Best Colony Sim games on Steam

Unlike generic lists, our strategy game recommendations use a rigorous analysis of Steam user reviews to identify and feature only the best, community-validated colony sim games. For those who prefer not to search, lists of the most played, top deals and best free colony sim games are available at the bottom of the page.

Filters & Lists

Space Haven

Embark on a space voyage with your ragtag crew of civilians in search of a new home. Build spaceships tile by tile, create optimal gas conditions, manage the needs and moods of their crew, encounter other space-faring groups, and explore the universe in this spaceship colony simulation.

Price -54% 10.17€
Rating 8.4
Release 21 May 2020

Ostriv

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.

Price 20.99€
Rating 9.2
Release 19 Mar 2020

Risen Kingdom

Risen Kingdom is a real-time strategy game. Build and fortify your settlements to survive and push back armies of the undead.

Price -80% 0.59€
Rating 7.4
Release 28 Feb 2020

Bunny Park

Manage your own bunny park! Give snacks and toys to your bunnies. Improve and decorate your park to increase its popularity and collect all the bunnies!

Price 4.99€
Rating 8.6
Release 14 Jan 2020

Mad Tower Tycoon

Design your own skyscraper with more than 100 Floors. Rent offices, apartments or shops and build a financially lucrative skyscraper. Build cinemas, bars or a theater to satisfy your visitors and create an effective transport system with elevators and stairs.

Price 14.99€
Rating 7.4
Release 14 Jan 2020

Autonauts

In Autonauts you must build, create, and automate. Start by establishing a colony, crafting bots and teaching them via Scratch-style programming to build an ever evolving autonomous paradise of agriculture, industry and enlightenment.

Price -90% 2.06€
Rating 8.6
Release 17 Oct 2019

Rise to Ruins

A brutal godlike village sim that melds the god game, management, and tower defense genres! Fight off hoards of monsters at night, and expand your village in the day time. Inspired by games like Black and White, Rimworld, and Dwarf Fortress but not quite like any of them.

Price 13.99€
Rating 8.6
Release 14 Oct 2019

Flotsam

The floating garbage town strategy game! Scavenge what precious garbage you can from the ocean's surface and grow your city while doing your best to survive in this colorful post-apocalyptic world.

Price 22.99€
Rating 7.4
Release 26 Sep 2019

MicroTown

Build and manage your own settlement! A relaxing village construction and management simulator.

Price 9.99€
Rating 8.8
Release 30 Aug 2019

Cliff Empire

After a nuclear war life on the surface became impossible. A 300m thick radioactive fog covered the Earth. We are looking for bold active people to manage the process of restoring life on Earth. Join!

Price 12.49€
Rating 8.4
Release 06 Aug 2019

Oxygen Not Included

Oxygen Not Included is a space-colony simulation game. Deep inside an alien space rock your industrious crew will need to master science, overcome strange new lifeforms, and harness incredible space tech to survive, and possibly, thrive.

Price 22.99€
Rating 9.5
Release 30 Jul 2019

Kingdom Wars 2: Definitive Edition

An intense real-time strategy game set in a dark fantasy world of Orcs, Elves and Dragons. Kingdom Wars 2 combines the best of Zombie survival and crafting with complex fast-paced city building. Fight massive siege battles that turn beautiful landscapes into gory blood-soaked battlefields.

Price 9.49€
Rating 6.4
Release 09 Jul 2019

They Are Billions

They Are Billions is a Steampunk strategy game set on a post-apocalyptic planet. Build and defend colonies to survive against the billions of the infected that seek to annihilate the few remaining living humans. Can humanity survive after the zombie apocalypse?

Price 29.99€
Rating 8.4
Release 18 Jun 2019

Seeds of Resilience

Ready to start anew? Build a village from scratch in Seeds of Resilience. Learn to choose the right items, understand nature's patterns, use real life-based constructions and craft techniques in this turn-based tycoon game.

Price -56% 6.10€
Rating 6.6
Release 13 Jun 2019

Embark

Inspired by the deep simulation of Dwarf Fortress, the open world survival of Minecraft, and the social interactions of The Sims. Embark is a colony management game with a focus on complex simulation in a huge living 3D world.

