Cities Skylines 2: 5 BEST Starting Maps [First-Hand Experience]

For a player who is new to the building game, the first thing they want to do is to find a perfect map to build the city of their dream. Maps are important in saving time and making the game more enjoyable, so finding the best starting map in Cities Skylines 2 is important. Maps provide versatility with their features of climate, buildable area, and outside connections.

Best Starting Maps In Cities Skylines 2 Compared

The table I’ve made below summarizes and compares Cities Skylines 2 best maps based on Theme, Climate, Latitude, and Buildup Area attributes:

1. River Delta

The European theme-based map is quite nice for both beginners and intermediate players. The map offers players a 42% buildable area and access to all outside connections, giving you the perfect opportunities. The temperature in the River Delta is mostly warm but has wide temperature variations.

The mountains are mid-size, providing a good backdrop to the city. Overall, the city looks more structured because it’s boxed in by two rivers and multiple highways of varying sizes. Knowing where to expand can seem overwhelming, but one can create creative layouts.

2. Sweeping Plains

The North American theme-based map, Sweeping Plains, is one of the most beautiful places to build your starting city in Cities Skylines 2. It has massive mountains often covered in snow, and the weather is mostly rainy and cold. Sweeping Plains offers a decent buildup area of 31% with mostly less flat terrain. The mountain peaks will add perfect scenic beauty to your city, attracting tourism and generating revenue.

Sweeping Plains is for more experienced players, but beginners can still find it enjoyable as it allows for large coastal cities. You may find it difficult to bring trains in early because the rail connection is up a steep incline and quite far from the rail connection.

3. Twin Mountain

Twin Mountain is a European theme-based map. It is similar to Sweeping Plains but has no rail connection. The absence of rails will require you to import all outside goods and visitors via Road, air, or sea or purchase outside tiles at the edge of Twin Mountain to create an outside rail connection. The climate is cold, and the buildup area is 39% higher than Sweeping Plains.

The starting square of Twin Mountain is very simple, with a four-lane road coming out of the highway. The main highway is a barrier to coast access, encouraging some interesting designs. This map has very flat land, but the elevation graphically is gentler. I recommend opting for Sweeping Plains instead of Twin Mountain. The rail disadvantage and harsh climate make it a worse option for beginners.

4. Waterway Pass

The only North American theme-based starting map in Cities is Skylines 2, which is set in the northern hemisphere. The map has the highest buildup area in the game, with a temperate sunny climate and a massive variation in temperatures. The mountain design is unique, and the flat buildable area in the center is perfect for creating a collection of interconnected towns, such as one large sprawling city or two cities divided by the river.

The start square is a flyover interchange into a simple four-lane highway. Waterway Pass has elevation variations and is more manageable as you move away from the river. Overall, it is a great option for best starting maps in Cities Skylines 2 because you have plenty of land to build and a good spread of natural resources.

5. Windy Fjords

A North American theme-based map with a very cold and rainy climate and a buildup area of only 21%. With such a low buildup area, you must be creative with your building design. The map has space in the center, perfect for a large, sprawling city, and isn’t too drastic to scare beginners. Windy Fjords has much to offer, with a small lake in the center and a long arched bridge as a two-way highway.

My Opinion On The Best Starting Map

You can exploit such a big area and consider using the river by building on both sides of the river to develop a beautiful city with access to all outside connections. Other than Waterway Pass, the top three maps for beginners are Mountain Village, Lakeland, and Barrier Islands. 

These maps provide a good buildup area and are rich in natural resources. They offer a good starting square and a perfect terrain to get you going on your city-building journey.

That’s all from my guide on best starting maps of Cities Skylines 2; you can head over to read our expert Asad Ahmad on Cities Skylines 2 Review-An Unfinished Mess Of A Game.  

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