Free retro city-building game

SimCity 2000, created by Will Wright and Fred Haslam, is an open-ended city-building simulation video game. The game was released all the way back in 1993, succeeding SimCity Classic. As opposed to the first SimCity, which was played from a top-down perspective, SimCity 2000 is played from an isometric perspective, creating a three-dimensional effec). The goal of SimCity 2000 is to establish a town, develop residential and industrial areas, construct infrastructure, and collect taxes for the town’s further growth.

How do you win in SimCity 2000?

SimCity 2000 places emphasis on improving the quality of life of the city, keeping a balance between the various industries, and controlling the environmental condition of the country. This is to keep the settlements going bankrupt or else the game will declare ‘game over.’ While SimCity Classic pioneered city-building games, SimCity 2000 would become the blueprint for current urban simulators for its vibrant and detailed graphics, improved control menu, gameplay, and music.

The game assigns you as the mayor of the town, but you actually have godlike control. You have complete access to all areas of your town at all times. It’s up to you to design a city that will thrive economically. To do this, you will need to strategically place the residential, commercial, and industrial areas, and provide your citizens with their essential needs (electricity, water, food, etc.). The more money is circulated in your city, the more likely it will improve. 

A bustling city can still attract criminals. To decrease crime rates, the game allows you to easily put up a police station in areas that need extra protection. What you can’t do is create subways and manage underground sewer systems. You won’t be able to work on rising hills or falling basins either, since landmasses have been completely flattened. In any case, you will need to be able to spot problem areas and resolve them as fast as possible. 

Create the ultimate city 

SimCity 2000 is an old but beloved game. While the graphics and interface are still reminiscent of the early 90s, the gameplay is still as engaging since its first release. You get to design your own ideal city and see how it thrives over time.  There are a few limitations to what you can create, but the large variety of structures you get to build more than makeup for it. If you haven’t played this game before, now is a good time to start.