SimCity 4 is a city-building simulation video game created by Maxis, a company owned by Electronic Arts. The game was released in January 2003 for Microsoft Windows and in June 2003 for Mac OS X. It is the fourth major version in the SimCity series. SimCity 4 includes one expansion pack called Rush Hour, which adds new features to the game. SimCity 4: Deluxe Edition combines the original game and Rush Hour into one product.

In the game, players can shape a region of land and build a settlement that can grow into a city. Players can divide land into areas for commercial, industrial, or residential use. They also build and manage public services, transportation, and utilities. To keep a city successful, players must handle its money, environment, and the well-being of its residents. SimCity 4 was the first game in the SimCity series to include night and day cycles and other special effects. Tools like the Building Architect Tool (BAT) let players add custom buildings and content to the game.

SimCity 4 was recognized for being the first main SimCity game to use a 3D engine to create its graphics, following the use of 3D graphics in SimCity 64 for the Nintendo 64DD. The game received high praise, won many awards, and was among the top ten best-selling PC games in 2003. However, some players found it difficult and noted that it required strong computer performance.

Gameplay

SimCity 4 places players in the role of a mayor, responsible for creating and managing cities by developing land and meeting the needs of Sims who live there. Cities are built in regions divided into sections, each of which can be developed. Players can choose to start their city in a section of one of three sizes. The smallest section is one kilometer long on each side, and the largest is four kilometers long on each side. The size and layout of a region can be changed using a bitmap file provided for each region.

Neighbor cities have a bigger role in SimCity 4 than in earlier versions. Players can make deals with other cities to trade resources like water, electricity, and garbage disposal for money. Players can manage multiple cities at the same time, connecting them so they depend on each other and eventually fill the entire region.

When a player selects a section of land, the game has three modes: God mode, Mayor mode, and MySim mode. Mayor and MySim modes become available after a city is created. God mode is available before and after a city is created but has fewer tools after the city is named. Destroying a city resets the map and restores all God mode tools.

In God mode, players can shape the land where a city will be built and cause disasters like tornadoes or earthquakes. Players can choose where a disaster happens and control its direction. Most land-shaping tools are not available after the city is named, but some remain in Mayor mode at a high cost. Players can still cause disasters in any mode.

God mode also lets players fix mistakes in city borders and adjust the time of day, making it always day, always night, or alternating between day and night. These tools are available even after the city is built.

In Mayor mode, players build cities by creating roads, streets, highways, railways, subways, and bus stations. They can also plan where buildings will go, construct public buildings like schools and hospitals, and set tax rates. Players can shape the land and plant trees, but these tools are limited and expensive compared to God mode.

Zones are areas of land that start empty but are later filled with buildings based on their type and density. Zones can be residential (for homes), commercial (for businesses), or industrial (for factories). A new type of zone called agriculture allows farms to grow if there is demand for food, even if land is expensive. Zones are now automatically aligned with roads, and most buildings must be near a road to work. Streets are created automatically when large areas are zoned.

Buildings are grouped by wealth level, type of zone, and size. The game shows how buildings change over time, such as when they fall into disrepair or are repaired. Some buildings can be used by lower-income residents if higher-income residents leave. Buildings can be built on sloped land.

Public buildings like schools, hospitals, and fire stations require money to operate. These buildings come in different sizes, unlike earlier versions. Cities also need power, water, and waste management. Facilities like schools and hospitals now cover smaller areas, similar to police and fire stations in previous games.

Players can set funding for individual buildings instead of all buildings at once. As buildings age, their costs and efficiency decrease based on how much they are used and how much money is spent on them.

In MySim mode, players create Sims who live and work in the city. Sims can die from disasters, leave the city if conditions are poor, or die of old age. Sometimes, a Sim’s child takes over their home, job, and name after they die.

Buildings in SimCity 4 are based on four architectural styles: early office buildings from Chicago in the 1890s, Art Deco designs from New York in the 1940s, modernist buildings from Houston in the 1990s, and European-style buildings from Germany in the 2000s. Some buildings are inspired by real places, such as the Shell Building in San Francisco and the Empire State Building in New York City.

Development

SimCity 4 uses a 3D engine to create its graphics, unlike earlier versions that used 2D isometric graphics and sprites. The landscape and moving objects, like cars, are made as 3D shapes that can be rotated. Smaller buildings and objects are shown as flat images placed on billboards, which are flat surfaces facing the camera. Larger buildings use a mix of methods: a basic 3D shape outlines the building, and then textures are added to show details like doors, windows, and rooftop items.

Even though the game uses a 3D engine, the camera view is fixed to a specific type of projection called trimetric orthographic for better performance. Players can now see the city at night and during the day, but the time of day does not change how the game is played.

