Bus Flipper: Renovator Simulator Review

Published 01.10.2025

Author: Asuraya

Did you miss those house flipper style games, but wanted something new and fresh at the same time, not just the usual boring houses? Well, now you finally can, because here comes something new and exciting, Bus Flipper Renovator Simulator! Developed by Project Zima and published by Polden Publishing, it was released on July 31, 2025. Instead of houses, now you get to renovate your own bus or van, how cool is that? It’s like having your own little home on wheels, ready to take you on a journey. But is it good and actually worth your time? Let’s take a closer look.

When you open the game at the start you have an option to pick between system control original and house flipper style, which I don't know if there is a big difference really, but when I did check the controls it was only "task sense" Z to Q button change. Either way I picked original and it was fine for me.

The first task is a small van, so it’s a good start. I wouldn’t want to begin with the biggest bus ever, especially while I’m still learning the game. I actually loved it from the beginning. It’s not like it’s some super advanced, hyper-technical thing, you just clean stuff, wash your van, and eventually destroy or sell things when needed. The cleaning isn’t complicated either, you just hold left click and clean, that’s it and I was fine with that. Additionally, you have a flashlight, but I never had to use it, there’s really no need, it’s not dark enough.

As I did mention before, there is also a "task sense" which shows you if you missed any dirty spot, but you still need to be close and try to find it by yourself because It doesn’t show through walls. Of course, the game also has a proper tutorial that explains everything that needs to be explained, and it’s not confusing at all. If by any chance you get lost, you can always check the instructions again.

When you accept a new task through your laptop, you can also ride in your van-home through the world. It’s quite empty, mostly just forest, but it’s a nice addition that gives you a moment to relax between tasks. Something refreshing and if you don’t feel like driving, you can simply skip the ride. There’s no problem about that at all and I drove a few times, but after a couple of missions I started skipping the ride. Still, I really appreciate the feature.

Aside from basic cleaning and throwing out trash, there’s also a “plumbing connection” mode. You basically need to connect your fresh water tank and drainage tank, otherwise, there won’t be any water in your sink or shower. So maybe you should do that, right?
Same goes for the “electric connection” mode, which I truly appreciate. You can basically connect the lamps you want to a specific switch to light up your new van just the way you like it.

There is also an “assembly mode” and of course we all know what that is, right? You just tighten the screws, and there’s a “perfect” green zone you can hit for some bonus points or you can completely skip it after you get too bored of doing it over and over. It’s not much really, just a pretty basic thing.
The last thing is the “planning tool” for installing new walls, which is great for tasks, but for your own van… not anymore, or at least not yet. Still, I believe that might change in the future and I really hope it does, because to create my perfect van, I really need it!

And I have to mention the biggest thing I absolutely loved and missed in House Flipper. In the tasks, it actually shows you pictures of where to place specific items. Of course, you don’t have to follow them exactly or do it perfectly, and that’s totally fine, but I truly love this feature, and I really missed something like that in House Flipper. I mean, it’s a task, so it’s kind of different from designing your own van or one to sell and I always wished my clients would tell me more about what they wanted a bit more. This feature gave me ideas, helped me appreciate the game more, and even showed me how my dream van could look in the end. So yes, I love and appreciate this idea.

I played on epic settings, and even though I didn’t have the highest FPS ever, I had no performance issues at all. The game felt smooth and wasn’t laggy, and that’s really important for me in a game like this, where so much is based on visuals.
The game still misses some things. There are no achievements, which is a big minus, but I read that they will be added soon, so I am patiently waiting and not only for that. You can also buy new vans and buses, the ones you cleaned before in your tasks, but for now there is no way to set them as your home. Not yet. I know they plan to change it and the option is already there, but it simply does not work yet.

Bus Flipper: Renovator Simulator also has perks you can level up. There’s not much, but I would say it’s fine. It’s simple and not advanced at all, but I don’t mind. I’m here to create my own dream van after all.
Of course the game is not perfect. I had some issues and bugs and the first big problem I ran into was placing a door during some tasks. After I put it in, I couldn’t take it out anymore. I’m glad it happened in a task, because if it had been in my dream van, I would have been seriously annoyed.

I would totally recommend the game. I actually really like it. Sure, it’s not perfect, you can’t even paint your walls yet and the biggest issue is that it’s still pretty short, only around three hours. But it’s also really cheap, and it’s not over, they plan to add more content, keep fixing things and updating the game. I’m waiting for those updates, and I still plan to keep playing. It might feel like something is missing, but I had a good, relaxing time playing, and I’ll keep waiting for new features to help me create an even better dream van. So join me. Let’s support the game and help it grow into something even bigger!