Mall Simulator Review: 70.3 Hours Played, $22M Earned, and a Holiday Mall I’m Weirdly Proud Of

If you’re looking for a real Mall Simulator review from someone who’s actually put in the time, here it is: I’ve logged 70.3 hours so far, and my mall has officially become my new comfort project. I’ve got every store open, a balance of $22.24 million sitting in my account, and a full team of restockers keeping the whole place running while I constantly adjust layouts like it’s a second job. A few shops still need expansions, my jewelry store needs about three more licenses before it’s fully where I want it, and I still have two theaters waiting to open, but overall, the mall is thriving.

One thing I’ve loved is filling the building with all the extra machines that make it feel alive. I’ve added claw machines, candy machines, drink machines, snack machines, trading card machines, and photo booths throughout the walkways. It gives the mall this fun, busy vibe, and watching customers gather around them is honestly half the fun. Even the storage areas ended up being satisfying to set up. Organizing everything behind the scenes so stores never run out of stock hits a weird little perfectionist part of my brain and yes, in the middle of all this, I even put up a Christmas tree, because if it’s the holidays in real life, my mall might as well celebrate too.

The actual gameplay loop is simple but addictive. You earn money, restock, upgrade, shift things around, buy new licenses, and expand whenever you unlock something new. There’s always a task waiting for you, whether it’s adjusting a storefront, opening up more space, or figuring out where your next batch of machines should go. It’s the kind of game where you sit down “just to fix one thing,” and suddenly hours have passed.

Now, the lag is definitely there. When crowds flood in and out at busy times, the whole mall slows down and stutters a bit. It’s noticeable. But the important thing is that you can tell the developers are actively improving the game. Updates are coming, performance has been getting smoother over time, and it’s clear this isn’t one of those games that gets abandoned. Seeing progress makes the rough moments easier to deal with.

What keeps me hooked is how personal the whole build starts to feel. Every expansion I add, every license I buy, every machine I strategically place, it all makes the mall feel like something I created from the ground up. Walking past the Christmas tree in the middle of everything just ties the whole vibe together. It’s my mall. It’s chaotic, busy, constantly changing, and weirdly cozy.

If you enjoy management games, building something big, and watching it evolve session by session, Mall Simulator is definitely worth trying. Even with the lag, the core experience is fun and relaxing, and knowing the devs are working on improvements makes it feel like it’ll only get better. I still have theaters to open, licenses to buy, and expansions to finish, so trust me, I’m far from done with this.