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Game
Game2009
Tropico 3
Developer Haemimont Games
Tropico 3 is a video game developed by Haemimont Games and published by Kalypso Media. Like the previous games in the series, Tropico 3 is a construction and management simulation as well as a political simulation game, with emphasis on city building. As a thematic sequel to Tropico (unlike the pirate-themed sequel, Tropico 2), the game attempts to return to the roots of the series, which puts the player into the… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
176 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Oct 1, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
89
LovedLoved
148 positive · 19 negative
95% range 83–93%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 148 | 19 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
9 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
1,738 of 1,952 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.
Reactions
60 of 176 · most liked firstBuilt nothing but pubs around my island.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Why are you guys so anti-dictators? Imagine if America was a dictatorship! You could let 1% of the people have all the nation’s wealth. You could help your rich friends get richer by cutting their taxes and bailing them out when they gamble and lose. You could ignore the needs of the poor for healthcare and education. Your media would appear free but would secretly be controlled by one person and his family. You could wiretap phones. You could torture foreign prisoners. You could have rigged…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A classic, cherished for its witty depiction of dictatorship and captivating gameplay.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tropico 3 and 4 were the best in the series. And while I do recommend T4 a bit more as it has additional QoL features, Tropico 3 inovated and made the game truly great. It is a game that has great personality and probably the best art direction in the 6-game series.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →-Try to be a kind and generous leader -Pick "coward" as negative trait, if I am good, why should i worry about war? -ppl were not happy because the nation was too poor to build better houses and apartments -4 Rebels started riots -Sent avatar to fight and he "strategic retreat" -The most profitable building got destroyed by rebel -Nation went into debt to rebuild that building -Constant cash flow negative -All downward spiral from here This is the tale of how 4 ppl destroyed a nation
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Awesome city builder absolutely great for killing hours of time without realizing it. This one offers some decent graphics, interesting new features, and an addictive feeling of power from being El Presidente. You can be a great leader or a lazy one, the choice is yours!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Introduce yourself with: One book 📚 — Invisible Cities - Italo Calvino One movie 🎥 — Last of the Mohicans One album 💿 — From The Choirgirl Hotel - Tori Amos One TV show 📺 — Veronica Mars One game 🎮 — Tropico 3-6
unlabelledView post →this is my country: rule by a dictator, propaganda that every development is "for the sake of the people", but actually rerouting the money into the private Swiss bank account. sadly, I'm just an NPC in this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Average Tropico 3 enjoyer ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢟⠯⠷⠾⠿⠛⠛⠋⠛⠽⢻⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠋⠡⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠙⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣈⣙⣫⣭⡽⠿⠿⠿⠶⠦⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⢹⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⡄⠀⠀⣋⠈⣩⣥⣤⣴⣶⣶⡶⠆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⠡⠈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠍⠙⠯⠝⠒⣢⡄⣼⡄⠀⠀⢤⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣾⣄⡀⣠⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⢐⡏⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⠀⢐⣴⢾⣿⠿⣻⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠋⠀⠘⠀⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡌⠻⠏⠀⢀⣀⣀⡀⠀⠈⠻⠏⠀⠀⠀⣰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠠⠤⠤⠒⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠹⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⡿⠿⠛⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⠀⠀⠉⠙⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⡿⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⡟⠀⠀⣀⠀⠀⠉⠁ ⣿⠁⠄⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⣶⣿⠓⢄⣿⣷⠀⠀⠒⢠…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Despite being an older game, this game is worth it just for the campaign alone. The soundtrack is an absolute banger! Tropico 4 was my first introduction to the game. I decided to check 3 and enjoyed the game and campaign a lot!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I just.. this game crashes a lot. On the first maps it fine, but some maps it just randomly crash and everything you did is gone. One such maps is a multiple hours mission, and I was in the last 5 years of it, with great score, and it is gone.. Twice I did, twice lost because of a crash. It is a good game, but too broken as is.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Honest review: This is the first Tropico I've played. This is a oldie but a goodie. Game play is strategic city management as a dictator. I love the balance from the traits you must pick from, or you can select a pre-made character. The only cons I really have with this game is that the controls are a bit wonky and you cant move a building after you've already placed it like you can in Cities. If you are a Cities fan, this is a fun little twist version of it. Less stressful, just…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I say... Pretty good. This is a City Builder / Management game. The graphics are old but OK. The music is awesome but if you don't speak Spanish you gonna miss some funny stuff. The story is many little stories about the same banana republic. No bugs or crashes. But if you install both Tropico 3 and Absolute Power DLC, the game will only register your playtime on the DLC. So no, I actually finished all the scenarios and took me over a 100 hours to do so. Overall, very entertaining. This is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just play Tropico 4. 