Simcity - SNES vs PC?

[Edmond Dantes]

So, lately I've been playing a lot of Simcity on the SNES. I remember playing one of the PC versions (I believe the "enhanced CD-ROM") a long time ago but couldn't remember what I thought of it. I just know the SNES version is one of my favorite games on the console, largely due to its soundtrack.

So I'm just wondering, are there any noteworthy features any of the PC editions (of which there's three for DOS alone that I know of) have that make them worth getting as a companion?

... While I'm at it, what about Simcity 2000 vs its various console ports?

[Tanooki]

There's no good bonus to playing the PC version of the original sim city other than using a mouse. The SNES version even added in a few minor hints of 2000 with some landfill squares and then the reward system where you get the casino as a choice over another(zoo I think?) The SNES also has the statue reward as well which is a 2000 thing.

2000 on any console or gaming specific handheld really all come at a loss at some level to the PC game unfortunately. They tend to load/save slow, chug when scrolling due to all the animation, feel cluttered since the TV doesn't have the ability to do the high enough resolution to display a lot, usually ordinances and other menu within a menu things are stripped some or removed. I've played the GBA, Saturn, PS1 versions of it and they all lack some, but really other than only saving one city the least annoying is the GBA game but it does come with the compromise(or bonus?) if not having to do annoying underground water/pipe management or subway tunnels.

[SparTonberry]

If it's the same CD version I have (late '90s), I believe it includes a map editor which is one thing.

I think the scenario feature was created in the SNES. Yeah, it has the statue, but I suspect Nintendo probably came up with that as a way to work a Mario cameo in (and I never finished a single scenario myself but I hear if you finish them all, you get an extra map in the shape of Mario).

[o.pwuaioc]

Bowser, Mario Status < Ability to use a mouse

[Edmond Dantes]

Well, it turns out the original Simcity got a freeware release (under its original name Micropolis), and I found a version programmed with Java so its universal. It's not as good as the SNES version but it at least cures my Simcity cravings when I'm not anywhere near a SNES.

[JSoup]

People keep telling me the PC version plays better, but everyone I've seen says the SNES version is more fun.

[Tanooki]

Well, it turns out the original Simcity got a freeware release (under its original name Micropolis), and I found a version programmed with Java so its universal. It's not as good as the SNES version but it at least cures my Simcity cravings when I'm not anywhere near a SNES.

Yes I'm aware of that and I have it installed too. EA/Maxis released the rights to the game short of the SimCity name to develop it for anything and originally was for those cheap educational computers with the custom OS on them they sell for use in poor countries in the third world, the OLPC campaign. But since the source was out there people ported it to all sorts of stuff and there's even a chrome/web browser version to use too. http://www.chromeexperiments.com/detail/micropolis/?f=

The only reason the PC version is better is because someone would rather use a mouse over a d-pad and buttons, but if you can get beyond that personal choice the SNES version is the best around.

Here's the Windows, Linux, etc version google code page for it.
https://code.google.com/p/micropolis/

[Leo_A]

Yeah, it has the statue, but I suspect Nintendo probably came up with that as a way to work a Mario cameo in (and I never finished a single scenario myself but I hear if you finish them all, you get an extra map in the shape of Mario).

The Mario statue is a gift for reaching a population of 1,000,000. Finishing all the scenarios unlocks a land mass with no water.

[Clownzilla]

PC Simcity was OK until the SNES version came out. With the way property is placed in blocks and roads\tracks being placed only in 4 directions, the gamepad works fine. The graphics are also more more pleasing to the eye and all the charts and graphs are more straight forward. This is ONLY true with Sim City and NOT Sim City 2000. If your thinking about buying Sim City 2000 for the SNES then just go to your local grocery store, buy some hot sauce, and pour it into your eyes. It's a lot cheaper and will give you the same amount of joy that Sim City 2000 for the SNES will.

