# Townscaper > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Townscaper > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Townscaper.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townscaper > Source revision: 1335861648 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 2021 video game 2021 video game Townscaper Developer Oskar Stålberg Publisher Oskar Stålberg Platforms Microsoft Windows macOS Nintendo Switch Xbox One Xbox Series X/S Web Release Windows, macOS, Switch August 26, 2021 iOS, Android October 20, 2021 Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Web December 1, 2021 Genre City-building game Mode Single-Player ***Townscaper*** is a [city builder](/source/City-building_game) game by Oskar Stålberg. It was released for Windows and Mac in August 2021. A port to the [Nintendo Switch](/source/Nintendo_Switch) was released in August 2021 when the Steam version left [early access](/source/Early_access).[1][2] The mobile version was released in October 2021.[3][4] It was later ported to [Xbox One](/source/Xbox_One), [Xbox Series X/S](/source/Xbox_Series_X_and_Series_S), and [web browsers](/source/Web_browser) (as a demo) in December 2021.[5][6] It features [low poly](/source/Low_poly) graphics and a simple, minimalist [user interface](/source/User_interface). ## Gameplay *Townscaper* has no inherent objective or story and has been described by developer Stålberg as "more of a toy" than a game.[7] Users construct an island town by placing and removing colored blocks on a calm body of endless water. Various "rules" dictate these blocks' appearances, with some appearing as [spires](/source/Spire) and others as [balconies](/source/Balcony). This method of rule-based decoration allows [arches](/source/Arch), [gardens](/source/Garden), and [stairways](/source/Stairways) to be created without specific user instruction.[8] ## Setting *Townscaper* takes place on a large distorted grid set in an infinite sea.[7] This allows for towns that feel more organic and unstructured when compared to similar games that are based on [regular grids](/source/Regular_grid). ## Development *Townscaper* was developed by Swedish[9][*[better source needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability#Questionable_sources)*] developer Oskar Stålberg, who previously worked on *[Bad North](/source/Bad_North)*. Stålberg gave a talk at the *IndieCade Europe 2019* event during development, showcasing some of the game's features, including terrain generation and procedural building design.[10][*[unreliable source?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources)*] ## Reception Reception Aggregate score Aggregator Score Metacritic NS: 63/100[11] PC: 86/100[12] Review scores Publication Score Eurogamer Recommended[15] PC Gamer (US) 80/100[14] TouchArcade 4.5/5[13] The PC edition of *Townscaper* received a critic score of 86% according to review aggregator [Metacritic](/source/Metacritic), indicating generally favorable reviews.[12] The Nintendo Switch edition received a score of 63%, indicating a mixed or average reception.[11] Natalie Clayton of *[PC Gamer](/source/PC_Gamer)* wrote: "*Townscaper* may not have the complexity of a Cities: Skylines, but its quaint towns littered with cobbled streets and old churches, dockyards and lighthouses feel more instantly homely than the sterile American-styled metropolises of "real" city-builders."[14] Christian Donlan of *[Eurogamer](/source/Eurogamer)* wrote: "[...] but met on its own terms, diving in when you've a few spare minutes to lay down a new neighbourhood, *Townscaper* is an absolutely joyous little time waster that's kept me busy since it first hit early access last year (opens in new tab). Now that it's out for real, I don't doubt it'll keep popping back in for a quick vacation for many months to come."[15] Tilly Lawton of *Pocket Tactics* wrote: "*Townscaper* serves up a gorgeous, illustrative art style, serene sound design, and a simple concept that’s sure to put you at ease."