diff --git a/packages/simulator/README.md b/packages/simulator/README.md
index c846d79..f289632 100644
--- a/packages/simulator/README.md
+++ b/packages/simulator/README.md
@@ -83,37 +83,49 @@ This is required because the simulator API expects a factory function for consis
 
 ### 2. Extending the Base Simulator
 
-Create your simulator class with a user-friendly API:
+Create your simulator class with a user-friendly API by overriding the static
+`create`:
 
 ```typescript
 export class MyContractSimulator extends MyContractSimulatorBase {
-  constructor(
+  // Override `create` and return your own type. The base `create` returns the
+  // base `Simulator` (it can't be generic without breaking these overrides), so
+  // without this a `MyContractSimulator.create(...)` call would resolve to
+  // `Simulator` and lose the methods below. Delegate to `super._create`, which is
+  // typed against the contract's constructor args, so a wrong tuple is caught.
+  static async create(
     arg1: bigint,
     arg2: string,
-    options: BaseSimulatorOptions<
+    options: SimulatorOptions<
       MyContractPrivateState,
       ReturnType<typeof MyContractWitnesses>
-    > = {}
-  ) {
-    // Bundle args into tuple for parent class
-    super([arg1, arg2], options);
+    > = {},
+  ): Promise<MyContractSimulator> {
+    return super._create([arg1, arg2], options) as Promise<MyContractSimulator>;
   }
 
-  // Wrap contract's circuits with callable methods
-  public getValue(): bigint {
+  // Wrap the contract's circuits with callable methods. Every circuit call is
+  // async. It returns a promise, so callers `await` it.
+  public getValue(): Promise<bigint> {
     return this.circuits.impure.getValue();
   }
 
-  public setValue(val: bigint): void {
-    this.circuits.impure.setValue(val);
+  public setValue(val: bigint): Promise<[]> {
+    return this.circuits.impure.setValue(val);
   }
 
-  public transfer(to: Uint8Array, amount: bigint): void {
-    this.circuits.impure.transfer(to, amount);
+  public transfer(to: Uint8Array, amount: bigint): Promise<[]> {
+    return this.circuits.impure.transfer(to, amount);
   }
 }
 ```
 
+> **Every subclass must override the static `create`** and return its own type
+> (e.g. `Promise<MyContractSimulator>`), delegating to
+> `super._create([...args], options)`. This applies even to subclasses that only
+> add circuit methods without the override, `MyContractSimulator.create(...)`
+> resolves to the base `Simulator` type and callers lose the subclass's methods.
+
 ### 3. Circuit Types
 
