Item: The Construction Game
Rating: 76
Author: Dinsun

Our Site Score

76/100

The Construction Game is a digital adaptation of a niche 90s board game that offers a surprisingly deep look into the world of civil engineering and earthwork. It’s not just a 'Monopoly' clone; it’s a detailed business simulation where you bid on jobs and manage heavy machinery like excavators and dozers. For fans of the original physical board game, seeing it lovingly recreated on the iPad is a nostalgic treat.

While the presentation is a bit old-school, the gameplay loop of borrowing money, buying equipment, and trying to become the biggest contractor in the valley is very addictive. Some players might find the dice rolls frustratingly random, but that’s part of the 'high-stakes' nature of the construction business. It's a unique title that stands out by focusing on a specific industry with a lot of heart.

Reviewed on: Fri Jan 31 2025

Dinsun Review

Calling this a 'game' is a stretch; it’s a digital toy. There’s no real failure state, no complexity, and certainly no challenge. For a 40-year-old gamer who grew up on SimCity or even modern simulators, this feels like a demo. I understand the target demographic is children, but even then, the physics are floaty and the interactions are far too scripted.

The visuals are bright and bold, which I suppose works for the intended audience, but there's a lack of polish in the animations that bugs me. It’s the kind of app you give to a child to keep them quiet in the back of a car. It's not 'bad' for what it is, but in the broader landscape of gaming, it’s a non-entity.

Overall Stats

Pros & Cons

Simple, intuitive controls for kids
Safe, ad-free environment
Educational for very young children

Zero depth or challenge
Extremely short-lived interest
Repetitive tasks

Technical Report

Performance: Stable but basic. No major bugs found.

Accessibility:

Audience Fit

Buy if: You need a simple, non-frustrating app for a 3-year-old.

Skip if: You are a gamer looking for actual simulation or strategy.

Similar Games:

Toca Builders
Sago Mini Trucks

Reviewer Context

Reviewer: Dinsun
Hardware: iPhone 15 Pro
Playtime: 2 hours
Status: Explored all vehicles

The Game

Available on: iPhone, iPad, iPod

864292709

$1.99 4+★2.1 20 reviews

Author : Ryan Tensmeyer

Pubish Date : Thu Apr 24 2014

Last Update Date : Mon May 05 2014

Support Languages : English

Genres :

Version 1.2.140429Mon May 05 2014

Bug fixes
THE CONSTRUCTION GAME®, a Monopoly style board game, gives players a first hand try at making it big in the world of big equipment and big deals. Bid on jobs, buy dozers, backhoes, excavators, and scrapers, then put them to work. Build slowly or borrow your way to the top! There is no free lunch served at the job site. Be the biggest contractor in the valley.
Credit for sounds to JewelBeat.com, SoundBible.com, and SoundJay.com
THE CONSTRUCTION GAME STORY...
In 1992, as luck would have it, a civil engineer named Dave Zimmerman encountered THE FARMING GAME. Dave's business is to provide earthwork estimates to construction contractors. He had also been working on a gaming model to describe the free-wheeling earthwork construction business when he stumbled across THE FARMING GAME. He was so impressed with the business gaming model contained within THE FARMING GAME, he contacted the inventor, George Rohrbacher, and asked George, if through a licensing agreement, that he might be able to adapt THE FARMING GAME to the construction business. After some wrangling, the two struck a deal and in 1993 THE CONSTRUCTION GAME hit the market. Praises for the new game came in from all over the world and the game orders swamped Dave's engineering office that first Christmas. Dave was soon forced to choose between his first love, earthwork engineering, and the game business. Some years later, George and Dave struck another deal and THE CONSTRUCTION GAME became the property of The Weekend Farmer Co., George's game company. Preparing to manufacture THE CONSTRUCTION GAME in the new library-sized box, George and Ann Rohrbacher treated the game like they'd acquired a classic automobile. They stripped THE CONSTRUCTION GAME down to its chaise and then rebuilt it lovingly, piece by piece, to their exacting factory specifications. The result, as you are soon to see, is one of the best games you'll ever play. A close relative of THE FARMING GAME, to be sure, but THE CONSTRUCTION GAME is no clone! It stands on its own, a raucous good time - a hoot-and-a-half! Enjoy!!! George and Ann
Requires iOS 5.1.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
THE CONSTRUCTION GAME®, a Monopoly style board game, gives players a first hand try at making it big in the world of big equipment and big deals. Bid on jobs, buy dozers, backhoes, excavators, and scrapers, then put them to work. Build slowly or borrow your way to the top! There is no free lunch served at the job site. Be the biggest contractor in the valley.
Credit for sounds to JewelBeat.com, SoundBible.com, and SoundJay.com
THE CONSTRUCTION GAME STORY...
In 1992, as luck would have it, a civil engineer named Dave Zimmerman encountered THE FARMING GAME. Dave's business is to provide earthwork estimates to construction contractors. He had also been working on a gaming model to describe the free-wheeling earthwork construction business when he stumbled across THE FARMING GAME. He was so impressed with the business gaming model contained within THE FARMING GAME, he contacted the inventor, George Rohrbacher, and asked George, if through a licensing agreement, that he might be able to adapt THE FARMING GAME to the construction business. After some wrangling, the two struck a deal and in 1993 THE CONSTRUCTION GAME hit the market. Praises for the new game came in from all over the world and the game orders swamped Dave's engineering office that first Christmas. Dave was soon forced to choose between his first love, earthwork engineering, and the game business. Some years later, George and Dave struck another deal and THE CONSTRUCTION GAME became the property of The Weekend Farmer Co., George's game company. Preparing to manufacture THE CONSTRUCTION GAME in the new library-sized box, George and Ann Rohrbacher treated the game like they'd acquired a classic automobile. They stripped THE CONSTRUCTION GAME down to its chaise and then rebuilt it lovingly, piece by piece, to their exacting factory specifications. The result, as you are soon to see, is one of the best games you'll ever play. A close relative of THE FARMING GAME, to be sure, but THE CONSTRUCTION GAME is no clone! It stands on its own, a raucous good time - a hoot-and-a-half! Enjoy!!! George and Ann

Ratings & Reviews

2.1 out of 5 with 20 Counts

★★★★★

Age Rating 4+

THE CONSTRUCTION GAME® is a digital adaptation of the classic business board game first released in 1993. Similar in spirit to The Farming Game, it challenges players to make it big in the world of heavy equipment. You’ll need to bid on massive earthwork jobs, purchase a fleet of dozers, backhoes, and scrapers, and manage your finances carefully. Whether you build your empire slowly or take big risks by borrowing your way to the top, your goal is to become the most successful contractor in the valley. This digital version brings the beloved earthwork engineering simulation to your iPad, complete with all the 'raucous good times' of the original.

Features

Digital recreation of the 1993 classic board game

Deep business simulation focused on heavy equipment

Bid on jobs and manage dozers, backhoes, and excavators

Challenging AI and strategy-based gameplay

Nostalgic graphics and sound effects

Tips

Building Your Fleet

Success in the valley starts with equipment. Use your initial capital to buy essential gear like backhoes or scrapers. Keep an eye on the bidding opportunities—landing the right job at the right time is the difference between going bust and becoming the biggest contractor around.

Gameplays

Business Simulation

The gameplay revolves around a Monopoly-style board but with a focus on industrial contracts. You'll navigate the board to land on job sites, manage operational costs, and compete with other players to dominate the local construction market.