Best games
Best Simulation games on PlayStation 3
The 68 best Simulation games on PlayStation 3, ranked from 19,323 critic and player ratings.
The best Simulation game on PlayStation 3 right now is Pro Evolution Soccer 2009, with a critic score of 90/100 — 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.
- 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.
- 50 games are listed on this page, carrying 19,323 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 50
01
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (often shortened to PES 2009, or simply PES 09) is an association football video game in Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer series. It is the sequel to Pro Evolution Soccer 2008. Before the game was released, it was revealed that creator Shingo Takatsuka had given the game a complete overhaul following the serious criticism of the previous title. The game supports network play with a reduction in lag compared to PES 2008. Lionel Messi is featured as the cover star, although Andrés Guardado features on some versions. A new game mode called Become a Legend was introduced, which involves creating a player and taking him through a career. The Master League mode saw the introduction of two-tier negotiations, which involve negotiating with the club first and then the player separately. The Edit Mode was also improved. The game was followed by PES 2010.
90
/100
02
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
XCOM: Enemy Unknown will place you in control of a secret paramilitary organization called XCOM. As the XCOM commander, you will defend against a terrifying global alien invasion by managing resources, advancing technologies, and overseeing combat strategies and individual unit tactics. The original XCOM is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made and has now been re-imagined by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games. XCOM: Enemy Unknown will expand on that legacy with an entirely new invasion story, enemies and technologies to fight aliens and defend Earth. You will control the fate of the human race through researching alien technologies, creating and managing a fully operational base, planning combat missions and controlling soldier movement in battle.
88
/100
03
S
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare differs from previous installments of the Call of Duty series. Previous Call of Duty games have a distinct three country-specific campaign style, while Call of Duty 4 has a more film-like plot with interlaced story lines from the perspectives of Sgt. Paul Jackson of the Marines 1st Force Recon and Sgt. 'Soap' MacTavish of the British 22nd SAS Regiment.
88
/100
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (often shortened to PES 2009, or simply PES 09) is an association football video game in Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer series. It is the sequel to Pro Evolution Soccer 2008. Before the game was released, it was revealed that creator Shingo Takatsuka had given the game a complete overhaul following the serious criticism of the previous title. The game supports network play with a reduction in lag compared to PES 2008. Lionel Messi is featured as the cover star, although Andrés Guardado features on some versions. A new game mode called Become a Legend was introduced, which involves creating a player and taking him through a career. The Master League mode saw the introduction of two-tier negotiations, which involve negotiating with the club first and then the player separately. The Edit Mode was also improved. The game was followed by PES 2010.
90
/100
02
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
XCOM: Enemy Unknown will place you in control of a secret paramilitary organization called XCOM. As the XCOM commander, you will defend against a terrifying global alien invasion by managing resources, advancing technologies, and overseeing combat strategies and individual unit tactics. The original XCOM is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made and has now been re-imagined by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games. XCOM: Enemy Unknown will expand on that legacy with an entirely new invasion story, enemies and technologies to fight aliens and defend Earth. You will control the fate of the human race through researching alien technologies, creating and managing a fully operational base, planning combat missions and controlling soldier movement in battle.
88
/100
03
S
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare differs from previous installments of the Call of Duty series. Previous Call of Duty games have a distinct three country-specific campaign style, while Call of Duty 4 has a more film-like plot with interlaced story lines from the perspectives of Sgt. Paul Jackson of the Marines 1st Force Recon and Sgt. 'Soap' MacTavish of the British 22nd SAS Regiment.
88
/100
04
Bully
As a mischievous schoolboy, you’ll stand up to bullies, get picked on by teachers, play pranks, win or lose the girl, and ultimately learn to navigate the obstacles of the worst school around, Bullworth Academy - a corrupt and crumbling prep school with an uptight facade.
87
/100
05
Yakuza 0
Yakuza 0 is an action-adventure game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. Serving as a prequel to the Yakuza series, it is set in 1988 Japan during the country's economic bubble era. The game follows two protagonists: Kazuma Kiryu in Tokyo's Kamurocho district and Goro Majima in Osaka's Sotenbori district. Players alternate between their stories as they navigate the criminal underworld, engaging in street fights, managing businesses, and participating in various side activities. The gameplay combines beat 'em up combat with open-world exploration, offering numerous mini-games and side quests. Yakuza 0 was initially released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in Japan in March 2015, followed by a worldwide release on PlayStation 4 in January 2017. It later became available on Windows via Steam in August 2018 and on Xbox One in February 2020. A Director's Cut version is scheduled for release on Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025.
