I did like that you could shake the iPhone and a cheat code prompt comes up, but the touchscreen presents some challenges to the micro-organizational aspects of the game. I found the iPhone platform isn’t particularly well suited for the game. Strategy games are difficult to translate to a mobile platform, and SimCity is unfortunately not an exception. For example, an advisor may tell you to build a stadium, but not how to accomplish this. You have a full cabinet of advisors to help guide you, but there are some blind spots in their guidance. It’s easy to figure out when your Sims want you to build more industrial areas, but learning how to increase land value is another matter. Long load times hamper a smooth experience and the game’s tutorial doesn’t go into greater detail about some of the finer points of the game, like how to respond to economic demand. As complex as SimCity is, some of the game’s finer elements aren’t well translated to the iPhone. The player must constantly adjust water, electricity, taxes, ordinances, budgets, and transit for the changing conditions of the city.

The original SimCity, despite its mainstream success, is a remarkably deep and complex simulation. Do you purchase a new police station or raise commercial taxes? Will a bus service suffice or should you purchase a train system? The choice is yours. After you power and supply water to residential zones, your city will gain new citizens and be confronted with new challenges. As the mayor of a population of Sims, you govern everything from residential zoning to plumbing to city ordinances. SimCity for iPhone features many of the capabilities of the desktop version.įor those new to the series, SimCity tasks the user with running a virtual city. And my teacher said I’d never amount to anything! Ha! Now I’m paid to review the latest version of SimCity for work. When I was in 7th grade, I used to play the original SimCity in computer class in order to avoid doing work. After international success, 20 years of sequels, and ports to multiple gaming platforms, SimCity has arrived for the iPhone, thanks to Electronic Arts. SimCity originally came to the Macintosh in the late 80s and made Will Wright a major player in the gaming community.

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