 #### Pure Circuits
diff --git a/packages/simulator/package.json b/packages/simulator/package.json
index f7fc6b8..4d9329c 100644
--- a/packages/simulator/package.json
+++ b/packages/simulator/package.json
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
   },
   "scripts": {
     "build": "tsc -p .",
-    "types": "tsc -p tsconfig.json --noEmit",
+    "types": "tsc -p tsconfig.types.json",
     "test": "MIDNIGHT_BACKEND=dry vitest run",
     "test:live": "MIDNIGHT_BACKEND=live vitest run",
     "clean": "git clean -fXd"
diff --git a/packages/simulator/src/create-contract.type-test.ts b/packages/simulator/src/create-contract.type-test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5fc138a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/simulator/src/create-contract.type-test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/**
+ * Type-level regression guard for the static `create` / `_create` contract.
+ *
+ * `yarn types` compiles `src/**` but NOT `test/**` (the sample simulators import
+ * generated, gitignored contract artifacts), and `vitest` strips types without
+ * checking them — so a regression in the `create` / `_create` typing would
+ * otherwise pass CI. This file reproduces the subclass-override pattern against a
+ * synthetic contract type, so `yarn types` fails on a regression.
+ *
+ * It exports nothing and is imported by nothing (inert at runtime). The build
+ * config (`tsconfig.json`) excludes `*.type-test.ts` from emit, so it never
+ * reaches `dist`; the type check runs it via `tsconfig.types.json`.
+ *
+ * Typechecking the real test simulators (which need the generated artifacts) is a
+ * separate, larger effort; this is the minimal guard for the contract that
+ * actually regressed.
+ */
+import { createSimulator } from './factory/createSimulator.js';
+import type { SimulatorConfig } from './factory/SimulatorConfig.js';
+import type { IMinimalContract } from './types/Contract.js';
+
+type GuardPrivateState = { readonly value: number };
+type GuardArgs = readonly [a: number, b: string];
+
+// A synthetic config — never executed, only used to instantiate the factory's
+// generics for the type-level checks below.
+const config = {} as unknown as SimulatorConfig<
+  GuardPrivateState,
+  unknown,
+  unknown,
+  IMinimalContract,
+  GuardArgs
+>;
+
+class Guard extends createSimulator(config) {
+  // A concrete `Promise<Guard>` return must stay assignable to the base static
+  // side. If `create`'s return goes generic again, this fails the static-side
+  // `extends` check (TS2417).
+  static async create(a: number, b: string, options = {}): Promise<Guard> {
+    // biome-ignore lint/complexity/noThisInStatic: super._create must keep the subclass `this`
+    return super._create([a, b], options) as Promise<Guard>;
+  }
+
+  // `_create` must type its args tuple against `GuardArgs`. If that check
+  // regresses (e.g. `_create` widens to `...args: unknown[]`), the wrong-arity
+  // call below stops erroring and the `@ts-expect-error` becomes unused → CI red.
+  static async _argCheck(): Promise<unknown> {
+    // Call via the class name (not `super`) so this negative assertion needs
+    // only the `@ts-expect-error` below — no `noThisInStatic` ignore to stack.
+    // @ts-expect-error a 1-element tuple must not satisfy `[number, string]`.
+    return Guard._create([1], {});
+  }
+
+  // A subclass-only member. Without it, `Guard`'s instance type would equal the
+  // base `Simulator`'s and the call-site check below would pass even if `create`
+  // stopped narrowing to the subclass. This mirrors real subclasses, which add
+  // circuit methods that a base-typed return would hide.
+  public marker(): string {
+    return 'guard';
+  }
+}
+
+// The override must narrow the call-site return to the subclass, not widen to
+// the base `Simulator` (which lacks `marker`).
+async function _callSiteSubtype(): Promise<void> {
+  const instance: Guard = await Guard.create(1, 'x');
+  void instance.marker();
+}
+
+void Guard;
+void _callSiteSubtype;
diff --git a/packages/simulator/src/factory/createSimulator.ts b/packages/simulator/src/factory/createSimulator.ts
index 415a739..ee83bc9 100644
--- a/packages/simulator/src/factory/createSimulator.ts
+++ b/packages/simulator/src/factory/createSimulator.ts
@@ -191,21 +191,52 @@ export function createSimulator<
     }
 
