26 Games Like Prison Architect
Our compilation of games like Prison Architect features other games that blend construction and management together in a variety of game settings.
Drawing inspiration from the many classic management games before it Prison Architect was a crowdfunded effort developed by Introversion Software. From a 2012 idea to initial launch in 2015 and beyond the game mechanics have regularly evolved to enhance the building and management options available for your private high security prison.
With a bird’s eye view of the prison players are tasked with designing the most profitable prison environment while achieving a range of objectives along the way and your own sandbox goals. From creating an adequate number of cells to ensuring basic facilities are available Prison Architect has plenty of building elements for players to customise the design of their prison. This depth also extends to the management aspect where players will need to hire the appropriate staff, address prisoner needs and reform prisoners while avoiding one of the game failure conditions such as bankruptcy, riot, deaths or escapes.
The games like Prison Architect here offer a diverse range of management games that offer you all the tools to create the world around you and optimise it.
Kapi Hospital
Kapi Hospital gives players control of their own hospital and everything that it entails. From the curing of patients, designing of rooms and balancing of the budget the hospital’s success at curing medical issues for patients is within your hands. Similar to other games from the Upjers team Kapi Hospital is playable within your browser for free and further supported through in game purchases based around convenience in typical freemium game style. The game is truly a start from the basics...[Read Review]
Evil Genius
Evil Genius mixes simulation, management and real time strategy putting players in charge of their own evil villain lair as they attempt to complete their plans for world domination one country at a time. Originally launched in 2004 Evil Genius still has a strong cult like following of fans with comparison to the popular Dungeon Keeper series of games which launched several years earlier. With age does come some limitations however with graphics and general polish quickly falling behind other mo...[Read Review]
Oxygen Not Included
Oxygen Not Included challenges you with space colony simulation across varied procedurally generated worlds that each offer their own distinct fight for survival. From food, warmth and even oxygen as your resources under constant threat you’ll need to guide your colonists to survive and in time thrive to a civilisation that is self sufficient and safe from external threats. Released in 2019 for Windows, Mac and Linux this space adventure has some similar survival mechanics to Klei Entertai...[Read Review]
Dungeon Keeper
Challenging players to manage their own dungeon while defeating various heroes is Dungeon Keeper a game that incorporates dark humour as you take control of evil and help it spread across the land. Released in 1997 the success of this strategy management title resulted in an equally satisfying and evil sequel (Dungeon Keeper 2) two years later. This first addition to the Dungeon Keeper franchise sends players on a journey to claim every single land in the game world that is currently in the hand...[Read Review]
RollerCoaster Tycoon
The original RollerCoaster Tycoon (RCT) title launched in 1999 offers one of the early construction and simulation games where players are charged with operating their own profitable amusement park. Launched before the turn of the century RCT launched to critical success and eventually expanded to the original Xbox along with a number of additional expansion packs and sequels. Like many management titles RollerCoaster Tycoon is split into a large selection of predefined scenarios that each have ...[Read Review]
Zoo Tycoon 2
Zoo Tycoon 2 builds on the gameplay of the original game and offers a solid tycoon experience that will have players creating animal exhibits, maintaining the park finances, keeping the guests happy and everything else that comes with running your own zoo. The game was published by Microsoft Game Studios and released in late 2005 (with 4 expansion packs released in future years). Zoo Tycoon 2 is also available on Nintendo DS (note that this review only covers the PC and Mac versions). Gameplay i...[Read Review]
Dungeon Keeper 2
Dungeon Keeper 2 might have only been released two years after the original hit game but makes significant leaps in graphics and mechanics to expand on the Dungeon Keeper franchise. Once again you’ll be thrown into the underground to build your dungeon, attract creatures, craft traps and ultimately fight on the side of evil, it’s good to be bad. Despite the vast evolution in mechanics and graphic style this has not come at the cost of the familiar dark style of the Bullfrog franchise...[Read Review]
Tropico 4
