Tycoon Online is an online business simulation game. As a player, you create a company which can produce, transport, and sell various goods. All players compete against each other, trying to get the highest company value by the end of each 70-day round. Tycoon Online is free to play, but Gold Memberships are also available for US$8 per round.
Take classic off-the-shelf games like SimCity, Roller Coaster Tycoon, and Transport Tycoon Deluxe, mix them together, then add a web interface and massively-multiplayer gameplay. That’s the recipe for Tycoon Online, a great business-themed simulation game that’s fun for the whole family.
The game is based in virtual Sweden. When you start your in-game company, you will choose a city in Sweden as your base of operations. From there, you will build factories, produce goods, sell them on the market or in shops, and transport goods that are bought by other players. There is also a stock market where you can buy shares of other players’ companies, and a bank where you can take out loans or make investments.
Tycoon Online is fairly simple to get started and play, but has depth and complexity that keeps players coming back again and again.
The best thing about the game is that anyone can play for free. There are no restrictions placed on free players, and although you can purchase a Gold Membership and get some nice perks, the actual gameplay is the same for both free and paid members. And there are no advertisements or intrusive pop-ups to distract from the game.
The game is family-friendly, non-violent, and is suitable for all ages. It’s fun to play, and is educational too. It happens to be a great way to teach business basics like hiring staff, managing production costs and inventory, and calculating financial concepts like return on investment, sunk costs, and the time value of money.
Tycoon Online is available in English and Swedish and can also be played on Facebook.