[Tanooki]

Hot sauce eye wash is about right for most SC2K versions on consoles or other palm like devices, awful. The one that at least is passable fun is the GBA release and that's because they skimmed out some features to make it more like an isometric version of the original Sim City. You still have the annoying 50yr power plant explosions, and the extra buildings like schools and hospitals, but other than that it's slimmed out a lot. All the troublesome underground management is removed so dealing with water, pipes, subways and other garbage is out. I think they took out the freeways but don't hold me to that as I forget as I haven't touched the game in a year or two. It's unforgiving if you get a bad start, even on easy which is what I play on as I like the extra cash, but if you can get a rhythm going it's actually fun for a handheld city management game.

[Zing]

I assume the PC version doesn't have the bug where all your power is disabled for a while after loading your game.

[Tanooki]

Yes that's a stupid NIntendo bug all the way. Bet you anything it was lack of testing to jam it out for launch.

[kupomogli]

OT since it seems most if not all of the differences were answered, I'm going to recommend Afterlife to anyone who likes Sim City since it's one of my favorites in this genre. It's a Sim City clone where you build Heaven and Hell.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=afterlife+pc&search=Search

[Tanooki]

Never heard of that before, looks decently different.


By the way if you really want to put the differences out there easy to read, click this: http://www.pnaw10.com/peters-simcity-for-super-nes-guide

That guy for a good decade has had some form or another of that page up which is like the definitive fan page for SC for the SNES, and it even has a pretty tricky debug code you can pop into the game as well that was hidden for 18 YEARS (rel 1991, found 2009!)
http://www.pnaw10.com/peters-simcity-for-super-nes-guide/sec-041

Check that out, it's awesome what you're allowed to edit

[Daria]

I had Afterlife as a kid, it was a pretty cool Lucas Arts game.

[treismac]

Bowser, Mario Status < Ability to use a mouse

'Tis a shame that the SNES mouse isn't retroactively supported on Simcity. It would be a rather large slice of kickass if someone released a mouse enabled hack of the game.

[MaxWar]

'Tis a shame that the SNES mouse isn't retroactively supported on Simcity. It would be a rather large slice of kickass if someone released a mouse enabled hack of the game.

+1.
If some rom hackers can add SNES mouse support ill be all over this.

[Tanooki]

If someone could do that and put it on an infinite lives board I could then slam into an existing legit SNES shell with a Sim City sticker on it I'd pay up for it. I'd only hope it was hacked well and not sloppy so my retron 5 would pick it up. :D When hacking it, fix that shitty bug that kills the power for a month which temporarily messes up your population too.

[Leo_A]

With the way the game is setup, I think a mouse might be more hindrance than benefit. It's extremely easy laying everything out accurately with the d-pad as Clownzilla said.

[Tanooki]

You're probably right but the option, not requirement, would be nice.

[Lictalon]

Maybe I was playing it wrong but: I didn't like the SNES version of SimCity (or SimEarth for that matter) because I thought I went _way_ too slow, whereas I could speed it up a lot more on the PC.

[Jorpho]

I assume the PC version doesn't have the bug where all your power is disabled for a while after loading your game.I vaguely recall that, but it lasts so briefly as to be inconsequential.


I think the scenario feature was created in the SNES.Not by any means! Scenarios have been there since the very beginning. The SNES version did a better job of keeping track of which ones you'd finished, though.

Anyway, I would have thought the ability to save multiple cities would have given the PC version a considerable edge. Some versions also let you load up alternative graphic sets, which is nice.

It's a pity nothing particularly awesome ever came of the Micropolis source code release.

[Leo_A]

There are multiple save slots for the SuperNes game as well.

[Jorpho]

There are multiple save slots for the SuperNes game as well.Well, yes, but aren't there only two of them? On a PC, you could fill your entire hard drive.

[Leo_A]

I forget for sure, but I think there were three. More than enough for most purposes (At least from my experiences).

Edit: If a quick Google search can be believed (I'm too lazy to get up and confirm myself), it's two. So it's an advantage, but not much of a one. How often would anyone really need more than two slots?