Simulation games continue to be a popular game genre, as seen with the recently released Stray, which allows players to control a cat, and F1 22, a racing simulator game. Management games, which allow players to live their dream as a manager of various places and establishments — whether those are cities or cat cafes — also fall under the simulation game genre.
Due to its huge library, the Nintendo Switch has a great selection of great management games, from the high-stakes title Prison Architect to the indie roguelike RPG Moonlighter. What are the best management sims the Switch has to offer?
Bomber Crew
Set during World War 2, Bomber Crew is a flight simulator and management game where players are tasked with keeping their soldiers alive. Gamers need to manage military assets like hydraulics, ammo, and fuel, as well as take care of a bomber plane with realistic game physics.
Despite having cute graphics with adorable characters, the game can be challenging due to the sheer number of items to be managed, as well as the lack of any game checkpoints. However, patient gamers who like thinking strategically will find Bomber Crew to be a rewarding game.
Jurassic World Evolution
It might be based on a decades-old film, but Jurassic World Evolution is one of the best games for fans of the film franchise. The title allows players to build their own dinosaur park on various isles by erecting tourist facilities, research buildings, and monorails. Gamers also get to unlock new dinosaurs to add to their park by digging and collecting fossils.
Despite having a ton of content for gamers to immerse themselves in, Jurassic World Evolution does suffer from framerate and graphics issues. That said, it's a fun management simulation where gamers can get lost for hours.
Kingdom: New Lands
Assuming the role of a King or a Queen, gamers need to build a village from the ground up in Kingdom: New Lands. They do this by collecting coins, as well as hiring craftsmen and peasants who will build the infrastructure of their village. As the day ends and nighttime falls, players will have to protect themselves and their village from villainous demonic figures.
While the concept of the game is straightforward and simple, Kingdom: New Lands is a management game that's not at all limited by its minimalist sidescrolling nature. Gamers need to have a lot of patience though, as Kingdom: New Lands might feel monotonous and confusing at the start.
Prison Architect
In the game Prison Architect, players can put up and run their own prison. Aside from building rooms and cells, as well as furnishing the prison, players also have to establish order in their private establishment by hiring and training competent guards.
Gamers might feel frustrated at first with Prison Architect as the game leaves little instructions on what to do and how to proceed. In fact, some reviewers said that they had to rely on guides. But the complexity is part of the game, and once the ball gets rolling, Prison Architect becomes a fun and rewarding experience.
Vostok Inc.
As with other management games, Vostok Inc. encourages players to get rich by building money-making facilities. It's also a space exploration game where players have to travel across solar systems to loot their resources, as well as defeat the various alien enemies that reside in it.
Players who aren't fans of the game's clicker gameplay will be glad to know that it mixes things up by also featuring twin-stick shooter action. While it can feel repetitive at times, Vostok Inc.'s space combat aspects make it exciting enough to encourage gamers to explore its universe.
Cat Cafe Manager
Nintendo Switch gamers who also happen to like cats should play Cat Cafe Manager. The game's title tells players exactly what it's about — they have to build a successful cat cafe by renovating the cafe, meeting with the local townsfolk, solving mysteries involving other cats, and nurturing friendships with the NPCs.
The delightful game is incredibly relaxing thanks to its cute characters and adorable graphics. Cat Cafe Manager also has straightforward mechanics, allowing gamers of all ages to easily pick it up and play.
Cities: Skylines
Cities: Skylines offers players the chance to have their own cities. In the sandbox management game, players are tasked with making sure that their city's infrastructure is in tip-top shape, installing transportation options, and generally making their cities livable for their virtual citizens.
With so many aspects to tinker with in the game, Cities: Skylines has plenty of content to keep gamers entertained on end and is considered by many as one of the best city-building games of all time.
Two Point Hospital
The management simulation game Two Point Hospital puts players in charge of a healthcare organization and tasks them with ensuring that every patient receives quality service. This can be done by removing bottlenecks in the hospital, improving patient flow, adding rooms, and installing waiting areas.
Gamers can also improve the reception to their hospital and make patients happier by adding functional and decorative items. Two Point Hospital has managed to attract gamers thanks to its humorous narrative, as well as straightforward, balanced, and smooth simulation gameplay.
Moonlighter
The game Moonlighter follows a guy named Will who has to run a humble shop in the town of Rynoka. Through the profit that he gets from managing the shop, Will can buy better weapons and armor that he can use to easily explore the dungeons and defeat terrifying monsters.
In essence, Moonlighter is a roguelite RPG, but it also has plenty of economic and management simulation aspects that add variety to it. Its fun top-down 2D graphics and familiar gameplay make it the perfect title for gamers looking for a more casual management game.
Sid Meier's Civilization VI
Fans of the franchise know that Sid Meier's Civilization is one of the most extensive simulation titles in gaming history, and it gets more complex the more players tinker with it. The sixth entry in the franchise is the perfect game to help players get acquainted with the series thanks to its streamlined UI and impressive graphics.
In the game, players have to go on missions that involve creating builders, settlers, and military units. There's also an added feature in the game that encourages players to take over the world by either using science, religion, and culture.