It’s been shown that video games are beneficial for a variety of reasons. They offer healthy brain stimulation, and improved problem-solving skills, and are a unique way to achieve stress relief.
Playing a construction simulator, specifically, can also teach management skills. It’s an engaging way to look into the process of working at construction sites in a virtual environment.
A good builder simulator can be great fun for people that love construction tasks and jobs. Keep reading for a list of the top construction simulator games to try out today.
Top Construction Simulator Games
There aren’t too many well-known simulator games out there. What are titles that really put you in the driver’s seat of bulldozers, front loaders, dump trucks, forklifts, and other massive construction vehicles? You might also find yourself laying concrete, setting foundations, and digging to level outdoor areas.
While some construction games offer a story, most focus more on the construction aspect. There are also builder simulators that exclude the entire process of construction. Two examples are Minecraft and Factorio. But, these titles are extremely immersive alternatives with a stronger focus on building, editing, and otherwise modifying your environment.
Construction Simulator 2015
Construction Simulator 2015 is one of only a handful of construction simulator titles that does its absolute best to be accurate and realistic. From mixing and pouring concrete to hauling materials to construction sites, this game has it all. It does a fantastic job emulating real operations and construction management concepts.
There are a ton of vehicles to try out in the base game. There are also a few more that come with the DLCs. Another thing that makes Construction Simulator 2015 special is that it’s non-linear and has an open-world approach. You don’t have to do missions in order, and can even partake in cross-platform multiplayer.
In terms of progression, you start out in a very small village taking on simple jobs. Over time, and while following a basic tutorial, you move to larger cities and build up your own construction company. The visuals make the relatively dull first missions more enjoyable. Later missions include building bridges, high-rises, and various types of landscaping.
Construction Simulator 3
Construction Simulator 3 puts you in charge of a small construction company in a German town set on growing and taking on more extensive construction projects over time. Unlike Construction Simulator 2015, even though it’s an open-world environment, the campaign is much more linear. It also has quality-of-life features like fast traveling, which might take away from the immersion ever so slightly.
The visuals here are also slightly less impressive. This might be good for performance on older hardware, though. This is most likely because the title is a port from its mobile version.
The title’s approach to tasks and missions is more involved than other titles. This makes it feel much more realistic than other sims. You have to buy or rent the right equipment, keep safety precautions in mind, follow speed limits while driving, and partake in realistic interactions with workers and clients. The resource management here is also tedious, about as tedious as you’d expect managing a construction company in real life would be.
Bridge Construction Simulator
The bridge construction simulator is a step down from the more realistic alternatives like Construction Simulator 2015 and Construction Simulator 3. While the visuals are great, they’re limited by the game’s perspective. You shouldn’t let the lack of construction sites and construction tasks keep you from giving it a try, though. There’s enough here to justify calling it a construction simulator.
You don’t focus on building skyscrapers or working on properties. Instead, you’re put in charge of building adequate bridges for getting certain vehicles across an empty space. It’s not as simple as it looks, though.
There are tons of materials you can use, and you have to get creative. You have a limited budget for each level, so your designs have to be spot on. Some materials include metal floors, wood floors, beams, ropes, and springs.
The game is very linear. You play levels in order starting from level 1. Challenges increase at a steady rate, starting with small cars. Eventually, you have to build bridges that can support huge trucks and trains.
Factorio
Factorio is one more step away from construction simulators. You don’t have the vehicles or equipment you’d find in Construction Simulator 2015 or Construction Simulator 3. It’s a top-down survival game that’s all about construction, management, and building production chains.
You start out by collecting basic resources, like coal and iron, and slowly progress by building a production line. You also research new technologies to continue advancing. The game is non-linear and throws you into a vast open world.
When it comes to construction tasks, Factorio is a decent builder simulator. While it lacks the vehicles and equipment found in other titles, you can prop up plenty of buildings and integrate complex construction lines.
If there’s not enough in terms of construction for your gaming tastes, you can learn to add mods to Factorio server. Some mods, like FARL, let you add railways that require more maintenance for transporting resources. You can also add logistic train networks, air transport, and nuclear power.
Overall, Factorio is an excellent choice for fans of the construction simulator genre. It’s missing some things from other games. But, it makes up for it with some fantastic gameplay and variety.
Exploring Construction Simulators
For some, putting on a virtual hard hat and diving into a construction simulator makes for a great time. The genre is somewhat limited, with far fewer titles than the FPS or RPG genre. Luckily, titles like Construction Simulator 3 and Construction Simulator 2015 do a great job of portraying what it’s like to work in construction.
Hopefully, this article helped you find a new construction simulator to play with right now. If it did, consider taking a look at some of the other posts on the site!
