I'm sorry, but I would've lost my 12-year old marbles if someone came up to me and said:
This game is like if Theme Hospital was about a school instead and made by Japanese people
In Gakkō o Tsukurō: Let's Make a School on PlayStation 1, you are the headmaster in charge of building the grounds, maintaining them and making sure everyone is thriving while doing so. You know, it's a simulation game! Prolific developer, Victor Interactive Software, who you now know as Marvelous, released several more of these titles. Some of them are even available on the PlayStation Network, but only in Japan.
And, for once, it even comes with a nice and normal, intriguing game magazine advertisement. I'm sold.