User reviews

Simcity 4 is similar to the previous games, and game suceeding it. In those games, you build a city, it's that simple. But I think this is the best one in the series. It contains tons of hidden buildings, a intuitive tutorial, and good humour (considering it is a city building game). This is one of the easiest Simcities to play, which is a good thing.

Previous Simcities were very hard to start with emulators and no manuals, but this one is very easy to begin, with like I said a proper tutorial world that is effective. The game is simply packed with things to do as well!

There are tons of transport methods, attractions, science buildings, and even evil villan bases! Those things make this game very fun, and a good way to encourage progress. However, the game is not without it's flaws, which makes it not a 10/10.

Firstly, a small problem. The cars in the game disappear instantly, which may not sound like a problem, but it is really annoying when you want to watch the cars drive around. Another problem is that the game isn't easy to start. Just like plenty of other hobbies, it is hard to start, but once you get going you are unstoppable. Lastly for problems, it is hard to manage traffic. I really need a way to solve traffic problems, but I don't know about anything. Every city builder, and even other generes, have the problem of difficult traffic management.

But overall, I would recommend as a first game for those who have interest in playing. You can get a copy on Steam for $5, usually during major sales (which are all the time).

When the original SimCity busted onto the computer scene way back in 1989, it stood out as more of a computer "toy" than a game. As Mayor of a little Podunk town, you needed to build roads, provide utilities and services, set the tax rates, and design the ultimate skyscraper- filled urban utopia.

The beauty of SimCity was that you didn't have to worry about "winning." You simply built whatever you wanted and watched with delight as your city streets filled with tiny pixilated cars and your industrial zones filled with delicious smog. The original SimCity was easy, relaxing, and addictive... Oh, so very addictive...

Subsequent sequels have followed the same formula for urban enjoyment, each adding new graphical enhancements, with varying degrees of success. SimCity 4, the latest incarnation of the series, is no different: you're still planning cities, solving problems, and watching them grow under your benevolent (well, sometimes benevolent) guidance. SimCity 4 takes advantage of today's powerful PCs by allowing you to get closer to your city or farther out than ever before.

You can follow individual Sims as they go through their life, or zoom all the way out to develop an entire region into an urban sprawl. While all of these enhancements make for a richer, cooler simulation, somewhere along the way the simplicity and easygoing enjoyment that made the original such a mainstream hit has been lost.

I want to say, this is one of my favorite games. Though I admit I don't use it for the intended purpose too much. I bought it last year when I heard you could use it to create neighborhoods for The Sims 2. So I did the mayor thing a couple times, but primarily I've used it to create wilder and wilder places to download into The Sims 2.

And while I dislike the lack of scale control on some of the God Mode stuff overall it is way cool. The one thing I really wish it had was an "undo" button. I hit the erosion button once and wiped out all my trees and a goodly portion of my mountain range. Bad.

Now I have actually used it to import into The Sims 2. I'm disappointed. The roads, which are so cool in SC4 are flattened out around hilltops and all the skins are removed. Not so great, but I still like the game. One other thing I forgot to add before is that I love, and I mean LOVE the music. I even imported it into The Sims 2 so I have better music than they gave that game.

But all and all, a really fun game. Even if I never play in Mayor Mode again.

SimCity 4 is probably the best city builder out there. The mechanics in this game are unique and unseen in other city builders for example, you don't need to supply some buildings like agriculture and industrial with water. If you do they will be more likely to expand but they will start to pollute the water which affects your sims which lets you as the mayor make some tough decision. The game also tasks you with the very real problem of class division. You can suffer from real world issues like a weak middle class which can start to affect your city's economy. The game also has something that a game like Cities: Skylines completely lacks. Character. From the 'goof stats' to the banter from the advisers, SimCity 4 gets everything right and is everything a city builder or game in general should aspire to be.

The best EA game ever!! Has the best gameplay. SUUUPER addicting, and overall an underrated game