3's interface is abysmal, side quests shall be completed to earn "points" (what?), there's no quick build option for buildings. I just can't. Remaster or a fan mod campaign for 6 is due.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A really nice city / island management game. There is 15 different campaign levels in total to play and a sandbox mode if that is something you are more into. The campaign is not particularity hard to beat, but still enjoyable and the only 3 complaints I had about it the whole time playing are: - the road system. Omg, its so hard to actually get a road to actually go the way you want it sometimes. Luckily you don't really had to build too many of them as the islands are pretty small. - I have…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →why bother when you could play Tropico 4, which is this game but better?
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tropico 3 puts you in the role of “El Presidente,” ruling your own island paradise with charm or tyranny. Its mix of city-building, politics, and humor makes managing your tropical dictatorship both fun and challenging. The vibrant visuals and satirical tone give it a unique personality among strategy games.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It was fine at the time This is one of those games I feel like has faded away with time. The Tropico games I feel have always been a bit simple city builders. I really wish they would go deeper into the political aspects of a country like this. Even if its a played for laughs. I don't anyone is coming back for this though.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tropico 3: where I pretend to be a benevolent dictator, but mostly end up juggling riots, hurricanes, and my citizens’ unrealistic demands for beachfront apartments. Somehow, bribing my way through politics never gets old. 9/10—would mismanage an island paradise again.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Review from GoG So in Tropico you play the role of leader and need to fulfill certain objectives like building the economy, improving the living conditions of your citizens, defending against rebels, etc. You get to build up the island you rule, issues edicts that add buffs, have citizens targeted through specific interactions and interact with the outside world best you can to gain some leverage for yourself. You can also choose a specific ruler when starting an island to get certain buffs,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Works fine and is a decent game even by 2026 standards, but extremely buggy / doesn't work at all if played alongside Tropico 3 Absolute Power DC on Windows 11. You need to juggle the .dll and config files when trying to play either game, and if you want to play the original Tropico 3 you'll need to uninstall Absolute Power. Shame this hasn't been fixed, but I realise its old and unsupported now. That'll teach me for being a cheapskate dictator and buying the cheapest version to try it out.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is awesome! I'd honestly skip Tropico 1 and 2 and go straight to this - it's where the modern series really started. Hearing the game's soundtrack blaring with Juanito chipping in every now and again is great! This game also had the El Presidente speeches (whilst yeah they get samey after a while) really added to the game, especially as it rewards you for sticking to your election promises. The game has a really interesting campaign and considering how much is in the game it does do…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →While it certainly is no Tropico 4, I keep finding myself coming back to this game a lot. The islands are very detailed for the year it was released, even more so than Tropico 4, and the textures are surprisingly detailed to, and match the overall vibe. It's a very good adaption of the first Tropico game. The difficulty is also pretty high as well, since there is no quick build - which I personally like, since it means you'll be more inclined to be corrupt (like any good banana republic…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this game was pretty dag gum funny and awesome!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tropico 3 is a mirror reflecting our collective comfort with authoritarianism as long as it happens to someone else. Its entertainment value derives precisely from the psychological distance between player and consequences—the same mechanism that enables actual dictatorships to function. You'll enjoy it most if you don't think too deeply about why you're enjoying it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Tropico series is great because it is one most unique line of city builders ever made. Its art style, campaigns and mechanics go outright against what most city builders games try to do. Tropico is overtly political in its humor and unusually narrative based in its story. Instead of trying to build sustainable well-planned cities Tropico is all about rushing for objectives and accepting a lot of inefficiency along the way. The artstyle is also unique with inefficiency built into the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I don’t recommend the base game for Tropico 3 unless you also have the expansion pack Absolute Power. The expansion pack includes a new Edict Menu for you to use in both the classic campaign and the Absolute Power missions. These edicts are mainstays in the later Tropico games. Edicts such as: Free Houses, National Day, Lure the Rebels and the limited use Print Money, with resulting inflation. I think Tropico 3 is a great game; it has some well developed islands and a fun campaign to work…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Idle Dictator Simulation The campaigns are easy but take forever (ex: stay in power for 30 years), so I usually set up a campaign then go watch YouTube until I get a pop-up suggestion from the game. I'll recommend it because it's a nice mindless game for listening to an audiobook or watching TV, but man literally any Tropico game is better
