The 21 Best Simulator Games

There are a bunch of dirty jobs that call for your power-washing handiwork. And once you tend to those duties, you'll be shocked at just how engaging and calming the act of using a power washer to clean up everything truly is. PowerWash Simulator tasks you with making every speck of dirt and grime stuck on the many items in front of you go away with a thorough clean-up job. You can get to work on your own or right alongside your fellow online cleaner as you make everything look that much better in the real world, Final Fantasy VII's "Midgar," SpongeBob Squarepants' "Bikini Bottom," and Tomb Raider's "Croft Manor."

Simulating the life of a thief ends up being one of those game experiences that puts your brain power and careful planning expertise to the test. In Thief Simulator, you'll need to keep close tabs on your next hit by roaming around random neighborhoods, observing your targets, gathering crucial intel, and finally springing into action to steal as many valuables as quickly as possible from the houses you've chosen to sneak into. Just be careful not to alert anyone inside while you're "working."

Patience and endurance come into play here in Euro Truck Simulator 2 as you're responsible for carefully transporting precious cargo across Europe in some of the sleekest trucks you'll ever see. This digital tour of open roads will take you to more than 60 European cities and see you progress by unlocking more trucks, hiring more drivers, opening more garages, and increasing your trucking company's profits over time. Hitting the open road in this game will keep you busy for plenty of digital miles to come.

If you've ever wanted to see what it's like to manage your very own five-star restaurant, then might we suggest an easier way to do it if you're not willing to go to school to pursue that lofty dream. Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator is all about handing the reigns over to you as the new owner of a big-time eatery - you'll be tasked with cooking magnificent dishes, building & customizing your dream kitchen, constructing an appealing menu for your patrons, managing your loyal staff, and so much more.

You'll feel extra accomplished once you've taken some time to observe your contributions to the digital farm you've given life to in this next pick on our list of the best simulator games. Farming Simulator 22 provides you with over 400 machines and tools from over 100 real agricultural brands to utilize while you tend to your custom farm expanse. The areas of agriculture, animal husbandry, and forestry will require your attention in spades as you harvest essential crops, tend to your livestock, manage ongoing productions, and confront seasonal challenges head-on.

If you see yourself enjoying the cooking side of things in Chef Life, then you might as well stick to that main focus in Cooking Simulator. The majority of your time will be spent in this game's insanely realistic kitchen, which plays host to a nice offering of utensils and stands that'll aid you in your pursuit of home-cooked excellence. Over 60 recipes are included in this game, so you'll have plenty of options to master as you mix and match assorted ingredients to create the most delectable food options possible.

Building an efficient PC that can handle the biggest games and make them look their very best tends to be one of the most mentally taxing activities one can partake in. PC Building Simulator ups the fun factor on that tall task exponentially by turning it into a less stressful video game focus. As the owner of a PC-building enterprise, you'll eventually acquire all the know-how needed to diagnose, fix, and build PCs with real-world components. You'll trip out the moment you see items in this game that come from the likes of PC parts manufacturers such as Acer, Cooler Master, Corsair, and more.

The world-famous amateur flight simulator that landed on PC back in 1986 got the ultimate glow-up in 2020 and has earned tons of acclaim for being one of the most gorgeous games to exist across Xbox Series X|S and PC. Microsoft Flight Simulator gives players tons of air space to cover in an assortment of flight-based vehicles as it simulates the topography of the entire Earth using data from Bing Maps. Surfing the skies in photorealistic gliders, helicopters, and wide-body jets will blow your mind, especially if you obtain the flight stick needed to fully immerse you in this game's intoxicating gameplay.

With its impressive scope and extensive levels of customization, Cities: Skylines is an excellent entry in the ongoing city simulation genre. The game's massive creation tools let you sculpt meticulously detailed cities from the ground up and advanced traffic systems, district policies, and extensive mod support give you unmatched control over your growing metropolis. Even years after its release, Cities: Skylines remains the premier city builder thanks to its active community and continued developer support. With a sequel officially announced, Cities: Skylines II is set to build on everything that made the original so memorable while bringing improved graphics and simulation, giving fans of the series much to look forward to.

Railway Empire doubles as one of the best simulation games and a fine way to educate yourself on the rise of locomotives and railway lines from 1830 to 1930. You'll be tasked with building and maintaining a far-reaching rail network, keeping your custom railway stations intact & thriving, acquiring trains from a total of 40 different options, and so much more. Staying ahead of your business rivals is a must, so be sure to improve your standing among them and emerge as the ultimate railway tycoon as you implement over 300 technologies into your thriving business.

The Sims has been held up high among gamers of all genders and ages due to it being the best life simulation game on the market. The most recent release in the series has improved upon everything its predecessors brought forth and continually incorporates fresh content to keep its massive player base satisfied. The Sims 4's base content is already full of things to do - creating your own "Sims," tending to their everyday needs, completing a long list of jobs to earn "Simoleons," etc. are among the long list of activities this game offers from the very start. But the constant updates that have arrived along the way, which include constructing one's own cottage, owning a few cats/dogs, and even attending high school, give players many more goodies to stay entertained by.

