Best City Builders On The Nintendo Switch, Ranked

Highlights

• Nintendo Switch is capable of running city-builder games despite its perceived lack of power.
• These are the best city builders available on the Nintendo Switch.
• Players can create their own cities in a variety of settings and eras, from cozy towns to floating kingdoms and even on Mars.

Handheld consoles like the Nintendo Switch are great for playing both simulation and strategy titles. One such great example that covers both of these genres are city-builder games that give players the freedom to create their own bustling city that expands across various lands.

While some may argue that the Nintendo Switch isn’t very powerful, it still has the capability of running these city builder games with many players enjoying certain titles both handheld or on a much bigger screen. Therefore, out of all the games available on the six-year-old console, these are by far the best city builders that players are enjoying.

Updated December 15, 2023, by Megan Smith: There is nothing more relaxing than city building games on Switch. Players may be surprised by how this arguably outdated piece of hardware is still able to play such a variety of titles, which include city builders. Nintendo has continued to show that handheld devices like the Switch are great for city-building games. Of the titles available in the genre, these are by far the best that can be found on the console when a player is hoping to create their own modern or medieval city to expand.

13 Townscaper

Metascore: 63

When it comes to relaxing city builders, Townscaper is a great game that requires a player to put in little effort. Although it doesn’t have much gameplay to it, that’s exactly what makes this cozy title a brilliant city builder. There is no real goal to the game other than for the player to make the town or city of their dreams.

Players are free to create a whole town block by block as they sculpt out their own hamlets, canals, or even cathedrals. Players don’t need to worry about these cities being realistic in any way as they can happily make a town that soars above the rest on stilts.

12 Village Tycoon: Farm City Simulator

Metascore: TBD

Combining the farming simulator genre with improving the town, players will see their hard work pay off in Village Tycoon. Players will start off tending their own farm: growing crops and taking care of animals, until they start making progress to help the town.

There is a variety of relaxing levels for the player to work through that will see them aiding the different townsfolk. With every happy customer, the once small village will improve until it’s an expansive metropolis bustling with trade. Its satisfying gameplay combined with its cartoony art style makes Village Tycoon a must-play Switch city builder.

11 Townsmen – A Kingdom Rebuilt

Metascore: 64

Not all city-builder games need to create a modern city with soaring skyscrapers. Townsmen shows that even a medieval kingdom is a city-builder title. Players will start the game as a small town that they must invest in if they hope to see it expand until it one day becomes a bustling empire.

Building a kingdom won’t be easy for players as both weather and the seasons will take hold of their empire. Disasters can also occur while trying to build up the kingdom such as fire, droughts, and plagues, which will challenge the player to overcome what may seem impossible.

10 Cities: Skylines – Nintendo Switch Edition

Metascore: 67

Out of all the available city builders, it’s no surprise to see that one of the most loved simulation titles has also found a place for itself on the Nintendo Switch. In Cities: Skylines, players simulate the work of a city planner as they plan out the perfect city structure while also figuring out how the roads would work in such a situation.

Cities: Skylines is arguably one of the most detailed city builders on the Nintendo Switch. It can challenge the player to work on a budget, or simply allow them to enjoy themselves through a sandbox mode that gives them unlimited money.

9 Tropico 6 – Nintendo Switch Edition

Metascore: 70

This well-known city builder finally made its way to the Nintendo platform with Tropico 6. In this title, players are left to manage multiple islands as they build up both their forces and the main city to please those that live in the archipelagos.

In Tropico 6, players can choose how good of a leader they wish to be. They can give the people exactly what they ask for, or raid foreign lands and steal their wonders to make their own nation even greater. Electoral speeches return in Tropico 6, allowing players to fight for their place as President while making promises they can’t possibly keep.

8 As Far As The Eye

Metascore: 70

There is so much more to As Far As The Eye than its city-building elements. The player takes on the role of the wind as it guides the tribe known as the Pupils to the center of the world. In this city builder that also combines roguelike features, the player must decide what members of the tribe may need to be left on the journey as well as stocking up on the most useful resources.

Players will be constantly on the move, which may make the city builder aspect of the title quite confusing to some. However, it carries an important message in building enough to survive but not so much that the tribe can’t move on.

7 Before We Leave

Metascore: 72

City builders don’t need to be a stressful experience, and titles like Before We Leave prove this. In this adorable game made of hexagonal shapes, players are encouraged to help the population of Peeps grows across various bits of land and planets.

Naturally, over time, players will begin to expand their territories as they find and research ancient technologies that will help their Peeps. With biomes that come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, players will need to think carefully about what they build to make the best settlements; all while defending them against the guardians that have also made these planets their home.

6 Project Highrise: Architect’s Edition

Metascore: 72

Project Highrise is a simulation title that may not entirely fit the city builder theme. However, players are tasked with building multiple skyscrapers – or high-rise buildings – that can survive the elements. While many of these may be office spaces, players will also be challenged to create residential skyscrapers that possess all the requirements for an individual to live within the city.

Besides the open sandbox mode that leaves players to create the skyscrapers of their dreams with multiple difficulties to challenge themselves. There is also a campaign mode that will not only teach the player the ropes but also test their skills through multiple challenging scenarios.

5 Islanders: Console Edition

Metascore: 75

Across tiny islands, there is another relaxing city-building strategy title for players to enjoy on the Nintendo Switch; Islanders is a short and simple game that leaves players to create their own cities across the cliffs of small islands.

With a point system in place, players will choose from a variety of buildings that will benefit from being placed near certain features of the islands such as a Lumber Pack being beneficial next to trees. Players that enjoy increasing their points will want to experiment with where they put their buildings in this cozy experience.

4 SteamWorld Build

Metascore: 76

SteamWorld Build took the city builder genre in a new direction. The game combines the franchise’s dungeon crawler game play with taking charge of a mining town. Deep within the mines is ancient technology that could be used to help this financially sinking town.

Players have already fallen in love with this recent title on the Nintendo Switch, as an impressive city building game that has players managing resources both above and below the town. Players also have several different maps to explore, so not every single city built will develop the same.

3 Airborne Kingdom

Metascore: 76

Airborne Kingdom is a city builder set in the sky. Players must first design their floating kingdom that soars through the sky before they can begin managing the folks that live on top of it.

However, the player isn’t the only kingdom that has taken to the air. They will need to form alliances with fellow terrestrial kingdoms if they hope to see their own city blossom. Besides building in the sky, players will also need to research technology and complete quests to improve their time between the clouds.

2 Terraformers

Metascore: 80

As seen through the selection of the best city builders on the Nintendo Switch, not all of them are realistic or medieval. Some of them can even take place in space, like Terraformers. In this city builder, players make their home on the red planet of Mars, where they must try to make a safe place for not only themselves but also the other colonists.

Players must explore the planets they are given in order to find new resources. There is no reason for players to remember these locations for new playthroughs, as every planet adventure is procedurally generated. This helps to make every playthrough feel different and give the player new challenges to solve.

1 Sid Meier’s Civilization 6

Metascore: 86

While not entirely a city builder, there are city builder aspects to Sid Meier’s Civilization 6. Players are tasked with competing against the computer AI or a group of other players as they attempt to build the most successful empire.

Therefore, a player must build multiple cities with all the resources a resident of this city may need. While this may not be as detailed as other city builders, strategy is still required if a player hopes to keep their empire afloat while defending against others that may wish to either destroy or take over.