Have you ever dreamed of running your very own general store in the American Wild West? Well, that dream can now be a reality in ‘Wild West Supermarket Simulator’. Developed and published by SunDust, it’s yet another entry to the ever-growing simulator genre. It’s a fairly safe, often generic space that’s hard to get wrong, but can be addicting when done well, so I was keen to flip the closed sign to open and get started.

There isn’t normally much narrative in this genre, and Wild West Supermarket Simulator is no exception either. Set in a small frontier American town during the 1850 gold rush, you stumble upon an empty building ready to be turned into your own business. A helpful fellow named John walks you through the basics, which sort of serves as the tutorial before leaving you to your own devices to run the general store however you see fit.

You’re shown how to use the cash register, order stock, place shelving, stock the shelves, unlock new products, and customise your shop. Then, it’s over to you. If you’ve played a simulator before, much of this will feel familiar; these games are often copy and paste, and this one is no different. The hook here is that it’s set in a unique time period.

A nice touch before the game begins is the option to choose between modern-day prices or realistic 1850 prices. So, coffee may cost just 20¢ and bread 25¢, depending on how you decide to price it.

It’s easily the best way to play if you want full immersion in the setting. However, be warned that the cash register of the era is a nightmare to operate. Thankfully, the game allows transactions to be completed with a single button press if you would prefer.

Eventually, you can hire staff to work the register for you, though you’ll need to pay them a wage, so make sure you have a steady income first. Employees can be assigned multiple tasks beyond the register, such as stocking shelves, cleaning up, and performing other general store upkeep.

Ordering more stock, keeping the business flowing, and making a profit. It’s a simple gameplay loop, but again, none of this would be new to you if you’ve played a simulator game before. There is a vast catalogue of items to stock, though, which should be complemented, all appropriate to the time period. From pickaxes, revolvers, meat, perishables, and groceries, there is plenty to choose from.

Upgrading your building can be pricey, so I only invested in it once I was sure I could afford it. You can decorate the interior with furnishings, repaint the walls to your liking, and eventually unlock another floor.

There’s even a house for you to buy on a hill overlooking the town, where you can sit back and admire your success, though I couldn’t help but notice it bears a striking resemblance to the Tumbleweed house from the Red Dead Redemption series.

Outside your business is a small town to explore, where you can acquire new products, interact with townsfolk, and take part in various mini-games. These range from baking bread for the local baker, earning you regular bread deliveries, or winning at the shooting gallery so you can stock Colt revolvers. I preferred the baking over the gunplay as the latter felt janky, while the baking was fun and straightforward.

On a technical level, don’t expect too much, though to be fair, you don’t come to these games for a technical masterclass. Graphically, it’s passable, and there’s no voice acting, though I don’t consider that a necessity in simulator games. The western jingles, however, are a nice touch that adds to the overall immersion.

At the end of the day, if you enjoy simulator games, you’ll find something to like here. The unique Wild West setting gives it some much-needed character. That being said, there’s no escaping the fact that underneath the surface, it’s essentially a copy-and-paste experience that won’t surprise seasoned players.

Written by: Dylan Kocins