"A really wonderfully made game, but does not live up to Sim City 2000"

There are a lot of games in the simulation genre. There are a lot of sub genres in the simulation genre. But perhaps the fastest rising ''sub simulation genre'' is the construction simulation games. And one of the most successful series in this genre is the Sim City series. When the original was released, it was an instant successs. Sim City 2000 was even better. And now, Sim City 3000 is released. Although it is not as good as 2000, it is defanitley a great game.

The objective of the game is simple. Build a successful city. Of course, there are certain complications that are put into consideration. Some are financial problems. Some cities are devastated by earthquakes and tornados. But no matter the situation, building a successful city is always the objective. The player simply designate zones for certain types of buildings (like commercial, or residential). Power lines and water pipes can be built. The challenge is quite high because of all the disasters and players might go through a slight financial crises. Basically, everything you would find in a city is included in this game. Set taxes and make loans. Listen to your advisors. The gameplay is simple. The player uses the keyboard and mouse. It's all just point, click and drag. That's all there is to it.

The graphics have improved a lot following Sim City 3000. All buildings look a lot more realistic. You can zoom in a lot closer to view the citizens of your city. But I find that some things cannot be seen with the now more realistic graphics. Some things can't be seen from all 4 sides (no matter which way you rotate the screen). The audio in this game is okay. Nothing to brag about. Nothing horrible either. You get all the basic city sounds and some background music as you construct. But nothing exceptional.

The fun factor is really high. You are at total of controll on how your city turns out. Or how it's flows into a financial meltdown. It's all up to you. That's why it's so fun. On the other hand, it is very repetitive. NO real variation on what you are doing. The replay value is not too high. After playing it for a while, you may want to start a new city or something. Or you might not.

To buy, or not to buy? That is the question. If you liked Sim City 2000, chances are you will enjoy this one. However, that is not the case with everybody. I found this one to be quite dissapointing compared to Sim City 2000. I prefer Sim City 2000. Otherwise, I would buy it. It is kind of fun to see if you're up to running your own city.

FINAL RANKINGS:
Gameplay:10
Challenge:10
Controlls:10
Graphics:9
Audio:7
Fun Factor:8
Replay Value:7
Overall:9

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/02/00, Updated 07/02/00