Price 24.50€
Rating 6.0
Release 18 Apr 2019

ISLANDERS

ISLANDERS is a minimalist strategy game about building cities on colorful islands.

Price 4.99€
Rating 9.2
Release 04 Apr 2019

Ymir

Ymir is a 4X multiplayer strategy game combined with a city builder where each player develops a civilization of pigmen starting at the stone age.

Price 29.99€
Rating 7.2
Release 16 Mar 2019

Dawn of Man

Command a settlement of ancient humans, guide them through the ages in their struggle for survival. Hunt, gather, craft tools, fight, research new techs and face the challenges the environment will throw at you.

Price -42% 14.11€
Rating 8.5
Release 01 Mar 2019

Townsmen - A Kingdom Rebuilt

Townsmen – A Kingdom Rebuilt hands the crown to you: Guide your people from their first steps in a small village to a massive medieval metropolis with thousands of inhabitants.

Price -88% 2.38€
Rating 6.7
Release 26 Feb 2019

SERIES MAKERS TYCOON

Series Makers makes your dreams come true. Produce your own TV series and build your own TV studio with your team. Dominate the TV landscape and fight your way up for worldwide success!

Price 4.99€
Rating 6.8
Release 22 Feb 2019

The Settlers® : Heritage of Kings - History Edition

With this modernized History Edition dive into the diversified mix of enthralling build-up matches and exciting real-time fights. Manifold landscapes await to be explored and populated. Includes the main game plus the two expansions.

Price -50% 5.99€
Rating 8.0
Release 22 Jan 2019

Kingdom Two Crowns

Gather coins, build defenses and reclaim your fallen Kingdom. Explore and uncover secrets, unlock new technologies and protect your crown versus waves of Greed monsters that come at night. Kingdom is a solo or co-op micro-strategy and tower defense game set in an atmospheric pixel world.

Price -74% 5.26€
Rating 8.6
Release 11 Dec 2018

Reignfall

Reignfall is a real-time strategy game with elements of city-building and third-person action. Build a city and defend your keep against waves of increasingly difficult enemies. Can you survive against the fallen horde?

Price 3.99€
Rating 8.3
Release 10 Dec 2018

One Hour One Life

A multiplayer survival game of parenting and civilization building. Get born to another player as your mother. Live an entire life in one hour. Have babies of your own in the form of other players. Leave a legacy for the next generation as you help to rebuild civilization from scratch.

Price 12.49€
Rating 7.8
Release 08 Nov 2018

Most played colony sim games on Steam

Take a look at the top colony sim games that are currently attracting the largest player bases on the Steam platform, as of April 30th 2025.

1. RimWorld

A sci-fi colony sim driven by an intelligent AI storyteller. Generates stories by simulating psychology, ecology, gunplay, melee combat, climate, biomes, diplomacy, interpersonal relationships, art, medicine, trade, and more. RimWorld is a colony sim, base-building and survival game developed and published by Ludeon Studios. Released on October 17th 2018 has received 208,163 reviews of which 203,940 were positive and 4,223 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.7 out of 10. The game has hit the top spot as the #1 most played colony sim game, thanks to its 18,188 peak concurrent players over the last day.
9.7
203,940
4,223

18,188
players

2. Oxygen Not Included

Oxygen Not Included is a space-colony simulation game. Deep inside an alien space rock your industrious crew will need to master science, overcome strange new lifeforms, and harness incredible space tech to survive, and possibly, thrive. Oxygen Not Included is a colony sim, base-building and survival game developed and published by Klei Entertainment. Released on July 30th 2019 has received 127,555 reviews of which 123,406 were positive and 4,149 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.5 out of 10. While seeing 4,349 players online at once in the last 24 hours, this game is currently ranked #2 among colony sim games based on player count.
9.5
123,406
4,149

