Download of the day – Barbershop Simulator

Barbershop Simulator puts you in the glossy loafers of a 1940s gents' hairdresser. Your mission is to groom the facial hair of a particularly grumpy looking customer into a series of styles, which increase in complexity as the game progresses.

Once you've set down your razor (electric or cut-throat), you'll be awarded a grade for your efforts and tipped according to your skill and speed with the blade. Cash is deducted if you slip and nick your client's ears, but thankfully he's not the litigious type.

Once your virtual tip jar is sufficiently full, you can upgrade your toolkit with smaller razors for more dexterous work - essential as the beard designs become more intricate. You can also buy new smocks for your client, including a rather fetching blue striped number that goes well with his glowering, judgemental eyes.

The customer has no eyebrows, which makes us wonder if he's visited us before

The customer has no eyebrows, which makes us wonder if he's visited us before

Barbershop Simulator is the work of a small team of games design students calling themselves Shavetastic, and it looks fantastic. Every element oozes hipster style, from the gleaming brass cash register and retro soundtrack to the little moustache-shaped mouse pointer used to navigate the menus.

It's the little touches that make Barbershop Simulator really special. Each game begins with your character swanning through his beautifully designed shop; the customer blinks and twitches as you style his stubble; and if the music isn't to your taste, you can change it by clicking the wooden radio at the bottom left.

To give it a go, just download and extract the ZIP archive, then double-click the file TBS.exe. 

Download here: Barbershop Simulator

Download of the Day is our pick of the best free software around – whether it's useful, fun, or just plain silly. If you have any recommendations, please send them to downloads@techradar.com.

Cat Ellis
Homes Editor

Cat is TechRadar's Homes Editor specializing in kitchen appliances and smart home technology. She's been a tech journalist for 15 years and is an SCA-certified barista, so whether you want to invest in some smart lights or pick up a new espresso machine, she's the right person to help.

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