25 Best Simulator Games of All Time

The best simulator games will make you want to leave your real life behind and live in your own digital world.

There are some really cool things to do in the games on this list, like run your own restaurant, build a PC without taking a financial risk, or climb the corporate ladder in your dream job.

We have games for everyone, whether you want to let out your inner middle-aged man with a jet washer, test your green thumb with a gardening sim, or get comfortable as the producer of a hit TV station.

Here are some of the best computer games you can play if you’re tired of the real world, no matter what platform you prefer.

25. World of Tanks

World of Tanks is one of the most powerful tank games ever made. It is a fun and easy-to-use tank simulator built on complicated game mechanics.

It puts two teams of tanks against each other in a classic “deathmatch” situation.

There are hundreds of cars to unlock, from fast scouts to big heavy ones, spread out over ten tiers. You will be surprised by how many tanks Wargaming has managed to fit in.

Here’s how not to play World of Tanks, and why millions of people still do it every day.

24. World of Warships

You need World of Warships if you like the idea of a war simulation game set on the ocean. The submarine game introduces the military to the idea of “deathmatch.”

The controls are easy to use and friendly, but they also allow for interesting strategies.

World of Warships is more fun than the slow-paced naval battles in Total War. It is also easier to learn than Silent Hunter and has a lot more depth than the Pirates games.

If you’ll forgive the submariner joke, it was surprisingly deep. The esports scene for World of Warships is also much more interesting than it should be.

23. American Truck Simulator

With American Truck Simulator, players can live out their dreams of being truck drivers. This game is newer than Euro Truck Simulator 2, but you won’t find too many changes between them.

The game is clearly set in America, and players will get packages that will take them to different states and terrains.

You’ll be able to haul a wide range of goods that need different kinds of rigs or trucks. Then, it’s all about figuring out how to get there.

Driving a truck is very different from driving a car, so it takes time and practice to learn how to use your trailer and carry a load without hitting anything. No joke.

22. Cities Skylines

This solo city management game shows fans the joys and challenges of building and sustaining a genuine metropolis. Cities Skylines is one of our hardest simulation games.

Cities Skylines 2, a successor to Cities Skylines, adds extensive geography, sophisticated AI civilians, and more traffic control tools to the original clichés.

21. Train Sim World

The humble train simulator has been around almost as long as PC simulation games, and while the latest Train Simulator is the traditional choice, Train Sim World offers something more ambitious. It’s by the same developer, Dovetail Games, so fans of 1 should enjoy 2.

The most realistic and greatest train games, you can’t leave the station without priming the battery. Since the game is first-person, you drive, operate, and maintain the train from the ground up.

As we discovered while recording our Train Sim World travel journal, simulation games should make you feel like you’re working. Train Sim World achieves that well.

Dovetail has added features, trains, routes, weather, and more to the game since its release that was somewhat basic. A variety of DLC packs are available.

The price may be high, but you may extend if you become tired of the same routes, and you won’t find a more realistic train sim for your money.

20. War Thunder

This free MMO’s best feature might be how easy it is to just jump in, get a good idea of how it works, and start having fun right away. Try to say that with a straight face about Flight Simulator X.

War Thunder’s list of planes from World War II and the Korean War has more than 300 of them. Each one can be flown using arcade (boo!) or simulation physics models to shoot down enemies in the air who are playing on PC or devices.

The servers don’t know the difference between the two platforms. Which, of course, means that PC players usually have a lot of easy targets to pick off.

When you’re in the air in War Thunder, you can take a quick joyride and look around, but when you’re on the ground, it’s the exact opposite.

The tanks in this game move so slowly that you’re always on high alert, looking for enemies in the bushes. In this free Steam game, the person who shoots first almost always wins.

The USA, Russia, Britain, Germany, and Japan are all at war in this area, and each has its own mechanical strengths, weaknesses, and complicated ways to improve.

For example, there has been a long-running fight about how Soviet equipment is better in this area.

This might not be the training game for you if you don’t like to grind. If you want a World War II simulation with a huge player base that you can start playing for free, though… Well, you have very special needs, and War Thunder is the game for you.

19. Construction Simulator

Have you ever wished you could run your own building company?

To make things from scratch with different tools and watch them come to life right in front of your eyes?

If so, you might want to try out Construction Simulator to see what it’s like.

In the game, you’ll be in charge of a building company, and your goal will be to make it one of the most successful in the US or Germany.

No matter where you put down roots, you’ll always have jobs and challenges to do. So build everything you’re told to build, get new cars to help things move faster, and more!

18. Isonzo

People usually think of plains, woods, or water when they think of a battlefield in a war. But during World War I, the Italian Alps were one of the most dangerous places to fight.

This was because the area was very steep, which made it easy for enemy troops to hide. This led to a two-year battle for the area.

In Isonzo, you’ll be able to take part in that battle and see how hard the soldiers of that time had to work.

When the enemy comes after you, you’ll have to move through the area and sometimes change it to your advantage. So do whatever you need to do to win and stay alive!

