Games where you build instead of destroy

[Wertbag]

My girlfriend just picked up a copy of Zoo Tycoon 2 Ultimate Collection (the game plus all 4 expansions in one set), thats certainly one with a ton of options and fuzzy animals.

 

[jthm]

Viva Pinata, Sim City, Spore, Animal Crossing, Age of Empires, Little Big Planet.

 

[Emilin_Rose]

Katamari Damacy

 

[blankedboy]

What, nobody mentioned Lego Universe [http://universe.lego.com/en-us/default.aspx]? Might even be released by the time your daughter's ready to play them.

That is one MMO I might actually give a try.

I'll've forgotten about it by the time it's released

 

[Savagezion]

Gonna repost Rollercoaster Tycoon (any), Tropico, Black and White, Anno series (1602), and Zoo Tycoon, and the Sims

I underlined the ones that are the easiest and offer no "threat" to the player. Tropico, you can get voted out and have military coups form. Black and white involves simplistic battles against other Gods, Anno get more complex and/or smarter AI as the game series goes on. 1602 A.D. (US release title) was the first in the series. The AI never makes an assault. You could theoretically take over the whole map with 1 cannon and about 2 large warships if you know how to exploit the AI. (In a way, I have done it before.)

Both of these Tycoon games are relatively high budget and I have yet to find a kid that doesn't like them. It is very easy to make money just by putting in attractions. YOu have to watch out for low budget crap Tycoon games in the series. Some of them look like they are coded by high school kids and had a budget of 500 dollars. Some Tycoon series games are no more than shovelware. These two titles, and Railroad Tycoon got a decent enough budget. However, Railroad Tycoon has some complexity to its economic system.

 

[Pikeperch]

You might take a look at Dark Cloud..
It's got dungeon crawling reminiscent of some Atlus games (where the layout changes every time you enter), but a big component of the game involves rebuilding your destroyed town. You find furniture, buildings, trees, fences, and even people inside the dungeon areas, and have to put everything back. And you can't just put it anywhere and expect the town to be happy??you have to talk to the people and listen to where they want their property to be and such.
It's a good blend of different elements and a very enjoyable game.

I second this. It's got some years on it by now, but I found it to be a very enjoyable game. Figuring out where to put the stuff isn't very difficult, but there can be a bit of puzzling about it and some remodelling as you find more and more stuff whose requirements you want to meet.

There was also a sequel, called Dark Chronicle I think, but I haven't played that one. It seems to have gotten good reviews, though.

 

[2fish]

For the RTS fan see Sins of a solar empire, not for kids too much to keep track of.

For building I have to agree with all the tycoon games, thats where I started. Well I actually started murdering people in the sims, but that doesn't count (but my ghost house was sweet). Look up any game with the name lego in it.

Good Luck

 

[Vhite]

I think that Diggles: The myth of Fenris (Wiggles in some countries) is pretty interesting if you would be able to get your hands on it. Its pretty old but graphic is ok and you would run it on 10 year old PC. Game is in standard fairytale setting with little bit of black humor. Game is mainly about building, researching and exploration. There is some combat but you can mostly avoid it. Best thing is probably that it has days of playtime because every of 4 level is really huge and technology tree is also very vast (I have actually neved finished it). Also It should be very cheap now if you even find it and it isnt too complex which should also be plus.

Spoiler: This is how it looks

 

[gamer_parent]

hey that's cute. I like that. gotta give that a look.

 

[hazabaza1]

Wait, wait, wait, let me get this straight.
Games aren't only about destroying things? My... my god, I think my life has just been turned around...

 

[Vendor-Lazarus]

All(?) games in the Tycoon series
Caesar series
Call to power series
Children of the Nile
Emperor - Rise of the middle kingdom
Majesty series
OpenTTD
Pharaoh
SimCity series
Startopia
Space Colony
The Settlers series

 

[mcmicker]

I think, since everything else is getting repeated, World of Goo deserves another mention. It is /purely/ about creation, with a relatively light-hearted tone and features easy to grasp gameplay.

 

[halfeclipse]

Minecraft by far.

Spoiler: screen shot from one of the more impressive multi player servers I've run into

Link to the server if you want to take a better look. go straight through into main. http://www.minecraft.net/play.jsp?server=211d5eb2171cfcb7918feb1f1ad31dda

woah... that's kind of awesome looking. I don't know what the heck that is, but I must check that out.

Lego Universe? now that's a suggestion I can jive with.

and yes, I'm trying to grow a little nerd girl.

Found what I was originally going to show. Stupid Swedish spelling

Spoiler: Swedish Parliament Building

Though keep in mind they're off some of the "better" servers. Less greifers to fuck with your buildings but in exchange they tend to be a bit restrictive where new people are concerned. a lot of the others are.... not so pleasant.

 

[Wolfram23]

Theme Hospital! Such a fun and silly game.

Just for kicks, here's their trailer:

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

Any games out of the Theme- series , and the -Tycoon series. The two that stand out for me out of those are Themepark and Transport Tycoon. Another example (that went along the SimCity lines) would be Afterlife, where the emphasis is on rewarding (and punishing) the souls of the dead.

 

[Skull Kid]

Well, I have seen my little brother playing a game called Roblox - it's online and basically you make your own levels for other people out of lego bricks. It's free as well (god I sound like an advertisement).

 

[firedfns13]

Any "Tycoon" game, or Simcity (though not the bastard child societies)

I like the Total War series. Nothing like finally understanding the economics of it and smacking yourself in the face since it was pretty easy. Then you build up and unleash a massive horde on the enemy.