     /**
-     * Constructs a simulator. In dry, deploys from `contractArgs` to fresh
-     * in-memory state. In live, the caller already deployed; the args seed only
-     * the local pure-eval context, never an on-chain deploy.
+     * Public entry point. Permissive params so subclasses can override `create`
+     * with contract-specific signatures without tripping TS's static-side
+     * `extends` check. Subclass overrides should assemble the typed args tuple
+     * and call {@link _create} (`super._create([...args], options)`) so the
+     * tuple is checked against `TArgs` — delegating back to this permissive
+     * `create` would silently skip that check.
+     *
+     * @param args - `[contractArgs?, options?]`, validated by `_create`.
+     * @returns The constructed simulator, typed as the base `Simulator`; subclass
+     *   `create` overrides narrow the return to their own type.
+     */
+    static async create(
+      this: new (
+        deps: BackendDeps<P, L>,
+      ) => Simulator,
+      ...args: unknown[]
+    ): Promise<Simulator> {
+      const [contractArgs, options] = args as [TArgs?, SimulatorOptions<P, W>?];
+      // biome-ignore lint/complexity/noThisInStatic: keep the caller's `this` so a non-overriding subclass constructs its own type, not the base `Simulator` (the autofix rewrites `this`->`Simulator`, breaking that at runtime).
+      return (this as unknown as typeof Simulator)._create(
+        contractArgs,
+        options,
+      );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Typed construction path. In dry, deploys from `contractArgs` to fresh
+     * in-memory state; in live the caller already deployed and the args seed
+     * only the local pure-eval context. Subclass `create` overrides call this
+     * (`super._create([...typedArgs], options)`) so their args tuple is checked
+     * against `TArgs`. Underscore-public to match the `_backend`/`_signers`
+     * convention for declaration emit.
      *
      * @param contractArgs - Constructor args for the contract.
      * @param options - Backend selection, witnesses, private state, live world.
-     * @returns The constructed simulator (subclass-aware via `this`).
+     * @returns The constructed simulator, typed as the base `Simulator`; subclass
+     *   `create` overrides narrow the return to their own type. The runtime
+     *   instance is the caller's class (constructed via `this`).
      */
-    static async create<T extends Simulator>(
+    static async _create(
       this: new (
         deps: BackendDeps<P, L>,
-      ) => T,
+      ) => Simulator,
       contractArgs: TArgs = [] as unknown as TArgs,
       options: SimulatorOptions<P, W> = {},
-    ): Promise<T> {
+    ): Promise<Simulator> {
       const deps = await prepareBackend(contractArgs, options);
       return new this(deps);
     }
diff --git a/packages/simulator/test/fixtures/sample-contracts/witnesses/WitnessWitnesses.ts b/packages/simulator/test/fixtures/sample-contracts/witnesses/WitnessWitnesses.ts
index 47c8009..1527c9c 100644
--- a/packages/simulator/test/fixtures/sample-contracts/witnesses/WitnessWitnesses.ts
+++ b/packages/simulator/test/fixtures/sample-contracts/witnesses/WitnessWitnesses.ts
@@ -70,3 +70,12 @@ export const WitnessWitnesses = <L>(): IWitnessWitnesses<
     ];
   },
 });
+
+/**
+ * The witness set with the ledger type param `L` erased to `unknown` which is exactly
+ * what `ReturnType<typeof WitnessWitnesses>` yields, and what a simulator built
+ * from this factory uses as its witnesses type. Prefer this alias over spelling
+ * out `IWitnessWitnesses<unknown, WitnessPrivateState>`, so the `unknown` reads
+ * as intentional (the erased `L`) rather than arbitrary.
+ */
+export type WitnessWitnessSet = ReturnType<typeof WitnessWitnesses>;
diff --git a/packages/simulator/test/integration/SampleZOwnableSimulator.ts b/packages/simulator/test/integration/SampleZOwnableSimulator.ts
index 94be4e0..8cf2589 100644
--- a/packages/simulator/test/integration/SampleZOwnableSimulator.ts
+++ b/packages/simulator/test/integration/SampleZOwnableSimulator.ts
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ export class SampleZOwnableSimulator extends SampleZOwnableSimulatorBase {
       ReturnType<typeof SampleZOwnableWitnesses>
     > = {},
   ): Promise<SampleZOwnableSimulator> {
-    // biome-ignore lint/complexity/noThisInStatic: super.create must keep the subclass `this`
-    return super.create(
+    // biome-ignore lint/complexity/noThisInStatic: super._create must keep the subclass `this`
+    return super._create(
       [ownerId, instanceSalt],
       options,
     ) as Promise<SampleZOwnableSimulator>;
diff --git a/packages/simulator/test/integration/SimpleSimulator.ts b/packages/simulator/test/integration/SimpleSimulator.ts
index 6a2bf4c..5c464f1 100644
--- a/packages/simulator/test/integration/SimpleSimulator.ts
+++ b/packages/simulator/test/integration/SimpleSimulator.ts
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ export class SimpleSimulator extends SimpleSimulatorBase {
       ReturnType<typeof SimpleWitnesses>
     > = {},
   ): Promise<SimpleSimulator> {
-    // biome-ignore lint/complexity/noThisInStatic: super.create must keep the subclass `this`
-    return super.create([], options) as Promise<SimpleSimulator>;
+    // biome-ignore lint/complexity/noThisInStatic: super._create must keep the subclass `this`
+    return super._create([], options) as Promise<SimpleSimulator>;
   }
 
