WHAT WE'RE PLAYING
If you build it, you’ll have fun
Ever peer down at a city from an aeroplane? The buildings are all tiny and toylike, the streams of cars silent and orderly. You might feel awestruck by humanity’s capacity for ingenuity... until later, when you’re trying not to scream in yet another traffic jam. Seriously, why isn’t this road six lanes wide? Fortunately, you can create your own reality.
These games let you live out your construction fantasies, whether it’s planning out power grids, piecing together a post-apocalyptic shelter or making sure your theme park has enough bathrooms. This is your chance to add those extra lanes.
Build a new reality
‣ SimCity: BuildIt lets you fix those kinds of highway problems. You’re given a blank canvas of land and asked to develop it into a glittering, glorious metropolis. And if metropolitan construction isn’t your thing, try theme park design in RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch, because why bother with sensible roads when you could be building burger stands and towering coasters?
Build a fantasy
Maybe you don’t want to get bogged down in all that realism. Why deal with ordinary cities when you could focus on resource shortages in postapocalyptic wastelands? Yes, that is actually a fun thing to do. Fallout Shelter proves it. Or you could build the dinosaur park you secretly wish were real in Jurassic World: The Game.
Build a Toy World
Keep avoiding reality by creating and managing a fantastic city for toys only. This, of course, with the help of our favourite claw machine—Clawbert.
Build a future
Or maybe you want to go beyond the confines of this planet? Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow lets you set up a futuristic city, collect characters, then soar into outer space to zap enemies in intergalactic battles.
Build something easy
If you enjoy construction but are time-poor, you need something that doesn't get too involved in the specifics. Something that provides all the fun of watching cities grow without the complications. You’re looking for a game like Bit City.
