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Tropico 3

84%Game Brain Score
music, graphics
replayability, stability
87% User Score Based on 954 reviews
Critic Score 74%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

Mac OSMac OSPCPCWindowsWindowsXboxXboxXbox 360Xbox 360
Buy Nowfrom $0.53
Buy NowGet on Steam$9.99

About

In Tropico 3, you are the dictator of a tropical island, tasked with balancing the needs of your citizens, maintaining your regime's stability, and developing your nation's economy. With a variety of buildings, edicts, and policies at your disposal, as well as election campaigns and political sabotage, each playthrough is a unique challenge. The game's humor and attention to detail bring the island nation of Tropico to life.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Tropico 3 screenshot
Tropico 3 screenshot
Tropico 3 screenshot
Tropico 3 screenshot
Tropico 3 screenshot
Tropico 3 screenshot
Tropico 3 screenshot
Tropico 3 screenshot
Tropico 3 screenshot
Tropico 3 screenshot
Tropico 3 screenshot
+8

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 957 reviews
music51 positive mentions
stability2 negative mentions
  • The game's style and humor effectively immerse players in the era of the Cuban missile crisis, making it a unique experience.
  • The graphics, while somewhat outdated, are visually appealing and contribute to the overall charm of the game.
  • Tropico 3 offers a good balance of simplicity and complexity, allowing players to enjoy city-building while managing political dynamics.
  • The game can be too easy, with many players completing the campaign without significant challenge.
  • There are limited activities and options compared to later installments, which can lead to repetitive gameplay.
  • The tutorial is lacking, making it difficult for new players to understand the mechanics and strategies needed to succeed.
  • music
    95 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its vibrant Latin and Caribbean influences, creating an engaging atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience. While many players enjoy the catchy soundtrack and humorous radio commentary, some note that the limited song variety can lead to repetition over long play sessions. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and immersive quality.

    • “The music is really good, but with a game as long as this one, the repetition might be too much to put up with in the long run.”
    • “The unceasing energy of Penultimo and his infathomable jokes are absolutely legendary combined with the great sample of music with a local feel; it creates a perfectly laid-back atmosphere.”
    • “The game's music, although repetitive, is great to listen to.”
    • “Annoying music and radio personalities, so have your own music ready.”
    • “The ingame music is really disturbing and annoying.”
    • “The levels slowly become repetitive; the music is 4 songs over and over again.”
  • graphics
    80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated but still visually appealing, with a unique art style that adds charm to the gameplay. While some players appreciate the improvements made in the transition to 3D graphics, others note that the visuals can feel simplistic compared to modern standards. Overall, the graphics are seen as decent for an older title, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.

    • “Tropico 3 is the first game in the series to feel like a 'modern' game with many graphical and quality-of-life improvements.”
    • “The graphics are amazing, the missions are quite entertaining yet challenging, and most importantly, you are the president!”
    • “Graphically it's still fairly modern (didn't play on max settings).”
    • “Sadly, the graphics and animations are not as pretty to look at anymore.”
    • “Now, the graphics are so outdated that I do not feel the desire to play them.”
    • “Really, the graphics are probably the only let-down!”
  • gameplay
    71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Tropico 3 is praised for its engaging mechanics, intuitive controls, and humorous narrative, making it a standout in the city-building genre. While some players note issues with road and building placement mechanics and a lack of comprehensive tutorials, the overall experience is described as enjoyable and addictive, with a charming art style and a captivating soundtrack. Despite minor flaws, the game offers a unique blend of strategy and satire, appealing to both veterans and newcomers alike.

