Tycoon games offer a world that lets us live out our fantasies of controlling a company, a theme park, or even a whole city. Being a virtual environment that revolves around creativity and freedom, depth plays a significant role in making these games such a one-of-a-kind experience for us.
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With how much potential tycoon games have based on their mechanics alone, the possibilities of what you can achieve are endless. These games have stood out as classics for decades, and rightfully so, as they’ve beena source of escapism. Focused on managing the economic management side of unique businesses, you’re sure to feel entertained by the best tycoon games around. But, out of all the most amazing ones, which game is the greatest?
10Big Pharma
Big Pharma lets you live out your dreams of managing a pharmaceutical company. On top of being one ofthe best medical simulators, this tycoon game takes you on a ride full of science and creating medicine to heal thousands.
As with any tycoon, this game truly tests your ethics. Since you make a profit off the medicine that you make, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to get rid of diseases or deceive patients for the money. While Big Pharma might feel like a bit of a headache with the difficulties it throws at you, trying your best to perfect your crafted medication is something you’ll get completely lost in.
9Megaquarium
Get ready to get your marine thinking cap on as you’re sucked into a watery world to manage an aquarium. Megaquarium is a charming park management game that challenges you to run an aquarium to the best of your ability. With the technicalities that make it complex, it’s rewarding when you finally get the hang of everything.
Playing this game is wonderfully casual and relaxing. It doesn’t require you to think too deeply about the business side of things, encouraging you to dive into taking care of your precious aquatic life. The guests might be annoying at times since they easily get upset. But it’s satisfying to design your aquarium and take care of your fish nonetheless.
8Cities: Skylines
As a modern take on classic city-building tycoon games, the thrill of developing a city from the ground up has never been so fascinating.Cities: Skylinesresembles another iconic city simulation,Simcity, but it accomplishes a lot more when it comes to a gratifying experience.
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There’s so much to uncover when you first play this game. And even when you have played hours of Cities: Skylines, there’s still a lot to discover down the line. It might appear to be an average city-building simulation on the surface. But when it comes to its impressive performance and intricate details, you’re bound to get addicted to the construction of your innovative city.
7Jurassic World Evolution 2
The firstJurassic World Evolutionwas a wonderful game for allJurassic Parkfans. After its release, the game’s company, Frontier, took players' feedback to heart and improved their series with the sequel.
Jurassic World Evolution 2lets you manage your own version of Jurassic World. Bioengineered dinosaurs influence almost all of your decisions; their intelligence and emotions have you take everything to heart. Although they are dangerous on their own account by likely eating the visitors that come to your park, we oddly care about these dinosaurs more than anything else when playing this game.
6Frostpunk
Frostpunkisn’t necessarily a horror game, but it’s not an innocent one at the same time. Being the first society survival game, Frostpunk challenges you to manage the last living city on Earth. Because of the conditions of this suddenly isolated planet, trying to keep your citizens alive and your city safe and sound is constantly difficult.
Despite how hard this game is, we still dare to try our best. It features tense gameplay that pushes us further rather than making us think about giving up. From citizens missing arms to constant disasters at every turn, Frostpunk is far from a relaxing tycoon game.
5Surviving Mars
In this sci-ficity-builder, you’re tasked with keeping citizens alive while they make their new home on the planet Mars. It won’t be easy to colonize and make this planet a new livable environment, but it’s hard not to accept the daring challenges that lie ahead of you.
Surviving Marsis a unique spin on typical city-building simulators. Besides doing all you can to keep everyone alive, you’ll also encounter secrets of the alien world. With that said, uncovering the underlying lore of this game makes it stand out among other tycoon games. Not to mention the god-like power you hold at your fingertips, letting you decide who can live or die in this newfound colony.
4Two Point Hospital
Both witty and charming, this medical tycoon game definitely leans more on the humorous side.Two Point Hospitallets you build a hospital from the ground up, forming a healthcare center that’s completely your own. Along the way, you’ll also get to make a name for yourself and develop various hospitals.
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As you go throughout the game, you’ll be frantically working hard to make sure all your patients (and staff) are taken care of. It isn’t wildly difficult to play, but the awards and satisfaction of healing everyone’s ailments are enough to make you push yourself. With its Wallace and Gromit-esque art style, Two Point Hospital is beyond a precious gem.
3Planet Zoo
Even though it isn’t the first zoo-centric tycoon game,Planet Zooworks hard to bring you a thrilling experience. Compared to other zoo simulations, this game is incredibly customizable and gives you straightforward gameplay to keep you hooked.
Being the spiritual successor to Zoo Tycoon, Planet Zoo allows us the opportunity to manage a zoo filled with animals. We have ultimate creative freedom, which lets us showcase our hard work in creating a unique attraction when we started out with nothing. Overall, this game is simple fun that just about anyone could enjoy. No matter how you morally decide to play, it’s an iconic time.
2Game Dev Tycoon
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to run a gaming company, then look no further thanGame Dev Tycoon. As we’re taken back to the beginning of the video game industry in the 1980s, we’re left with so many possibilities on how we can go about forming a successful video game company.
Every little decision matters when it comes to Game Dev Tycoon. To go on to develop your video games, you must tread lightly because of the reputation you must uphold from the start. In other words, Game Dev Tycoon is a very meta experience as you’re in a game to develop the games from your wildest dreams.
1Rollercoaster Tycoon Classic
It’s no surprise that the most well-known tycoon game is the greatest one of all time. TheRollercoaster Tycoonfranchise has expanded over the years, impressing us with every new installment. But, among every game, Rollercoaster Tycoon Classic is the champion.
Featuring the wildest rides imaginable, Rollercoaster Tycoon Classic combines the best elements from the first and second installments in the series into one big video game. Coming with expansion packs that enhance the whimsical nature of this game, playing Rollercoaster Tycoon Classic is a masterpiece and an amazing introduction to tycoon games in general.
