Simulation games are usually designed to recreate real-life situations or locations, faithfully reflecting certain conditions. They give players the opportunity to try their hand at different professions or activities, take on the role of a city manager, or even simulate real life. They typically offer both positive and negative scenarios to depict life as realistically as possible.
But there are also management sims which don’t take themselves too seriously… Games that, while simulating realistic settings or circumstances, incorporate humour, fantasy, and improbable scenarios to spice up the gameplay and put us in a good mood.
Running a restaurant, managing a hospital, or overseeing a city in real life is no easy task. However, in these types of games, elements of absurdity or exaggeration are often added, making the experience more accessible and fun. This approach allows us to enjoy management gameplay without the frustration that comes with strict realism!
Today, we’re introducing you to several not-so-serious job simulator, tycoon, and management sim games that will bring you tons of entertainment!
| Game | Release | Genre | Developer | Video | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Two Point Hospital | 2018-08-29 | Simulation & Management | Two Point Studios | |
 | DAVE THE DIVER | 2022-10-27 | Simulation & Management | MINTROCKET | |
 | Dungeon Village 2 | 2023-05-15 | Role-playing (RPG) & Simulator | Kairosoft | |
 | Theme Hospital | 1997 | Simulation | Bullfrog Productions, Two Point Studios, | |
 | Evil Genius 2 World Domination | 2021-03-30 | Simulator & Real Time Strategy (RTS) | Rebellion Developments | |
 | Cat Cafe Manager | 2022-04-14 | Strategy & Indie | Roost Games | |
 | Galacticare | 2024-05-23 | Simulator & Strategy | Brightrock Games | |
 | Bear And Breakfast | 2022-07-28 | Indie & Role-playing (RPG) | Gummy Cat | |
 | Let's School | 2023-07-27 | Indie & Simulator | Pathea Games | |
 | Megaquarium | 2018-09-13 | Simulator | Twice Circled | |
 | Parkitect | 2016-05-05 | Simulation & Management | Texel Raptor |
Two-Point (Series)
| Release date: | August 30, 2018 (Two Point Hospital) |
| Genre: | Simulator & Strategy |
| Developer: | Two Point Studios |
We begin with an incredibly popular series that has garnered high praise from players and critics alike, spanning three instalments over just seven years.
A spiritual successor to the legendary Theme Hospital.
This is a series of business simulation games where players take on the role of managers of seemingly ordinary places like a hospital, a school campus, and a museum. The series started with a game set in a hospital, which in real life isn’t the most pleasant of places. The developers made sure the game was humorous and lighthearted, boosting players’ moods.
In each instalment, players develop their facilities, expand and modernize them, while also managing the needs of employees and visitors. The game is filled with absurd scenarios and quirky problems that require unconventional solutions.
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Dave the Diver
| Release date: | 2022-10-27 |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) & Simulator & Adventure |
| Developer: | MINTROCKET |
A visually pleasing 2.5D pixel-art game that is difficult to classify under a single genre. It blends elements of RPG, simulation, adventure, and strategy.
In this game, you play as the chubby Dave, who dives deep into the ocean by day and manages a sushi restaurant by night. Dave the Diver borrows heavily from various genres, resulting in highly engaging mechanics, while its humorous tone adds to its charm.
The underwater adventures go beyond just fishing — Dave encounters fantastic sea creatures, and the sushi bar management segment is enriched with funny cutscenes reminiscent of comedic anime sequences.
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Dungeon Village
| Release date: | 2022-03-28 |
| Genre: | Fighting & Role-playing (RPG) & Simulator & Strategy & Indie & Arcade |
| Developer: | Kairosoft |
A charming pixel-art economic strategy game with RPG elements that originally launched on mobile devices.
In Dungeon Village, you take on the role of a manager of a small (at first) village in a fantasy world, frequently visited by RPG-style adventurers. Your task is to expand and improve the village to attract heroes willing to defend its walls.
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Theme Hospital
| Release date: | 1997 |
| Genre: | Simulation |
| Developer: | Bullfrog Productions, Two Point Studios |
A classic game that essentially paved the way for many humorous tycoon games, including Two-Point Hospital.
Much like its spiritual successor, in Theme Hospital, players take on the role of a hospital administrator, managing a facility filled with patients suffering from bizarre diseases.
Your tasks include arranging hospital equipment, caring for patients and staff, managing the budget, and overseeing medical procedures — all within a humorous, slightly absurd setting full of gags and playful nods to the player.
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Evil Genius 2: World Domination
| Release date: | 2021-03-30 |
| Genre: | Real Time Strategy (RTS) & Simulator & Strategy |
| Developer: | Rebellion Developments |
Evil Genius 2 is the sequel to the 2004 real-time strategy classic, Evil Genius, developed by an entirely new studio.
As the title suggests, the game revolves around playing an Evil Genius who dreams of world domination. Your daily routine involves crafting evil plans, avoiding law enforcement, setting up a villainous lair, and designing your ultimate doomsday device — Judgment Day. The entire game is so packed with villainy that it becomes absurd and hilarious.
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Cat Cafe Manager
| Release date: | 2022-04-14 |
| Genre: | Music & Simulator & Strategy & Indie |
| Developer: | Roost Games |
A charming blend of strategy, economic simulation, and RPG, presented in an adorable and colourful art style.
The game takes place in the town of Caterwaul Way, home to the titular Cat Cafe, which the protagonist inherits. Your mission is to restore the café to its former glory and attract new customers.
There’s also an underlying mystery in the game that revolves around… cats. And anyone who has ever owned a cat knows just how much joy and laughter these creatures bring!
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Galacticare
| Release date: | 2024-05-23 |
| Genre: | Simulator & Strategy |
| Developer: | Brightrock Games |
Another game on our list that serves as a spiritual successor to Theme Hospital.
This time, we once again take on the role of a hospital manager, but… not just any hospital! This title transports us to the 23rd century, where humanity coexists with various alien species. So, you can only imagine the kinds of ailments these patients bring in.
The game allows us to expand and develop our own hospital, take care of both staff and patients, but also introduces a healthy dose of humour, absurdity, and sci-fi technology.
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Bear and Breakfast
| Release date: | 2022-07-28 |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) & Simulator & Strategy & Adventure & Indie |
| Developer: | Gummy Cat |
Another game in our ranking that blends elements of strategy, simulation, adventure, economy, and RPG.
In this title, we step into the… paws of Hank, a bear who decides to turn an abandoned cabin into an inn for the forest’s inhabitants. Similar to Dave the Diver, the gameplay is divided into adventure segments, where Hank explores the forest and uncovers its mysteries, and strategic-simulation segments, where he focuses on developing his establishment.
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Let's School
| Release date: | 2023-07-27 |
| Genre: | Simulator & Indie & Strategy |
| Developer: | Pathea Games |
We’ve already mentioned games simulating hospitals, restaurants, and villages. Let’s School is the first on our list where we take on the role of… a school principal!
As the head of an educational institution, we must restore its former glory after it has lost some of its shine. We have a lot of freedom when it comes to designing and managing the school building, but we must also ensure the well-being of both students and teachers while tackling various, often unusual, challenges.
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This is just a selection of lighthearted management sims that deliver plenty of fun without the stress of overly complex realism. Whether you’re managing a hospital filled with absurd patients, running a bar, or ruling as an evil mastermind, these games provide the perfect blend of strategy and comedy!