood (YouTube).

SimCity opened the doors to a new type of genre, way back in 1989. It gave the players a chance to build their very own cities. They could decide where they wanted to place roads, schools, hospitals, parks, etc., to make sure their city runs seamlessly.

City-building games have come a long way since SimCity. There are various games that not only allow you to build a city, but also to take care of its management and trade.

Best games like SimCity

If you liked SimCity, here are five games that you can try out:

Civilization VI

In Civilization VI, you need to build an entire civilization right from scratch. There will be several periods of development, and you will have to compete with others to make your civilization grow from a small tribe to a thriving country.

You can also make diplomatic relations with others to make sure that there is peace. You also need to make sure that your economy grows, rather than falling to a dirt-cheap amount.

Recommended System Requirements (Source: Steam)

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 7x64 / Windows 8.1x64 / Windows 10x64
Processor: Fourth Generation Intel Core i5 2.5 GHz or AMD FX8350 4.0 GHz or greater
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: 2GB & AMD 7970 or Nvidia 770 or greater
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 12 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Sound Device

Cities: Skylines

This is a city-building simulation game where you need to work hard to ensure that your city is working as it is supposed to be. From creating job opportunities to making sure that the pollution level is low, you will have a wide variety of tasks. The game will make you feel like a bureaucrat who is in charge of running a city.

Recommended System Requirements (Source: Steam)

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Microsoft Windows 7/8 (64-bit)
Processor: Intel Core i5-3470, 3.20GHz or AMD FX-6300, 3.5Ghz
Memory: 6 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660, 2 GB or AMD Radeon HD 7870, 2 GB (Does not support Intel Integrated Graphics Cards)
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 4 GB available space

Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing is a simple game with pretty straightforward controls. In this game, you need to build a 'dream' village. You can expand your hut into a mansion, provided that you pay the loan as and when it is due. You will also be in charge of maintaining the cleanliness, as animals will come pouring in your town.

Stronghold 3

Stronghold 3 is different from all the other games on this list, as it is a little story-driven. In this game, you have to defend yourself and your villagers from the Wolf who is on your hunt.

There are two approaches to playing the game: Economic Campaign or Military Campaign. You can choose the Economic Campaign if you want to have an experience similar to SimCity.

Recommended System Requirements (Source: Steam)

OS: Windows® 7/ Windows® 8/ Windows® 10
Processor: 1.8 GHz Quad-Core CPU
Memory: 4GB RAM
Graphics: 512 MB ATI 4800 series or better, 512 MB Nvidia 9800 series or better
DirectX®: DirectX 9.0c
Hard Drive: 5 GB space free
Sound: DirectX 9.0c-compatible sound card

Anno 2070

One of the best games of the Anno franchise, Anno 2070, is set in the year 2070 and deals with building an ultra-modern world. Many cities have submerged underwater due to global warming, and there are only a few islands left. You need to ensure that those islands have establishments, that can flourish their economy in the best possible way.

Recommended System Requirements (Source: Steam)

OS: Windows® XP / Windows Vista® / Windows® 7
Processor: 2 GHz Intel® Core™2 Duo or AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 or better
Memory: 2 GB (4 GB recommended)
Graphics: 512 MB DirectX® 9.0c–compatible with Shader Model 3.0 or higher (see supported list)*
DirectX®: 9.0c
Hard Drive: 5 GB
Sound: DirectX 9.0c–compliant
Peripherals: Windows-compatible mouse and keyboard