History Main / SimulationGame

[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_mowing_simulator.png]]
[[caption-width-right:349:It's like I'm really there... doing chores...]]

Traditionally, a simulation game places the player in a managerial role over some set of resources, with which they are charged to build or do something -- the game might set some criteria for a "win" state, but this is far from compulsory; the player can generally build/do whatever they want and measure their own success by whatever metrics seem best to them (so long as he doesn't trigger a [[GameOver "lose" state]] through long-term mismanagement, whether accidental or [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential deliberate]]). The player generally has no direct control over individual agents inside the game world -- thus their role, depending on the scope of the game, tends to be labelled something ranging from "business owner" or "mayor" to "president" or even "god".

* ''VideoGame/StickyBusiness''

* ''Simutrans''

* ''Power Shovel'' for Arcade and the PSX, in which the player carefully drives a shovel tractor to destroy targets or pick stuff to drop somewhere, all under a strict time limit.

* ''Trainz'', a series of railway simulators that are a lot more "serious" than Densha De Go, yet still more like a sandbox game.

** ''VideoGame/LibraryOfRuina''

* ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing''

* ''Videogame/DisneyMagicalWorld'', Described as an expy of VideoGame/AnimalCrossing, whose residents are replaced with Disney characters.

* ''VideoGame/AirplaneMode''

* ''VideoGame/{{Wolf}}''

* ''VideoGame/{{JunoNewOrigins}}''

* ''VideoGame/AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAAARecklessDisregardForGravity'': A game that has the player character jump off buildings, do various things on the way down, and to make sure to use a wingsuit to not die upon hitting bottom.

* ''VideoGame/TheArchotekProject'' will allow the creation of a full prehistoric ecosystem.
* ''VideoGame/TheGameOfLife'' was the first of this genre, although it's anomalous as it has no heredity or evolution.

** ''VideoGame/TestDriveOriginalTrilogy''

* ''VideoGame/PocketArcadeStory''
* ''VideoGame/{{Populous}}''
* ''VideoGame/PotionCraft''

* ''VideoGame/LuckyRabbitReflex''
* ''Magical Boutique'' (a freeware game created by Chibi Goddess)

* ''VideoGame/{{Graduation}}'' (A teaching simulation with an emphasis on cute young anime girls. The localized version of Sotsugyou 2 ~Neo Generation~, and the only video game published by Mixx/Tokyopop.)
* ''VideoGame/IWasATeenageExocolonist''