8-bit Software Disc Magazine (c) Duncan Webster 1991
Issue 14 (July 1991)
SOFTWARE REVIEW - Sim City
by User 722 (Andrew Black) - Reviews Editor to 8BS
NOTE: If you have submitted software to 8BS in the past and would like
a professional review similar in style to the one below, then please
write in giving full details, and Andrew will fully review your
software in the next available issue of 8BS. Review of Sim City
follows.....
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SIM CITY
Price: 12.95 (cass), 14.95 (5.25in), 19.95 (3.5in Compact)
Supplier: Superior Software, Dept. M2, P.O. Box 6, Brigg,
S.Humberside DN20 9NH.
Tel: (0652) 58585
Requirements: Model B, B+, Electron, Master or Compact
Well it looks like a new generation of games are starting to come our
way from France after SS signed a deal with Infogrames. One such game
is Sim City, last year voted Best Game and Best Simulation in the 16
bit market.
The basic idea of Sim City is for you, the Mayor, to create your own
ideal city. You have to design, build and maintain the city from the
ground or try to better existing cities like HONG KONG and NEWCASTLE.
Complex is not the word! After spending several days running the
simluation I still had a lot to do. You can save the simulation at any
point, but I just could't drag myself away.
Your city is populated by SIMS - simulated citizens. If you provide
them with houses, work and police protection they will like you, so
the manual says anyway. They, just like real humans, will complain
about things like taxes, crime, taxes, pollution and taxes. It is your
job to make sure that everything is running smoothly, and continues to
run so.
You are, to start with, a buget of 20,000. You can now begin with the
construction of your new city. A power plant is the first thing that
needs to be built, so that you can supply power to factories,
commerical and housing areas. That alone will set you back 5000 for
nuclear plant or 3000 for coal fired one.
You can now set about designing housing and factories. You need to get
the right balance of residential, industrial and commerical zones and
you will be well on your way to success. If you place housing and
industrial zones together land values will go down because of
pollution. Housing and industrial zones are better placed near water,
as it provides access for ports and you collect more taxes from the
housing areas
The screen display has been well thought out, with the main city
screen in the upper half and the managment icons in the lower. The
main screen can be scrolled around the land by using the cursor keys
providing a large area to work in. The icons used are perfect in this
type of game, large and chunky, they provide easy access to building a
city. Time within city moves quickly, every year taking only 55
seconds - I've been playing for 700 years - work that one out.
Occasionally a diaster will strike your city, this can range from an
earthquake, tornados or even a monster. One special feature of the
game allows you inflict disaters on your city to see how you would
manage the situation.
I could go on for ages with all the different features implented, but
I will let you discover them for yourself. Sim City is a brillant
game, and to my mind the best since EXILE. But be warned, it is very
addictive, once you start playing properly it can take up a enormous
amount of time. Read the manual throughly (I didn't at first) this is
vital as it provides valuable information on anything that affects
your city.
BUY THIS GAME, YOU WON'T REGRET IT.
Reviewer: Andrew Black