Top 15 best city builder games for Android phones and tablets

Townsmen is a medieval city building game where you start off with a small village and are working towards making a huge medieval empire. In times where technology isn’t developed as much as it is now, you will have a lot to deal with, from trying to build an economy to production chains, as well as natural disasters destroying your world. There are a lot of challenges in the olden days.

We even have a Townsmen review, but admittedly it's not one game that has impressed us too much in the past. However, after a number of updates and several years down the line, the game actually feels quite nice.

It's worth giving it a shot, especially if you like games that take a simpler approach.

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

The Simpsons: Tapped Out brings a bit of humour to the city building genre, where you need to get your townsfolk together before you can start to build up the town again, from scratch. After you have found all of the characters and brought them back to their families, and then changed how they look for your new town’s style, you can then start building up Springfield, expanding the town and growing business along the way.

Oh but how about our The Simpsons: Tapped Out review? Don't forget to check it out if you're curious how this old-time classic Android city builder of sorts plays out. We genuinely love the fun it brings, and so we've even put together a guide for The Simpsons: Tapped Out to give you a helping hand (or finger).

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

I feel like everyone has spent their fair share of time in Clash of Clans - but essentially you are starting from scratch, building a fantasy town that is all about defense. As you upgrade buildings, add traps, and continue to build an army, you are also building up a town that hopefully can take a bit of a beating as other players attack and try to pillage you of all of your loot.

When you do decide to give it a shot, make sure to read through our collection of Clash of Clans tips and guides, and if you want to learn even more about how the gameplay actually is, we have a Clash of Clans review for you.

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

If you’d like to build a city in the cold tundra, Snow Town is one for you! There are a lot of different decorations and details for you to define in your town, and you will need to do so from scratch. This city builder is a bit more modern than the previous, requiring roads to connect buildings, parks to keep people happy, and a good flow as you expand.

This little snowy city builder for Android is a great choice if you love pristine white landscapes, adding worldwide famous landmarks and everything pretty. It's a free-to-play game that not only lets you build up in mountains but also feels wholesome while playing. Give it a try!

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

In Rise of Kingdoms you have the typical city building game, but elevated to a whole new level. There are so many elements to consider, enemies to battle and even the best commanders you can get, so everything will require a different approach.

It's a highly tactical game that will not disappoint if you're looking for an active city builder Android game - even in 2023! The community is very active, and the game is divided by seasons, allowing for constant expansion and progress. It's a must-play. Oh, and don't forget to check out the latest RoK codes too!

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

DomiNations is another city builder where you need to think about defenses as you must battle your rival nations in this game! After choosing a famous civilization from history, you will need to start building up your town while keeping war strategies in mind and attempting to stay alive. There is a lot of strategy around what you are doing, as well as events that can put a spanner in the works!

The game is more strategy than a city builder, but still, it's worthy of a mention. It plays out great and it looks even better. You'll find yourself so engulfed in the game, you won't even realise you've been playing for several hours.

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

City Island has you trying to build your own island up to a successful city - all with a bit of gold and money you have been left. You can start out by creating some small houses and slowly nursing them into a full-fledged city. City Islands have many different challenges to throw you for a look, including pirates and quests, that can keep the gameplay interesting!

There are several games in the City Island series, but for this list alone we'll have to pick the fifth one, City Island 5. We like the more updated graphics and options it brings to the game, and so it's the title that we'll go with. If you love the idea of building your very own city island, you may want to try out all of the City Island games - there's quite a few of them!

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

If you’re looking for a city builder that you can let run itself from time to time, Idle City is a good choice! You are aiming to become a billionaire by investing in different businesses and upgrading infrastructures in your town, growing the wealth of both you and the people that live there. Waiting for more money is a part of the game, but you can play with friends to increase profits in boosts!

It's the ideal Android city builder game that allows for plenty of idle play to let you go about your day without much worry. If that's something up your alley, make sure to check it out.

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

Forge of Empires is a city building game that goes from the stone age to modern times, all while you adapt and build up your own empire! Adaptation is the real challenge in Forge of Empires, where you will need to think strategically to make it through different time periods, hoping to keep your empire alive long enough to get into modern times and discover more useful technologies.

This game also has pillaging and enemies to take on! Oh, and even better, the game does exceptionally well in the visuals department. It's a strategy masterpiece worthy of your time. And when we mean 'worthy of your time', we actually mean it's going to take quite a lot of time to progress, since the game is pretty slow-paced.

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

SimCity BuildIt allows you to play as a real estate tycoon, looking to build up a town without many restrictions or roadblocks in your hands. This is your dream project and you must take a hold of it! Your decisions will matter and you’ll need to strategize a bit if you want to make a successful town. The game does have trading and some story to it!

If you want to learn more about the game, you can either read our SimCity Buildit review, or jump straight to the more hands-on tips in the SimCity Buildit strategy guide. Both choices should give you a clear idea of what to expect from it.

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

Megapolis brings strategy into their building game, as you need to create a city based on the rules of the market. This means that your decisions and what you create need to be well thought through, otherwise your infrastructure can end up collapsing. There are contests in Megapolis, to show off your world, as well as the chance to build up a military!

It's a pretty solid game when it comes to city builders, and if you're curious to learn even more, you should read our Megapolis review. It should give you a clear idea of what to expect from it.

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

Village City Island Simulator is a simplistic version of a city builder, however, it’s one that’s got a lot of polish and joy in it. You’ll need to look after your town in this game, giving your people good jobs and good lives, while an advisor works to tell you what your people need and how to help them out. There are also quests to take on and adventures to unlock!

You have a ton of items (and buildings) to unlock, which eventually will lead to a big and prosperous town. It's simple and to the point, a game that does exactly what it's mean to - provide a fun little city builder sim type of game that does everything properly.

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

Designer City is a city builder with fewer wars and strategies and more of a creative side to the building. You are looking to create beautiful homes and skyscrapers that people then want enough to purchase themselves. It’s not just the buildings that need to be attractive though, you will need to have good local areas to keep people happy and ensure your town is worth the move!

Let's also not forget to mention that you've got a number of "Designer Cities" you can play. From Designer City: Empire Edition to the sequel called Designer City 2, you have a lot of options. However, we'll go with the original because it's a timeless game worth playing. Make sure to check it out!

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

The Battle of Polytopia is a turn-based strategy game where you need to control and build up a map, discovering tiles that you can then use for your own benefit. As the ruler of a tribe, looking to build a large civilization, you will need to compete with other tribes to be the majority in the land, using the resources around you to discover new technologies and help you fight off enemies.

We actually have a bunch of guides for The Battle of Polytopia, so if you're wondering how to do something specific, we've probably got it covered. Make sure to check them out.

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

If you’d like your city to be built in a more scenic location, Tropic Paradise Sim can do that! It’s a simple town-planning, building simulator, however, you are creating tropical resorts across several islands, that people can come and hang out at when on holiday from their own villages and towns. You will need to think about service as you choose your building and create your destination.

Tropic Paradise Sim is an incredible city-builder simulator with amazing graphics. If you are looking for an unusual simulator in an interesting setting, you should definitely try this game! Also, while you are here, make sure to check our list of the best management games for Android!

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on