SimCity

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SimCityBox.jpg
SimCity
Developer Nintendo EAD, Maxis
Publisher Nintendo
System Super NES, Wii Virtual Console
Release Date Super NES
JP April 26, 1991
US August 1991
EU September 24, 1992
Wii Virtual Console
US November 19, 2006
JP December 26, 2006
EU December 29, 2006
AU December 29, 2006
Rating ESRB: E

SimCity is a city-building simulator that was released for the Super NES in 1991. It is actually a port of the PC version. SimCity was the game that made Will Wright famous.

Story[edit]

The player has just become the mayor of a new city. With the help of Dr. Wright, it is up to the new mayor to make the city grow while keeping the citizens happy.

Gameplay[edit]

In SimCity, the player must build a city. There are no specific goals, the city may be as big or small as the player wants. The player is able to zone areas as residential, commercial, or industrial; adjust taxes; build the city's infrastructure; and build reward buildings. The player must also deal with disasters including fires, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, monster attacks, train wrecks, and ship wrecks.

For the more goal-oriented, scenarios were added. In a scenario, the player is given a city and a certain amount of time to solve a specific problem.The most common scenario requires the player to rebuild the city after a disaster, but others require the player to increase the city's population, decrease crime, and decrease traffic. The scenarios are Bern, Boston, Detroit, Freeland, Las Vegas, Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco, and Tokyo.

Nintendo's version was originally developed for the NES. It was decided the game should be released for the Super NES instead. Nintendo's version has a few unique features such as foliage changing colors with the seasons, Japanese-style buildings, Dr. Wright advising the player, civic reward buildings, two extra scenarios, and Bowser as a disaster.

Legacy[edit]

Sequels[edit]

SimCity was followed by SimCity 2000. Though Nintendo had no hand in the development or publishing of the game, it was ported to the Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy Advance.

Ports and Remakes[edit]

  • The original version was released in 1989, SimCity was available on the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MacIntosh, PC, and ZX Spectrum.
  • In 1990, SimCity was ported to the Amstrad CPC and BBC Micro Acorn Electron.
  • In 1991, the game was made available on the Super NES and Amiga CDTV.
  • In 2006, the Super NES was ported to the Wii Virtual Console as well as Psion 5 handheld computer and other mobile devices. It was removed from the Wii's online shop in 2013.
  • It was also made available online as SimCity Live.