Architecture Games That Let You Build Houses

As a seasoned gamer with years of virtual construction under my belt, I must say that each of these building games offers a unique and captivating experience. From the dynamic procedural system of Tiny Glade to the limitless creativity of Minecraft, there’s something for everyone in this list.


Video games offer an exceptional advantage: they allow individuals to engage in thrilling, high-stakes activities that might seem unattainable in real life. Examples include defeating a gang of villains alone, participating in an intense street race, or embarking on a dangerous expedition. Additionally, constructing one’s own home is another popular activity in games that appeals to many people, although it can be somewhat repetitive.

For individuals eager to demonstrate their architectural skills, doing so within a video game setting is both logical and accessible. Whether one’s construction adheres to the principles of creating a structurally sound dwelling or it embodies an imaginative artistic piece, video games provide a platform for creative expression during the building phase, culminating in completion. While these games won’t transform someone into an architectural expert, they do offer an opportunity to tap into one’s creativity. These so-called house-building games immerse players in real-life scenarios where resourcefulness and budget constraints come into play during the construction process.

23 The Forest

Wilderness Survival Meets Creative Shelter-Building

The Forest” is an engaging survival game that was created by Endnight Games, available on PC and PlayStation 4. Right from the start, players find themselves stranded in a mystifying woodland after a plane crash. Despite being categorized as a survival horror title, “The Forest” gained immense popularity during its early access phase due to its enjoyable multiplayer aspect and widespread appeal among YouTubers and live streamers.

In The Forest, constructing buildings plays a crucial role in gameplay. It’s not just for amusement; instead, it’s essential for players to build shelters to shield themselves from the perils lurking in the forest. Yet, the game offers ample room for creativity, allowing players to design their unique structures. There are numerous remarkable constructions crafted by players that have been shared online, serving as a fantastic source of inspiration.

22 Project Highrise

Build And Manage Skyscraper

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
  • Initial release date: September 8, 2016
  • Developer: SomaSim

If architects are seeking a complex building and maintenance experience in a residential block setting, Project Highrise is an excellent pick for a house-construction game. While it may not boast the most vibrant visuals, its monochrome color scheme and blueprint design align with its core concept.

Regardless of its intricate theme and basic visuals, this game receives numerous favorable comments due to its user-friendly approach to teaching players how to oversee and design multiple homes running on an efficient system. Additionally, there are downloadable content packs that offer commercial buildings and large urban areas for players who wish to broaden their horizons.

21 Skyrim

Forge Your Own Hearth

One major reason why Skyrim remains a favorite game even after more than a decade since its release is because it offers a wealth of activities and choices for players. Regardless if they prefer a peaceful or highly combative playstyle, Skyrim provides countless hours of content, such as building houses and much more.

In a leisurely game where you let the characters control themselves, constructing a personal home can offer one of the most rewarding activities. Unlike buying pre-built houses in the realm of Skyrim, creating your own abode gives an unparalleled sense of accomplishment. Building from scratch isn’t straightforward; players must first collect all essential materials. However, this laborious process becomes a delightful time investment that leads to a deeply fulfilling experience.

20 Conan Exiles

Brave The Brutal World

In the ruthless and merciless world portrayed by Conan: The Barbarian, the game Conan Exiles presents players with distinct hurdles when constructing their base. Apart from ferocious creatures and other potential perils lurking, other human players can pose a threat too, as there’s an advanced multiplayer feature that allows such interactions.

If players manage to persist for a while and establish themselves on preferred ground, they can construct striking structures using interchangeable wall and floor pieces. It’s fortunate that mechanisms are in place to deter griefing, ensuring that players can’t demolish or build upon each other’s efforts.

19 Don’t Starve

Craft Shelter To Shield Against Sanity-Stealing Nightmares

In the game Don’t Starve, although you can’t construct a physical house using separate parts, there are numerous structures you can build within the game that serve as makeshift homes. For instance, players can enclose certain areas with walls to ward off unwanted characters and lay down different types of flooring for advantages such as faster movement speed and additional benefits.

There are temporary indoor shelters that can be constructed for players, like the assortment of huts that offer protection from the rain while also restoring their health and mental state. If players use mods, especially when gaming on a PC with Steam’s workshop, these housing options become numerous.

