Game Dev Tycoon is a simulator tycoon game all about becoming the video game developer with the best games on the market. While you don't actually get to design a real video game, Game Dev Tycoon does allow you to choose genres and tweak settings like graphics, engines, and level design. However, not all genre combinations are equal in the game. Some can even tank your performance! That said, here are the best genre combos in Game Dev Tycoon and some helpful advice!
Best video game genre combos in Game Dev Tycoon
Knowing not only the best genre combos for Game Dev Tycoon but also how they work will help you achieve a great game in both reviews and sales. In the game, you must first choose an overarching genre, like Adventure. Then, you are tasked to choose a subgenre to go with it, such as Spy or Zombies. Subgenres are mostly straightforward, but there are definitely some that don't go together. That's why we've simplified the process to make it easier for you in a table format:
| Genre | Ideal Subgenres |
|---|---|
| Action | Airplane, Aliens, Alt, Cyberpunk, Dungeon, Fantasy, Horror, Hunting, Medieval, Military, Music, Martial Arts, History, Post Apocalyptic, Prison, Sci-Fi, Space, Sports, Spy, Superheroes, Time Travel, Rhythm, Werewolf, Zombie |
| Adventure | Detective, Fantasy, Law, Life, Medieval, Mystery Pirate, Prison, Romance, Spy, School, Time Travel, Zombies |
| Casual | Airplane, Comedy, Dance, Fashion, Martial Arts, Movies, Music, Rhythm, Racing, Sports, Virtual Pet, Vocabulary |
| RPG | Aliens, Alt, Cyberpunk, Detective, Dungeon Fantasy, Fashion, History, Martial Arts, Medieval, Mystery, Post Apocalyptic, Sci-Fi, School, Spy, Vampire, Werewolf, Wild West |
| Simulation | Airplane, Business, City, Dance, Dungeon, Evolution, Fantasy, Game Dev, Government, Hacking, History, Hospital, Hunting, Life, Martial Arts, Military, Movies, Music, Prison, Racing, Rhythm, Sci-Fi, School, Space, Sports, Startups, Surgery, Transport, Virtual Pet, Vocabulary |
| Strategy | Airplane, Aliens, Business, City, Dungeon, Evolution, Government, Hacking, History, Medieval, Military, Space, School, Sci-Fi, Transport, UFO, Vocabulary |
How to make good genre combo games in Game Dev Tycoon
There are some tried and true rules to follow in conjunction with good genre combos. Even if a game genre/topic combination is ideal and does really well, you do not want to repeat it twice in a row. The second time you make the same combination, it will score you much lower than the first. Make a game in-between to maintain a similar score or better.
When it is time to make the sequel for that previous game, do not create the sequel on the same custom engine. This will cause your reviews and sales to suffer, and you'll be criticized for lack of innovation. Instead, update your settings and create a new engine for the game.
Want to read more about Game Dev Tycoon? If so, check out Game Dev Tycoon Guide – Tips and Tricks on Pro Game Guides.
Published: Aug 8, 2023 01:12 pm