Block'hood

Block'hood is a neighbourhood-building simulator released in 2017, developed by Plethora Project and published by Devolver Digital for Windows, MacOS, and Linux. Players construct a vertical tower by placing over 200 types of square blocks, each with specific resource inputs and outputs. Resources like Energy and Food must be balanced; if a block lacks required resources, it decays and must be replaced. Blocks include Wind Turbines, Farms, Water Towers, Flats for inhabitants, Parks for fresh air, Shops for money, and Clinics to reduce sickness. The game aims to be partly educational, requiring all blocks to be accessible via stairs and corridors, and demanding architectural support—for example, corridors need support before being built upon. A story mode with five chapters serves as a tutorial, with additional tutorials for complex mechanics. Challenge mode offers 24 tasks, such as producing specific resources within budget limits. Sandbox mode lets players customize area size, toggle inhabitant demands, and random events.

Development began with early access on March 10, 2016, for Windows and MacOS. Updates added a block property UI, Pigs, Cows, new farms, inhabitants, challenge levels, and more blocks. The game was showcased at E3 in June 2016 on MacOS, winning Best Gameplay at the Games for Change festival that same month. Later updates introduced a world system for larger neighborhoods, improved menus and UI, all 200 blocks, dynamic weather effects, inhabitant demands, and a Linux version. The full release on May 11, 2017, included a new story mode. The game runs on the Unity engine.

Reception includes a 7/10 from Destructoid, 5/5 from Digitally Downloaded, and 3/5 from Hey Poor Critic. Metacritic scores 75 out of 100 based on six reviews.