18 Home Design Story

Turn Your Dream Home Ideas into Digital Reality

  • Platform: Android, iOS
  • Initial release date: 2019
  • Developers: Storm8 Studios

Home Design Story is an application for Apple iOS devices. At first glance, it appears to be a home design program, but it’s actually an interactive game that enables players to customize every aspect of their virtual house, from the exterior to the interior. Additionally, friends and neighbors can be invited to visit the designed spaces. Furthermore, players have the option to assume the role of an architect and build a reputation for exceptional designs, potentially leading to a successful career in the field.

A significant portion of effort and time invested in this home construction video game primarily focuses on the graphical aspects, boasting an intricate level of detail. Fastidious players will admire the extent of customization available for decorating within the game.

17 Lego Worlds

Limitless Building Possibilities With Classic Lego Charm

This video game, similar to playing with Lego blocks, emphasizes creative liberty. Players are empowered to construct amazing houses and a multitude of other structures, aligning perfectly with the theme of freedom. In the realm of Lego Worlds, there’s an abundance of building possibilities due to the vast array of bricks available in the game, making it a must-see for architectural enthusiasts!

To date, players have had the freedom not only to construct their ideal homes but also replicate iconic spots from beloved films, literature, and even other video games. This flexibility is often an encouraging indication for house-building game titles, serving as a significant benchmark of a game’s potential greatness.

16 Valheim

Sculpt Your Viking Legacy, One Structure at a Time

As a dedicated Valheim fan, I can’t help but marvel at the sheer brilliance of its base building mechanics. It’s like having a blank canvas to reimagine entire landscapes, molding them to suit my unique vision. Constructing a personal sanctuary is an essential part of the Valheim experience, and it’s clear that the developers have poured their heart and soul into making this aspect truly shine.

The basic components can be made from either wood or stone, yet they offer sufficient versatility and personalization to fuel creative thinking and construct anything ranging from compact, snug hideaways to expansive, complex fortresses. The location where these structures are erected significantly impacts their overall appearance. A house constructed in the plains will contrast greatly with one built in the marshes or atop a mountain peak.

15 Once Human

Design A Home Base in a Realistic Open-World Survival

Once Human” offers a unique blend of various gaming genres, all neatly wrapped up in a free-to-play format that functions smoothly. It’s an open-world survival shooter game, but what sets it apart is its robust base-building mechanics, which are remarkably well-developed for the genre.

In the virtual world of this game, players have the ability to assert ownership over a plot of land and construct their own home base from scratch. The intricacy of this system is impressive, offering numerous customization options that can be unlocked and a robust integrity system designed to mimic real-world scenarios. What sets Once Human apart in the crowded field of survival games with base building is its polish and shared world feature. Here, houses created within the game are situated on online servers, which are visible on a common map among all players on that server. Once established, these structures become as integral to the map as any other in-game structure, fostering the growth of player-created communities.

14 Hometopia

From Fixer-Uppers to Dream Homes

  • Platform: Microsoft Windows
  • Initial release date: June 2022
  • Developers: Hometopia Inc., The Isn’t Company

Hometopia is similar to The Sims 4 in layout, visual style, and player viewpoint, yet it offers a variety of customization features that ensure an engaging and unique experience for players.

The main gameplay in House Flipper involves restoring rundown houses by repairing damages, replacing broken items, and redesigning interiors to boost the property’s worth. Furthermore, Hometopia provides an extra feature called “free build mode,” where players can explore and download custom creations from other gamers. It also offers an online multiplayer option for a collaborative gaming experience.

13 ARK: Survival Evolved

Survive And Build Among Prehistoric Giants

Regardless of the frequent criticism and debates it has encountered throughout its lifetime, “Ark: Survival Evolved” has consistently stayed relevant and well-liked. It’s not hard to see why; a survival game set in an open world with dinosaurs is already intriguing on paper, and “Ark” largely succeeds in meeting the expectations this concept generates, effectively overlooking many of its potential flaws or annoying aspects.

As a gamer, diving into the world of Ark, one essential aspect that I’ve found engaging is establishing my very own base. This feature kicks in relatively early during gameplay. The base-building system in Ark is simple yet effective, and the key choices revolve around how big I want my base to be and what functionalities it should serve.

12 Prison Architect

Build Facilities For The World’s Most Challenging Inmates

From a bird’s eye view, the game Prison Architect offers players the means to craft their own unique correctional facility. Users can construct various spaces such as the infirmary, dining hall, and workshop, among numerous other features.

This game successfully achieves its purpose by developing a simulation game centered around a prison setting. The game offers an exhilarating experience with elements of terror, making it distinct from other building games like Prison Architect.