17. Big Ambitions

You can do things in many simulator games that you couldn’t do before. But how about one that lets you build a business empire that spreads all over New York City?

That’s the name of the book.

You’ll move through the business world and see the ups and downs of trying to make a business work.

Start a small business and then grow it or take the one you already have to new heights! You can do almost anything you want in the game.

You just have to be ready to try them out and know how to run a business for them to work. So, do you have what it takes to build a huge business?

16. Dredge

We should go fishing! Who wouldn’t enjoy doing that?

In Dredge, you’ll go to a group of islands with a lot of history and mystery, where you’ll try to catch as many fish as you can to improve your craft.

In particular, you’ll meet goals and use the money you make to fix up your boat so you can catch bigger fish and make more money.

But, as was said, there is a secret on this chain of islands, and you’ll be shown how to solve it.

But what is the strange truth you’re looking for?

What does it have to do with the things that live in the deep? Put your faith in your ship and find out!

15. Railway Empire

In this game, which takes place between 1830 and 1930 in the United States, you are the proud owner of a bold young railroad company.

Plan your rail lines and use more than 40 historically accurate trains to travel along them.

But keep in mind that a straight line might be more profitable in the long run, but it could put your company out of business if you build it.

You can build your great iron roads all over the country, and the game gives you a lot of ways to customize it.

For example, you can hire your own workers, each of whom has a different personality, and you can even choose what wagons your engines will pull.

And if you’d rather build your railroad closer to home, the game also has a lot of DLC that lets you grow your business to parts of Europe, South America, and Canada.

14. PowerWash Simulator

The best simulation games take something that should be boring and make it dangerously interesting.

PowerWash Simulator shouldn’t work, but when there are miles and miles of dirt and grime, all we want to do is grab our machine and its different tools and get to work.

There’s something very calming about going through the maps in career mode as the muck is washed away by gallons of water.

When you finish an area, you get a little hit of dopamine, not soapmamine.

With just a few hundred more of these, this place will shine… Oh, and in co-op mode, you can even invite a friend to play with you and have some good, clean fun.

13. Cities: Skylines

Cities: Skylines came out in 2015 to bring the city-sim genre back to its former glory. It did this by updating Maxis’s original SimCity model in a way that is more relevant today.

Skylines feels like a modern city-sim in every way, and watching your town grow and thrive in real time has never looked so good.

Don’t worry, though, because not much has changed. Your city people still don’t like it if they live too close to the sewage plant or don’t have clean water.

Very picky. Cities: Skylines is one of the growing number of simulator games that can be played on consoles.

The game’s smooth user interface makes playing with a controller a great choice for people who aren’t used to using a mouse and keyboard.

12. Microsoft Flight Simulator

When Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 came out in 2020, it was the first time the series was on PC, and it fit right in on Xbox Game Pass.

If you’ve always wanted to fly but didn’t have a game PC powerful enough to make your cloudy dreams come true, Asobo Studio’s amazing sim is here to switch your brain to “airplane mode.”

The game is a visual masterpiece, and the level of realism in the flying mechanics is both amazing and scary.

But it’s nice to know that if you just want to take off and see the sights, you can turn on ALL the helps and the game turns into a beautiful sightseeing tour.

As a pilot, you can see a photorealistic 4K planet earth with accurate weather. Whether you want to see the wonders of the world or just find your house, Microsoft Flight Simulator will be happy to help.

11. The Sims 4 

Maxis has made so many Expansion Packs, Stuff Packs, and Game Packs over the years that The Sims 4 now feels like hundreds of games in one.

You might want to take care of a whole family of vampires or werewolves, build the perfect tiny house, live by the beach, live as a rich and famous sim, or just spend hours building the perfect country mansion.

The Sims 4 is still the best management game, whether you just want to build or really get into the lifestyle part, which is constantly being updated with more variety and detail.

How are you doing?

10. PC Building Simulator 

Prepare your wristband to prevent static. Take out the thermal paste. And get that can of air under pressure ready.

PC Building Simulator is here, and it’s even better than we thought it would be. Taking on a small PC business and fixing everyone’s hardware problems one system at a time is very relaxing.

This simulation is very detailed, so you have to take off screws and arrange wires before you can get to the good stuff.

Also, it’s fun that you can play with a wide range of real gear. Intel, AMD, and Nvidia are all here to give your ultimate builds some weight.

You can also build your dream game PC for free in the free construction mode. When you’re done, you might even want to build your own PC.

9. Two Point Campus

Are you ready for school?

Don’t worry, you won’t need to go back that far. The goal of Two Point Campus is to build the best university, and if you’ve played Two Point Hospital, you’ll be familiar with the game’s funny tone.

But unlike Two Point Hospital, where we could look at the bigger picture and not really worry about the patients turning into ghosts in the hallways, Two Point Campus makes us really care about our kids.

If they don’t like learning about gastronomy or riding horses and fighting at Knight School, they won’t want to keep paying you to teach them.