Developer Frontier Developments knows how to craft some of the best tycoon and simulation games. And for this next inclusion on our list of the best simulator games, the studio's highly lauded theme park builder that feels like a natural progression of everything fans loved about the RollerCoaster Tycoon series is getting the nod here. Planet Coaster gives you the freedom to build a theme park full of outlandish roller coasters that entertain thrill-seeking park patrons. This game's deep customization suite is reinforced by the ability to actually modify the land your theme park is laid upon. Planet Coaster's Sandbox Mode variation is one of its most rewarding aspects, but the true challenge lies in its Career Mode - we certainly met the high expectations that mode required of us and became the finest theme park manager there ever was!

Sports management simulators tend to stick to the genres of soccer and F1 racing. The original Punch Club does things a bit differently from those aforementioned games by giving you the power to manage an up-and-coming boxer while trying to get the the bottom of the mystery surrounding their father's killer. Its sequel Punch Club 2: Fast Forward continues providing players with quality boxing manager simulator mechanics, which involve properly managing your time & money, competing in various fight leagues, finding work with less-than-savory groups, and so much more. The 2D art style and 80s themes should also appeal to you here!

If you've ever told your teacher that you've wanted to work at NASA and (sadly) never fulfilled that lofty career option, then don't fret! You can still live out the life of someone put in charge of creating and managing your own space program in Kerbal Space Program. The simulator aspects of this game come into play as you build all types of spaceships, rockets, and vehicles for the alien race known as the "Kerbals." Managing your Kerbal crewmembers, discovering various star systems, setting up communication networks, and sending your loyal workers beyond the stars are among the most enriching activities this space flight simulator has to offer.

We're back with another driving game that deserves to be mentioned among the best simulator games on this list. SnowRunner is an off-road simulation game where players get behind the wheel of over 60 different vehicles to complete various jobs across more than 15 locations. The true difficulty comes as you struggle to make your way across tough terrain as you transport precious cargo and complete a myriad of construction projects. There is a ton of fun to be had as you handle every objective thrown at you on your own or with the assistance of three friends. SnowRunner's mud, torrential waters, snow, and frozen lakes may be hard to overcome, but you'll feel super accomplished once you rise to the occasion and meet your end goals.

We admit - every time those home renovation reality shows come on, we totally sith through a day's worth of episodes. Thankfully, House Flipper offers that same level of entertainment and does it in video game form. As the sole person responsible for renovating dilapidated houses, it's up to you to buy them and repair them to the best of your ability. Grab your sledgehammer, break down some walls, and bring out all your extra tools to make each home look like someone's dream home. House Flipper will tap into the creative parts of yourself, that's for sure!

Next up on our playlist of the best simulator games is a pick devoted to transforming your family's debilitated homestead into a flourishing ranch. Ranch Simulator gives you the power to revive everything around you via extensive work on your main house renovation efforts, livestock management, and rebuilding projects aided by a collection of essential vehicles. On your own or alongside three other online helpers, you'll need to breathe new life into a once-downtrodden locale. And since you can explore outside your ranch, ready yourself for some intense hunting escapades that change up the flow of your day-to-day operations.

We've already given you a solid truck simulator to enjoy that focuses on driving and transporting across the open roads of Europe. If you're looking for a more Americanized take on that game's formula, then allow us to point you toward the equally noteworthy American Truck Simulator. A garage full of iconic American trucks comes into your ownership during your time spent moving cargo across California, Nevada, and Arizona. Drive carefully, keep your mobile home clean & efficient, refer to your route advisor if you get lost, and morph into a successful owner of your own custom truck empire!

Keeping tabs on all the busy railways that exist across the beautiful countryside of Bavaria in Germany, portions of New York City, and more is an enticing proposition when you get to do it while operating locomotives. Train Simulator Classic gives you all the tools needed to become a master virtual train driver or engineer and proceeds to give you access to real-world locomotives. Alongside moving them safely across miles and miles of train tracks, you'll need to carefully manage your engine, passengers, safety systems, signaling, and more. Creating your own railway paths and checking out all the community-made ones affords this game a high level of replayability, by the way.

Viscera Cleanup Detail takes a more fictional route with its simulator focus. What you'll be doing here is a whole lot of janitor work as you take on the post-clean-up work associated with tidying up a space station riddled with the bloody parts left over from an alien invasion skirmish and other disastrous events. Keep your mop, bucket, dispenser machines, plasma laser, and sniffer tool on hand as you clean up all those pools of blood splattered over each job site. You're better off calling upon your online buddies to help you make every locale look as spick and span as possible!

Job Simulator, a highly amusing VR game developed by Owlchemy Labs, is an absolute riot of a virtual reality game. With its intuitive controls and sprightly locales, it's a perfect entry point for gamers making their first foray into the world of VR. The game's hysterical scenarios and dubious outcomes across various occupations, coupled with its charming art style, make it a delightful experience that will have you grinning from start to finish. With endless replayability and a focus on pure fun, Job Simulator is a must-play title that will leave you laughing, smiling, and fully immersed in its whimsical world. Expect the unexpected in this final selection on our list of the best simulator games.