The Sim or simulation game genre has been around since 1964 with the development of the first economic text-based simulation–The Sumerian Game. It’s impressive to know that the genre has evolved from text-based resource management for the IBM 7090, into a diverse super-category, housing thousands of titles for various gaming platforms. With that said, today we will be looking at 5 of the best sim games that you can get for free on the biggest gaming platform—Android.
Before we jump into our list, do take note that the hierarchy of the list below does not indicate the rankings of each game. For the Android list, the criteria we used is the number of downloads accumulated since launch.
Android Simulation Games
Simulation games for Android often come with a modest design and user-friendly gameplay mechanics. Most of the titles that fall under the Android simulation genre focus on accessibility and portability. Compared to the realistic simulations on console or PC, sim games on Android are less intricate to play due to the integration of elements from the casual genre.
In short, simulation games on Android are focused more on entertainment and immersion rather than training or skills improvement. With that out of the way, the games below are some of the most downloaded simulation games on Android.
Dragon City Mobile – Social Point
Social Pont’s Dragon City is one of the most iconic simulation games on Android. Since 2013, the game has managed to accumulate over 100 million downloads and more than 7 million five-star ratings on Android alone. Dragon City features a combination of resource management elements, competitive battle gameplay, a character/skill development system, and city-building mechanics.
This means you will have the freedom to breed over 965 types of dragons, develop their skills, and battle against other dragon trainers. You can also construct various buildings and expand your sanctuary. Get this game if you are looking for a multi-feature management simulation title.
SimCity BuildIt – Electronic Arts
SimCity BuildIt is one of the few Android simulation games that comes in massive proportions. Published by Electronic Arts in 2014 as part of their SimCity franchise, SimCity is the ultimate city-building and resource management game that you can play on Android. For starters, the game is a scaled-down version of the 2013 PC game of the same title which means that you are basically playing the PC game on your Android device.
In addition to the original elements of the 2013 game are new features like seasonal buildings, new regions, disasters, and world promotional events. SimCity BuildIt is perfect for those who are looking for an intricate resource management game. As of writing, SimCity BuildIt boasts over 100 million installs and more than 3 million five-star ratings on Android.
Episode – Choose Your Story – Episode Interactive
Episode – Choose Your Story is an interactive story life simulation game that allows you to become the main character of your story. Published in 2014 by Episode Interactive, this highly immersive game comes with over 150 thousand stories from the genres of romance, adventure, drama, and action.
Similar to other interactive story games like Purrfect Tale on PC, Episode – Choose Your Story allows you to customize your avatar, develop relationships with story characters, make fate-changing decisions and explore multiple endings. The best part is that you can also write and submit your own stories for publishing.
The Sims™ FreePlay – Electronic Arts
With over 172 million installs since launch, The Sims™ FreePlay is undoubtedly one of the best simulation games on Android. Developed as a freemium version of The Sims franchise, the Sims FreePlay allows you to experience the life of a Sim from infancy to senior years.