We also need to take care of their social lives by having parties in the student union and giving them things that will help them make friends. You’d better be having the best time ever…

8. Cooking Simulator

Have you ever wanted to be the only person in a commercial kitchen? Yes, Chef! is the right answer, and Cooking Simulator is here to put your skills to the test in a large, realistic kitchen.

If the only cook sim you’ve played is Cooking Mama, this is like going from the pan to the fire. Your guests have high expectations, and cooking isn’t as simple as waving a wooden spoon around in a pan.

Instead, you need to measure each ingredient exactly, cut your meats and vegetables into small pieces, and cook each item in the right pot.

If you’re more in the mood for mindless damage, you can also do that here, which is how a lot of our first meals went.

Developer Big Cheese gives you the ability to start fires, break plates, and blow up the microwave. Oops.

7. Planet Coaster

Ever wanted to be the only worker in a professional kitchen?

The right answer is “YES, CHEF!” and Cooking Simulator is here to test your skills in a large, realistic kitchen.

If your only experience with cook sims is Cooking Mama, this is like going from the frying pan to the fire. Your guests are picky, and cooking is more than just waving a wooden spoon around in a pan.

Instead, you have to make sure you use the right amount of each ingredient, slice and dice your meats and vegetables, and cook each item in the right pot.

If you’re more in the mood for mindless damage, you can also do that here, which is how most of our first meals went.

Developer Big Cheese gives you the ability to start fires, break plates, and blow up the microwave. Oops.

6. Farming Simulator 22

Farming Simulator’s main features haven’t changed: buy more fields, improve your tools, and enjoy your day-to-day life among the green hills.

You can choose from a very large number of machines and tools, including brands that are common names (if you are a farmer).

The game is one of the most realistic ways to farm without getting your boots dirty. Its updated graphics, customized farms, and horses that you can ride make it even better.

Farming Simulator 22 is by far the best game in the series, and you can now farm with friends through crossplay.

5. Not for Broadcast

Even in a dystopian alternate 1980s where broadcasts are intentionally censored, the world of television is fast-paced and stressful.

Even though you’re just the cleaner, you’ve found yourself behind the mixing desk of National Nightly News, the biggest news show on TV.

Even though you’re not qualified and could get in trouble with the shady people behind the scenes, it’s your job to choose the camera feeds, bleep out bad words, and pick the headlines that will be shown to the whole world.

Like Papers, it is a simulation of a bureaucracy. Please, you can choose to be a good pawn or to do something to make trouble.

You only have a few seconds to decide what to do because the news is going out live. The game has a retro feel, and it uses live-action TV footage in an odd way.

This gives it a very interesting tone that goes well with the tricky gameplay and the moral questions of your new job as a propagandist.

4. Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator

Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator puts you in charge of everything, from the way your restaurant looks to where each pea goes on a plate.

When you run a restaurant, you have a lot to do. Besides learning how to make and plate each dish, you’ll also have to handle your suppliers to make sure you have enough ingredients and plan the shifts of your staff.

If you do it wrong, the dinner rush will be too much for you, but if you do it right, you’ll feel the rush of running your restaurant well.

If you do it well, your place will go from a simple cafe to a place with a Michelin star in no time.

3. Two Point Hospital

In this funny hospital management game, it’s up to you to make sure that Two Point County’s new hospital is up to snuff and ready to treat whatever new illness the locals bring in, whether it’s Floppy Discs, Cubism, or the terrible Night Fever!

As with most management simulations, the goal is to keep the budget and demand in balance while slowly growing your healthcare business.

Two Point is a spiritual sequel to Theme Hospital, which came out in 1997. It has a lot of the same gameplay, visuals, and humor as that game, but it has been updated for a current audience.

Even though the game is funny, Two Point Studios’ opus quickly picks up the pace, forcing you to make careful choices as you try to be as efficient as possible.

If you want to play a business sim that is both difficult and friendly, Two Point Hospital is a great choice.

2. Euro Truck Simulator 2  

Farming Simulator’s main features haven’t changed: buy more fields, improve your tools, and enjoy your day-to-day life among the green hills.

You can choose from a very large number of machines and tools, including brands that are common names (if you are a farmer).

The game is one of the most realistic ways to farm without getting your boots dirty. Its updated graphics, customized farms, and horses that you can ride make it even better.

Farming Simulator 22 is by far the best game in the series, and you can now farm with friends through crossplay.

1. Thief Simulator

Do you have a hard heart?

Then you shouldn’t play Thief Simulator by Noble Muffins. But if you’re just a normal person who wants to be a bad guy, this open-world burglary game might be perfect for you.

Find houses to break into in the neighborhood and watch the people who live there to figure out what they do all day.

Then it’s time to break in with your old black van and a variety of tools for stealing and take everything that isn’t locked down.

To become the best bad guy on the block, you could pick locks, change how security systems work, and cut holes in windows. Just don’t let anyone catch you!