High School Simulator 2018 is a Japanese high school sandbox simulation game for iOS and Android.
Product velocity
Dormant
Daily rank 🇺🇸
—
Games
Sentiment
3.2
646k reviews
Nemesis
SAKURA School Simulator
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
Players use the app to create stories and interact with models in a school environment, replacing the need for more complex, high-friction simulation titles.
For Players interested in Japanese school-life roleplay and sandbox simulation games.
What does it look like?
Key features
User-controlled modification of student avatars, increasing time spent in-app to expand ad-impression inventory.
Objects respond to player movement, driving session length and increasing ad-impression frequency.
How much does it cost?
Ad-supported model with no IAP, relying on high-volume user acquisition and ad-impression frequency.
Velocity
Dormant developmentperformanceShow more...
Development has effectively ceased, with no new feature builds or events released in over eight months. The latest release, which occurred 260 days ago, provided only technical updates related to the Unity engine. Given the lack of activity since late 2025, the app is currently in a zombie state with no signs of ongoing maintenance or live operations.
Who built it?
tomoya sugikami
8 apps tracked · Games
High School Simulator 2017
HighSchool Simulator GirlA
HighSchool Simulator Battle
３D迷路 女子高生をさがせ
Neko Simulator NekoZ
Fantasy Simulator KnightX
積み木ワールド building blocksUser Sentiment
What do users think recently?
Recent user voice shows a mixed sentiment. Users appreciate core sandbox gameplay mechanics provide long-term entertainment value for players who enjoy creative roleplay sessions and the game offers a compelling alternative to larger platforms for users seeking specific school-themed simulation experiences, but report removal of weapons and combat mechanics following the latest update makes the simulation feel empty.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
What users say, by theme
- Core sandbox gameplay mechanics provide long-term entertainment value for players who enjoy creative roleplay sessions
- The game offers a compelling alternative to larger platforms for users seeking specific school-themed simulation experiences
- Removal of weapons and combat mechanics following the latest update makes the simulation feel empty
60 of 120 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Mixed overall
Read the full review analysisUnlock 2 more frustration themes and 2 user requests, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for High School Simulator 2018
How's the Games market?
The app holds a #64 to #100 Free chart position across various international markets, but its 260-day update silence signals a loss of competitive standing. The lack of recent feature investment makes it difficult to defend against rivals with higher update velocities.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
By Garusoft LLC
This app dominates the high school simulation niche with massive scale and a consistent, high-frequency update cycle that keeps the user base engaged.
- Maintains a high-frequency update cadence with five major releases in the last six months
- Offers a significantly larger, more established community-driven content ecosystem than this app
- Provides deeper sandbox interaction mechanics that define the current industry standard for this genre
Unlock the head-to-head verdict: where this rival wins, and where it loses.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for High School Simulator 2018
Where is it heading?
The high school simulation market is consolidating around rivals that offer consistent, high-velocity content updates. Without a pivot to restore core gameplay features or improve performance, the app will continue to lose chart visibility and active users to more responsive competitors.
- The eight-month development silence prevents the app from addressing performance bugs, which compounds the negative sentiment regarding the removal of combat features.
- The shift toward maintenance-only status leaves the app unable to compete with rivals that maintain a high-frequency update cadence, accelerating user churn.
The SWOT
- Physics-based interaction engine sustains session length
- Age-gated combat toggle restores core value
Next best moves
Ship age-gated combat toggle because user complaints cite its removal as the primary churn driver -> restore retention
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The app's lack of updates is not just…
Read the full takeFeature gaps
Persistent world social interactions (available in SAKURA School Simulator but missing here) +1
Since the last report: The app has entered a zombie state characterized by an eight-month development silence, which has solidified its loss of competitive standing against high-velocity rivals. While the numerical rating shifted from 3.21 to 3.84, the underlying sentiment remains dominated by frustration over the removal of combat mechanics.
Bottom line
The app's current maintenance-only state is actively eroding its user base, as the removal of combat mechanics has invalidated the core value proposition for long-term players. Re-introducing these features via an age-gated toggle would address the primary churn driver and stabilize the audience against more active rivals.
Unlock 2 critical frictions, 1 market threat, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeFAQ
Is High School Simulator 2018 still receiving updates?
How does this app compare to SAKURA School Simulator?
Can I still use weapons in the game?
What are some free alternatives to this game?
Sources
- [1] Play Store, source
Report last updated