It’s award season here at Twinfinite! Let’s look back at the best strategy and simulation games of 2019. Voted on by our editors, these were the best game releases that really forced players to plan out their moves in advance if they wanted to come out victorious.
Let’s start with some honorable mentions, and then our top vote-getting runner-ups, and finally, of course, our overall winner!
Best Strategy and Simulation Games of 2019
Honorable Mention: Planet Zoo
Editor-in-Chief Ed McGlone: Planet Zoo follows in the footsteps of Planet Coaster. Rather than settling for something simple, safe and familiar, Frontier Developments opted to create a truly next generation entry into the genre.
Planet Zoo retains all of the park management elements that fans of the simulation genre will expect, but what was especially surprising was the depth of strategy involved in putting together a successful Zoo.
Players need to consider animal behavior, cost, viability for park goers, activity, location and more. Breeding programs are a thing, and you’ll want to make sure you mate suitable animals to give the next generation desirable genes in areas such as size, health and general life expectancy.
And of course, there are SO many animals and not just the flashy ones like Elephants and Tigers, but also smaller ones suitable for smaller exhibitions like Lizards and Birds.
While it may exist outside the traditional scope of strategy games, Planet Zoo certainly will test your ability to consider many different factors in your quest to develop the world’s greatest zoo.