The Top 20 Building Games on PC: Construct, Create, and Command

Building is a fundamental human instinct, one we've nurtured since childhood. From stacking wooden blocks to constructing sprawling digital cities, the urge to create is timeless. If you're anything like us, that passion for building hasn't waned. While many building games lean into management mechanics, they never lose that playful essence. It’s present when you lay out roads in Cities: Skylines or fortify your castle in Stronghold. It’s that same thrill you felt digging a trench on the beach to protect your sandcastle from the tide.

This list showcases the best building games on PC, featuring a variety of styles and sub-genres. To narrow it down, we set some rules: games had to have a top-down "god view," so while you won’t find Minecraft or Space Engineers here, there's still plenty of creativity on display. From city-building behemoths to intricate colony sims, these games let you construct your dream (or nightmare) worlds from the ground up. Let's dive into the top 20 building games on PC.

Best City Building Games

Cities: Skylines

A titan in the city-building genre, Cities: Skylines took the foundation laid by SimCity and expanded it into something extraordinary. Its road placement and traffic management systems are a masterclass in simulation, allowing for nearly any city design you can dream up. While it’s more of a sandbox experience without strict objectives, a plethora of DLC and mods ensure you'll never run out of fresh ways to build your city.

Frostpunk

Frostpunk delivers a chilling city-building experience set in a world that's literally freezing over. In this steampunk-inspired setting, you must build and maintain a city capable of withstanding a rapidly cooling planet. The game’s narrative-driven approach and stunning visual design keep you engrossed, though its replayability might be limited by its story-driven structure. However, with additional scenarios and a sandbox mode, there’s plenty of content to explore as you struggle to keep the cold at bay.

Timberborn

In a post-human world, beavers have taken up the mantle of civilization. Timberborn is a unique twist on the city-building genre, where you can build vertically as well as horizontally. The game’s seasonal droughts add an extra layer of strategy as you manage water resources and alter the landscape to ensure your beaver colony thrives. Since its 2021 release, the game has continued to evolve, adding new challenges like toxic water, proving it’s more than just a survival game—it’s a testament to beaver ingenuity.

Anno 1800

Anno 1800 offers city-building on a grand scale across multiple islands, set against the backdrop of the 19th century. The game stands out for its complex mechanics, where you manage settlements at different development stages and across diverse regions. As you expand into the New World, the game introduces new resources and challenges, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging.

Surviving Mars

Initially a solid but unspectacular entry into the genre, Surviving Mars found new life with the Green Planet DLC, which introduced terraforming mechanics. Transforming Mars from a barren wasteland into a thriving, green landscape is a slow but deeply satisfying process. The game’s sense of progress—watching the planet change under your guidance—makes it a unique entry in the city-building genre.

Best Base Building Games

Factorio

In Factorio, you're not building a city for citizens; you're constructing a massive, automated factory. The game is a triumph of design, guiding you through the process of building an immense, complex machine without feeling overwhelming. But be warned: Factorio is highly addictive, a time-devouring monster that can make hours disappear in what feels like minutes.

They Are Billions

They Are Billions blends steampunk aesthetics with a zombie apocalypse, challenging you to build a base capable of withstanding waves of the undead. It’s a game of constant tension, where you must balance expansion with fortification, building an economy while preparing for the next onslaught. The satisfaction of surviving a massive zombie wave with your meticulously constructed defenses intact is hard to beat.

Dyson Sphere Program

Ever dreamed of harvesting the power of the stars? Dyson Sphere Program lets you do just that. It’s Factorio on a galactic scale, where you build factories across multiple planets to create a Dyson Sphere—a massive structure designed to capture a star's energy. The game’s complexity is daunting, with simulated solar systems and intricate logistics to manage, but the payoff is worth it as you see your interplanetary empire grow.

Thronefall

Thronefall simplifies the tower defense genre by making some decisions for you, focusing on what to build rather than where to place it. As a king on horseback, you gather resources, build defenses, and fend off waves of enemies. It’s a more streamlined experience but still offers enough strategy to keep you engaged, making it a perfect palate cleanser between more complex building games.

Stronghold HD

Stronghold HD remains a classic of the castle-building genre. It combines the construction of a medieval fortress with real-time strategy combat, requiring you to manage both your economy and your defenses. The game’s campaign offers varied challenges, from building to defending to attacking, all leading up to a final showdown against your nemesis. It’s aged well, thanks to its solid mechanics and the charm of its British-accented soldiers.

Best Tycoon Games

Planet Zoo

Planet Zoo is a visual and creative masterpiece. While its management mechanics are solid, it truly shines in its construction tools, allowing you to build elaborate habitats and landscapes for your animals. Whether you’re designing a Roman-themed tortoise palace or a high-tech lion enclosure, the possibilities are nearly endless, making it one of the most satisfying building experiences on this list.

Offworld Trading Company

This game takes a unique approach to the building genre, focusing on economic competition rather than construction. In Offworld Trading Company, you manage a business on another planet, exploiting its resources to outmaneuver your rivals in a simulated commodities market. It’s a fast-paced, strategic game that offers a different kind of challenge, with multiplayer modes providing a highly competitive experience.

Planet Coaster

From the creators of Planet Zoo, Planet Coaster allows you to build your dream theme park. The game’s construction system is just as robust, letting you design everything from roller coasters to walkways. And once your park is up and running, you can even ride your creations. It’s a game that blends management with creativity, offering hours of fun whether you’re micromanaging your park’s finances or crafting the perfect coaster.

Prison Architect

Prison Architect is a game that balances fun and strategy with a heavy dose of satire. You’re tasked with building and managing a prison, ensuring your inmates are housed, fed, and kept in line. The game’s mechanics are solid, allowing for a variety of playstyles, from building a humane rehabilitation center to a maximum-security fortress. However, the game’s setting can feel a bit uncomfortable given its real-world implications.

Best Colony Sim Games

Dwarf Fortress

Dwarf Fortress is a legendary game, known for its complexity and depth. It’s not just a building game; it’s a fantasy world simulator, where every dwarf, creature, and event is part of a larger, emergent narrative. The game’s ASCII art style might be off-putting to some, but its recent Steam release with improved visuals has made it more accessible to newcomers. It’s a game where every playthrough tells a unique story, making it a must-play for fans of colony sims.

RimWorld

Inspired by Dwarf Fortress but with its own unique twist, RimWorld is a colony sim where you manage a group of survivors on a distant planet. The game’s storytelling engine creates complex, often hilarious scenarios as your colonists deal with everything from alien attacks to social drama. Its recent Royalty expansion adds even more depth, introducing new challenges like psychic powers and mechanoid invasions.

Manor Lords

Manor Lords offers a more grounded, medieval approach to the colony sim genre. You manage a small village, ensuring your peasants have enough food, shelter, and entertainment to keep them happy. The game’s early access status means it’s still being refined, but its focus on sustainability over rapid expansion offers a refreshing change of pace.

Oxygen Not Included

Oxygen Not Included is a challenging colony sim that requires you to manage a group of astronauts trapped in an asteroid. The game’s side-on perspective and complex environmental systems make it a unique entry in the genre. You’ll need to carefully balance resources, temperature, and air quality to keep your colony alive. It’s a game that demands constant attention, with every solution potentially leading to new problems.

These games are the cream of the crop when it comes to building on PC. Whether you’re crafting a sprawling metropolis, a fortified base, or a thriving colony, there’s something here for every kind of builder. Dive in, and let your creativity run wild!