Highlights

• Base-building games vary in focus and style, with only a few games exemplifying the true essence of the genre.
• Games like Fallout 4 and 7 Days to Die offer unique base-building mechanics with survival elements.
• From surviving zombie attacks to managing a cult settlement, base-building games offer diverse experiences for players.

There are a lot of games out there that give players the creative tools to create what they want in order to move forward in a game. This is one of the biggest elements of base-building games, a genre that has a collection of games that have their main focus revolve around creating an effective home.

The base-building genre can be a bit loose by definition, so there are plenty of games out there that can claim to be perfectly fit underneath the label. However, there are only a few games that perfectly represent what the genre is about.

Updated on April 12, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: There was a time when games used to cover a simple gameplay loop and capture the attention of fans with ease. All of this changed as gaming evolved to become more complex, story-driven, and engaging than ever before. Everything from graphics to gameplay is being pushed to new heights time and time again, with a lot of games adopting base-building in some form or the other to keep players engaged. Regardless of whether games present it as a core gameplay loop or one of the many side activities players can get lost in, there's no denying that base-building is always riveting when done right. This list has been updated to include a few more of the best base-building games.

28 Fallout 4

Base-Building Is A Fun Distraction, Even If It Lacks Some Depth

Fallout 4 is a video game that players have slowly come to appreciate, especially after Starfield highlighted how important it was for Bethesda's core gameplay loop to require handcrafted open worlds with many unique visuals, landmarks, and one-of-a-kind secrets to uncover. Fallout 4 was a huge phenomenon when it launched, with many people loving the settlement-building mechanics this game brought to the table.

Sure, building a base came with a set of restrictions and wasn't as in-depth as most people would've liked, but it was still a great side activity worth checking out for players who wanted to populate their settlements and protect them against any attacks. If players found this mechanic lacking, then mods could always swoop in to save the day.

27 7 Days To Die

Form A Base That Can Withstand A Zombie Assault At The End Of Every Week

The key to the best base-building games is to make everything harvestable, giving the player the ability to set up their home wherever they like. This is part of the idea behind 7 Days to Die, a survival horror game that was released in 2013 in early access and still remains so today.

Set in the nuclear apocalypse post-World War III, players must survive while being hunted down by zombies that have come to life due to the effects of the war. Bases are not just a safe haven as they can also be filled with traps that can kill zombies looking to break in.

26 The Wandering Village

Build A Community On Top Of A Moving Giant

City-builders tend to be a very different type of base-building game as they tend to focus more on creating a civilization without a ton of pressure. However, there are a few games that add stakes to this, including the early access title The Wandering Village.

Players work to build a society on the back of a colossal creature that is also attempting to survive on its own. The world has fallen apart thanks to mysterious plants that are poisonous to all, and it is up to the player to build up a community that can protect the people living there as well as the giant the society is built on.

25 Dyson Sphere Program

Set Up A Base In Space

There is something inherently satisfying about exploring space, and setting up a home in space to build a massive factory to complete an important mission is the crux of Dyson Sphere Program. As the leading member of the space alliance COSMO, players are tasked with harnessing the power of Dyson Spheres to fuel humanity's push into the future.

Every new file in Dyson Sphere Program is unique as worlds are procedurally generated, meaning players will discover new planets upon each save. With the engineering skills that are learned, players are able to set up shop on these planets and build massive factories to start building the necessary energy.

24 Rust

A Multiplayer Base-Building Game Full Of Memorable Organic Moments

Combining the survival genre with base-building is something that has paid off time and time again. What makes Rust so unique is that all of this is augmented by the multiplayer, which can either turn players into the kings of the map or pathetic servants who must acquiesce to the demands of more powerful players to seek shelter in their bases.

It's one of the most unique multiplayer games around and does a great job of letting players immerse themselves in a dog-eat-dog world where death awaits them at every corner. Either building a base or finding one to reside in is important if players want to survive as long as possible, which is important for obvious reasons.

23 Dwarf Fortress

The Ultimate Base-Building Game

A game from 2006, Dwarf Fortress is a game that is presented entirely through text that forms the images of the game. The primary mode is open-ended, so the player can set any kind of goal that they would like. Starting a new game has the world generate various land, oceans, and civilizations.

To survive, players have to decide on where they would like to build a fortress and then create a foundation that will keep those living in the fortress happy while keeping them safe from any dangers.

22 Sons Of The Forest

The Sequel To One Of The Most Critically Acclaimed Base-Building Games Ever Made

Players who are fans of survival games seem to enjoy the stress of needing to build a base to survive the atrocities that they are surrounded by. That is certainly the case of Sons of the Forest, an open-world horror game where players are hunted by cannibals.

A sequel to another successful survival game, Sons of the Forest has a deep building and crafting system that encourages players to interact and use the environment as much as possible. In addition, the game offers co-op for those who don't want to try to survive on their own.

21 Age Of Empires 2

A Classic Base-Building RTS That Needs No Introduction

Speaking of classic games, one game that was all about building civilizations was 1998's Age of Empires 2. The real-time strategy game has the player focus on building towns and gathering resources, but it also throws in the twist of building armies on top of that in order to take down enemy civilizations.

If players are able to conquer a town in Age of Empires 2, they will have new land that they can play with. Players can take their empire through four different eras that are the equivalent of 1,000 years of time.

20 Timberborn

Control Beavers And Create A Solid Base

The best base-building games tend to be focused on humans trying to protect themselves from the world. But in Timberborn, the humans are the ones who have made the world inhabitable, so it is up to one species to take on the task of surviving and thriving: beavers.

Facing constant drought, players must pick one of two beaver factions and use their skills to build a society that helps produce the resources necessary to survive some major dry spells. The factories are built using the metal left behind by the human world after they perished, which will help the beavers develop useful technology.

