The latest entry in the Tropico series, Tropica 6, initially released on PC and Mac in March 2019, before coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in the months and years that followed. The management game keeps its core gameplay very similar to its predecessors and has been well-received by critics, scoring a respectable 78 on Metacritic.
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Tropico 6 has recently had a sharp increase in its player base, following the game's inclusion on Microsoft's Game Pass service. Consequently, there will be numerous new players to the Tropico series who are currently struggling to work out the game's complex mechanics. Worry not — these tips will help new players through.
10 Don't Rush To Construct Buildings
In many management and strategy games, rapid expansion is the best course of action. Therefore, there will be many new players to Tropico 6 who will do this without thinking, treating the game as a race like it's part of the Civilization series.
Rapid expansion from the game's start isn't a great idea in Tropico 6, however. Players have to keep a constant eye on their budget. Moreover, rapid expansion often isn't even possible during the start of a save file, as there won't be enough people on the island to cover all of the required jobs.
9 Cut Down Travel Time As Much As Possible
Following on from the previous point, it's common that new players will not only rush to construct buildings as soon as possible but also rush to spread them across their selection of islands.
Doing this is a mistake. It forces workers to constantly travel to and from each island, significantly increasing the time it takes to generate money. Instead, it's best to build close-knit, intricate building layouts to ensure fast turnovers. As the game progresses, gradually expand and branch out in a way that is economically efficient.
8 Stay On Top Of Education
Education differentiates itself from the previous two points, as fast expansion is indeed the best course of action. As the game enters into new eras, it's imperative to have workers who are educated enough to take required job roles.
Consequently, players should ensure that they build a High School and College as soon as it's financially viable. Otherwise, they will have to start paying employees from outside of the island to fill the required jobs.
7 Put Plenty Of Effort Into Tourism
Considering how many ways there are to generate income in Tropico 6, it can be easy to become overwhelmed and miss numerous different revenue streams. One revenue stream that can be extremely profitable but is often ignored by new players is tourism.
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This is predominantly because tourism takes a while to become financially beneficial when starting a new save. When done right, tourism can bring in a ton of money and also provide new jobs, including plenty for Uneducated Workers.
6 Maintain Good Trade Routes
Trade routes are a great, reliable way to earn money in Tropico 6 and are fundamental to a thriving economy. Players must ensure that they're frequently visiting the trade menu to see the best deals for both exporting and importing, as both are constantly fluctuating.
It's also a good idea to keep a spare trade slot open. This ensures that if a big money-making offer comes along, players can instantly accept it.
5 Invest In Factories Early
Factories are a great, reliable way to earn money at the start of a new save file. They may not be particularly flashy or glamorous; however, they're stable earners, easy to maintain, and don't require a large workforce. These three factors are hugely beneficial in the early game.
The Creamery, Cigar Factory, and Rum Distillery are particularly good money-makers. They will reliably earn a good income in the opening hours of a new game, and often remain top earners throughout the save file.
4 Think Logically About Housing
A common beginner mistake is building housing based on aesthetics rather than practicality. Although building a row of mansions may look pretty, it's not going to be beneficial at the start of the game when residents can't afford to live in any of them.
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Instead, players should be sure to walk before they run and ensure that they are building houses that suit the needs of their residents. It's also important to think about placement, ensuring that houses are close to where the residents will likely be working.
3 Don't Lower Wages Unless It's Essential
When trying to improve profit margins, cutting worker's pay may seem like a quick, simple solution to keeping costs down. However, this move will backfire more often than not. Cutting pay will lead to bad morale, which will subsequently lead to poor productivity.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, it's often more financially beneficial to pay workers the maximum amount. Their increased productivity will provide a profitable return on the investment.
2 Keep Teamsters Happy
Following on from the previous point, it's also worth keeping Teamsters happy with good pay and good quality of life. Teamsters are essential to ensuring that an economy thrives, as they are responsible for transporting goods. Without them, the economy will crumble. So, like with other workers, it's worth paying them handsomely to improve their morale and subsequently improve their work output.
Generally speaking, one Teamster Office should be built for every 100 people. Be sure to build them in a logical location close to where they'll be working, or near to public transport.
1 Play The Tutorials
This piece of advice may seem obvious, but considering how long-winded and in-depth the game's tutorial is, it's very common that new players will skip it. Although it may be tempting to just dive straight into the game, it can end up harming the player's experience and even put them off the game altogether.
To put it bluntly, it's better to invest a couple of hours into the tutorial to fully understand the game's complex mechanics, rather than trying to wing it and not getting a full grasp of how the game works until 4 or 5 hours in.