[16] ## See also - *[Islanders](/source/Islanders_(video_game))*, a minimalist city-builder released in 2019 ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-rps_1-0)** Smith, Graham (August 27, 2021). ["Cute town building toy Townscaper has left early access"](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/cute-town-building-toy-townscaper-has-left-early-access). *[Rock Paper Shotgun](/source/Rock_Paper_Shotgun)*. Retrieved August 30, 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Whitehead, Thomas (August 26, 2021). ["Townscaper Is Out Now On Switch eShop"](https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/08/townscaper_is_out_now_on_switch_eshop). *[Nintendo Life](/source/Nintendo_Life)*. Retrieved June 27, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Townscaper Coming to Android and iOS October 20"](https://www.gamespress.com/Townscaper-Coming-to-Android-and-iOS-October-20) (Press release). GamePress. September 21, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Orr, Aaron (September 22, 2021). ["Townscaper heading to iOS and Android on 20 October"](https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/77239/townscaper-heading-to-ios-and-android/). *PocketGamer*. Retrieved June 27, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Phillips, Tom (December 1, 2021). ["The beautiful Townscaper is now available to try in your browser"](https://www.eurogamer.net/the-beautiful-townscaper-is-now-available-to-try-in-your-browser). *[Eurogamer](/source/Eurogamer)*. Retrieved June 27, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Peppiatt, Dom (December 2, 2021). ["Townscaper is the latest surprise addition to Xbox Game Pass"](https://www.vg247.com/townscaper-xbox-game-pass-new-addition). *[VG247](/source/VG247)*. Retrieved November 29, 2022. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-cnet_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-cnet_7-1) Morrison, Geoffrey (July 17, 2020). ["A game for our times: Townscaper"](https://www.cnet.com/news/a-game-for-our-times-townscaper/). *[CNET](/source/CNET)*. Retrieved July 20, 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-pcgamer_8-0)** O'Connor, Alice (July 1, 2020). ["Lovely town-building toy Townscaper is out in early access"](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2020/07/01/lovely-town-building-toy-townscaper-is-out-in-early-access/). *[Rock Paper Shotgun](/source/Rock_Paper_Shotgun)*. Retrieved July 20, 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Oskar Stålberg"](https://twitter.com/OskSta). *Twitter*. Retrieved July 21, 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [*Organic Towns from Square Tiles - a talk by Oskar Stålberg at Indiecade Europe 2019*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hqt8JkYRdI). IndieCade Europe. March 17, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020 – via [YouTube](/source/YouTube). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-metacriticns_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-metacriticns_11-1) ["Townscaper for Switch Reviews"](https://www.metacritic.com/game/townscaper/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch). *[Metacritic](/source/Metacritic)*. [Red Ventures](/source/Red_Ventures). Retrieved October 25, 2021. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-metacriticpc_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-metacriticpc_12-1) ["Townscaper for PC Reviews"](https://www.metacritic.com/game/townscaper/critic-reviews/?platform=pc). *[Metacritic](/source/Metacritic)*. [Red Ventures](/source/Red_Ventures). Retrieved October 25, 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Madnani, Mikhail (October 20, 2021). ["'Townscaper' iOS Review – Relaxing Brilliance"](https://toucharcade.com/2021/10/20/townscaper-mobile-review-iphone-android-ipad-icloud-controller-support-raw-fury/). *[TouchArcade](/source/TouchArcade)*. Retrieved October 25, 2021. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pcg_14-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pcg_14-1) Clayton, Natalie (August 27, 2021). ["Townscaper review - A pleasant toy for building your own idyllic seaside getaways"](https://www.pcgamer.com/townscaper-review/). *[PC Gamer](/source/PC_Gamer)*. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-eg_15-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-eg_15-1) Donlan, Christian (September 2, 2021). ["Townscaper review - a city-builder without rules"](https://www.eurogamer.net/townscaper-review-a-city-builder-without-rules). *[Eurogamer](/source/Eurogamer)*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Lawton, Tilly (September 8, 2021). ["Townscaper review – a tincture of pure tranquillity"](https://www.pockettactics.com/townscaper/review). *Pocket Tactics*. ## External links - [Official website](https://www.townscapergame.com/) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Townscaper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townscaper) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townscaper?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.