10 Management Games That Prove Tycoon Games Haven't Gone Anywhere

Tycoon games made up a good majority of my time on the computer before the internet took over me like it did everyone else. Of course, I played the go-to games everyone did, like Zoo Tycoon and RollerCoaster Tycoon. But I'd also love to find a way to revisit the more niche ones from back in the day, like Cruise Ship Tycoon, School Tycoon, and some weird one I remember having anime characters in it that I just can't find anymore.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who misses Tycoon games and how different yet similar they could be. The landscape of PC gaming may be vastly different now, but some games still manage to capture what these management sims had back then. So, why keep living in the past? Let's look at some newer games to play right now the prove that management games haven't gone anywhere.

10 Town To City

Taking Plenty of Notes From More Modern Games

If you're reading this, I'm sure you aren't exactly in the market for a game like Town To City, but don't let its aesthetics fool you. It might be a bit more cozy and voxel-based than expected, but it offers incredibly rewarding town-building features like City Skylines did before it.

While building your town, your citizens will have their own struggles and trials to go through, and the result might unlock new items to build your village even more. It also offers a general campaign mode, like many Tycoon games do. Managing everything has an unexpected challenging element to it all despite how much it feels like a warm fireplace at the same time.

It's also a brand-new release, which means there will likely be new content coming soon for any early adopters to enjoy.

9 Hotel Architect

A Bit Wobbly, but Has the Spirit

On the subject of brand-new releases, Hotel Architect is another newer game all about creating and running your own hotel. It leans closer to the Two Point series by Sega, asking players to place specific furniture in a room for it to meet specific requirements. In that sense, it isn't as simple as some Tycoon games might be, but its other aspects fit the bill perfectly.

As the second game made by Pathos Interactive, there are a few glitches that you can run into that might sour your experience. In general, though, this is a great game for those who enjoy the more cartoony management sims out there.

8 Big Ambitions

Living up to Its Name

In Big Ambitions, you're an upstart who has just moved to New York City. You've got a steady job, but you want more. With the right investments, you could become the next bigwig of New York. No. Seriously.

This title from Hovgaard Games dares to be your one-stop-shop for anything you might want out of a Tycoon game. You can run a cinema, gift shop, florist, and so many more. Each mode has as dedicated detail as you'd want out of the business aspect, which means there's a lot of fun work to do.

The only catch is that the game is still in early access. On the bright side, that means updates give you new ways to expand your business, but on the other hand, there are a few bugs to squash. If the sheer amount of what you can do in Big Ambitions sounds interesting to you, I'd say dive right on in. It's definitely built for those who like the business-side of Tycoon games the most, though. You won't find too many interesting shenanigans with your customers here, but sometimes that's exactly what we need.

7 Jurassic World Evolution 2

Yes, You Can Sick the Dinos on Guests

It took longer than it should have for a Jurassic Park simulation game, but now we have three of them and they're all fantastic. Jurassic World Evolution 2 is my personal favorite for a number of reasons.

Jurassic World Evolution 2 is a great upgrade from what the first game delivered on, and to me, I think it's a great entry point for the games if Jurassic World Evolution 3 is a bit out of players' budgets right now. All the games allow players to manage a bona fide Jurassic Park complete with research, excavations, and managing guest satisfaction and safety. Jurassic World Evolution 2 offers Chaos Mode, where you can play through all the Jurassic Park movies to a certain point, building customization, and the addition of flying and underwater dinosaurs. There's a lot to love here!

It might be more of a Jurassic Park game than a Tycoon game, but it definitely delivers on all the features that Zoo Tycoon veterans will enjoy.

6 Dungeon Tycoon

A DM's Dream Come True

We all know how RPGs work. We've all played them at least once. You become a hero, aiming to do good, and doing good means going into a dungeon to get something because a fetch quest is asking you to. A lot of these dungeons are caves, abandoned runs, or literal mountains to climb. They're natural to the environment, but then how come there are things that help you heal and save in front of boss rooms? Because someone put it there to benefit them. Or at least that's how everything works in Dungeon Tycoon.