11 Fallout 4

Construct Unique Homes In The Heart Of The Wasteland

While Fallout 4 may face criticism for technical issues and its somewhat formulaic narrative, it offers an engaging building mode that adds fun to gameplay. The narrative primarily focuses on the sole survivor from Vault 111, weaving a tale of peril and deception.

In Fallout 4, you have the ability to construct a wide range of intricate items, from a solitary house to an entire settlement. This game offers players the resources to create distinctive dwellings amidst the wasteland. From the debris left behind, survivors can build and improve until they are content with their creation.

10 Subnautica

Build Submersible Bases In Alien Waters

In Subnautica, developed by Unknown Worlds Entertainment, the finest aspects of survival games are plunged into the unfathomable depths of an extraterrestrial underwater realm. Players will encounter various aquatic creatures as they embark on a hazardous journey.

Beyond designing dwellings beneath the sea known as seabases, one is also capable of constructing items such as submarines and necessary equipment. Players can delve into the expansive world of Subnautica, a vast ocean teeming with coral reefs, volcanoes, and interconnected cave systems, as they journey deeper.

9 No Man’s Sky

Infinite Possibilities For Builders Across the Galaxy

Initially, when No Man’s Sky was launched, the unkept promises hindered it from realizing its full potential. However, the developers at Hello Games have since made a remarkable comeback, adding elements that breathe life into the game.

In the game “No Man’s Sky,” you’re invited to delve into the vast expanse of its procedurally generated universe, which doubles as an impressive playground for building and designing structures. With a bit of architectural know-how, players can craft sophisticated dwellings that truly shine in this immersive environment. The Beyond Update 2019 enriched the base design possibilities within “No Man’s Sky.

8 Stardew Valley

Craft A Cozy Homestead

In simpler terms, instead of merely focusing on a farm and a house, the game Stardew Valley encourages players to construct an entire fulfilling lifestyle amidst the picturesque countryside. The game offers an engaging farming and construction simulation experience where players transition from urban living to master the charming rural way of life.

Stardew Valley, much like Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons, drew inspiration from its predecessors. However, what truly sets it apart is the intricate house designs. Unlike other games, players have a greater degree of freedom when it comes to personalizing their homes and even building structures in this game. Beyond cultivating a farm, establishing a home, and potentially raising a family, there are hidden regions to discover and numerous adventures to embark on.

7 Terraria

Build To Survive And Thrive

This independent game incorporates role-playing aspects, yet stands out due to its robust construction feature that might appeal greatly to many. Players aren’t just limited to constructing homes; they can also develop entire cities as a residence for the allies they encounter throughout their journey.

In simple terms, “Terraria” is an open-ended game that provides players with extensive creative freedom, making it a game that people could potentially spend over a thousand hours enjoying. Beyond simply constructing, it features elements like exploration and boss battles, offering a wide range of experiences beyond mere building.

6 Tiny Glade

A Serene Building Experience For Imaginative Minds

The game named “Tiny Glade” is a charming indie construction title, boasting an innovative building mechanism and a captivating, storybook-style artwork reminiscent of cottages. It thrives in its intended genre by offering a hassle-free environment for players to construct, innovate, and express their creativity without any major objectives beyond that.

As a gamer, I find it fascinating when I can construct structures using a system that automatically adjusts the placement of other objects as I add new ones. It creates an organic, intentional flow that makes building feel effortless, even when it’s not.

5 Minecraft

Endless Creativity, One Block At A Time

Individuals with the PC edition of Minecraft have the ability to elevate their in-game home construction by utilizing mods, thereby creating their ideal dwellings and deciding whether or not to inhabit them. Minecraft, being a sandbox game, provides users with an assortment of tools for building constructions.

Look for a suitable spot to construct your home, prepare the ground, fabricate a Workbench, and get building! It’s advisable to set up a bed first, since it serves as a respawn point if hostile creatures assault you. Building a house using blocks can result in something truly stunning.

4 House Flipper

Revamp, Remodel, And Resell

In the game “House Flipper”, you can completely transform a run-down house into a property ready for sale. This popular indie simulation game provides players with an array of tools to refurbish and restore houses to their former glory.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve got to say this gem is a blast! You can let loose and demolish everything in sight, all while scoring some great deals on Steam. And with the DLC, you get the chance to construct your dream home or cultivate a lush garden in fresh, unexplored locations.

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2024-11-10 02:55