4,349
players

3. Timberborn

Humans are long gone. In a world struck by droughts and toxic waste, will your lumberpunk beavers do any better? A city-building game featuring ingenious animals, vertical architecture, water physics, and terraforming. Contains high amounts of wood. Timberborn is a city builder, voxel and colony sim game developed and published by Mechanistry. Released on September 15th 2021 has received 30,607 reviews of which 29,222 were positive and 1,385 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.3 out of 10. While seeing 2,444 players online at once in the last 24 hours, this game is currently ranked #3 among colony sim games based on player count.
9.3
29,222
1,385

2,444
players

4. WorldBox - God Simulator

WorldBox is the ULTIMATE god simulator and sandbox game. A petri dish for your fantasy civilizations. Create your own world or destroy it using many powers. Watch civilizations grow, form kingdoms, colonize new lands, sail to far continents, wars to ignite, empires to fall and towns to burn! WorldBox - God Simulator is a sandbox, god game and simulation game developed and published by Maxim Karpenko. Released on December 02nd 2021 has received 42,757 reviews of which 40,617 were positive and 2,140 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.3 out of 10. With 1,856 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #4 spot among the most played colony sim games.
9.3
40,617
2,140

1,856
players

5. They Are Billions

They Are Billions is a Steampunk strategy game set on a post-apocalyptic planet. Build and defend colonies to survive against the billions of the infected that seek to annihilate the few remaining living humans. Can humanity survive after the zombie apocalypse? They Are Billions is a base-building, colony sim and strategy game developed and published by Numantian Games. Released on June 18th 2019 has received 48,491 reviews of which 41,284 were positive and 7,207 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.4 out of 10. With 1,222 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #5 spot among the most played colony sim games.
8.4
41,284
7,207

1,222
players

6. Dwarf Fortress

The deepest, most intricate simulation of a world that's ever been created. The legendary Dwarf Fortress is now on Steam. Build a fortress and try to help your dwarves survive against a deeply generated world. Dwarf Fortress is a dwarf, colony sim and strategy game developed by Bay 12 Games and published by Kitfox Games. Released on December 06th 2022 has received 28,387 reviews of which 26,952 were positive and 1,435 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.3 out of 10. With 978 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #6 spot among the most played colony sim games.
9.3
26,952
1,435

978
players

7. Against the Storm

A dark fantasy city builder where you must rebuild civilization in the face of apocalyptic rains. As the Queen’s Viceroy, lead humans, beavers, lizards, foxes, and harpies to reclaim the wilderness and secure a future for civilization's last survivors. Against the Storm is a strategy, simulation and city builder game developed by Eremite Games and published by Hooded Horse. Released on December 08th 2023 has received 30,987 reviews of which 29,434 were positive and 1,553 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.3 out of 10. With 951 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #7 spot among the most played colony sim games.
9.3
29,434
1,553

951
players

8. My Singing Monsters

Breed them, feed them, listen to them sing! Create an island full of Singing Monsters, then watch your song evolve as you breed and upgrade them. Design and build unique decorations to make your world look just the way you want. You'll love exploring the wonderful fantasy land of the Monster World! My Singing Monsters is a creature collector, simulation and casual game developed and published by Big Blue Bubble. Released on March 24th 2021 has received 41,174 reviews of which 38,672 were positive and 2,502 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. With 783 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #8 spot among the most played colony sim games.
9.2
38,672
2,502

783
players

9. Prison Architect

Only the world’s most ruthless Warden can contain the world’s most ruthless inmates. Design and develop your personalized penitentiary in Prison Architect. Prison Architect is a simulation, building and sandbox game developed by Double Eleven and Introversion Software and published by Paradox Interactive. Released on October 06th 2015 has received 72,107 reviews of which 64,262 were positive and 7,845 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. With 697 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #9 spot among the most played colony sim games.
8.8
64,262
7,845

697
players

10. Stronghold Crusader HD (2012)

The highly anticipated sequel to the best-selling Stronghold, Stronghold Crusader HD throws you into historic battles and castle sieges from the Crusades with fiendish AI opponents, new units, 4 historical campaigns and over 100 unique skirmish missions. Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) is a military, city builder and real time tactics game developed and published by FireFly Studios. Released on October 21st 2013 has received 19,648 reviews of which 19,185 were positive and 463 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.5 out of 10. With 604 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #10 spot among the most played colony sim games.
9.5
19,185
463

604
players

Best deals on colony sim games on Steam

Discover fantastic savings with the best discounts on a variety of colony sim games available on Steam right now, updated on April 30th 2025. Looking for even more deals? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of discounted colony sim games.

