Best Shop Management Games

One of the great things about the video game industry is its variety. Yes, award shows are dominated by RPGs and action-adventure titles, but they’re not the only types of games out there. There is a whole bunch of different genres in the gaming landscape. One of the most underrated ones is the shop simulator genre.

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Business simulators are a niche genre of gaming with a dedicated fanbase.

As the name suggests, you own and run a shop in these games. It’s a simple concept, but the most creative developers add extra elements to boost the fun. For instance, some contain countless customization options, while others include interesting ways to acquire the items you’re selling. These additional things are what separate the mediocre titles from the best. The following ones are in the latter group.

Updated January 13, 2025 by Ben Jessey: Some time ago, we made this list of the best games that allow you to run a shop. However, since then, several other store management games have been released. So, we’ve returned to the piece to add them.

15

Supermarket Simulator

Systems

Released

February 20, 2024

Developer(s)

Nokta Games

Publisher(s)

Nokta Games

As you can tell by the title, Supermarket Simulator allows you to run a supermarket. So, it’s everyday items that you are selling in this one. Before you can sell anything, though, you must stack the shelves with your goods and set prices on them.

Then, when customers are inside and shopping, you need to be manning the till, making sure to scan all their items and give them the correct change. On top of all that, you can phsycial alter the store to make it bigger and give yourself more space for shelves. Therefore, you basically do everything in this game.

14

Dealer’s Life 2

In Dealer’s Life 2, you don’t just run any old shop – you run a Pawn Shop. This means not only do you sell things, but you also buy items to sell. This is a major part of the experience, as the game is all about negotiations.

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With so many resources, statistics, objectives to keep track of even in individual games, new players may find some sim games overwhelming.

You need to eye up the people that come to your counter and get the best deal you can out of them. This will be easier or harder depending on who’s visiting your shop. After all, there are multiple different personality types you have to deal with. So, it really tests your ability as a salesperson.

13

TCG Card Shop Simulator

If you’re into trading card games, you may have visited a card game shop to acquire booster packs. With this game, however, you get to actually run the place. You get plenty of control over the shop, as you can alter the interior, deal with customers, and stack the shelves with plenty of cards.

If you have the room, you can even host your own events where customers play against one another. This makes it different from most other shop management games.

12

Shop Manager: Video Game Tycoon

At the beginning of Shop Manager Video Game Tycoon, you become responsible for a video game shop. The idea is that if you do well running the place, you get to inherit it. So, making the business profitable is your ultimate goal.

Therefore, you need to make sure you sell as many games, consoles, PCs, and gaming accessories as possible. This can be accomplished by investing in advertising, pricing your items well, and keeping your customers happy.

11

Garden Paws

Garden Paws

Systems

Released

October 20, 2018

Developer

Bitten Toast Games

Publisher

Bitten Toast Games

As you’d expect for a game called Garden Paws, the title includes plenty of cute creatures. In fact, you play as one of these adorable and customizable characters. Not only do you get a sweet creature to control, but you also inherit a farm. To build it and the surrounding town up, you need money. And you get coins in this game by running a store.

You don’t spend all your time behind a counter, though. There are also plenty of interesting places to explore, such as various dungeons. While roaming, you can find interesting things to sell. So, Garden Paws is really several genres mixed into one.

10

King Of Retail

There is an impressive amount of depth in King Of Retail. In fact, it’s one of the most involved shop simulators ever. This is because you are able to do pretty much everything, from working the counter to managing staff.

Plus, you not only get to design the store, but you also get to choose what your place sells. So, you can really make a store that suits you. Running a store you love isn’t the only goal, though. You’re also encouraged to build up your retail empire and essentially become the title of the game.

9

Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

The first thing you probably notice about this simulator is its brilliant art style. The game simply looks beautiful. Thankfully, there’s plenty of substance to go with that style. As you can gather from its title, this game puts you in the shoes of an alchemist.

