SimCity 4
SimCity 4 is a 2003 city-building simulation developed by Maxis, widely regarded as a high point of the long-running series. Players act as mayor, zoning land for residential, commercial, and industrial use, laying infrastructure, and managing the growth of sprawling metropolises from empty terrain up.
The game introduced a regional play system, where neighbouring cities on the same map shared resources, workers, and traffic, allowing players to build interconnected commuter towns and industrial hubs. It simulated power, water, budgets, taxation, and citizen happiness in detail, and even let players place individual Sims to see the city through their eyes. Its Rush Hour expansion deepened transportation options with new road types and a drivable vehicle mode.
A robust modding community extended its life for years with thousands of custom buildings, terrain mods, and tools. SimCity 4 remains a benchmark for the genre and is still played today thanks to those fan modifications and its availability on digital storefronts, with many players considering it the definitive classic city builder.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to SimCity 4, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
Cities: Skylines
€ 27,99The acclaimed city-builder with deep traffic and heavy mod support.
Cities: Skylines runs on PC, Mac, Linux. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Playable.
Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic Indie
€ 34,99An indie city-builder with a hardcore planned-economy simulation.
Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Playable.
Cities: Skylines II
€ 49,99The modern city-builder with detailed simulation and vast maps.
Cities: Skylines II runs on PC, Mac. Not available on Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Unsupported.
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