Steam game

ShantyTown

ShantyTown is a relaxing diorama-building game about finding beauty in everyday chaos. Bring new locations to life, stack your urban buildings high, and fill each little nook and cranny with your own touch. Try your hand at shaping a cozy little town that is unique to you.

$14.99 April 16, 2026

By Erik Rempen

Windows macOS
View on Steam
ShantyTown - Erik Rempen. Popular. Released April 16, 2026
Screenshot of ShantyTown gameplay showing in-action mechanics Screenshot 2 of ShantyTown - additional gameplay view Screenshot 3 of ShantyTown - more gameplay footage Screenshot 4 of ShantyTown - final gameplay screenshot

Overview

About this game

This game is inspired by my love for densely built cities around the world—the kind of places where every wall, alley, and rooftop tells a story.

You’ll be encouraged to build upwards, fill the smallest gaps, and find clever ways to place light sources or decorations to bring your creations to life.

You’ll step into the role of a surveyor, building and photographing 20 distinct locations, each with its own mood and identity. Be it the warm glow of the Hotpot Casino, the charmingly cramped spaces of the Marshlands Pipe, or the solitude of the Lighthouse, every space gives you a new perspective.

How you place things together is entirely up to you.

Upgrades are available for larger structures like buildings and gates, but they’ll need a bit of care to reach their full potential. By providing light, utilities, and decorations, places like shops, apartment blocks, or gates can evolve into detailed spaces. Completing an upgrade unlocks new objects and decorations, giving you even more ways to shape the town.

When you finish a location, frame the shot, take a pic, then add it to your dossier before moving to your next blank canvas.

Each location presents a unique set of objects and a limited space to build within. Whether it’s food trucks, neon signs, or industrial smokestacks, players must carefully fit everything together to create a dense, living space that feels right.

This is a casual game through and through. There are no wrong answers here. Remember to make each placement personal, and every messy little corner adds to the charm.

With ShantyTown's added Creative Mode, you have unlimited building options with every unlocked location and item that you've acquired throughout your journey through ShantyTown.  Stack buildings hide, wide, and in any direction. We've also included a Blankspace with an enormous sandbox space to design custom towns and shops to your heart's desire. Design custom creations with no restrictions whatsoever.

  • Unique decorations across every map

  • Discover each location’s story as you build

  • A warm, relaxing soundtrack crafted by vaporwave artist Macroblank

  • Optional goals to guide your creativity

  • Peaceful, atmospheric scenery to unwind with

  • In-depth camera settings to frame your creations

  • Hidden objects waiting to be found

  • No time or pressure. Please, enjoy everything at your own pace.

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