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Squirrel's Pick Squirrel's PickThe best game on this page. If you only try one, try this.
City BuilderEconomyResource Management
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$29.99 ~69.3 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 92.9% of 290k
The Squirrel's verdictSame city-builder core: zoning, traffic, utilities, supply-and-demand economics, large-scale growth from town to metropolis. Skylines runs cleaner at scale, where Cities XL bogs down as cities grow. Steam rating sits at 92.9% positive with a 69.3-hour median playtime. Fits players who want the simulation depth without the performance collapse.
Not for you if you're unwilling to pay for DLC beyond the $29.99 base price to get the full feature set.
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Budget Pick Budget PickThe best game here for the least money.
City BuilderAdventureRetro
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$9.99 ~28.6 hr median no co-op complexity: light 94.5% of 5k
The Squirrel's verdictTheoTown covers zoning, supply-and-demand economics, and community-made plugins in place of DLC, but uses retro pixel graphics and a mobile-derived interface rather than 3D city building at scale. It carries a Very Positive rating at 94.5% positive with a 28.6-hour median playtime. Suited to players who want a lightweight, beginner-friendly city builder with an active plugin community.
Not for you if you want large 3D maps and deep simulation difficulty, or object to gold-coin currency gating for online region hosting.
3
City BuilderImmersive SimBase-Building
$19.99 ~33.7 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 82.2% of 10k
The Squirrel's verdictSimCity 4 has the same zoning, utilities, and budget-management foundation, but runs harder: difficulty is steeper, and simulation granularity goes deeper than Cities XL offered. The Simtropolis mod community extends and patches the base game, compensating for a 2003 release that requires manual fixes to run on modern hardware. Steam rating is Very Positive at 82.2% positive, with a 33.7-hour median playtime.
Not for you if you want a stable, out-of-the-box experience without installing third-party patches and community mods.
4
Hidden Gem Hidden GemLoved by the players who found it, but still under the radar.
City Builder2.5DCartoon
$2.99 ~7.9 hr median no co-op complexity: light 92.4% of 275
The Squirrel's verdictPocket City strips city building down to zoning, milestone-driven growth, and a mobile-derived interface without inter-city trade or deep economic simulation. At $2.99 with a 7.9-hour median playtime, it suits players wanting short, low-stakes building sessions. Reviews describe it as closer to classic SNES-era SimCity than to Cities XL's scale. An Expert mode adds some complexity but remains limited in scope.
Not for you if you want large maps, inter-city trading mechanics, or economic simulation depth comparable to Cities XL.
5
Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say.
City BuilderColony SimImmersive Sim
$29.99 ~22.1 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 77.5% of 1k
The Squirrel's verdictProduction-chain management is the defining loop here: mining, manufacturing, and resource logistics drive city growth rather than pure zoning. Players who wanted Cities XL's supply-and-demand tension applied to a deeper economic layer will find that in Highrise City. Real-world locations are available as build sites. Steam rating is Mostly Positive (77.5% positive), with a 22.1-hour median playtime.
Not for you if frequent crashes during play sessions are a dealbreaker, as reviews consistently flag this as a significant issue.
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City BuilderEconomyResource Management
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$49.99 ~60.4 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 55.1% of 90k
The Squirrel's verdictPlayers who want granular traffic and economy simulation in a single-city builder will find more depth here than Cities XL provided, without inter-city trade. Steam rating sits at Mixed (55.1% positive). Reviews note the game has improved under its current developer, though simulation slowdowns at higher population counts remain documented. Median playtime is around 60 hours.
Not for you if performance at large city sizes is a hard dealbreaker, or you need a stable experience at the $49.99 price point.
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City BuilderEconomyPolitical Sim
$24.99 ~18.2 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 73.6% of 1k
The Squirrel's verdictCitystate II suits players who found Cities XL's economic balancing more engaging than its road layout and utility design. The focus shifts to macroeconomic management — immigration rates, inflation, public debt, and policy sliders — with zoning and utilities present but secondary. Steam rating is Mostly Positive (73.6% positive), with an 18.2-hour median playtime. Reviews cite frequent crashes and absent autosave as persistent rough edges.
Not for you if detailed traffic design and utility infrastructure are what you want, or you need reliable autosave and crash-free sessions.
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City BuilderDesign & IllustrationLife Sim
$9.99 ~25.9 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 57.7% of 477
The Squirrel's verdictNewCity focuses on economic and social lenses for city growth — detailed budget modeling, citizen behavior, and realistic scaling from hamlet to metropolis — rather than infrastructure juggling. Power grids, water, and sewage are absent by design. Reviews flag lag and crashes at larger city sizes, along with RAM consumption. Median playtime is around 26 hours at a $9.99 price point.
Not for you if managing power, water, and sewage systems was a core part of what you enjoyed in Cities XL.