Cities: Skylines

04 About Cities: Skylines

Cities: Skylines is a 2018 simulation and strategy game for Nintendo Switch, developed by Tantalus and published by Paradox Interactive. It places urban planning in the player’s hands, beginning with open land and allowing a city to take shape through construction and management decisions.

There is no fixed campaign narrative. Instead, each city develops through its residents, districts, infrastructure, finances and the problems that emerge as it expands. The result is a player-led urban story shaped by planning choices and changing civic needs.

Plan a Growing City

Residential, commercial and industrial zoning forms the foundation of development. Districts can be given individual policies, helping define different areas of the city and influence how they function.

Build Essential Infrastructure

Roads, railways, ports and airports connect the city, while traffic management becomes increasingly important as growth creates new pressure on transport networks. Public transport can help reduce dependence on private vehicles.

Manage Services and Finances

Cities require electricity, water, sewage, healthcare, education and police services to support residents. Players also oversee taxes and spending, balancing expansion with a sustainable budget while monitoring citizen needs.

Respond to Urban Challenges

Pollution, noise and other environmental concerns affect quality of life. Unexpected events such as fires, floods and meteor strikes can also require quick responses and rebuilding efforts.

Game screenshots

System requirements: phone & PC

Suggested device targets from Beastroms. Actual requirements and compatibility depend on your emulator and game settings.

HP / Phone

• Operating system: Android 10 or later
• CPU / Chipset: Quad-core 1.8 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB
• GPU / Graphics API: OpenGL ES 3.0-capable graphics
• Free storage: 7 GB
• Controls: Touch controls or a Bluetooth controller; keyboard for computer software

PC / Computer

• Operating system: Windows 10 / 11, 64-bit
• Processor: Dual-core 2.0 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB
• GPU / Graphics API: Integrated graphics with OpenGL 3.3 support
• Free storage: 7 GB
• Controls: Keyboard and mouse; controller for supported games

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