Last time, we explored Fishing Break, which was a somewhat lackluster example of a port to the Nintendo Switch, and this week we’re back in Port-Land (ha!) again with Builder Simulator. If you ever looked at the Barbie Dreamhouse and thought you could do it better, this may be the game for you.
Plot Ahoy!
Builder Simulator, which was originally out for the Steam platform, falls into what I tend to think of as the category of true simulators. You have a task, and you perform the task before moving on to the next project. What separates this title from its siblings in the genre is that contractor mode, while affording you the opportunity to travel for building more homes, really doesn’t actually provide a business progression aspect. Builder Simulator is about building houses, and that, dear readers, is exactly what it has you do.
In all of its game modes, Builder Simulator takes you through the process of constructing a house from drafting the plans through putting the final shingle on the roof. What differentiates the modes is how much control you have over the ultimate home designs. The tutorial unsurprisingly affords the least amount of customization with Sandbox Mode offering the most. Contractor Mode feels more like an expanded tutorial, and Sandbox Mode allows you to shape the entirety of your gameplay experience.
Review Notes
I do think that you should definitely not skip the tutorial on this one, however, because there are definitely some fiddly bits in terms of getting the bricks laid correctly and mastering the mortar mini game, which is not a phrase I expected to type out in my lifetime. However, here we are. Contractor mode builds on the skills you learned in the tutorial and expands on them while giving you the opportunity to practice those skills ad nauseam.
And I do mean ad nauseam.
Simulators admittedly do involve a tremendous amount of repetition, but Builder Simulator seems to have looked at that aspect and said, simply, “Bet.” While you can eventually automate some processes, you do begin by doing everything the hard way. Remember the mortar mini game I mentioned? You’ll be doing that a lot.
That said, you do eventually get the option of decorating the interior of the home you’ve constructed, including paint colors and furniture. If the decorating part of the simulator is something that has appealed to you in the past, Builder Simulator has that on lock. This is an aspect of gameplay you can access regardless of mode, and bear in mind that furnishings are part of your set budget in Contractor Mode.
One particular aspect of Builder Simulator I enjoyed was the planner layout, accessible in Contractor Mode. Basically, it’s a screen that allows you to plan out multiple levels and rooms in your project at once, and it has a function that checks your design against the requirements of the project and, well, reality. You cannot save a plan that doesn’t comply with the customer’s requests, which is a nice feature. This isn’t important in Sandbox because you’re less restricted in what you can do. However, Sandbox Mode offers the ability to view your construction from any angle, which is nice. The drone-like viewing mode makes detecting issues in your construction much easier.
In terms of execution, the port is largely solid, but there is a real problem when it comes to fine manipulation tasks. First, you can’t squat, which means you can’t really bring your camera to get a good view of your work task if you’re working in a small corner or other such restricted space. Additionally, any task that requires manipulation of a small button, such as when switching from concrete to mortar, is hit or miss. The issue may be that the hit box for those selections may be too small, but those tasks quickly became frustrating.
Visually, Builder Simulator feels very boxy, which doesn’t quite jive with the overall quality of the graphics. In addition, on larger builds, the graphics can begin to skip and jump. Watch for those issues, but overall, these issues aren’t deal-breakers.
TLDR
If you’re a fan of simulators, then you’re probably prepared for some repetition in your gameplay. If you can look past some of the title’s quirks, Builder Simulator is probably a good choice, particularly if you like the idea of constructing your own digital dream home. However, this is one probably best left to the real simulator enthusiasts.
Building Simulator retails on the Nintendo store for $19.99.
Stray Thoughts From Behind the Keyboard
- I do like the wide variety of settings in which you can build houses and how that impacts the build. The changes in setting do offset some of the repetitive nature of Builder Simulator.
- There really is an incredible breadth of tools that you can use, which is pretty cool.
- There is also apparently a Builder Simulator Community.