Yoot Tower

Yoot Tower is the sequel to Sim Tower, a love-it or hate-it title that hit shelves a little over 3 years ago. I know what you're saying. You're saying, "Steve, what's up with the title? Why isn't it SimTower2 or SimTower3000? What gives?" Well, I'm glad you asked. This is a Sim game in everything but name. You see, Yoot Tower is published by Sega PC, and Sega doesn't own the rights to the Sim name. That's a Maxis property. So basically, this is a Sim game but it's just got a different name because it has a different publisher than SimCity, SimFarm, SimAnt, SimGym or SimSaladbar.

Gertrude Stein's famously worded putdown of Oakland was tailor-made for Yoot: there's no 'there' there. The gameplay is weak and the production values amateurish. To use an appropriate analogy, the Yooties have attempted to build the Sears Tower using the blueprints for an auto repair shop. Sit this one out.

Der häßliche kleine Bruder von Sim City ist wieder da – und niemand rollt einen roten Teppich aus. Denn gegenüber Sim Tower hat sich erschreckend wenig geändert, und die Technik ist von museumsreifer Schlichtheit. Bei aller Schlunzigkeit macht es zwar Spaß, die Immobilie stetig zu erweitern. Doch für Fans solcher Aufbauschinken ist Sim City 3000 der wesentlich bessere Kauf.

Yoot Tower--Yutaka "Yoot" Saito's sequel to Maxis' 1995 release SimTower--is a fairly absorbing simulation, but, ultimately, a day late and a dollar short.

There is so little change from SimTower, it is questionable why Yoot Tower was even released - especially considering that the original was rather disappointing to begin with. Had the graphics been improved and a scenario editor included, it might have been a decent game. The game is passable for a short while, but - like its predecessor - it quickly degenerates into an elevator-building contest. Die-hard SimTower fans may enjoy Yoot Tower, but only because it is the same game with a new name.