Computer Tycoon

Build your own computing empire and rise to the top of the electronics economy in Computer Tycoon, an addictive mix of all the things that fans love about grand strategy games presented in the shape of a satisfying tycoon-type game. Evolve from the 70s and all the way to the future as you strive to stay relevant in an ever-changing game of upgrades and improvements.

As long as you’re willing to bear with some cryptic UI elements, Computer Tycoon presents a fair bit of challenge for fans of the genre that are looking to sink their teeth into something new.

Blast from the Past

The premise of Computer Tycoon is quite simple: from humble origins, construct the ultimate electronics empire, spanning decades of technological progress and navigating through volatile markets.

The early stages bear a more than striking resemblance to Game Dev Tycoon – even your small starting office looks like it could be the same in both games. However, as your business expands and more economic challenges materialize, the true nature of Computer Tycoon finally emerges.

Computer Tycoon starts in the 70s, in the early days of the modern computing landscape. Following the same origins as Apple or Microsoft, the player will be tasked with using their limited resources as best as they can, struggling to make a profit in an emergent and niche market like personal computers before the turn of the millennium.

From there, the early decisions will shape the rest of your computing career. Beginning early is great for business and all, but things get considerably more complicated once different brands join the competition. While games like RollerCoaster Tycoon will have you building the best park you can, this game will have you analyzing the competition and adapting your strategies to the latest marketing trends.

An Interconnected Market

As you progress through the game, you’ll begin noticing that the economic aspects of your company suddenly are even more important than innovation on its own. It might sound like a cynical take on modern development techniques, but there’s no denying that this is the way in which successful tech companies operate.

In the late stages of the game, Computer Tycoon ends up looking a bit like Crusader Kings: tons of economic and trading info will be open to the player to interact and play with. The only downside of this is that not every mechanic is clearly explained – and the clumsy UI doesn’t help, either.

There are some mistranslations here and there that can somewhat confuse some players, but they’re minimal enough to be ignored for the most part. Still, pair the somewhat confusing text with an even more confusing user interface and you got the perfect recipe to confuse some newcomers to the genre.

Rating

Still, once you get familiarized with the system, playing with the economy becomes second nature and the game begins to reveal how deep its mechanics really are. Even more, as the game demands your constant attention, you’ll feel like every decision, no matter how minimal, has a profound impact on your business, forcing players to plan carefully ahead of their every move.

Pros

• Decent replay value
• Challenging yet rewarding gameplay
• Charming retro art and great story progression

Cons

• A bit too hard at times
• Some parts of the game are rather poorly explained
• Hard to ignore UI issues