Theme Hospital

I waited for this one, because it's one of my golden classics: easy to play, hard to master and soooo much fun. Design the rooms of your own hospital and work your way up from a small village to the big city. I always loved the crazy illnesses, the "theme series" typical handling and overall details. Bullfrog (best developer ever, imho) gives you so much to discover, see and laugh while rising the level step by step. And it gets messy quite fast, especially when a dozen new emergency cases make a run to your reception for immediate help - and they are all invisible! ;)

I've been playing computer games ever since I could afford one (VIC 20) and this game stands out as one of my all-time favorites, both for its quirky sense of humor and its design. For each level, you start out with an empty building, and add rooms, furniture, even potted plants (helps the doctors feel important). You hire staff: receptionists, doctors, specialists, nurses, handymen, etc. which are paid according to their strengths or lack thereof. The game starts out simply, and each level adds more diseases, cures, types of room (research, surgery), etc. - and more difficulty. Eventually you have to deal with epidemics, vomit storms, and earthquakes, all while trying to make a profit. Like many games of its era, there is no "build while paused' option; you can slow the game down, but that's it. I personally have never managed to beat this game, but have had many, many hours of enjoyment from it. Also, this game has personality and real humor, things that seem to be missing from many games of the last decade. Maybe that's because developers are rushing to get things out quickly for profit and have no time to add that particular magic anymore. Highly recommended.

The game is extremely original. From the management of diseases and crazy treatments, to the attachments or buildings of the hospital. It is worth mentioning that what I liked the most about the game in my childhood was that satirical and parodic touch. Truly a hidden gem of the pc!

This game is as good now and it was then. Contemporary games could learn something from this kind of pure design.

... then it becomes repetitive. I know that most of the folks who buy this, have played it before and therefore giving it a high rating, and don't get me wrong, I loved this game, but it isn't _that_ challenging, especially when it let's you "smack" every single patient that by now has filled up each cranny in the waiting room when they're full of flu and puking all over the area– and not be punished for it; the game just let you keep your business! And when I was at one of the last levels I found it too easy to get by... All the same, I did enjoy shooting the rats!!