Illness strips a child of agency. They are poked, prodded, and told where to sit. Video games are built on agency. By applying a game theme, the hospital returns a sense of control to the child. The child decides which "quest" to do first. The child decides how to "level up."

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What truly sets Theme Hospital apart from modern management sims like Two Point Hospital or Project Hospital is its tone. The game is delightfully British in its cynicism.

One of the pioneering institutions in this field is the fictionalized-but-representative "Starlight Children’s Health Network." They didn't just build a hospital; they built a "Respawn Point."