Best games
Best Simulation games on Linux
The 28 best Simulation games on Linux, ranked from 14,587 critic and player ratings.
The best Simulation game on Linux right now is Escape Simulator, with a critic score of 100/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Each game is ranked in one genre only, the one that defines it best, so the same title never tops two different genre charts.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 1970 to 2026.
- 28 games are listed on this page, carrying 14,587 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 28
01
Escape Simulator
Escape Simulator is a next-gen escape room experience: pick up and examine everything, move furniture, smash pots and melt locks! Play solo or with a friend to solve cryptic puzzles and riddles.
100
/100
02
Unpacking
Unpacking is a zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking. Over the course of eight house moves, you are given a chance to experience a sense of intimacy with a character you never see and a story you’re never told.
92
/100
03
Her Story
Her Story is the new video game from Sam Barlow, creator of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories and Aisle. A crime fiction game with non-linear storytelling, Her Story revolves around a police database full of live action video footage. It stars Viva Seifert, actress and one half of the band Joe Gideon and the Shark.
88
/100
Escape Simulator
Escape Simulator is a next-gen escape room experience: pick up and examine everything, move furniture, smash pots and melt locks! Play solo or with a friend to solve cryptic puzzles and riddles.
100
/100
02
Unpacking
Unpacking is a zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking. Over the course of eight house moves, you are given a chance to experience a sense of intimacy with a character you never see and a story you’re never told.
92
/100
03
Her Story
Her Story is the new video game from Sam Barlow, creator of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories and Aisle. A crime fiction game with non-linear storytelling, Her Story revolves around a police database full of live action video footage. It stars Viva Seifert, actress and one half of the band Joe Gideon and the Shark.
88
/100
04
Kerbal Space Program
In Kerbal Space Program, take charge of the space program for the alien race known as the Kerbals. You have access to an array of parts to assemble fully-functional spacecraft that flies (or doesn’t) based on realistic aerodynamic and orbital physics. Launch your Kerbal crew into orbit and beyond (while keeping them alive) to explore moons and planets in the Kerbol solar system, constructing bases and space stations to expand the reach of your expedition.
87
/100
05
Pony Island
Pony Island is a suspense puzzle game in disguise. You are in limbo, trapped in a malevolent and malfunctioning arcade machine devised by the devil himself. It is not a game about ponies.
86
/100
06
Papers, Please
The communist state of Arstotzka has just ended a 6-year war with neighboring Kolechia and reclaimed its rightful half of the border town, Grestin. Your job as immigration inspector is to control the flow of people entering the Arstotzkan side of Grestin from Kolechia. Among the throngs of immigrants and visitors looking for work are hidden smugglers, spies, and terrorists. Using only the documents provided by travelers and the Ministry of Admission's primitive inspect, search, and fingerprint systems you must decide who can enter Arstotzka and who will be turned away or arrested.
85
/100
07
The Sims
The Sims is a life-building simulation with emphasis on intimate details of individual characters rather than expansion of an entire society or civilization. You are in control of nearly every aspect of the lives of the individuals who make up your chosen population in the neighborhood. Characters are developed from the ground up and you infuse and mold them with personalities, looks, desires, moods, urges, living arrangements, career and personal choices, life styles, and reactions.
85
/100
08
S
Minecraft: Java Edition
Minecraft focuses on allowing the player to explore, interact with, and modify a dynamically generated map made of one-cubic-meter-sized blocks. In addition to blocks, the environment features plants, mobs, and items. Some activities in the game include mining for ore, fighting hostile mobs, and crafting new blocks and tools by gathering various resources found in the game. The game's open-ended model allows players to create structures, creations, and artwork on various multiplayer servers or their single-player maps. Other features include redstone circuits for logic computations and remote actions, minecarts and tracks, and a mysterious underworld called the Nether. A designated but completely optional goal of the game is to travel to a dimension called the End, and defeat the ender dragon.
84
/100
09
S
Minecraft
Minecraft focuses on allowing the player to explore, interact with, and modify a dynamically-generated map made of one-cubic-meter-sized blocks. In addition to blocks, the environment features plants, mobs, and items. Some activities in the game include mining for ore, fighting hostile mobs, and crafting new blocks and tools by gathering various resources found in the game. The game's open-ended model allows players to create structures, creations, and artwork on various multiplayer servers or their single-player maps. Other features include redstone circuits for logic computations and remote actions, minecarts and tracks, and a mysterious underworld called the Nether. A designated but completely optional goal of the game is to travel to a dimension called the End, and defeat the ender dragon.
