The simulation game genre encompasses numerous game types. There are The Sims, where the player control their own person in a virtual world. There are city and empire building/management simulation games – like SimCity. However, simulation games also include driving/racing simulation games, flight sims, sports sims, and combat sims as well. What separates these games from similar titles that are not considered sims?
One characteristic of a simulation game is that it attempts to give the player the same experience as the player’s character in-game – or as close as possible anyway. Spoiler alert… no game in The Sims series is on this list. The Sims 3 was rated high enough to be on this list, but it was released in 2009.
10 Uplink – 83 Rating, 6.5 User Score
This game was released for the iOS in June of 2012 by Introversion Software. Uplink is a thoroughly enjoyable hacking simulator that patterns itself more on the Hollywood version of hacking. If the game was any more clichéd the game would have someone saying “we’re in” when the player gained access to the targeted computer or server.
All that aside, this is a brilliantly crafted hacking simulator that is instantly playable and extremely addictive. Several reviews mention how engrossing Uplink is despite the game’s minimalistic design. This game has no negative reviews on Metacritic and only one mixed review – the rest shower this game with praise.
9 Two Point Hospital – 83 Rating, 7.5 User Score
For some reason hospital simulators generally turn out to be fun games; which is odd considering the setting. Theme Hospital was a well-designed hospital simulator that didn’t take itself too seriously. Sim Hospital went in the other direction and took itself way too seriously – almost to the point of almost being a training tutorial for hospital administrators.
Following in those games’ foot-steps, and being much closer to Theme Hospital, is Two Point Hospital. Reviewers loved the game’s bright, colorful graphics and simple, intuitive interface. The only negative viewpoints expressed in the reviews are a lack of challenge in the early stages and that the game can get repetitive.
8 FTL: Faster Than Light – 84 Rating, 8.4 User Score
FTL: Faster Than Light is a starship simulator in which the player takes on the role of the captain. The player selects a ship, decides what add-ons their ship will get, where crewmembers are stationed, and then begins exploring the vast galaxy. The graphics are a bit retro, but the core gameplay is very solid.
Most reviews remark how this game has tremendous replay value and how in-depth the decision making can get. The biggest complaints from reviewers are regarding the retro-style graphics (which is a matter of personal taste), and how much time players will find themselves devoting to this game (which is more of a positive than negative).
7 Cities: Skylines – 85 Rating, 8.9 User Score
According to most critics and users, Cities: Skylines is the game SimCity (2013) should have been – but wasn’t. Much like the latter game, Cities: Skylines is city building and management simulator. Most reviews actually proclaim that this is still currently the best city building game available.
The graphics are still quite good despite the game being four years old, and the game runs smoothly even when the player’s cities turn into metropolises. The reviews also praise the game’s intuitive interface and the little details added by the developer Colossal Order. This game is available for the PC, Switch, Xbox One, and PS4.
6 F1 2019 – 89 Rating, 6.5 User Score
Codemasters, the developer of F1 2019, has a long history making great racing simulating games – so it’s no surprise to see one of their most recent offerings on this list. F1 2019 is a Formula One racing simulator, and according to the reviews it might be the best game Codemasters has ever made since the company was founded thirty-three years ago.
Many critics and users describe the graphics as “beautiful” and “polished”, and the racing action is described as intense and well implemented. The reviews also allude to how satisfying and rewarding winning a race in F1 2019 feels.
5 SPACEPLAN – 89 Rating, 7.4 User Score
SPACEPLAN is a simple yet engaging mission control(ish)/satellite simulator. The game’s set-up is a top-down view of an alien planet and the player-controlled, potato-based, satellite orbiting the planet. That’s not a typo, the satellite is potato-based. The player maintains the working capacity of the satellite, like keeping the solar panels functioning to maintain energy output.
The player can also create potato-based probes to send down to the planet’s surface to collect data. Many reviews state how the reviewer had low expectations when starting SPACEPLAN, but in no time became completely immersed and spent every free second playing it.
4 First Touch Soccer – 90 Rating, 6.4 User Score
First Touch Soccer is an immensely fun and popular soccer simulation game for the iOS. Much like Uplink, First Touch Soccer does not have a single negative review; in fact it doesn’t even have a mixed review – all the reviews are positive. Several reviews state that this might be the best game available for iPads.
The reviews also praise the game’s touch-screen controls; which historically have been cumbersome for most games that use them. Also praised by the critics and users is the game’s fluid animation. The original First Touch Soccer was released in 2011, and since then there have been several sequels; however, none of the sequels have as high a Metacritic score as the original.
3 Trials Evolution – 90 Rating, 8.0 User Score
Trials Evolution is a motocross simulator of sorts, with a decidedly arcade presentation. The physics of the game, however, are pure simulation game - meaning they are precise and realistic. The player must take aspects such as gravity, the motorcycle’s center of gravity, and orientation when landing the motorcycle from a jump.
Many reviews claim that there is nothing wrong with this game – that Trials Evolution is perfect. Another highlight about Trials Evolution noted by many reviewers is the amount of content this game has to offer. There are dozens of tracks, multiplayer options (even local multiplayer), and the ability for players to make their own tracks.
2 Epic Astro Story – 91 Rating, 6.8 User Score
Epic Astro Story is a city building simulator with an interesting twist. The twist being that the player constructs a city on an alien planet with the goal of attracting alien tourists. The graphics are very retro (8-bit era), which is the biggest complaint in the reviews on Metacritic.
Several reviews mention how hard it is to stop playing this game. There always seems to be some event the player must address in Epic Astro Story, which keeps the game from getting boring and repetitive. Don’t let the simple graphics give the illusion of this being an easy or simple game – it is incredibly in-depth and challenging.
1 Forza Horizon 4 – 92 Rating, 7.8 User Score
This is about as good as racing/driving simulations get. Forza Horizon 4 beautifully recreates the countryside of Britain for the player to explore with the hundreds of cars available for purchase. Many screenshots of this game are difficult to tell apart from actual photographs.
One feature that many reviews touch on is how the seasons change in the in-game world and how expertly this was implemented. Most reviews also praise the game’s wealth of content – there are over 450 cars for the player to test drive and a thousand miles of roads to drive in an open-world setting.