At launch, there are ten maps to choose from in Cities Skylines 2 to start building your dream city. However, not all maps in Cities Skylines 2 are of equal quality, as each city map provides a different landscape along with certain resources.
The choice of which map to start off with should be made on what type of city you have in mind, considering the connections and resources for that map. While some can be quite easy to understand and obvious, others require some creative input. Considering all the stats of these ten maps in Cities Skylines II, we will rank them according to their difficulty and building plans so you can pick the best map suitable for you.
10. Sweeping Plains
- Level: Intermediate
- Theme: American
- Temperature: -4 to 23°C
- Weather: Cold
- Buildable area: 31%
Possibly the hardest map to build and plan, Sweeping Plain has almost no easy areas. The variations are on every step, making it harder to manage, which is why it is not anywhere good for beginners. Although the map is quite beautiful, you can only work on this map and make good use of its beautiful structures if you understand the mechanics well.
9. Twin Mountain
- Level: Beginner/Intermediate
- Theme: European
- Temperature: -4 to 23°C
- Weather: Cold
- Buildable area: 39%
Twin Mountain is a similar map to Sweeping Plains with little tweaks that make it a bit more bearable and flexible. The map has a much more plain area that can make building easy with a lot more area to plan. The biggest drawback though is the absence of trains. This makes transporting goods based entirely on boats or planes along with visitors have no connection to other cities.
8. Lakeland
- Level: Beginner
- Theme: European
- Temperature: -15 to 26°C
- Weather: Moderate
- Buildable area: 49%
Another plain area with a little more character than Barrier Islands is Lakeland. The buildable area is quite large, but it’s broken down into small islands, giving it an interesting look. The area has some different areas to break down the flat surface, with a few forests and hilly spots. This brings a little variation to beginners who want to start with a bit more than just basics.
7. Windy Fjords
- Level: Expert
- Theme: European
- Temperature: -6 to 18°C
- Weather: Cold
- Buildable area: 21%
With an interesting and aesthetically pleasing map design, Windy Fjords is a good map for all levels of players. It has enough plain space for beginners to build their city, surrounded by a few variations that can be exciting to learn about. The temperature is quite cold, which can cover this area with snow for a long time. It’s not a bad choice but not a foolproof one, so think before you choose.
6. Waterway Pass
- Level: Expert
- Theme: European
- Temperature: -6 to 18°C
- Weather: Moderate/Sunny
- Buildable area: 53%
With a river cutting through the middle, Waterway Pass is the best map in Cities Skylines II for players who like to experiment with different areas all in one map. This map has a plain, flat surface along the sides of the river and some mountains in the back.
As you move along further from the rivers, the area becomes steep, which adds to the changing structure and variation in the map. This might be challenging, but its vast area and aesthetic can help in managing.
5. Great Highlands
- Level: Beginner/Intermediate
- Theme: European
- Temperature: -3 to 19°C
- Weather: Moderate/Cool
- Buildable area: 41%
Great Highland is a map that can be used in any kind of city plan. It is beginner-friendly with a few different elements like mountains and rivers that can make it intermediate. It comes with a few roads and a possible connection to the highway, opening its access to the other cities.
The map is designed in a way that it provides enough middle ground that is flat so that beginners can easily start. On the other hand, it has a few challenging parts, like hills and cliffs, that experienced players may find interesting to navigate around.
4. Archipelago Haven
- Level: Expert
- Theme: European
- Temperature: 8 to 30°C
- Weather: Rainy
- Buildable area: 16%
If only the map was beginner-friendly, Archipelago Haven could be the top-ranked map. With the least amount of land and multiple islands, it has the most interesting composition. Players can have fun with bridges and building small connecting towns. The terrain variation is also favorable for experimenting with different types of city planning, and that is the exciting part. Furthermore, who doesn’t love an aesthetically pleasing map that looks exquisite even without any proper planning?
3. Barrier Islands
- Level: Beginner
- Theme: American
- Temperature: 10 to 29°C
- Weather: Sunny
- Buildable area: 42%
If you are new and have no idea how to maneuver around your roads and buildings, Barrier Island is for you. It is a large flat area that is a perfect blank canvas for the player to start with whatever idea they want to go with. This is the most plain map out of all and is not really fun to look at, but for beginners, it can be the best choice.
2. River Delta
- Level: Intermediate
- Theme: European
- Temperature: -4 to 34°C
- Weather: Wide range from Sunny to Rainy
- Buildable area: 42%
To let your creativity shine, you sometimes need a little assistance from a creative land design, and River Delta provides that. With a unique landscape of small islands backed by the mountains on the back, the area is quite fun to play around.
All the islands are connected by a system of bridges that can give a lot of ideas. The map may seem like it has a lot of building area, but on the contrary, it has 42 percent, which is quite high for any type of player.
1. Mountain Village
- Level: Beginner/Expert
- Theme: European
- Temperature: -12 to 27°C
- Weather: Cold
- Buildable area: 21%
The majestic and cozy vibe of the Mountain Village is one of the best designs. The maps on the outskirts give a beautiful contrast to the middle, small, buildable area. The base is planned with a few rivers passing through, which gives a variation to the otherwise flat base.
If you like to experiment with building beautiful areas covered by mountains in a cozy atmosphere, Mountain Village is the best map to choose from in Cities Skylines 2.