83
/100
10
Universe Sandbox
83
/100
11
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
83
/100
12
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
81
/100
13
Please, Don’t Touch Anything
80
/100
14
S
Garry's Mod
79
/100
15
Don't Starve
79
/100
16
Edge
74
/100
17
Surgeon Simulator
71
/100
18
SHENZHEN I/O
71
/100
19
Who's Your Daddy
71
/100
20
TIS-100
70
/100
21
Hatoful Boyfriend
68
/100
22
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
67
/100
23
Peace, Death!
65
/100
24
Stranded Deep
65
/100
25
Little Inferno
65
/100
26
Manual Samuel
61
/100
27
Shelter 2
58
/100
28
Goat Simulator
52
/100
Kerbal Space Program
In Kerbal Space Program, take charge of the space program for the alien race known as the Kerbals. You have access to an array of parts to assemble fully-functional spacecraft that flies (or doesn’t) based on realistic aerodynamic and orbital physics. Launch your Kerbal crew into orbit and beyond (while keeping them alive) to explore moons and planets in the Kerbol solar system, constructing bases and space stations to expand the reach of your expedition.
87
/100
05
Pony Island
Pony Island is a suspense puzzle game in disguise. You are in limbo, trapped in a malevolent and malfunctioning arcade machine devised by the devil himself. It is not a game about ponies.
86
/100
06
Papers, Please
The communist state of Arstotzka has just ended a 6-year war with neighboring Kolechia and reclaimed its rightful half of the border town, Grestin. Your job as immigration inspector is to control the flow of people entering the Arstotzkan side of Grestin from Kolechia. Among the throngs of immigrants and visitors looking for work are hidden smugglers, spies, and terrorists. Using only the documents provided by travelers and the Ministry of Admission's primitive inspect, search, and fingerprint systems you must decide who can enter Arstotzka and who will be turned away or arrested.
85
/100
07
The Sims
The Sims is a life-building simulation with emphasis on intimate details of individual characters rather than expansion of an entire society or civilization. You are in control of nearly every aspect of the lives of the individuals who make up your chosen population in the neighborhood. Characters are developed from the ground up and you infuse and mold them with personalities, looks, desires, moods, urges, living arrangements, career and personal choices, life styles, and reactions.
85
/100
08
S
Minecraft: Java Edition
Minecraft focuses on allowing the player to explore, interact with, and modify a dynamically generated map made of one-cubic-meter-sized blocks. In addition to blocks, the environment features plants, mobs, and items. Some activities in the game include mining for ore, fighting hostile mobs, and crafting new blocks and tools by gathering various resources found in the game. The game's open-ended model allows players to create structures, creations, and artwork on various multiplayer servers or their single-player maps. Other features include redstone circuits for logic computations and remote actions, minecarts and tracks, and a mysterious underworld called the Nether. A designated but completely optional goal of the game is to travel to a dimension called the End, and defeat the ender dragon.
84
/100
09
S
Minecraft
Minecraft focuses on allowing the player to explore, interact with, and modify a dynamically-generated map made of one-cubic-meter-sized blocks. In addition to blocks, the environment features plants, mobs, and items. Some activities in the game include mining for ore, fighting hostile mobs, and crafting new blocks and tools by gathering various resources found in the game. The game's open-ended model allows players to create structures, creations, and artwork on various multiplayer servers or their single-player maps. Other features include redstone circuits for logic computations and remote actions, minecarts and tracks, and a mysterious underworld called the Nether. A designated but completely optional goal of the game is to travel to a dimension called the End, and defeat the ender dragon.
83
/100
10
Universe Sandbox
83
/100
11
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
83
/100
12
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
81
/100
13
Please, Don’t Touch Anything
80
/100
14
S
Garry's Mod
79
/100
15
Don't Starve
79
/100
16
Edge
74
/100
17
Surgeon Simulator
71
/100
18
SHENZHEN I/O
71
/100
19
Who's Your Daddy
71
/100
20
TIS-100
70
/100
21
Hatoful Boyfriend
68
/100
22
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
67
/100
23
Peace, Death!
65
/100
24
Stranded Deep
65
/100
25
Little Inferno
65
/100
26
Manual Samuel
61
/100
27
Shelter 2
58
/100
28
Goat Simulator
52
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Simulation game on Linux?
Escape Simulator currently tops the ranking with a score of 100/100 across 89 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.