86
/100
06
NBA 2K16
The NBA 2K franchise is back with the most true-to-life NBA experience to date with NBA 2K16. Guide your MyPLAYER through the complete NBA journey, take control of an entire NBA franchise, or hone your skills online competing against gamers from around the world. With animations that provide smoother movement and more realistic articulation, it’s certain to be the most authentic NBA gaming experience yet.
86
/100
07
XCOM: Enemy Within
XCOM: Enemy Within is a console standalone expansion pack for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, a turn-based tactical strategy game. The expansion adds the ability to gene mod soldiers to add to their powers as well as the ability to create MECs, powerful robotic soldiers. These new features are created by collecting a resource called Meld on the tactical battlefield. A number of new maps were also added to the tactical game, as well as multiplayer. The PC version of Enemy Within is an add-on that requires the base game Enemy Unknown.
86
/100
08
FIFA 12
FIFA 12 brings to the pitch the game-changing new Player Impact Engine, a physics engine built to deliver real-world physicality in every interaction on the pitch. Revolutionary gameplay innovations inspired by the real-world of soccer make FIFA Soccer 12 deeper and more engaging. All-new Precision Dribbling delivers a higher fidelity of touch on the ball for attacking players, while Tactical Defending fundamentally changes the approach to defending by placing equal importance on positioning, intercepting passes and tackling. Plus, CPU players have been infused with Pro Player Intelligence, the next generation of player intelligence and performance. Stay tuned for more features to be announced in the coming months.
85
/100
09
Driver (1999)
The player is John Tanner, an undercover cop who try to take advantage of his own excellent driving skill in order to infiltrate a criminal organization. In the storyline, the player has the chance to drive several cars in four american cities (Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York), facing many different missions and tasks such as delivering a vehicle without damaging it, eliminating competitors or being the getaway driver in a bank robbery.
85
/100
10
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter
The year is 2013 and you play as Captain Mitchell, commander of a Ghost Recon team, on a mission in Mexico City where rebels are attempting a coup, putting Mexico and the USA in danger. To deal with the different situations you have to face, taking out AA-guns or defending injured personnel until the rescue team arrives, you do not only have access to top-notch weapons like the different versions of the MR-C, but also to futuristic equipment like a drone that flies over the battlefield to spot enemy units.
85
/100
11
Pro Evolution Soccer 2010
85
/100
12
Gran Turismo 5
84
/100
13
SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED
84
/100
14
Skate 2
84
/100
15
Pro Evolution Soccer 2018
84
/100
16
S
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
84
/100
17
Fight Night Champion
83
/100
18
Flower
83
/100
19
The Sims 3
83
/100
20
S
Minecraft
83
/100
21
Need for Speed: Shift
83
/100
22
Final Fantasy Tactics
83
/100
23
Pro Evolution Soccer 2016
83
/100
24
Gran Turismo 6
83
/100
25
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
82
/100
26
A
Terraria
81
/100
27
B
Battlefield 4
81
/100
28
Brütal Legend
80
/100
29
GRID 2
80
/100
30
FIFA 19
80
/100
31
LUFTRAUSERS
80
/100
32
NBA 2K14
80
/100
33
NBA 2K15
80
/100
34
SoulCalibur V
80
/100
35
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway
79
/100
36
Theme Park
79
/100
37
Don't Starve
79
/100
38
Race Driver: Grid
78
/100
39
GRID Autosport
78
/100
40
Yakuza 4
78
/100
41
Rocksmith
78
/100
42
F1 2013
78
/100
43
FIFA Soccer 08
77
/100
44
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
76
/100
45
From Dust
76
/100
46
MX vs. ATV Reflex
76
/100
47
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
75
/100
48
WWE 2K16
74
/100
49
Edge
74
/100
50
Tokyo Jungle
74
/100
Bully
As a mischievous schoolboy, you’ll stand up to bullies, get picked on by teachers, play pranks, win or lose the girl, and ultimately learn to navigate the obstacles of the worst school around, Bullworth Academy - a corrupt and crumbling prep school with an uptight facade.
