SimCity Classic

The Good
Sim City was one of the first games I played on PC, and with every sequel and new iteration of the franchise came new ideas, new graphics, new sound, new everything. But all those ideas came from this very point in time, and despite how badly the game may have aged in its presentation, there's no doubting how addictive and entertaining it can still be.

I think what's most impressive of the very first game is how well it stands up gameplay wise. Now of course, it can be a tricky prospect for those who are used to all the big flashy buttons or handholding of a modern title, but a majority of SimCity is still easy enough to get a grasp of, even if it's mainly text. Of course, this particular version is a port, and gets the advantage of a 'windows' upgrade, which helps to keeps things together.

It's the addictive quality that keeps me coming back. Building a bigger city, funding new areas and scrapping old ones to increase profit. There's a constant flow of information across all areas that, for someone like me, finds it hard to pull away from once things get interesting.

The Bad
To be fair to SimCity, it wouldn't be right to rant on and on about bad visuals or bland music. In its time, there wouldn't be a reason to complain about it at all. What's annoying for me, perhaps, is the fact that, with every further iteration of the series, the simpler it became. It's a major sign of the times that a game like this (or, say, Sid Meier's Civilization has almost devolved, not evolved, to a point where the original premise of the series, or the general concept, has become a cleaner, crisper, and far easier title.

It's sad, to a degree, because even a game this old can still entertain long after the last credit has rolled (if you ever 'finish' a game of SimCity, that is.) To be judged by looks alone would be a disservice to such a well designed title, even by today's lofty standards.

The Bottom Line
It's SimCity, a game that defined the notion that you can build anything you want, however you want. Every other title that has come along since, be it a sequel, spin-off or rip-off, stemmed from the success of this very title. Whether SimCity ever returns to the lofty heights of the classic Maxis days is hard to say, what with so many iterations available on mobile and portable platforms, but at least I know I can return to this little ditty any time I want.

So ignore the visuals, ignore the ring tone like music, and go find yourself a copy of a true classic. Or, if you consider yourself a SimCity fan like I, load it up just one more time. I'm sure you'll agree with me that it still holds the magic in its tiny little buildings all these years later.