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Lots to do, and in "short sweet" or "lengthy marathon" intervals. You can easily play for as long as you want without getting roped into a commitment. Tropico 3 is a good place to learn Tropico, as Tropico 4+ aren't as easy on beginners. I haven't played Tropico 1 or 2. However, Tropico 3 and 4 are amazing games that I have spent hundreds of hours playing on the Xbox versions. Tropico 5 and 6 are somewhat okay, I spent less than 5 hours between those two... I would definitely recommend 3 and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've played Tropico 2, 3, and 5. 3 is my favorite. I strongly recommend this game to anyone who likes city building. I like that it's more than traffic management game in which the travel destinations are randomly selected. In Tropico 3, each citizen has their own life, so build your city to make sense. Keep the citizens from having to walk across the island for church, entertainment, or medical care. Or, make them, and maintain a strong military.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not a bad game just really bland. The core gameplay loop lacks player agency and does not feel very engaging. The game is also not very forthcoming with information. All the infos you need to actually make decisions are hidden in various submenus and are hard to access. Clicking through them everytime you want to see how your tropical paradise is doing gets tedious quickly. Supposedly, the DLC Absolute Power makes the game more interesting and varied. I wouldn't know though because it is…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Why is Antonio Salazar here lmao
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is my first game in the franchise and I'm absolutely loving it. Most city builders feel like more of the same, but Tropico 3 is different. You guys have to try this. Highly recommended, 8.5/10!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is better than Tropico 5/6 :)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tropico 3 stands as a noteworthy entry in the city-building and political simulation genre, developed by Haemimont Games and published by Kalypso Media Digital. Released in 2009, it puts players in the shoes of “El Presidente,” the ruler of a small Caribbean island navigating the complexities of governance during the Cold War. The game strikes a compelling balance between managing the island’s growth and handling the intricate political dynamics that define Tropico’s charm. It invites players…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →There are a variety of ways to play the game. It's a lot of fun and doesn't take itself too seriously.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game could be explained much better. Other City Builders are simpler and more fun.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tropico 3 is a bit like a city-building game, but with a major difference. Most city builders feel like toys where you've been given an environment to put your toys together and build a nice city and occasionally something happens that sets you back by five minutes of game time (an Earthquake might kill a few people, big deal). Tropico 3 really is an actual game with actual challenges that have real consequences and need to be overcome. There are about fifteen scenarios that you can play…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Your economic and geographic choices matter a lot. So does your patience! Find a strategy to get cash flowing early in each scenario and then keep your peoples happy until you achieve the goals -- it's a balancing act that's fun and engaging.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I got the game from someone who shared their extra code on the Tropico 3 Steam Discussion forum and I am very excited about it. This is a game which brings back a lot of memories and nostalgia. Got into the series in the early 2000s as a kid and recently borrowed it from a friend's Steam library. If you've played the first 2 games of the series you might find Tropico 3 easier. Other than that no major changes were made. The game has aged well, I haven't experienced any crashes or major bugs. If…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TL;DR - Tropico 3 is a good game, but you should just buy Tropico 4. Ok, so my thumbs up here might be a bit misleading. This is a very fun game, and as such giving it a thumbs down feels a bit dishonest. But I don't think most people should actually buy this one for the sole reason that Tropico 4 makes it almost completely obsolete. Tropico 4's gameplay is practically Identical, and it uses 90% of the same assets. But it has significantly more content (more buildings, more islands, more…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →FR/EN Tropico 3 https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3706269928 ---FR--- Tropico 3 et son extension Absolute Power nous plongent dans cet univers propre aux jeu Tropico. Fan depuis le premier épisode, la progression est conséquente depuis le premier épisode de la saga. Les graphismes sont superbes et les musiques latines qui accompagnent le titre sont très réussies. Le jeu nous propulse dans la peau d'un dictateur et nous propose de tenter de relever un grand nombre de défis.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tropico has always been a staple game in my life. I own them all but 3 is my favorite.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I just enjoyed it, okay?
