EPTSimCity
![[image loading]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lq4iZ-EIGeY/TvOq2iKhP6I/AAAAAAAAAxg/1vJjUqTmVC8/s320/SimCity_Classic_cover_art.jpg)
Today we look at one of the most iconic games in history.
Today we look at one of the most iconic games in history.
Developer: Will Wright
Platform: PC
Release Year: 1989
Basic Plot
There was no plot. You take on the role of an overseeing eye in the sky who has complete control to develop a city and maintain it.
Gameplay
The game involves creating and managing a city. In essence SimCity is a top down strategy game a little like Civilization in some ways, but less focused on units and politics and entirely based on the infrastructure of your city.
The game included free form city building mode, and also a set of scenarios. Each scenario involved completing a certain objective within a particular time frame. The general gameplay involved:
- Zoning land as either residential, industrial, or commercial.
- Creating buildings.
- Setting a tax rate.
- Creating a power grid.
- Creating public transport options (and many others).
It culminated in a careful balance between attracting more people to your city, but also keeping them happy and keeping the economy flowing.
There are a whole lot of extra mechanics which add flavour to the game including crime rate and natural disasters (including Godzilla).
![[image loading]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SRsLi1jm9cU/TvOq6mtJQgI/AAAAAAAAAxs/5suutKkWSzg/s320/simcity_1.png)
Positives
This was a deeply satisfying game to play. The sense of interconnectedness was a joy to experience. The freedom you had to customise your own unique city was also a real bonus.
Without a doubt this is one of the most influential and important games in history, and if you've never played a SimCity before, you're missing out.
Negatives
Without reading up this is a very hard game to play. You have the freedom to create any city you choose by 9 times out of 10 your people will end up hating you, and Godzilla will end up rampaging through your city destroying everything in his path.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/OCXFh.png)
Is this Godzilla I see before me?
Memorable Moments
I often tried a free map where I would try and create a beautiful city, but found it very hard to maintain the city in a way which satisfied my populace. I have a hankering to try this again; were any of the sequels particularly good? Are there any modern interpretations of this game which are really well made?
Previous Game: World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Next Game: Age of Empires
Another time I had a city with an overtaxed nuclear reactor and the thing went critical and blew up a good chuck of my city and left most of it covered in nuclear fallout. I was shocked to say the least. 
