Airline Tycoon

Trade goods between ports all over the world, in this economic simulation game, by Austrian design team Max Design. As a 17th century merchant wanna-be, you need to buy a ship, find a crew, load a few goods on the ship, and sail into the horizon, untill you reach a port with a demand for your goods. Eventually you will have the money to buy more ships, create regular trade routes, and become the head of a regular trading company. 1869 focuses on management and economy, rather than action. Actual sailing is done by plotting a route and then watching the days go by, interrupted only by the occasional random event. Basically you'll be planning routes, watching out for special assignments (that pay well if completed on time) and generally trying to steer clear of the shores of bankruptcy. The game offers a multiplayer mode (Hot-seat) which can be quite entertaining. Just make sure your friends are also into this particular genre.

Create your own railroad empire, play the stock market, buy apartments, ski resorts and stadiums, and try to provide a successful mass transit system that will be an inspiration to the rest of the world. Survey your isometric domain from a lofty viewpoint as the seasons come and go.