   public setVal(n: bigint): Promise<[]> {
diff --git a/packages/simulator/test/integration/Witness.test.ts b/packages/simulator/test/integration/Witness.test.ts
index 7696a2f..5f9a1cd 100644
--- a/packages/simulator/test/integration/Witness.test.ts
+++ b/packages/simulator/test/integration/Witness.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 import type {
-  IWitnessWitnesses,
   WitnessPrivateState,
+  WitnessWitnessSet,
 } from '../fixtures/sample-contracts/witnesses/WitnessWitnesses';
 import { WitnessSimulator } from './WitnessSimulator';
 
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ const BYTES_OVERRIDE = new Uint8Array(32).fill(1);
 const FIELD_OVERRIDE = 222n;
 const UINT_OVERRIDE = 333n;
 
-const overrideWitnesses = (): IWitnessWitnesses<WitnessPrivateState> => ({
+const overrideWitnesses = (): WitnessWitnessSet => ({
   wit_secretBytes(ctx) {
     return [ctx.privateState, BYTES_OVERRIDE];
   },
diff --git a/packages/simulator/test/integration/WitnessSimulator.ts b/packages/simulator/test/integration/WitnessSimulator.ts
index 914fbcd..f45b38d 100644
--- a/packages/simulator/test/integration/WitnessSimulator.ts
+++ b/packages/simulator/test/integration/WitnessSimulator.ts
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ export class WitnessSimulator extends WitnessSimulatorBase {
       ReturnType<typeof WitnessWitnesses>
     > = {},
   ): Promise<WitnessSimulator> {
-    // biome-ignore lint/complexity/noThisInStatic: super.create must keep the subclass `this`
-    return super.create([], options) as Promise<WitnessSimulator>;
+    // biome-ignore lint/complexity/noThisInStatic: super._create must keep the subclass `this`
+    return super._create([], options) as Promise<WitnessSimulator>;
   }
 
   public setBytes(): Promise<[]> {
diff --git a/packages/simulator/tsconfig.json b/packages/simulator/tsconfig.json
index 6439b36..dc6a948 100644
--- a/packages/simulator/tsconfig.json
+++ b/packages/simulator/tsconfig.json
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
   "exclude": [
     "node_modules",
     "dist",
-    "tests"
+    "tests",
+    "src/**/*.type-test.ts"
   ]
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/packages/simulator/tsconfig.types.json b/packages/simulator/tsconfig.types.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2728f6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/simulator/tsconfig.types.json
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{
+  // Typecheck-only project used by `yarn types`.
+  //
+  // Identical to the build config (`tsconfig.json`) except it (a) never emits and
+  // (b) re-includes the `*.type-test.ts` regression guards, which the build config
+  // excludes from emit so they don't ship in `dist`. Keeping them in the type
+  // check is the whole point: they fail CI if the guarded contracts regress.
+  "extends": "./tsconfig.json",
+  "compilerOptions": {
+    "noEmit": true
+  },
+  "include": ["src/**/*"],
+  "exclude": ["node_modules", "dist", "tests"]
+}
diff --git a/turbo.json b/turbo.json
index 08dd369..aac4177 100644
--- a/turbo.json
+++ b/turbo.json
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
       "inputs": [
         "src/**/*.ts",
         "!src/**/*.test.ts",
+        "!src/**/*.type-test.ts",
         "tsconfig.json",
         "tsconfig.build.json",
         ".env"
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@
     },
     "types": {
       "dependsOn": ["^build"],
-      "inputs": ["src/**/*.ts", "tsconfig.json"],
+      "inputs": ["src/**/*.ts", "tsconfig.json", "tsconfig.types.json"],
       "outputs": []
     },
     "lint": {},