You spend much of the game physically making the potions by grinding up ingredients and cooking them in a cauldron. Experimentation is encouraged, so you’re able to create some very original concoctions. And you don’t just make the potions; you sell them to your customers, usually after a bit of negotiation.

8

Weapon Shop Fantasy

Weapon Shop Fantasy is a mix between a shop simulator and an RPG. Much of the game revolves around crafting different types of weapons to put up for sale. However, to make the best items, you need the right materials. This is where the RPG elements come into play as many of the goods you need are out in the wild among monsters.

Thankfully, it’s not just up to you to go out hunting. You can hire staff members to go on adventures for you. In fact, the staff management system is one of the most substantial parts of the game. Your workers can improve their abilities or develop new ones under your leadership. And naturally, the better your employees are, the more materials they’re going to bring back, allowing your store to flourish.

7

Shoppe Keep 2

In Shoppe Keep 2, you’re not just in charge of your inventory. You must manage the shop itself by choosing the layout, cleaning the place, repairing anything that’s broken, and protecting your goods from thieves.

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There’s always money to be made.

When you get more successful, you can increase the size of your store, allowing more room for stock. Speaking of stock, you get much of it by ordering from suppliers. But to acquire a lot of the more expensive items, you must complete dangerous missions. So, you need to be as adept at using weapons as you are at selling them.

6

Potion Party

Potion Party offers something that most shop management games don’t – multiplayer. Yes, the game supports up to four players, and you can work either cooperatively or competitively. Regardless of how many of you are playing, your goal is to run a potion shop.

It works similarly to the likes of Overcooked, where you receive an order and have to fill it as quickly as possible. And you’ve got a range of equipment and ingredients to make what the customers want. Over time, you can add new things to your store, which can either allow you to make better potions or make the place look nicer.

5

Winkeltje: The Little Shop!

The design aspects of this game are similar to what you’d see in The Sims series, but you’re putting together a shop instead of a house. You manually place everything in your store, from display shelves to decorations.

On top of that, you’re free to change the architecture by manually expanding walls, adding windows, and placing archways. And, of course, you get to select the color of your interior. As for the items you sell, you gather them through crafting and farming. However, take note that your customers’ needs can be different depending on the season.

4

Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?!

Few games of any genre are as cute as Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop due to its colorful art style and adorable character models. The premise is that you’re a weapon shop owner in a world filled with walking, talking potatoes.

You must train your potato smiths to make them capable of forging the best weapons possible. Then you sell those goods to heroes to help on their quests. Throughout it all, you’re free to customize your workshop as well as explore the world to find special items like relics and enhancements. The title also includes one of the best dogs in gaming, which is another selling point.

3

Weapon Shop De Omasse

Several shop management games put you into the role of a merchant in an RPG world. However, few titles commit to the concept as much as Weapon Shop de Omasse as the characters make some references to the idea that they’re living in an RPG. It all makes for some witty dialog.

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From a gameplay standpoint, the title focuses mostly on weapon-making. The general premise is that someone comes in, gives you a bit of interesting backstory, and then you must make a weapon for them. To craft the tool they need, you have to complete a small minigame.

2

Moonlighter

Moonlighter is one of the most well-known shop management games in recent memory. In it, you run a store in a small village. You choose what goes up for sale, set prices, hire assistants, and do everything you can to make your store flourish.

When you’re not tending to the shop, you’re free to explore the game’s several dungeons. Naturally, they’re filled with threatening monsters that are surprisingly fun to fight. But more importantly, their lairs contain plenty of things you can sell at your store. So, this game is what happens when you combine a shop simulator with a classic roguelike title.

1

Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale

The story isn’t typically a priority for shop management games. Yet, Recettear has a more defined narrative than most titles in the genre. You play as a girl named Recette who needs to pay off her father’s loan. A fairy called Tear stays by the girl’s side to keep her focused on the task at hand.

To generate money, you need to run an item shop. This means cultivating stock by buying from the market or searching the wild for goods with a skilled adventurer. Plus, you are able to customize the interior of your store to make it as appealing to your customers as possible.

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