Choosing the best Sim City game from the series is a hard task to embark upon, due to the sheer awesomeness of all the titles released under it. Which is why we’ve decided to list out each of the main games from the series, so that you’re able to see what all of them brought to the table. The SimCity series was born in 1989 when its first entry was published. Equipped with an extremely open-ended approach, the city-building video game started grabbing the fancy of hordes of gamers from around the world. The concept of founding and developing a city , while also taking care of the happiness of its people as well as its finances was a novel gaming concept which created a lot of buzz in the industry. In total, 6 main games have been granted to the series over the years, apart from a number of spin-offs and portable titles. We’ll only be focusing on the former games for this list however. Without wasting any more time on introductions then, let’s get going with the list.
1 ”“ SimCity
Released in 1989, this gem was first made available for the Amiga and Macintosh platforms, following which, its popularity led to it being ported to a large number of other platforms, including Windows, SNES and more. The game marked a major paradigm shift for gaming in general, as it was one of the few titles at that time which did not involve either winning or losing, with the outcome only involving designing a unique city and achieving certain goals. This straightforward yet complex game is still considered one of the most addictive ever created. For gamers of 1989, it granted a strangely rewarding experience with its city-building offerings. SimCity has also given numerous novel concepts to the gaming industry.
2 ”“ SimCity 2000
If SimCity was a peculiar concept, then SimCity 2000 was the complete realization of it. This major game was released for the Macintosh in 1994, and it introduced several new and interesting features such as the ability to trade with neighboring cities, reading entertaining and informative newspapers, new types of buildings and a lot more. One of its chief changes was its dimetric point of view instead of an overhead one, allowing the title to show different elevations as well as water pipes and subways. Several versions of SimCity 2000 were released following its initial launch, with each of them bearing slight changes. The Windows version can still be found online, whereas the PlayStation version can be downloaded on the PS3 as well.
3 ”“ SimCity 3000
Released in 1999, and available now for PC, Mac, Linux and iOS platforms, SimCity 3000 marked another highpoint for the series with its clever additions. Every feature of the series, from city-building and management to its graphical and landscape aspects has all been blessed with neat overhauls in this game. SimCity 3000 added the concept of waste management which really gave its gameplay a lot of diversity. Advisers and petitioners, news tickers, landmarks and a lot more made SimCity 3000 a breath of fresh air for long-time fans of the series. Composed music for the first time formed part of a SimCity game.
4 – SimCity 4
SimCity 4 is the by far the highest rated game from the series. Released in 2003 for PC and Mac, it brought with it the element of night and day cycles for the first time. Furthermore, it also introduced external tools like the Building Architect Tool (BAT) which enables custom third-party buildings and content to be added into the game. This excellent title received heavy praises for its overall design and great attention to detail. It established several regional planning aspects as well. You are able to designate pastures of land as commercial, industrial or residential areas. Moreover, you can even build and maintain public services, transport and utilities. And then of course, there’s the managing of finances, environment and quality of life of your residents. SimCity 4 can be bought now through Steam.
5 ”“ SimCity Societies
SimCity Societies was a big letdown for fans of the series, especially because it witnessed the dumbing down of various complex features which they had come to love over the years. Developed by Tilted Mill Entertainment, and not by original developer Maxis, SimCity Societies took the focus away from city-planner roles onto other simpler elements, providing you with pretty unenjoyable stuff. Its colorful visual style was somewhat of a saving grace for it, but the lack of pleasing gameplay couldn’t be made up for by anything. Released in 2007, it’s now available for PC.
6 ”“ SimCity
2013’s SimCity had all the makings of becoming an extremely successful reboot to the series, but it failed at the job miserably due to some controversial choices. Upon its release, the game was met with widespread criticism for its mandatory Internet connection requirement, as players reported network outages, issues with saving the game, problems connecting its server and more. It took a lot of time and downloadable patches for the game to get back on track, and behave as it was intended to. Now that all has been resolved, you can treat yourselves its wonderful offerings on your PCs or Macs. SimCity increases the depth of simulation incredibly, with decisions having long-time repercussions which are beyond your limits. Global challenges such as climate change, the search for renewable resources and natural disasters have been beautifully woven into the game by Maxis. And that’s not all; an awesome multiplayer component which has been granted to the new SimCity amplifies the fun furthermore.
Conclusion:
We’ve listed them from first to latest. It’s up to you now to decide which one among these six deserves the throne of the best Sim City game.