Simulation games are those video games or computer games that deal with depicting realistic situations in game settings. Examples of these types of games include taking care of virtual people or pets, like Sims games, developing society cities like Civilization or SimCity, and building amusement parks or zoos in games like Roller Coaster Tycoon or Zoo Tycoon. Some of these games can take hours to play and can be incredibly complex. In fact, some games are not played to win, but are played because you can develop multiple correct solutions or different permutations of the game based on your choices. Other simulation games are structured on a win/lose basis or require you to complete certain tasks before you can advance to another level.

Video game

genre However, as a video game genre, SimCity is credited by many as the first real simulation game marketed to the public, although there were some driving games that preceded it that can also be considered simulation models. SimCity was released in 1989, and since then there have been many updated versions that allow you to plan cities, collect money through taxes, and develop communities. You could choose to build your own city from scratch, or choose to play a specific city that was facing certain types of problems that you needed to handle.

During the construction of your city, you would also have to take into account problems with population growth, natural disasters (including appearances of Godzilla), unhappiness of the citizens, and electricity shortages. A game could go on basically as long as you wanted, and if you really hated your city, you could always start over. SimCity was seen as the beginning of a revolution in simulation games and inspired numerous competitors in the years that followed.

Since the release of the first version of SimCity, numerous games have appeared that have expanded on the genre. Certain realistic fighting games are called simulation games. Some fantasy war games also fall into this category, especially if they involve the use of significant strategies and tactics to engage in battles. Another big change in simulation games occurred with the introduction of games like the original The Sims, released in 2000.

Simulation game development

Instead of controlling big cities or conquering worlds, the Sims were people you could control. The game allowed you to find jobs for Sims, teach them how to cook, tell them when to sleep, and find roommates or friends for them. Other games quickly followed, some of them more appropriate for children like Nintendo’s wonderful Animal Crossing. There are also games for children that will allow them to raise virtual pets, design fashions or learn to cook.

Perhaps the next development in simulation games has been the introduction of the Nintendo Wii. Instead of controlling games through a simple controller, Wii games allow you to use arm and hand movements to more realistically simulate the activities that characters can perform in a game. Wii Sports, for example, lets you play bowling, golf, boxing, or tennis realistically. The new aspects of the Wii controller have added a more complex level to simulation games, and in essence, almost all Wii games have some elements of simulation behavior, even if they really belong to different game genres. You are using real-life movements that echo the movements that are made in the games, which makes playing these games more immediate and realistic.