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Cities in Motion

36 Games like Cities in Motion that you should try

Games like Cities in Motion · Find similar →

Few titles capture what makes Cities in Motion unique: deep simulation, a sandbox world and single-player focus. After measuring 7 attributes across over 6,700 games, the NextGameLike team picks the 36 most faithful alternatives. Rusty's Retirement, Two Point Hospital and WorldBox top the ranking, with Rusty's Retirement at number one (81/100).

NextGameLike69/ 100

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GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder
Tags
Solo
Year 2011Dev Colossal Order

Quick answer

The closest game to Cities in Motion is Rusty's Retirement — scoring 81/100 on our similarity scale. Two Point Hospital and WorldBox follow close behind.

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Top games similar to Cities in Motion

36 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Cities in Motion. Each one has been evaluated across 7 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

1

Rusty's Retirement

81
NGL97
Rusty's Retirement
Closest on genre
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldManagementBase BuildingIsometric
Year 2024Dev Mister Morris GamesPlaytime ~18hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

It shares the essentials of what Cities in Motion does: a sandbox world, single-player focus and resource management. Both also lean on an isometric view. The distance is in visuals — its own ground is pixel art.

Released 13 years after Cities in Motion.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals46
2

Two Point Hospital

81
NGL89
Two Point Hospital
Closest overall match
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldManagementBase BuildingIsometric
Year 2018Dev Two Point Studios · SegaOn PS4 · Linux · PC

It shares the essentials of what Cities in Motion does: a sandbox world, single-player focus and resource management. Both also lean on an isometric view. What it adds of its own: a casual, approachable feel.

Released 7 years after Cities in Motion.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100
3

WorldBox

79
NGL95
WorldBox
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagementIsometric
Year 2018Dev Maxim KarpenkoOn Linux · Android · PC

Its point of contact with Cities in Motion is a sandbox world, single-player focus and base building. To that it adds an isometric view. They part company on visuals: this one brings pixel art.

Released 7 years after Cities in Motion.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100World72Visuals58
4

Cities: Skylines

81
NGL86
Cities: Skylines
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagementIsometric
Year 2015Dev Colossal Order · Paradox InteractivePlaytime ~9hOn PC · PS · Xbox

If Cities in Motion worked for you because of a sandbox world, single-player focus and base building, the same is here. To that it adds an isometric view. Its own ground is a casual, approachable feel.

Same studio: Colossal Order.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100
5

Mad Games Tycoon

81
NGL87
Mad Games Tycoon
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldManagementBase BuildingIsometric
Year 2016Dev Raylight Games · Toplitz ProductionsPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

The thread back to Cities in Motion runs through a sandbox world, single-player focus and resource management. The common ground extends to an isometric view. Where the two diverge is visuals: a top-down view.

Released 5 years after Cities in Motion.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression82Visuals66
6

shapez

78
NGL96
shapez
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagementIsometric
Year 2020Dev Tobias Springer · PrismatikaOn PC · iOS · Android

What carries over from Cities in Motion is a sandbox world, single-player focus and base building. To that it adds an isometric view. They part company on world: this one brings open world exploration.

Released 9 years after Cities in Motion.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals77Progression71World58
7

Children of the Nile

81
NGL80
Children of the Nile
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagementIsometric
Year 2008Dev Tilted Mill EntertainmentPlaytime ~2hOn PC

If Cities in Motion worked for you because of a sandbox world, single-player focus and base building, the same is here. Both also lean on an isometric view. What it adds of its own: historical setting.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100
8

Tropico Reloaded

81
NGL77
Tropico Reloaded
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagementIsometric
Year 2003Dev Frog City Software · Kalypso MediaPlaytime ~1hOn PC

If Cities in Motion worked for you because of a sandbox world, single-player focus and base building, the same is here. The common ground extends to an isometric view.

It predates Cities in Motion by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100
9

Jurassic World Evolution

80
NGL80
Jurassic World Evolution
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldManagementBase BuildingIsometric
Year 2018Dev Frontier Developments · Universal PicturesOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

If Cities in Motion worked for you because of a sandbox world, single-player focus and resource management, the same is here. To that it adds an isometric view. Its own ground is strong narrative focus and open world exploration.

Released 7 years after Cities in Motion.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Progression94World81
10

Planet Coaster

78
NGL84
Planet Coaster
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldManagementBase BuildingIsometric
Year 2016Dev Frontier DevelopmentsPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

With Cities in Motion it shares a sandbox world, single-player focus and resource management. The common ground extends to an isometric view. Where the two diverge is visuals: a third-person camera.

Released 5 years after Cities in Motion.

Genre100World100Progression100Game mode81Visuals68
11

shapez 2 - Factory

74
NGL97
shapez 2 - Factory
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldManagementBase BuildingCasual
Dev tobspr Games · Gamera GamesPlaytime ~6hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

The genre is the same as Cities in Motion’s, and with it a sandbox world, single-player focus and resource management. They part company on visuals and world: this one brings procedural generation and 3D presentation.

Genre100Game mode100Progression77World59Visuals0
12

Space Colony: Steam Edition

78
NGL78
Space Colony: Steam Edition
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagementIsometric
Year 2015Dev FireFly StudiosPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

Genre puts it alongside Cities in Motion, and so does a sandbox world, single-player focus and base building. To that it adds an isometric view. They part company on world and visuals: this one brings open world exploration and 2D presentation.

Released 4 years after Cities in Motion.

Genre100Game mode100Progression88Visuals67World60
13

Dyson Sphere Program

74
NGL93
Dyson Sphere Program
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagementOpen World
Year 2021Dev Youthcat Studio · Gamera GamePlaytime ~8hOn PC

Same family as Cities in Motion: a sandbox world, single-player focus and base building. They part company on visuals and world: this one brings open world exploration and 3D presentation.

Released 10 years after Cities in Motion.

Genre100Game mode100Progression86World58Visuals0
14

Tropico 3

78
NGL78
Tropico 3
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagement
Year 2009Dev Haemimont Games · Kalypso MediaPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Xbox

If Cities in Motion worked for you because of a sandbox world, single-player focus and base building, the same is here.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100
15

Dorfromantik

74
NGL88
Dorfromantik
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagementTactical
Year 2022Dev Toukana InteractivePlaytime ~3hOn PC · Nintendo

Shelved next to Cities in Motion for good reason: a sandbox world, single-player focus and base building. Where the two diverge is visuals and world: procedural generation and 3D presentation.

Released 11 years after Cities in Motion.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100World53Visuals0

More similar-games lists to keep going

Found one on the list you already love? Open its own list: the games that play most like it, ranked, with the reason for each.

Explore games similar to Cities in Motion by category

If Cities in Motion left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the sandbox that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on PlayStation, Xbox and Mobile, filter by platform and skip the games you could not play anyway.

Rankings in the same genre

Sometimes what you want is not a Cities in Motion look-alike but simply the best City Builder Games there are. That is what these rankings are for: no comparison to anything, just the highest-rated games. And if you feel like widening the net, the Strategy Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.