Tropico 4 stays true to the popular Tropico series formula with an experience that combines city management mechanics alongside political considerations and humour along the way as players attempt to stay in power over the long term. Resulting in an exciting mixture of simulation, construction and management this addition to the franchise developed by Haemimont Games will keep you engaged for hours as you make all manner of decisions and watch the impacts play out. Tropico 4 was originally relea...[Read Review]
Big Pharma
Ever thought you’d be great at running your own giant pharmaceutical company? Chances are you haven’t but Big Pharma lets you live out this life anyway with a unique setting that combines the likes of puzzles, business management and tycoon games with a sprinkling of ethics. Throwing half a dozen different scenarios at you with over 30 challenges within them Big Pharma is about taking your company from its current position to riches while curing the planet along the way. Scenarios ra...[Read Review]
Wildlife Park 2
Wildlife Park 2 is the second game in the popular business simulation game series and has a number of similarities to the Zoo Tycoon series although flips the script slightly towards a large park with your own selection of rare and unique animals. Originally released in 2006 Wildlife Park 2 was later expanded with four expansion packs (Crazy Zoo, Marine World, Fantasy and Dino World) that expanded on the number of animals and attractions while going even beyond the real world. Like similar video...[Read Review]
Blueprint Tycoon
Can you run an efficient settlement by taking goods from raw material to complex items to sell for an eventual profit? That’s the test that Blueprint Tycoon will put players through with its slimmed down graphic style that has you creating pathways for your workers to follow from your various buildings with their own role in your profitable empire. Each Blueprint Tycoon game starts on its own island island which limits players space to the blueprint inspired aesthetic island area to begin ...[Read Review]
Dwarf Fortress
Dwarf Fortress is a unique city building experience that has players control their own group of dwarves in a challenge of survival and strategy that incorporates rogue-like elements. Utilising a unique ASCII art style you’ll be tasked with guiding your dwarven settlement throughout a randomly generated world where the unknown awaits you. Available for free across Windows, Mac and Linux Dwarf Fortress combines simulation, strategy, management and adventure into a single title that has grown...[Read Review]
The Movies
Imagine being the director of your very own movie set? That’s the vision that The Movies intends to deliver on with a unique and enjoyable mix of life simulation and tycoon business management. From creating the movie set, writing the script and building the stats of your movie stars The Movies lets you control all of these game elements with the result being an intriguing blend for fans of both tycoon titles and The Sims series of video games. The Movies was developed by Lionhead Studies ...[Read Review]
Tropico 3
Continuing the franchises dictator focused gameplay Tropico 3 offers an entire island nation to players to run with ample opportunity to create your own banana republic with unique laws, economy and general design. As the third variation of the Tropico franchise you’ll find familiar construction and management gameplay with a number of enhancements to give you greater control of your nation than past titles and is more in line with the original Tropico rather than the pirate themed Tropico...[Read Review]
Craft The World
Craft The World is a sandbox game with strategy elements for PC, Mac and iOS whereby players will be creating their own dwarven colony from humble beginnings. Mixing elements from a range of titles in similar genres Craft The World’s overall experience is a gaming treat and offers replayability at the same time. Craft The World puts you in charge of your own dwarf society that grows from a single dwarf to a thriving community of adventurers (often 12-14 depending on your level completion t...[Read Review]
Game Corp DX
Game Corp DX delivers an enhanced version of the popular free to play game (Game Corp) with a large feature list there is plenty of room to manage your own gaming company without being bogged down by complex mechanics. In your Game Corp DX adventure your job is to take your simple game company from developing unsuccessful micro games to massive large scale games that receive plenty of critics praise and dollars. In order to do this you’ll have to fight off rivals, train your team, expand a...[Read Review]
Banished
Banished joins the ranks of the city build genre with a 2014 release that takes it into a unique medieval setting where you’ll build from humble beginnings into a thriving economic powerhouse. Banished opts not to throw abundance of resources at players either and instead looks to force players into resource scarcity so that every decision is one of balance as you try to survive and with some luck, thrive. Banished starts you off with your own community of outcasts who have come together a...[Read Review]
