Theme Hospital

This retro hospital simulation game offers some surprisingly deep management settings for software that's over two decades old. In large part, that's probably because of how much character this game oozes. It trades in the soap opera of prime time hospital dramas for a sense of whimsy and tongue in cheek humor. The cartoon inspired art design still holds up well, and there's a real feel of personality to both the characters and their fictional (and often hilarious) afflictions.

It's a clever design choice that manages to keep the tone light. That's a good choice, considering that things can get hectic in your hospital. The game play loops here will be pretty easy to understand, and they unfold in a way that makes them transparent even to inexperienced players. Treating conditions earns you money which you can then use to build facilities and hire staff which can better treat new and more complicated conditions. Some diseases can wreak havoc through your entire hospital, but this game makes the for-profit nature of the hospital transparent. By messing with the internals of your hospital, you can make all of your customers pay out the nose. By not taking itself too seriously, Theme Hospital offers a game that's therapeutic but also demanding of some strategy.