SimCity 64 may have been intended as a sequel to Nintendo's Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) release of the original 1991 SimCity, given several elements from the SNES version are found in SimCity 64, including Dr. Wright (named after Will Wright), the city's advisor. Although general gameplay in SimCity 64 is much like SimCity 2000, the game's graphical textures and building tilesets are considerably different and also, the game eliminates the water buildings and pipes only leaving the power plants and power lines. However, the game sports several advanced features that were not seen in SimCity 2000 or even SimCity 3000: The ability to view the city at night (now also available in SimCity 4), pedestrian level free-roaming of a city, and individual road vehicles and pedestrians (which could only be seen while in the free-roaming mode). Cities in the game are also presented in 3D hybrid graphics. The 64DD incarnation of the game SimCopter,[3] which was first planned as a stand-alone title, was later integrated into SimCity 64.[2]
Development
SimCity 64 was developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo. Word that it was being developed leaked to the press in mid-1997.[4] Producer Shigeru Miyamoto was involved in editing the game.[5]SimCity 64 was originally intended to be released as a launch game for the peripheral.[6] After numerous delays of the 64DD, SimCity 64 was made playable at Nintendo Space World in 1999.[7][8] The game is considerably obscure, given its Japan-only release and designation to run on the ill-fated 64DD platform.
Reception
The four reviewers of the Japanese magazine Famitsu awarded SimCity 64 scores of 8, 8, 8 and 7[7] for a total of 31 out of 40 points.[9]IGN gave the game a 6 out of 10.[2]
^"Nintendo in SimCity?". GamePro. No. 107. IDG. August 1997. p. 20. While nothing official had been announced at press time, industry sources report that Maxis and Nintendo cut a deal to create a SimCity game for the Nintendo 64. ... Shigeru Miyamoto ... will reportedly head up the project.
