There was nothing quick about buying my house. It was a time-consuming, stressful experience that I don’t really care to repeat. Luckily, in the land of video games, there lies real estate games that allow you to buy, sell, upgrade, and customize property to meet certain goals. The Build-a-lot series is no stranger to these features.
Build-a-lot 3: Passport to Europe
In Build-a-lot 3: Passport to Europe, the player will be moving from map to map, trying to complete goals before the time limit expires. Players will be able buy existing properties, buy land, hire more workers, buy materials, and upgrade their buildings in various ways to help them do this. The time limit tests a player’s time management skills, challenging them to accomplish goals in the most efficient way possible. You start off each map with limited funds, some materials, a few workers, and maybe a property or two, and you must decide in what order you should satisfy the map’s goals. Do you build new houses to increase your rent income (which is on a repeating timer) or do you buy materials and hire more workers first?
Materials cost money…though you pay less if you buy them in larger quantities.
In the beginning, maps last on average about a minute, sometimes a little longer. You start off with only the most basic of buildings and eventually unlock new ones as the levels go on. Besides having access to new houses, you’ll unlock community services that help prevent disasters like fires and crime. After a while, you’ll be scratching your head trying to decide which buildings should go where and how many of them should be community buildings.
The rent meter will fill regularly. The more houses you have, the more rent you earn.
All in all, Build-a-lot 3: Passport to Europe is a fun game and would definitely appeal to those who obsess over finding the most efficient way to do something. Those looking for a SimCity clone will be disappointed, but for those looking for a unique time management real estate game would do well to try out the demo.
Final Verdict: 6/10
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You can find the game on Big Fish Games here:
