SimCity comes to the iPhone
Electronic Arts has released a version of its famous SimCity game for the iPhone. SimCity now joins other EA-released games such as Spore, Scrabble, Monopoly and Tetris.
SimCity is the gateway drug into the Sims universe. Created by Will Wright and originally released for the Mac and Amiga in 1989, the game gives you the ability to create your own city. You're suddenly the mayor, City Council, zoning commission, public works department and school board all at the same time. You can craft a small town with a bunch of farms surrounding it, or your own Metropolis or Gotham City (sadly without associated super heroes). You also have the power to destroy your creations through UFO attack, tornado, fire, earthquake or toxic cloud.
SimCity (link opens iTunes) is now available for $9.99USD through the App Store. A full review of this game is forthcoming!
Thanks to all those who submitted this tip!
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Joe said 11:35AM on 12-17-2008
There goes all my free time at work!
Reply
Blu-Sam said 11:46AM on 12-17-2008
Great! Good enough to kill my time!
Reply
9600baud said 11:51AM on 12-17-2008
hope it runs better than katamari
Reply
Tony Bowman said 11:54AM on 12-17-2008
runs pretty solid for me, with a small city. can speak to anything beyond that. i've just scratched the surface of it.
that said, it seems pretty feature-complete. this is NOT your run of the mill mobile app. if this is a sign of things to come, the iPhone will indeed be a fantastic mobile gaming platform for more than just casual timewasters.
Neil said 11:52AM on 12-17-2008
Too bad it is completely broken. A shoddy, rushed effort to get something on to the App Store in time for a deadline they set themselves.
The game either doesn't start up at all or more likely it crashes while running. There is a MAJOR bug in the software which causes it to crash when you are on one of the full-screen menus. If you try the tutorial, you'll see the crash when it asks you to build a power plant because you can't do that without going into one of the menus and all of a sudden you're staring back at your home screen.
Reply
Mystic said 12:14PM on 12-17-2008
Did you reboot the iPhone after you installed it?
Megan Lavey said 11:58AM on 12-17-2008
Neil, have you tried rebooting your iPhone? That suggestion was given to me when I installed EA's Scrabble a few weeks ago and haven't had a single problem with it. I just now got SimCity onto my iPhone and am beginning the review, so I'll be on the lookout for similar issues.
Tony Bowman said 11:57AM on 12-17-2008
did you restart the phone before installing and playing? because what you've described never happened to me. it works just fine with no issues at all.
it takes just a minute to do and helps tons with stability. most apps crashing isn't actually the apps fault. it's a memory management issue that Apple hasn't fully worked out yet, but it isn't that big of a deal. some apps just get stuck in system resources even after you've closed them.
zparcell said 12:01PM on 12-17-2008
This is one of those games that I've been waiting for! I was hoping for Monopoly to be the classic version too.
And people...this is one of those that you need to restart before you play it. Its not a little file.
Reply
SamBarry said 12:12PM on 12-17-2008
Theme Hospital please!!
Reply
jeremy said 3:45AM on 12-18-2008
I second that!!! I want it on my mac too!
zparcell said 12:14PM on 12-17-2008
Also...
check out the notes in the app store with the game...
Upcoming EA apps: Tiger Woods Golf! AND Sims 3
That should be awesome. I hope that you can swing like the Wii.
Reply
RuiM said 12:33PM on 12-17-2008
It's not available at the Portuguese store, just like scrabble. Hate this!
Reply
Tony said 12:45PM on 12-17-2008
Or the UK store.
I guess it's US only.
Bruno Afonso said 12:33PM on 12-17-2008
Oh, I still hope one day transport tycoon will be on the iphone/touch (I have a touch!). Now, THAT was an addictive game... on par with civilization :)
Reply
Klaus said 12:48PM on 12-17-2008
It's not in the danish store either. Screw you, EA! Or Apple, or who ever makes the decision... but mostly EA (for making crappy menu systems in their PS3 games).
Reply
Crabs said 12:51PM on 12-17-2008
You know, that'd be really cool if SimCity included Super Heroes, if you build a big enough city. Or have them pop up if your crime rate gets really high or the government (aka you) becomes corrupt and the city decides you need to change or be toppled. That'd add a really interesting aspect to the game.
Reply
Watski said 12:55PM on 12-17-2008
It's not in the Swedish store either. What a nice way to fight piracy, or whatever. I sometimes find myself in situations where I want to buy digital media but find noone willing to sell. Then I steal.
Reply
Brian said 3:55PM on 12-17-2008
You and me both....
Dave said 5:09PM on 12-17-2008
If only the big guys (as in the companies selling -or rather, not selling- these things like games and music) would understand that part, and just forget about the whole country thingy online. What's the point anyway?