Building games: from a room in a box to a fortress

Building means different things to different players: some want to plan a whole town, others just want to stack one block neatly on another. This small set has eight games where construction is the core, and each one handles it in its own way.

The biggest in scale are the strategy games. Citadel: Fortress Siege starts you with a lone keep and six resources to manage — wood, stone, gold, food, water and people — while houses, farms and towers snap onto a grid. Mayor Simulator is about developing districts and balancing the economy, with advice from the mayor of a neighbouring town. In Empire: Build and Defend! you mine diamonds first, then build a tower and hold it against zombie hordes. Calmer options exist too: High Tower tests your patience as block physics keeps trying to topple your stack, and Rumbox Designer turns building into furnishing cosy miniature rooms. Puzzle: Bridges, with its Minecraft-style look, has you lay out a path for your character.

For a long session with plenty of planning, go with Citadel. For a quick break, High Tower is the better fit. Everything runs right in your browser, with nothing to download.