Tropico 2: Pirate Cove
Tropico 2: Pirate Cove takes a different direction to other games in the Tropico series but still features all of the core mechanics that make the city building experience so enjoyable and popular. Unlike the original Tropico game players will be running their own pirate island and take on the role of the pirate king. This role means you’ll have to carefully manage your reckless pirates and construction on your island while capturing the thing pirates love above all else, treasure. Tropico 2 let...[Read Review]
Startopia
Startopia is the brain child of several former Bullfrog employees which has players taking control of several space stations as you attempt to create a thriving space hub for the galaxy to visit. Released in 2001 the game features similar humour filled gameplay of games previously developed by Bullfrog such as Dungeon Keeper and Theme Hospital. Startopia takes place in a universe that has recently been devastated by war on an intergalactic scale which has left the galaxy mostly barren and in des...[Read Review]
Tropico 5
Tropico 5 continues the legacy of the series with a management and construction simulation game centred on city building and management with a humorous twist layered on top. While this addition to the well known franchise doesn’t step out of the Tropico formula too much it does find that balance of offering just enough new content to get old fans excited without moving away from the gameplay and style you’ve come to love to date. One of the greatest additions to the Tropico franchise with the re...[Read Review]
Game Dev Tycoon
Dream big as you create your own game development company in this business simulation game appropriately titled Game Dev Tycoon. Launched back in 2012 this tycoon game allows you to develop the games, hire your staff and conquer the gaming world in the process and has become one of the highest rated titles in the genre. Game Dev Tycoon is known for more than just it’s gameplay though and equally known for its unique attempt to counter piracy by releasing a cracked version of the game which...[Read Review]
Planetbase
Planetbase challenges you to settle the stars with your own team of space settlers as they try to establish a colonist outpost on a remote planet. Originally released in 2015 for Windows the game later expanded to the console market which offers the same science fiction setting struggle for survival as you work with minimal resources far from your home base. Your ultimate goal in Planetbase to master the four game planets that provide different challenges and increasing difficulty and serve as t...[Read Review]
Theme Hospital
Theme Hospital is another gaming classic developed by Bullfrog Productions and puts you at the head of controlling your own hospital with a twist of humour. The game originally launched in 1997 for Windows and Mac eventually making its way to the PlayStation, it is still available through the PlayStation Store for PS3, PSP and PS Vita. Theme Hospital takes place within a hospital that players build themselves using a variety of room types and objects. Once you’ve setup your hospital you will att...[Read Review]
Tropico
In Tropico players get to take control of El Presidente as he rules his own island nation in a Cold War era. The game is a light hearted city building, management and simulation game that injects humour into a number of its game mechanics. Tropico offers two different game modes for players to control their island nation, scenarios and custom games. In scenarios players are presented with a selection of goals that must be met given the current game conditions. Alternatively players can take to t...[Read Review]
A Game of Dwarves
A Game of Dwarves puts you at the head of a dwarf settlement and gives you complete control of building a new and thriving civilisation. This civilisation of dwarves is highly customisable with the experience focusing on the dungeon simulation and creation elements rather than a robust and deep layer of strategic gameplay. While this means A Game of Dwarves can’t live up to the likes of Dwarf Fortress in terms of challenge it does provide the necessary tools and freedom to create a thriving dwar...[Read Review]
Sid Meier’s Railroads
Sid Meier’s Railroads lets players take control of the railways in a addicting and fun business simulation environment that encourages you to become the railroad tycoon you’ve always dreamed to be. The game is the successor to Railroad Tycoon 3 with a similar feature set and was developed by Sid Meier for Windows (2006) with a Mac release being published several years later (2012). From the surface Sid Meier’s Railroads is a 3D business simulation/tycoon game but also incorporates a health...[Read Review]