87
/100
05
Yakuza 0
Yakuza 0 is an action-adventure game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. Serving as a prequel to the Yakuza series, it is set in 1988 Japan during the country's economic bubble era. The game follows two protagonists: Kazuma Kiryu in Tokyo's Kamurocho district and Goro Majima in Osaka's Sotenbori district. Players alternate between their stories as they navigate the criminal underworld, engaging in street fights, managing businesses, and participating in various side activities. The gameplay combines beat 'em up combat with open-world exploration, offering numerous mini-games and side quests. Yakuza 0 was initially released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in Japan in March 2015, followed by a worldwide release on PlayStation 4 in January 2017. It later became available on Windows via Steam in August 2018 and on Xbox One in February 2020. A Director's Cut version is scheduled for release on Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025.
86
/100
06
NBA 2K16
The NBA 2K franchise is back with the most true-to-life NBA experience to date with NBA 2K16. Guide your MyPLAYER through the complete NBA journey, take control of an entire NBA franchise, or hone your skills online competing against gamers from around the world. With animations that provide smoother movement and more realistic articulation, it’s certain to be the most authentic NBA gaming experience yet.
86
/100
07
XCOM: Enemy Within
XCOM: Enemy Within is a console standalone expansion pack for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, a turn-based tactical strategy game. The expansion adds the ability to gene mod soldiers to add to their powers as well as the ability to create MECs, powerful robotic soldiers. These new features are created by collecting a resource called Meld on the tactical battlefield. A number of new maps were also added to the tactical game, as well as multiplayer. The PC version of Enemy Within is an add-on that requires the base game Enemy Unknown.
86
/100
08
FIFA 12
FIFA 12 brings to the pitch the game-changing new Player Impact Engine, a physics engine built to deliver real-world physicality in every interaction on the pitch. Revolutionary gameplay innovations inspired by the real-world of soccer make FIFA Soccer 12 deeper and more engaging. All-new Precision Dribbling delivers a higher fidelity of touch on the ball for attacking players, while Tactical Defending fundamentally changes the approach to defending by placing equal importance on positioning, intercepting passes and tackling. Plus, CPU players have been infused with Pro Player Intelligence, the next generation of player intelligence and performance. Stay tuned for more features to be announced in the coming months.
85
/100
09
Driver (1999)
The player is John Tanner, an undercover cop who try to take advantage of his own excellent driving skill in order to infiltrate a criminal organization. In the storyline, the player has the chance to drive several cars in four american cities (Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York), facing many different missions and tasks such as delivering a vehicle without damaging it, eliminating competitors or being the getaway driver in a bank robbery.
85
/100
10
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter
The year is 2013 and you play as Captain Mitchell, commander of a Ghost Recon team, on a mission in Mexico City where rebels are attempting a coup, putting Mexico and the USA in danger. To deal with the different situations you have to face, taking out AA-guns or defending injured personnel until the rescue team arrives, you do not only have access to top-notch weapons like the different versions of the MR-C, but also to futuristic equipment like a drone that flies over the battlefield to spot enemy units.
85
/100
11
Pro Evolution Soccer 2010
85
/100
12
Gran Turismo 5
84
/100
13
SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED
84
/100
14
Skate 2
84
/100
15
Pro Evolution Soccer 2018
84
/100
16
S
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
84
/100
17
Fight Night Champion
83
/100
18
Flower
83
/100
19
The Sims 3
83
/100
20
S
Minecraft
83
/100
21
Need for Speed: Shift
83
/100
22
Final Fantasy Tactics
83
/100
23
Pro Evolution Soccer 2016
83
/100
24
Gran Turismo 6
83
/100
25
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
82
/100
26
A
Terraria
81
/100
27
B
Battlefield 4
81
/100
28
Brütal Legend
80
/100
29
GRID 2
80
/100
30
FIFA 19
80
/100
31
LUFTRAUSERS
80
/100
32
NBA 2K14
80
/100
33
NBA 2K15
80
/100
34
SoulCalibur V
80
/100
35
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway
79
/100
36
Theme Park
79
/100
37
Don't Starve
79
/100
38
Race Driver: Grid
78
/100
39
GRID Autosport
78
/100
40
Yakuza 4
78
/100
41
Rocksmith
78
/100
42
F1 2013
78
/100
43
FIFA Soccer 08
77
/100
44
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
76
/100
45
From Dust
76
/100
46
MX vs. ATV Reflex
76
/100
47
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
75
/100
48
WWE 2K16
74
/100
49
Edge
74
/100
50
Tokyo Jungle
74
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Simulation game on PlayStation 3?
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 currently tops the ranking with a score of 90/100 across 82 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.