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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - Best simulators/management games on Switch?

So  I really do enjoy management and simulation games, but I usually avoid play them on consoles because they are generally more fluid on PC (the mouse and the plethora of buttons on keyboards make wonders)

However I want to give Switch simulation games a try, as it has gyro aiming and even touchscreen maybe some game make uses of their controlls to make the experience less tiring 

It can be any kind of management, cities, farms, life (like The Sims), etc

Multiplayer would be a plus, but not really necessary 

Graphics are a non-factor, but art style is. Simple graphics but nice art direction? That's a true plus 

Physical availability is also not necessary

Any recommendations? 



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Doraemon: Story of Seasons and Rune Factory 4 come to mind, both farming simulators, and both getting successors this year. In a pretty similar vein, you can also find 3 Harvest moon titles on the Switch.

Game Dev Story and Game Dev Tycoon both simulate videogame developing companies. I have them on PC, but I'm sure they do fine on the Switch, too.



Last edited by Bofferbrauer2 - on 27 January 2021

Bofferbrauer2 said:

Doraemon: Story of Seasons and Rune Factory 4 come to mind, both farming simulators, and both getting successors this year. In a pretty similar vein, you can also find 3 Harvest moon titles on the Switch.

Game Dev Story and Game Dev Tycoon both simulate videogame developing companies. I have them on PC, but I'm sure they do fine on the Switch, too.

I did not try Story of Seasons or Rune Factory, as I don't want to lose days of my life to a game. But I ended up doing so in Graveyard Keeper, which is a graveyard simulation that also includes mining, farming, crafting and so on. This game made me addicted and ended up on my TOP 50 list this year.

Kairosoft has actually a lot of games with a title ending in 'Story' (like the abovementioned Game Dev Story) with different themes. Overall though the gameplay between them is pretty similar, so you can pick one you play and it is quite fun. But playing multiple probably doesn't offer much more.

I also played Townsmen, which is a classical settler-like medieval village simulation. That is quite fun and a good timesink.

Depending on how far reaching your definition of management game is, you can include Spritifarer, which allows to extend your ship and build different crafting station and farms and grow plants while hunting for ingredients on the islands. But the main point of the game is to help and guide the spririts of the dead through the afterlife. This is a great game, made my TOP 50 list this year.

Besides that there are simulation games I didn't play but heard about and want to check out at some point:



3DS-FC: 4511-1768-7903 (Mii-Name: Mnementh), Nintendo-Network-ID: Mnementh, Switch: SW-7706-3819-9381 (Mnementh)

my greatest games: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

10 years greatest game event!

bets: [peak year] [+], [1], [2], [3], [4]

Mnementh said:
Bofferbrauer2 said:

Doraemon: Story of Seasons and Rune Factory 4 come to mind, both farming simulators, and both getting successors this year. In a pretty similar vein, you can also find 3 Harvest moon titles on the Switch.

Game Dev Story and Game Dev Tycoon both simulate videogame developing companies. I have them on PC, but I'm sure they do fine on the Switch, too.

I did not try Story of Seasons or Rune Factory, as I don't want to lose days of my life to a game. But I ended up doing so in Graveyard Keeper, which is a graveyard simulation that also includes mining, farming, crafting and so on. This game made me addicted and ended up on my TOP 50 list this year.

Kairosoft has actually a lot of games with a title ending in 'Story' (like the abovementioned Game Dev Story) with different themes. Overall though the gameplay between them is pretty similar, so you can pick one you play and it is quite fun. But playing multiple probably doesn't offer much more.

I also played Townsmen, which is a classical settler-like medieval village simulation. That is quite fun and a good timesink.

Depending on how far reaching your definition of management game is, you can include Spritifarer, which allows to extend your ship and build different crafting station and farms and grow plants while hunting for ingredients on the islands. But the main point of the game is to help and guide the spririts of the dead through the afterlife. This is a great game, made my TOP 50 list this year.

Besides that there are simulation games I didn't play but heard about and want to check out at some point:

*Facepalm*

I own all those games, Townsmen even on the Switch (the others on PC), and didn't think about them...



Project Highrise a great sim tower (yoot tower) type of game on the Switch.



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Certainly not a simulation, but pikmin 3 is an excellent resource management game.



Thanks everyone for the suggestions

I already have Stardew Valley, Game Dev Tycoon, Game Dev Story, Spiritfarer and Pikimin 3

I'm currently waiting for Rune Factory 5. If reviews are good I might get it



IcaroRibeiro said:

Thanks everyone for the suggestions

I already have Stardew Valley, Game Dev Tycoon, Game Dev Story, Spiritfarer and Pikimin 3

I'm currently waiting for Rune Factory 5. If reviews are good I might get it

You should give Graveyard Keeper a spin. Many compared it to Stardew Valley (which I haven't played yet) in the core gameplay. But what makes it cool is the absolutely strange background story. If you can stand morbid humour it is worth trying out. Also it is fun watching zombies doing all your tedious work.



3DS-FC: 4511-1768-7903 (Mii-Name: Mnementh), Nintendo-Network-ID: Mnementh, Switch: SW-7706-3819-9381 (Mnementh)

my greatest games: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

10 years greatest game event!

bets: [peak year] [+], [1], [2], [3], [4]

Bofferbrauer2 said:
Mnementh said:

I did not try Story of Seasons or Rune Factory, as I don't want to lose days of my life to a game. But I ended up doing so in Graveyard Keeper, which is a graveyard simulation that also includes mining, farming, crafting and so on. This game made me addicted and ended up on my TOP 50 list this year.

Kairosoft has actually a lot of games with a title ending in 'Story' (like the abovementioned Game Dev Story) with different themes. Overall though the gameplay between them is pretty similar, so you can pick one you play and it is quite fun. But playing multiple probably doesn't offer much more.

I also played Townsmen, which is a classical settler-like medieval village simulation. That is quite fun and a good timesink.

Depending on how far reaching your definition of management game is, you can include Spritifarer, which allows to extend your ship and build different crafting station and farms and grow plants while hunting for ingredients on the islands. But the main point of the game is to help and guide the spririts of the dead through the afterlife. This is a great game, made my TOP 50 list this year.

Besides that there are simulation games I didn't play but heard about and want to check out at some point:

*Facepalm*

I own all those games, Townsmen even on the Switch (the others on PC), and didn't think about them...

Townsmen looks fine

 Resemble me the management games I used to play when I was teenager such as Tribal Wars, Travian and Ikariam



Mnementh said:
IcaroRibeiro said:

Thanks everyone for the suggestions

I already have Stardew Valley, Game Dev Tycoon, Game Dev Story, Spiritfarer and Pikimin 3

I'm currently waiting for Rune Factory 5. If reviews are good I might get it

You should give Graveyard Keeper a spin. Many compared it to Stardew Valley (which I haven't played yet) in the core gameplay. But what makes it cool is the absolutely strange background story. If you can stand morbid humour it is worth trying out. Also it is fun watching zombies doing all your tedious work.

Ok, you win. It's indeed the most creative game on this thread, I'll pick it soon