what is the best simulation game?
 

I just played monopoly tycoon, the graphics and the feel of monopoly is nice, but the game was too easy once you know that you only have to bid at auctions and collect money from the rent instead of building anything.

so what other simulation games do you guys like?

I only really like simulation games for stuff I can't do in real life...

...That being said, TIE Fighter by LucasArts back in the day was pretty bad ass.

Railroad Tycoon 2 is quite good. I hear the new SimCity has an incredible economic model and is a huge step up from the previous incarnation.

Wing Commander IV was pretty cool if ya like flying around in space and blowing shit up.

Rollercoaster Tycoon is a MUST HAVE game for anyone who likes simulations. Although it isn't really "real", its probably the best Tycoon game out there.

I'm a flight simulation fanatic (well, I used to be anyways until that market imploded) so I'm into that. And I do love TIE fighter, that's how I finished off my first CH Flightstick. That said, the concept of a simulation is rather broad in computer games, but I'm a fan of modern jet simulations like Janes F/A-18 or Falcon 4. I ranted on about those on the old board before.

Damn you! you stole mine :D

I've always been partial to harvest moon. Nothing more satisfying than planting your turnips and harvesting before it's out of season.

Ace Combat rocks.

Haha, I didn't even think of 'simulation farming' but yeah. Harvest moon was fun... harvest some turnips...get some chicks...oh yes.
My favourite was the bluehaired one...well maybe not...y'know, the minister's daughter.

Anyway, I think a good simulation were the Privateer games...

Master of Orion 1 and 2. Their simulations of .... um ... galactic despots I guess.

Operation Flashpoint is the best simulation EVAR!

You get shot, you're dead.
Your teammates die, you're probably dead.
You run straight out in the open, you're dead.
You fail to find concealment, you're dead.
You need a car? Steal one.
Need ammo? Kill somebody and steal theirs.
Lost? Better get your map and compass.

I just hope they tweak the AI in opflash 2when it comes to squad attacks and suppresive fire.

One of my favs is NBA2K3, i know some of you are thinking its not a sim, its a sports game, but its the closest to simulating a real 5 on 5 game. Aside from this game my other fav is Rollercoaster Tycoon 2.

As I have on occasion before, I'll second yangwar in Operation Flashpoint. The big mod community and excellent scripting have been what keeps me coming back too. While all eyes are on Flashpoint 2, I know they have to do something with the vehicle physics.

Despite that, the sim is so versatile that it will be played for ages.

The best sim game has yet to be made

Super Aerobid for the genesis $$



Art

Personally, I seem to believe the best simulation game is www.simcountry.com where you are the president of your own country. You can raid other countries and create empires. That game is too addictive.

Don't forget Tropico! Run your own desert island!

Mech sims are my games..Steel Battalion baby.

ummm.......so no one else likes The Sims?

Oregon trail on the old mac II! First comp. Game I ever played.

Gran Turismo 3 + force feedback wheel is the best consumer simulator I've played. The new GT 4 will have a wheel with around 900 degrees of revolution, and a stick shift module.

Can't forget Cross Country Canada on an Apple II.

i like the railroad tycoon 2 game from back in the day.

the sim city 4 game is also pretty tight

i cant get enough of GT3 and i dont even have a wheel. that's my dream, but gotta feed the kids and pay the rent. :(

non-racing, i'd have to say that i loved roller coaster tycoon too and i spent way too many hrs on simcity 2000. my then-girlfriend and i had to schedule times cause we both always wanted to be playing.

IL2 Sturmovik is the best flight/combat sim out. You cant even fly straight without stalling or burning up your engine if you dont have basic flight knowledge.
Nascar2003 is the same for driving.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002
Mainly b/c of all the options and add-ons. There are thousands of awesome free add-ons for this game (flightsim.com) and many pay add-ons as well. You can fly online with super realistic ATC (vatsim.net). Whatever floats your boat.

Man I could not get into this one. Does it get better as you go along?

For flight sim's I'll say Il-2/FB. On-line rocks!!

I like Lemonade Tycoon for my Palm, has helped many boring times sitting in a chair. Other then that all I really play is CS and D2, so I aint a real Sim player :\

i love railroad tycoon 2... heh
i heard Simcity 4 was off the hizzay~ .. i just never playid simcity since simcity 2000...

Gee, doesn't that sound like fun.;)

Seriously, MiG Alley was pretty good. It had a decent (and scalable) flight model, plus one of the best dynamic campaign modes EVAR. And it's set in the Korean War, which pretty much no other game simulates, but it was a time when most air combat was done in-close with guns, like WWII, but in jets. You get in a turn-and-burn furball with a couple MiGs, man, it's crazy.

IL2 is beautiful... good flight model... good ballistics... pretty good AI opponents...

Still... after awhile, I have to fly against real people that don't fight logically... for that... I go to Aces High ( http://www.hitechcreations.com )

I really enjoyed Wing Commander Prophecy and am still enjoying Mechwarrior 4 Mercanaries

I can't believe nobody said Bullfrog's original Theme Park, one of the greatest games of all time.

X-Plane is supposedly one of the most realistic flight simulators available. It's one of those games where the military uses it for training, and commercial airlines use it for their pilots. There's an article about it in this month's Popular Science.

http://www.xgenstudios.com/castle/index.htm =\

If you're into world war 2 flight sims, IL2-Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles is probably the best one on the market

I thought Black and White was the single greatest pet simulator ever made! Where else can you hopelessly fail at teaching your pet where to take a dump other than in your very own living room!

I always like the Total War series and am waiting for Rome Total war now...(I think it is more sim and less RTS, but thats my opinion)

i think killing your Sims makes it the best simulator series, hahaha. Drowning, burning, electrocuting, starvation, it's all good in the hood.

I'd have to agree with the people who've already mentioned Operation Flashpoint. I've never been so impressed with a game in my life! Sure, the fixed-wing aircraft part of it isn't so good, but it does everything else brilliantly.

IL-2:FB although Im not really that good of a dog fighter and dont last long online, but single player is fun!

And flashpoint as well...