1. Lords and Villeins

Build a prosperous settlement in a unique simulation of a feudal economy - each family runs their shop, owns their goods, and trades with other villagers in a free market. You will manage the land, build houses, organise events, set taxes, and balance supply and demand while engaging in diplomacy! Lords and Villeins is a colony sim, strategy and city builder game developed by Honestly Games and published by Fulqrum Publishing. Released on November 10th 2022 has received 867 reviews of which 628 were positive and 239 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.0 out of 10. Featuring a massive 96% discount, this game currently holds the #1 spot in the best deals for colony sim category.
7.0
628
239

-96% 27.50€ 1.10€

2. Founders' Fortune

A fantasy village builder focusing on creative building, colonist psychology and base defense. Handle resources, farming, production, tools, diplomacy, families, trading, defense, and research, as well as the wishes, expectations, thoughts, and equipment of every villager. Founders' Fortune is a colony sim, base-building and city builder game developed and published by Dionic Software. Released on December 18th 2020 has received 2,099 reviews of which 1,690 were positive and 409 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.8 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 95% discount, this game is now the #2 best deal in colony sim games.
7.8
1,690
409

-95% 20.00€ 1.00€

3. Life is Feudal: Forest Village

LiF:Forest Village is a city builder with survival aspects in a realistic harsh medieval world. Shape, build and expand your settlement, grow various food to prevent your villagers from avitaminosis and starvation. Possess them for additional micromanagement or simply to wander around. Life is Feudal: Forest Village is a city builder, colony sim and strategy game developed by Mindillusion and published by Bitbox Ltd.. Released on May 26th 2017 has received 5,881 reviews of which 3,897 were positive and 1,984 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.5 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 93% discount, this game is now the #3 best deal in colony sim games.
6.5
3,897
1,984

-93% 24.57€ 1.72€

4. Prison Architect

Only the world’s most ruthless Warden can contain the world’s most ruthless inmates. Design and develop your personalized penitentiary in Prison Architect. Prison Architect is a simulation, building and sandbox game developed by Double Eleven and Introversion Software and published by Paradox Interactive. Released on October 06th 2015 has received 72,107 reviews of which 64,262 were positive and 7,845 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #4 position in the best deals for colony sim games.
8.8
64,262
7,845

-90% 24.80€ 2.48€

5. Stronghold: Warlords

Besiege Great Khans, Imperial warlords and Shōgun commanders in Stronghold: Warlords, the latest 'castle sim' from Firefly Studios. Command AI warlords across the battlefield as you build a castle economy and new gunpowder-fuelled siege engines! Stronghold: Warlords is a city builder, real time tactics and colony sim game developed and published by FireFly Studios. Released on March 09th 2021 has received 4,968 reviews of which 3,230 were positive and 1,738 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.4 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #5 position in the best deals for colony sim games.
6.4
3,230
1,738

-90% 34.99€ 3.49€

6. As Far As The Eye

Build a mobile village and travel with your tribe toward the center of the world, called The Eye. This roguelike turn-based resource-management game is made of procedural situations, natural events, skill-trees and hard choices. Ready to move? As Far As The Eye is a strategy, building and colony sim game developed by Unexpected and published by Unexpected, Goblinz Publishing and Maple Whispering Limited. Released on September 10th 2020 has received 2,078 reviews of which 1,507 were positive and 571 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.0 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 89% discount, this title has earned the #6 position in the best deals for colony sim games.
7.0
1,507
571

-89% 20.73€ 2.28€

7. Townsmen - A Kingdom Rebuilt

Townsmen – A Kingdom Rebuilt hands the crown to you: Guide your people from their first steps in a small village to a massive medieval metropolis with thousands of inhabitants. Townsmen - A Kingdom Rebuilt is a strategy, simulation and casual game developed and published by HandyGames. Released on February 26th 2019 has received 1,225 reviews of which 853 were positive and 372 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.7 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 88% discount, this title has earned the #7 position in the best deals for colony sim games.
6.7
853
372