19 Valheim

A Great Survival Game With Base-Building Elements Set In Norse Mythology

A game that was only released in early access in 2021, Valheim has already left its mark as being one of the more fun survival games out there. Along with the need to collect materials and fight off monsters, there is the base-building element to the game that keeps people coming back.

The great thing about building in Valheim is the different locations one may come across. There are a total of six biomes at the moment, from the peaceful Meadows to the freezing cold conditions of the Mountains. There are also the Swamp, the Black Forest, and the Plains.

18 Subnautica

Making An Underwater Base Is A Blast

Exploring the ocean can be scary, and players can experience the unknown firsthand with Subnautica. The survival action-adventure games put players in scuba gear as they swim into the deepest depths of the ocean, discovering various lifeforms on a planet known as "4546B."

Players must survive potential attacks in the ocean while also managing their own health, hunger, and more. A big part of Subnautica is building bases that can serve as a home to rest up as well as building new submersibles that can help in the exploration element of the game.

17 Grounded

Making A Base After Being Shrunk Down Is A Novel Concept

Grounded is what would happen if the films A Bug's Life and Honey, I Shrunk The Kids had a video game child. A project that just left early access, the survival game by Obsidian Entertainment has players shrunken down to the size of an ant.

The goal of Grounded is to survive in the backyard that has plenty of hostile insects living in the area. Grounded focuses on building a nice base that is enough of a shelter that lets the player survive the day-night cycle.

16 Fallout Shelter

The Game Lets Fallout Fans Fulfill Their Wildest Fantasies Of Managing A Vault

Base-building games have a lot of elements that make them more than just a game about expanding a base. However, Fallout Shelter is one of those games where the base building is the most important aspect of the game, with only a couple of other elements to worry about outside of general base building.

A spin-off of the classic Fallout franchise, Fallout Shelter is about building various rooms in the vault that will help keep those living in it happy and satisfied. In addition to expanding the base, including building defenses against potential monsters, players can customize the cosmetics of the rooms and the people living in the shelter.

15 Evil Genius

Take On The Role Of A Villain And Manage A Secret Lair

Villains in video games can be really cool, but it's easy to forget how much work they seem to be putting into destroying the world. Players get to learn how hard it is in Evil Genius.

The 2004 real-time strategy simulation game puts players in the shoes of the villain as they attempt to run a lair that is gathering resources to build a doomsday device that could be used to bribe the world out of all its money. Players must build stations for minions to gather resources and take care of themselves while also building traps for "the good guys" to fall for.

14 Minecraft

A Game That Needs No Introduction, With Base-Building Being One Of The Many Things Players Can Accomplish

As stated earlier, base-building games can be defined in many ways, so it's fair to put Minecraft in the category of base-building games. The all-time hit is known for its blocky worlds that allow the player to explore and collect anything that is around them.

While the game's Creative mode is the easiest way to build anything, Survival mode is the perfect place to play for those who enjoy the base-building genre. Building a house, starting farms, and gathering resources are all key to the player's long-term experience in the sandbox. Based on how popular Minecraft is, it may be the best base-building game of all time.

13 They Are Billions

An Intriguing Base-Building Game Set During The Zombie Apocalypse

Those who are looking to build a shelter in a steampunk world should look no further than They Are Billions. The post-apocalyptic survival game puts players in a zombie-infested world where the goal is to build a solid enough base in order to stay alive.

Players must explore the map to collect various resources while laying out a building plan for the base itself. Players also need to prepare their defenses for when zombies start making their way toward the player's habitat. Domino effects of infection can occur, so protect all sides of a fort as much as possible.

12 Meet Your Maker

Build A Base That Impedes Other Players From Infiltrating The Premises

A player-driven sandbox game, Meet Your Maker is a unique type of base-building game where the goal is to raid player-built bases, capture the "Genmat" from within it, and then try to make it out alive. However, the road to get there will be incredibly challenging for the raiders.

Base builders are equipped with many traps that they can spring on invaders and make it so they will not succeed in their mission. An asynchronous multiplayer game, Meet Your Maker encourages players to attempt outposts that others have built multiple times, adapting to each run and upgrading gear along the way.

11 Ark: Survival Evolved

A Survival Game Where Humans Coexist With Dinosaurs And Develop Bases

With players having to survive in a prehistoric world overrun by dinosaurs, it is no surprise Ark: Survival Evolved has some important base-building mechanics that are important to its overall gameplay. Using materials gathered throughout the land, players will need to craft specific components of a home before placing one down.

For instance, players will need to find enough material to create floors, doors, and walls. Players must be wary of their structure's pillar or foundation being destroyed, but the ultimate goal will be to upgrade their shack as they play Ark.

10 Astroneer

A Serene Crafting Game With Base-Building Elements

Base builder games require the player to remain in one area attempting to create the best foundation that they can. Astroneer strongly encourages exploration because of how unique the areas within the game can be, especially when it comes to farming resources.

Astroneer takes place in the 25th century, with each player in control of their own Astroneer whose job is to go on their own adventure scavenging seven planets that have layers that can run deep into their core. The game has a four-player co-op that is easy to jump in and out of, making the premise of this base-building survival game feel less daunting.

9 Satisfactory

Set Up A Factory On An Alien Planet

Setting up a home on an alien planet can be really tough at first, but building a solid factory will make life a lot easier. In Satisfactory, players can explore an open world in first-person while looking into creating a plant that could make gathering resources an absolute breeze.

Players will learn how to make complex machines that will get the resources to build a Space Elevator that they can use to deliver more resources to FICSIT Inc., the company the player works for. The Satisfactory map is pre-generated so that every player starts out in a similar position.