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I like the music and the way Penultimo says "PAPAYA" in the tutorial.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A classic city builder. Tongue in cheek. Still runs well
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Banana Republic, the game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tropico 3 is the third entry in the Topico series of games, where you play as El Presidente, the dictator of a small Caribbean island nation. We're now in the Cold War era, so as well and making decisions about your island, you have to manage relations with superpowers the US and USSR. However, if you're looking for an entry to the series, I would skip this one and go straight to Topico 4, which has a number of improvements.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just get Tropico 4.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As a fan of the Tropico 3 game series, you are surely familiar with the many positive aspects of the game. From being able to design and manage your own tropical island nation, to shaping economic and political strategies to expand and improve your country, Tropico 3 offers a unique and fun gaming experience. During a recession, however, one might fear that these opportunities will be limited. Luckily, Tropico 3 offers a range of tools and options to help you thrive even in tough economic…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TLDR: This version of Tropico is fantastic, and worth picking up. General Thoughts/Overview: Tropico 3 was a return to form after Tropico’s Pirates!™. It took the winning formula of the first game and gave it an overhaul. You are El Presidente. As the absolute, and 100% fairly and honestly elected, leader of the democratic republic of Tropico it is your duty, your pleasure, your very destiny to lead the tiny nation to glory. In this city building game you will need to balance economy with…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played the demo for the first game for several hours when I was in High School, and had always dreamed of owning the full game someday. Instead, I ended up with Tropico 3, and it's everything I loved about the first game, but with a huge graphics upgrade! The only issue I have is that while Tropico has gone on to have a happy, successful life in the gaming community, PopTop's other game franchise from the early 2000s, Railroad Tycoon, stopped after the third installment. Yes, I have said…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This was the first game i ever got on steam. got me into Tropico games and for that Im grateful
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tropico 3 is the first game in the series to feel like a "modern" game with many graphical and quality-of-life improvements. Similar to the previous games, you specialize in tourism, industry, or agriculture (or maybe all three if you are good!) and start to grow your civilization. Unlike Tropico Reloaded (1 and 2), Tropico 3 is more loose and really leaves you to your own devices. This is both a positive and negative because sometimes the game can lack real direction but also gives you a true…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tropico is a humorous building game similar to SimCity or an RTS, but you play as a Latin American dictator.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A quite well balance game, a fun to play campaign and challenging with free play. A much much better than its predecessor.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very fun game. Lets you play freely as much as you want, at the pace you want.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm finally able to live out my fantasies of being a benevolent fascist dictator without ending up on any international watchlists.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Stalin did nothing wrong.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's like a baby's first strategy game I think. I'm not very good at any of these really in-depth paradox map games, so I really like tropico because it's so simple. I highly recommend Tropico 3 if you're interested in giving it a try!
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