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Economics simulation games are games that simulate a real-world, historical, or hypotheatrical economy. Most city-building games, like SimCity, are specialized economic simulator games as well as most Tycoon games, like Railroad Tycoon and Pizza Tycoon. Economic simulator games are typically strategy games. These games occasionally include a military aspect, but this is typically an ancillary part of the game, if present at all.
In economic simulations, players seldom interact directly with units in the game (such as citizens, subjects, or vehicles), but rather manipulate underlying conditions or foundations of the game world, which the units then react to. Thus, all effects on the populace are indirect, similar to God games.
The closest examples of 'pure' economic simulations may be Capitalism and Beat The Market. In Capitalism the goal is to build an industrial and financial empire. In Beat The Market the goal is to become the most profitable firm by applying economic concepts in several market structures. Another highly ambitious business simulator is Transport Tycoon. The game is similar in appearance to SimCity 2000 but rather than designing an entire city, the player designs a transport infrastructure as well as business for several cities.
Example titles
Aerobiz, an airline business simulation in which four companies compete to be the leader in the aerial travel industry. Includes its sequel Aerobiz Supersonic.
Airline Empires - Well established economic simulation of running an airline against real competition. Uses exclusive rules to generate its own supply and demand equations based upon massive player input.
Airline Mogul - Airline management simulation in which players compete against thousands of other worldwide players for passengers and their revenue. Game features over 2,500 airports and hundreds of aircraft types.
AirwaySim - Airline Game, a new massive multiplayer online game, is a realistic worldwide online airline business simulation, where players compete online against other human controlled airlines.
Airline 6, an airline business simulation in which you compete with up to 100 computerized competitors to establish your airline. Allows you to control great details from company contracts through aircraft types, route establishment and more.
Anno 1701, a simulation which revolves around colonizing and exploiting a chain of islands (ostensibly in the Caribbean) during the 18th century. The game is primarily an economic simulation, but also contains a significant military component.
Ars Regendi, free government and economic simulation as browser-based game, where the virtual regents lead their own state and must achieve a preferably happy population or long regency.
Art for Sale, a simulation of an artist life, the player must create and sell artworks to obtain fame and fortune.
Beat The Market - is an online multiplayer simulation game that enables students to apply economic concepts while managing firms in a variety of "real world" market environments. Created by Gold Simulations.
Businessgame.be, a management game where you have to run your own company. You can expand you capital by producing and selling goods.
Great Britain Ltd, an early economics/business simulation from 1983.
Capitalism, a capitalism/economics/business simulator. A sequel, Capitalism II, was released in 2002.
Fish Tycoon, in which the player breeds and sell fish.
Imperial, in which the player is an international investor in government bonds seeking to influence the policy of pre-WWI European nations for financial gain.
Industry Giant II, in which the player controls a manufacturing and distribution company.
Informatist, in which players create their own businesses, invest in stock markets, and compete against each other.
Miniconomy, where players take on different roles in a simulated world and can Trade or take on professions such as Police Officers , Priests , Teachers , Bodyguards or become part of the Government in one of the 3 states (Cyberie (Dutch) , Digitalie (Dutch) or Virtua (English)).
Nationsims - An online provider of free online nation simulations, such as Nations, a modern day geopolitical nation simulation focus on diplomacy, economics and warfare. (Still under development)
Nightlife Addict- Nightlife Addict is a competitive online multiplayer game in which you can open and manage your own nightclubs all around the world. Website
Settlers, a series of real-time strategy games developed by Blue Byte Software. This series of games contained robust economic simulations as well as military components. The original was one of the first economic games to model large numbers of distinct, autonomous units.
Traffic Giant This is a simulation of traffic in a town/city and suburban area.
Kapi Regnum This is a free, online, medieval economic simultation game.
Theme Hospital A game where you run your own hospital. Hire Doctors, Nurses, Handymen, buy equipment and try not to kill your patients.
Tropico You are the new president of a Caribbean island. Rule the people with democracy or as a tyrant. Produce cigars, wood, gold. Stop the revolution, send money to your own Switzerland account..
Zoo Tycoon Run a Zoo. Buy new animals from across the globe. Raise the fees, put more bathrooms, more restaurants, more souvenir shops. Make your clients happy.
Zoo Tycoon: Dinosaur Digs Run a Jurassic Park. Cross breed Dinosaurs. Make research to develop new races of dinosaurs. Take care of security systems or your pets might escape the cages and kill the visitor!