-88% 19.83€ 2.38€

8. Against the Storm

A dark fantasy city builder where you must rebuild civilization in the face of apocalyptic rains. As the Queen’s Viceroy, lead humans, beavers, lizards, foxes, and harpies to reclaim the wilderness and secure a future for civilization's last survivors. Against the Storm is a strategy, simulation and city builder game developed by Eremite Games and published by Hooded Horse. Released on December 08th 2023 has received 30,987 reviews of which 29,434 were positive and 1,553 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.3 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 87% discount, this title has earned the #8 position in the best deals for colony sim games.
9.3
29,434
1,553

-87% 30.77€ 4.00€

9. Spellcaster University

Develop a prestigious university of mages. Build rooms, train your students, fight orcs, slay the bureaucrats, manage your budget... a director's life is not a quiet one. Spellcaster University is a simulation, magic and colony sim game developed by Sneaky Yak Studio and published by Sneaky Yak Studio and WhisperGames. Released on June 15th 2021 has received 4,023 reviews of which 3,339 were positive and 684 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.0 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 86% discount, this title has earned the #9 position in the best deals for colony sim games.
8.0
3,339
684

-86% 21.43€ 3.00€

10. Craft The World

Craft The World is a unique sandbox strategy game, the mix of Dungeon Keeper, Terraria and Dwarf Fortress.Explore a random generated world populated by dangerous creatures, build a dwarf fortress, gather resources, and craft all the items, weapons, and armor you need. Craft The World is a dwarf, colony sim and crafting game developed by Dekovir Entertainment and published by Black Maple Games. Released on November 24th 2014 has received 15,885 reviews of which 14,060 were positive and 1,825 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 80% discount, this title has earned the #10 position in the best deals for colony sim games.
8.6
14,060
1,825

-80% 18.65€ 3.73€

Free colony sim games on Steam

Check out this fantastic list of free-to-play colony sim games you can enjoy on Steam right now, updated on April 30th 2025. Looking for even more free titles? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of free to play colony sim games.

1. My Singing Monsters

Breed them, feed them, listen to them sing! Create an island full of Singing Monsters, then watch your song evolve as you breed and upgrade them. Design and build unique decorations to make your world look just the way you want. You'll love exploring the wonderful fantasy land of the Monster World! My Singing Monsters is a creature collector, simulation and casual game developed and published by Big Blue Bubble. Released on March 24th 2021 has received 41,174 reviews of which 38,672 were positive and 2,502 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. With 783 active players enjoying it for free, this strategy game has reached the #1 spot among the top free colony sim games on Steam.
9.2
38,672
2,502

783
players

2. Terraformers: First Steps on Mars

Terraformers: First Steps on Mars is a free prologue of Terraformers, featuring an exclusive challenge to lead humanity's first attempt at settling the Red Planet. Terraformers: First Steps on Mars is a strategy, simulation and colony sim game developed by Asteroid Lab and published by Goblinz Publishing and IndieArk. Released on October 23rd 2021 has received 683 reviews of which 610 were positive and 73 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.4 out of 10. The game currently holds the #2 spot among the most played free colony sim games on Steam.
8.4
610
73

1
players

3. Colony Simulator

Can your Colony survive 10 days or more in the desert? Find food, build your colony, recruit new workers, feed your population, craft tools and equipment, cook food and research technologies! Colony Simulator is a simulation, city builder and colony sim game developed and published by Indie Marc. Released on February 08th 2022 has received 422 reviews of which 279 were positive and 143 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.4 out of 10. The game currently holds the #3 spot among the most played free colony sim games on Steam.
6.4
279
143

1
players

4. Don't get lost

A procedurally-generated, open-world, first-person colony sim. Build colonies in an infinite world, alone or with friends via Steam or self-hosted multiplayer. Don't get lost is a colony sim, multiplayer and procedural generation game developed by Michael Hutcheon and published by miicck. Released on February 01st 2023 has received 453 reviews of which 361 were positive and 92 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.5 out of 10. The game currently holds the #4 spot among the most played free colony sim games on Steam.
7.5
361
92