The Best Base-building colony simulation Games

Update : Memoriapolis added at rank #34.
1

Empires of the Undergrowth (2017)

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97
Review score
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PC Windows Mac OS Linux

Command swarms of warriors at an unprecedented scale of warfare in this blend of RTS and base-building. Lead ant colonies against the many fearsome threats of the insect world, while building intricate nests, developing pheromone-based tactics, and evolving to meet growing dangers.


  • strategy
  • simulation
  • colony
  • automation
  • management
  • moddable
  • real-time
  • base-building
  • city-building
  • resource-management
  • building
  • sandbox
  • economy
  • documentary
  • replay-value

2

RimWorld (2018)

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96
Review score
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PC Windows Xbox One Mac OS Linux

RimWorld is a life simulator and management game set in a remote planet in the distant future. It features a unique character generation system to create complex personalities with flaws, drives and needs, as well as a story generator that creates unexpected scenarios for players to face.


What we like:
  • Unique character generation system
  • Story generator creates unpredictable scenarios
  • Tons of mods for everything
  • Includes interaction bubbles to show interactions as they happen
What could be improved:
  • Unintuitive UI
  • Busy work tasks can be tedious

  • colony
  • -a
  • simulation
  • management
  • survival
  • base-building
  • farming
  • pirates
  • sci-fi
  • sandbox

3

Oxygen Not Included (2019)

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95
Review score
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PC Windows Mac OS Linux

Oxygen Not Included is an innovative and unique colony-building game in which you control a crew of duplicants who start beneath the surface of a procedurally generated asteroid with nothing more than a ration box and cloning device. With its childlike art style and humour, Oxygen Not Included looks like less of a space simulator and more like The Sims in space, but don't let that fool you - it's brimming with complexity and depth.

Buy

What we like:
  • Child-friendly art style
  • Complexity and depth
  • Humor
  • Procedurally generated asteroid
  • Experimenting with contraptions
  • Retconning decisions
What could be improved:
  • Frame rate drops at the start of each cycle
  • AI occasionally getting confused

  • survival
  • simulation
  • colony
  • base-building
  • management
  • resource-management
  • sandbox
  • space
  • space-colony
  • resource
  • farming
  • building
  • colony-building

4

Kingdoms and Castles (2017)

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94
Review score
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Linux Xbox Series X Xbox One PC Windows Mac OS Playstation 5 Playstation 4 j

Kingdoms and Castles is a city-building simulation game about growing a kingdom from a tiny hamlet to a sprawling city and imposing castle. Make trade agreements, alliance, and war with neighboring AI controlled kingdoms. Each villager and resource is individually simulated.


  • city-building
  • colony
  • simulation
  • medieval
  • strategy
  • farming
  • management

5

Ostriv (2020)

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94
Review score
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early access PC Windows j

Ostriv is a city-building game that puts you in a role of a governor of an 18th century Ukrainian town to challenge your creative skills and management abilities.


  • colony
  • city-building
  • economy
  • building
  • resource-management
  • simulation
  • base-building
  • management
  • agriculture
  • historical
  • relaxing
  • medieval
  • build
  • replay-value
  • 3d

6

Kingdom: Two Crowns (2018)

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93
Review score
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Nintendo Switch PC Windows Mac OS Playstation 4 Xbox One IOS iPhone Linux Android

In Kingdom Two Crowns, players must work in the brand-new solo or co-op campaign mode to build their kingdom and secure it from the threat of the Greed. Experience new technology, units, enemies, mounts, and secrets in the next evolution of the award-winning micro strategy franchise!


  • micro
  • medieval
  • pixel
  • colony
  • strategy
  • side-scrolling
  • cooperative
  • base-building
  • tower-defense
  • city-building
  • simulation
  • building
  • scroller
  • survival
  • 2d

7

EarthX (2023)

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93
Review score
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Nintendo Switch Linux Mac OS PC Windows Android

EarthX is a rocket company management game. Go from launching small rockets on Earth to eventually building a colony on Mars. Create your own Internet constellation, develop new technologies, supply the International Space Station and terraform Mars!


  • space
  • simulation
  • family-friendly
  • colony
  • management
  • grand-strategy
  • base-building
  • immersive
  • building
  • education
  • competitive
  • minimalist
  • atmospheric
  • 3d
  • relaxing

8

Cataclismo (2024)

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93
Review score
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early access PC Windows

Design and build fortresses brick by brick to stand against endless hordes of Horrors in this real-time strategy game with resource management, siege defense, and exploration. Lead from the ramparts, push back the darkness, and hold fast against the creatures of the Mist.


  • real-time
  • city-building
  • colony
  • strategy
  • grand-strategy
  • moddable
  • 4x
  • resource-management
  • base-building
  • tower-defense
  • economy
  • building
  • simulation
  • sandbox
  • historical

9

Songs of Syx (2020)

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93
Review score
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Linux Mac OS PC Windows

'Songs of Syx' is an immersive fantasy city-builder where you evolve from a tiny colony to a sprawling empire. Battle with legions, manage a diverse population, and shape your society in a living world of gods and creatures. With a blend of strategy and simulation, every decision can lead your kingdom to prosperity or downfall. Ready to rule?


What we like:
  • Unique blend of city-building and grand strategy
  • Tactical battles with huge armies
  • Dynamic world with evolving narrative
  • Deep management of population and resources
  • Regular updates enhancing gameplay
What could be improved:
  • Combat system needs refinement
  • User interface can be unclear in battle and on world map

  • city-building
  • colony
  • grand-strategy
  • simulation
  • base-building
  • moddable
  • building
  • empire
  • fantasy

10

Dwarf Fortress (2022)

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92
Review score
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PC Windows IOS iPhone Linux

Dwarf Fortress is an incredibly detailed, complex game where you help a colony of dwarves build a settlement by carving out bedrooms, dining halls and other necessary structures from the side of a mountain. You don't control individual dwarves but instead provide instructions for them to follow, with each dwarf having their own needs and wants that you become familiar with as you play.

Buy

What we like:
  • Robust mouse support
  • New tutorial to help new players understand menus
  • Complex web of characters and relationships
  • Simulated world is full of surprises both big and small
  • Ability to create artifacts and engravings that tell stories
What could be improved:
  • Inscrutability can be off-putting for those expecting a more streamlined experience
  • Convoluted user interface can make it difficult to figure out what is even possible in the game or how to access the different menus

  • simulation
  • dwarf
  • management
  • colony
  • construction
  • simulated
  • tile
  • fantasy
  • survival
  • procedural
  • moddable
  • pixel
  • resource-management
  • base-building
  • city-building

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