"It's worthy"

SimCity 3000. The most anticipated game of 98-99. Maxis junkies like myself call it SC3K. It's an incredible game. The downtown city scenes are breathtaking. The micromanagement is fun. Getting new rewards is incredibly fun. Landmarks are a spiffy touch.

Everything in a city is there. From water to garbage to power to roads to skyscrapers to mansions to abandoned buildings to... you get the point. One thing I like which is better than SC2K is that the skyscrapers are really skyscrapers instead of pretty office buildings, and make for a nicer town. Everything has its ups and downs - like the incinerator will get rid of trash, but makes pollution. The budgeting is tough and I could never build a decent city without cheating. There's only one constant source of income: taxes. And if they're too high, everyone will complain. One problem I had was that I consistently forgot about mass transit. This doesn't seem to have a significant effect. But it's a nice game to spend your money on. I hated how many features were dropped, like terrain editing and scenarios. And I wanted more disasters!

A welcome new feature is the news ticker. It tells you everything, and you'll know when it's important because it stands out in a flashy green. And it's funny! Maxis has obsessions with stuff like Kitty Kibble, Llamas and Editorials. Excellent game. Worth shelling out about $50.

Graphics: 10
The best in 2-D. I love the tall towers, the long avenues, and the little cars and trucks.

Sound: 8
It's typical Maxis music - pianos, horns, drums - but doesn't get annoying

Gameplay: 8
Simple, yet challenging. I like the simplicity of the menu, and the fact that now it's in a fixed position.

Replayability: 9
Fun, but after a city hits 50 years old, it gets boring.

Overall: 9
Fun. Nuff Said.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/26/00, Updated 04/26/00