Just as one would expect with "Tycoon" in the title, you build the dungeons yourself in hopes of attracting heroes to go through it. Unlike most other games like this, you work through your dungeons in day shifts. Marking the end of the day will let you tally profit progression and also help complete research. It may take some getting used to, but it's a great venture for those who enjoy any kind of role-playing games.

5 Tavern Keeper

A TTRPG Role-Player's Management Gig

If Dungeon Tycoon wasn't enough for you, then Tavern Keeper certainly will be. Instead of finding a tavern to rest your weary head, this game gives you the chance to make one of your very own that's as homey as you like it to be. True to most taverns we all like to visit, the goings-on in your establishment will be narrated. After all, anything can happen in a tavern if you roll high enough. Tavern Keeper will definitely put your business skills to the test as the unexpected happens, between your guests and the choices you yourself make.

Tavern Keeper is also developed by Greenheart Games, the same studio responsible for Game Dev Tycoon, so there's a broad understanding of the genre behind the game's mechanics. Just like how Game Dev Tycoon walked you through a piece of gaming history, Tavern Keeper is very clearly made with a love for high-fantasy taverns and all their shenanigans. There are plenty of taverns that need your expertise, so get going!

4 Simutrans

If You Don't Love It, You Likely Know Someone Who Will

RollerCoaster Tycoon and Zoo Tycoon are two of the biggest games of this subgenre out there for a reason. Not only was their content fun to learn and rewarding to master, but the graphics used to make those games are now incredibly nostalgic. They're a product of their time in that hardly any games look like that anymore, even on purpose. If you're craving a retro tycoon game, Simutrans has you covered.

It's a transport simulator where you manage small engines, planes, trucks, and ships. There are all kinds of systems you can use to manage your exports and goods, too, including scheduling mechanics. And if you've got schedules, you've got to have people to use them. So, you can build cities, airports, road systems, and have it all connected, too. All of this is wrapped up in a nice pixelated package as the cherry on top. Did I mention it's free? It's also free, and has had support for 25 years. I told you the Tycoon games never died!

3 Under Par Golf Architect

Fore!

Just like how a lot of people enjoy working in video games more than in real life, I think I speak for a lot of us when I say we like golf more in games than in real life, too. If you agree with me, then you might want to try out Under Par Golf Architect. Under Par invites you to build and design your own golf courses, from the surrounding facilities to the terrain that challenges your clientele. Oh, and don't worry, you can play your courses, too.

Simulator games have taken a chunk of real estate in players' hearts recently, and one of the defining factors between simulators and Tycoon games is that simulators play out from a first-person perspective a lot of the time. Some Tycoon games let you drop in and experience what you've made, but you don't entirely see yourself. Under Par Golf Architect introduces a player avatar without taking away the birds' eye view of the general management aspects. So if you're into self-expression, you can literally jump in and golf to your heart's content with this game!

2 Sintopia

Forget Being a Mayor, Be Satan for a Day

In between heaven and hell exists us humans. We are to go about our lives making choices, good or bad, and those choices choose where we end up in the end. In The Bad Place, or The Good Place. If you just got my reference, then Sintopia might be the perfect game for you. You're a brand-new administrator of Hell Inc., and your job is to run the place while also re-educating the sinful so they can go back upstairs.

Sintopia is a good game to turn on when you've had a stressful work day, and you want to take your stress out on some poor stupid soul in a video game. It's a great laugh that still offers a bit of a challenge, and the developers have already said updates are on the way. More ways to torture sinners, how wonderful!

1 Two Point Museum

Live the Exaggerated Chaos of Being a Curator

Two Point County is a very, very intriguing place. So, naturally, when it falls upon you to restore the local museums, you encounter some wild things. Like ghosts, ice sculptures that come alive when they melt, and video game characters becoming real. It's all part of the job, and that's what makes it fun.

Two Point Museum is definitely quirky, but these quirks help rejuvenate the management systems found in these kinds of games. It's fun to make new discoveries as you play, like any true curator might. Even repeated discoveries can help your museum thrive over time, all while you make sure to manage it on the business end as well as the whimsical. Just make sure your guests don't get eaten by a plant that turns them into clowns too much, alright?