Burrow deep and rebuild with up to $32 off cosy city builder board games, featuring woodland creatures and teeny tiny windmills
Rebuild civilisation in your own personal, cozy vision

When the world seems to be crumbling around you, sometimes you need to feel in control. Playing city builders is how I stave off the worry, in any case. And what better way to extend that feeling of fixing the world, than by getting your pals involved in some cozy city building board game shenanigans? Two birds with one stone, I suppose (disclaimer: you may need several stones to build a city).
I consider these to be some of the best board games around, thanks to their creative freedom, heartwarming aesthetics and story, and of course their clever strategic mechanics. Don't worry if you're not big on strategy games though, many of these are super easy to pick up and play. In each one, you'll get to create your ideal civilization from the comfort of your own home, and with friends… because collective escapism is a valid strategy for dealing with the horrors of reality.
In any case, I've rounded up some of the sweetest, coziest city building board games I could find to rid you of the bad feels, in case the world has been getting you down lately. Below you'll find everything from cooperative city building board games, to adorable hex-based competitive numbers like the well-loved Dorfromantik – now just $35.99 at Miniature Market.
Frostpunk | $119.99 $87.99 at Amazon
Save $32 - While at first glance this may not look like a cosy board game, and it is brutal for sure, but there's a compassion that swells as you help your people thrive by the gentle hum of the generator. This is a game of surviving against all odds, and one that'll surely warm your heart as you lead the dregs of humanity back into warmth and prosperity.
Buy it if:
✅ You enjoy a difficult strategy games
✅ You're compelled to lead
Don't buy it if:
❌ You're looking to beat the game first time
Price check:
💲Miniature Market | $95.99
UK price:
⭐Zatu | £99.99 £74.99
Dorfromantik | $44.99 $35.99 at Miniature Market
Save $9 - Dorfromantik has a special place in my heart. With simple rules and a gorgeous painterly style, it's a game of laying tiles in just the right spot to complete tasks and accumulate points. It's very Carcassonne coded, with short games and a nice easy-to-follow point tally. Plus, it makes for a super relaxing solo game, too.
Buy it if:
✅ You want something simple and relaxing
✅ You're looking for a lighter game
Don't buy it if:
❌ You're into more heavy resource management games
Price check:
💲Amazon | $39.06
UK price:
⭐Zatu | £33.99 £24.19
Above and Below | $47.74 $38.80 at Amazon
Save $8.94 - When your previous village was ransacked by barbarians, what else is there to do but rebuild? This is a story-focussed game of resource management and exploration. It's like a cross between Gloomhaven and Wyrmspan, since weird and wonderful narrative threads will start to unravel around your blossoming village as you delve deeper into the cave system beneath.
Buy it if:
✅ You're looking to explore and build
✅ You enjoy a little narrative in your board games
Don't buy it if:
❌ You didn't like Wyrmspan
Price check:
💲Walmart | $50.36
UK price:
⭐Zatu | £49.99 £40.89
Creature Comforts | $49 $37.93 at Amazon
Save $11.07 - When life gets you down, it's time to roleplay as a little woodland creature. Am I right? Working against your pals, you'll collect all you need to make your burrow as cozy as possible for the coming winter, preparing to hunker down when the world above turns bleak. Assign your workers, learn lessons that'll let you change your rolls, and build yourself a hearth to warm your cockles.
Buy it if:
✅ You're a fan of racoons and comfy socks
✅ You want to live underground
Don't buy it if:
❌ You prefer your animals non anthropomorphic
Price check:
💲Walmart | $50.36
UK price:
⭐Zatu | £49.99 £40.89
For more why not check out our list of the best classic board games, or some more board game deals while you're in the mood to purchase some.
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Katie is a freelance writer with almost 5 years experience in covering everything from tabletop RPGs, to video games and tech. Besides earning a Game Art and Design degree up to Masters level, she is a designer of board games, board game workshop facilitator, and an avid TTRPG Games Master - not to mention a former Hardware Writer over at PC Gamer.
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