The articlegameplay, story, development, reception
Gameplay
The game begins with an empty plot of land upon which the player develops their mall. The player can build shops, customize decorations, organize special events such as fashion shows, and manage mall employees. It is important for the player to work out what is profitable and what is not to ensure the survival of the fledgling mall. The mall may become overrun with zombies or aliens which can be eradicated when the player calls upon the Men in Black.
Development
The game was developed by Holistic Design, creator of the Merchant Prince series.
Reception
In the United States, Mall Tycoon sold 420,000 copies and earned $7.6 million by August 2006, after its release in January 2002. It was the country's 36th best-selling computer game between January 2000 and August 2006. Combined sales of all Mall Tycoon series entries released between January 2000 and August 2006 had reached 820,000 units in the United States by the latter date.
The game received "generally unfavorable" reviews, according to video game review score aggregator Metacritic. Computer Gaming World criticized the game for its wonky camera and frustrating interface. The magazine opined that even the poorly received Airport Tycoon is a better game than Mall Tycoon.