    • “The beauty of Tropico 3 lies in its open-ended gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is solid and the soundtrack is superb; it really makes you feel like a democratically elected president.”
    • “With a mix of challenging gameplay and tongue-in-cheek humor, it is recommended for anyone who likes a good, honest, yet funny sim game.”
    • “Its art style, campaigns, and mechanics go outright against what most city builder games try to do.”
    • “Slow and frustrating gameplay - very little tutorial on a complicated game of faction management.”
    • “My major complaints with this game are that many game mechanics are not explained at all (very poor tutorial) and the ways things affect each other are not readily apparent in many situations.”
  • humor
    68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in Tropico is a standout feature, blending political satire with charming, often dark comedic elements that reflect its unique setting as a Latin American dictator simulator. Players appreciate the witty radio commentary, clever event reports, and the game's ability to make light of serious themes, although some feel the humor can become repetitive over time. Overall, the game's comedic approach enhances the gameplay experience, making it both entertaining and engaging.

    • “The humor in this game is terrific and well thought-out, so you will definitely giggle at some of the event reports (like a llama assassinating El Presidente's favorite hat) and you will grow to curse at least one faction in this game.”
    • “A humorous take on being a dictator and a fun city-building game!”
    • “The unusual setting and great sense of humor help turn what is essentially another city management simulator into an excellent overall experience.”
  • story
    63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in Tropico revolves around managing an island as its ruler, balancing the needs of citizens, economic development, and international relations during the Cold War. Players engage in a series of varied missions that often reflect political humor and narrative depth, though some missions can become repetitive and lack challenge as the game progresses. Overall, the campaign is praised for its entertaining and unique scenarios, despite some frustrations with bugs and difficulty spikes.

    • “Tropico is overtly political in its humor and unusually narrative based in its story.”
    • “The campaign missions are pure gold and offer interesting challenges.”
    • “The story is many little stories about the same banana republic.”
    • “It was more frustrating than fun and I only managed to make it about six missions in before giving up.”
    • “But by the endgame, all the missions seem to become the same thing.”
  • atmosphere
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by a unique blend of humor, vibrant visuals, and immersive music that evokes a laid-back Caribbean setting. Players appreciate the combination of lighthearted elements with darker themes, creating a distinctive and enjoyable experience. Overall, the atmosphere is described as charming, engaging, and filled with delightful details that enhance the gameplay.

    • “The unceasing energy of Penultimo and his infathomable jokes are absolutely legendary. Combined with the great sample of music with a local feel, it creates a perfectly laid-back atmosphere.”
    • “This game has a unique atmosphere unlike anything else, with its heavily sarcastic (and yet pulled off with great taste) sense of humor and the constant combination of the 'paradise island' setting with some fairly dark matters.”
    • “The game offers a Caribbean-like atmosphere, with rum, tobacco, coffee, and pineapple industries. In addition, the radio station plays island music and offers advice.”
    • “It does well enough to fit the atmosphere of the title with radio broadcasts, Spanish accents, and the vibrant background music.”
  • optimization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Tropico 4 is praised for its optimization, offering improved performance and graphics compared to its predecessor, Tropico 3. Players report that it runs smoothly even on low-spec machines, enhancing the overall gameplay experience with added features and humor.

    • “Tropico 4 exists with every feature Tropico 3 has, plus better performance, better graphics, and more features.”
    • “Great graphics that run smoothly on my computer, a lot of humor, and an overall fun game.”
    • “Better graphics, better gameplay, better soundtrack, better performance on low-spec machines.”
  • replayability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable and easy to revisit, others note a lack of extended replayability, particularly in sandbox mode. The presence of great graphics and humor contributes positively to the experience, but not all aspects encourage repeated play.

    • “Great graphics, great humor, and easy to get into with great replayability.”
    • “It's fun and has great replayability.”
    • “No replayability.”
    • “Lacks extended replayability in sandbox mode.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is criticized for being frustrating and buggy, largely due to its outdated engine. While some users suggest it may be worth purchasing if found on sale, the overall experience is marred by technical issues.

    • “Unfortunately, the game engine is a bit old and buggy, but if you find this game on sale cheaper than Tropico 4, do get it!”
    • “Frustrating, buggy, and boring.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, as it requires repetitive tasks to develop their farming nation into a tropical paradise. This can lead to frustration and a sense of monotony in gameplay.

    • “Thirdly, why is everything so tedious?”

74%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews

Buy Tropico 3

5h Median play time
5h Average play time
2-8h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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