The game includes more than three hours of background music in MP3 format, with each song lasting between three and eight minutes. The music is separated into tracks for region mode and god mode, and tracks for the city view in mayor mode and MySim mode. Players can also add their own music to the game, which is divided between the same views. The music was mostly composed by Jerry Martin and was released separately as a soundtrack.

Add-ons and modifications

After the release of SimCity 4, several add-ons and development tools became available on its official website. New landmarks, such as Rockefeller Center, the Brandenburg Gate, and Stonehenge, were shared online. Later, these landmarks were mainly used to show the abilities of Gmax and the Building Architect Tool (BAT) around the time the BAT was first released.

The Terrain Generator tool allowed users to create maps based on any of the 48 connected U.S. states. These maps used data collected by the United States Geological Survey.

The Building Architect Tool (BAT) is a set of tools designed to help users create custom buildings. This set includes three parts: the Building Architect game pack for Gmax, which let users turn Gmax models into SimCity 4 sprites or props for use in the Lot Editor (LE); an updated version of the LE; and the Plug-in Manager, which lets users change simulation settings for new lots. Several updated versions of the BAT were released, which fixed problems that were not found before the first release. The BAT was first released in February 2004 and allowed the modding community to create custom buildings and props for SimCity 4. The BAT in SimCity 4 works similarly to the Building Architect Tool in SimCity 3000 and the Urban Renewal Kit in SimCity 2000. However, earlier versions of these tools were created from scratch by Maxis and had different interfaces. The SimCity 4 BAT required a third-party program (Gmax) to work and was never included with SimCity 4 or the Rush Hour expansion pack, unlike the BAT in SimCity 3000 Unlimited.

The Lot Editor (LE) is a tool that lets users edit or design lots for SimCity 4 using available props. It was released several months before the BAT as a standalone version, so users at the time could only create lots using built-in props from SimCity 4. The BAT later provided an updated version of the LE, which made the original LE outdated. However, the original version is still available on the official website.

In addition to official tools, third-party programs were created to help users edit SimCity 4 content, which could change the game itself. After the release of the Lot Editor and the BAT, most add-ons available were created by users. These included buildings and lots, such as real-life landmarks, chain stores, and extra houses, as well as changes to terrain, plants, vehicles, and game behavior. Some of these changes completely altered how the game worked, such as adding multi-function transportation networks or changing how far Sims would walk to reach transit or jobs. In some cases, both lot-building and modding skills were combined to create lots that affected cities in many ways. Some third-party content was only available to users who owned expansion packs or other mods.

The modding community for SimCity 4 has continued for more than 20 years after the game’s release. This community is known for its long-lasting impact and the wide variety of content created by players.

Reception

In the United Kingdom, SimCity 4 sold more than 100,000 copies during the first half of 2003. This made it the third most popular computer game in the UK for that period, or the eighth most popular game across all platforms. At the time, Kristan Reed of GamesIndustry.biz wrote that the game's success showed "you can still have big hits on PC." By the end of 2003, British sales reached 105,000 units, making it the 79th most popular game across all platforms that year. The game later earned a "Gold" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), which means it sold at least 200,000 copies in the UK. Its Deluxe edition received a "Silver" award from ELSPA, indicating sales of at least 100,000 copies.

Soon after its release, the PC version of SimCity 4 received mostly positive reviews. It scored 84 out of 100 on Metacritic and 85.09% on GameRankings. IGN gave it a 9.2 out of 10, calling it a "major evolutionary step in the series." The review noted that the addition of the region view mode added more depth to the game and that the gameplay offered a "more accurate representation of city planning and maintenance" than previous games in the SimCity series.

GameSpot gave SimCity 4 an 8.1 out of 10, praising its "sleek, attractive interface" and "great audio." However, the review mentioned the game felt "rather rushed" and that the MySim mode "seems like an afterthought." The review concluded that it was a "complex and detailed strategy game," though "not as polished as it could have been." The publication later named it the best computer game of January 2003.

GameSpy scored the game 75 out of 100, calling it "graphically stunning." However, the review criticized the game for having problems, such as performance issues and difficulty, that might make it less enjoyable for casual players.

1UP rated the game a B+, praising the region view feature and the detailed graphics, which created a "deeper sense of simulation." However, the review noted that the game had crashes and performance issues.

After the Mac version was released, SimCity 4 received a 7.25 out of 10 from InsideMacGames. The review said the regional gameplay was a "new and welcome addition" and praised the detailed and realistic graphics. However, it also noted the game was not "revolutionary," had "horrendous bugs," and that the tutorial and manual lacked information.

Urban planner Jeff Speck said that SimCity 4's traffic model is "more advanced than what most traffic engineers use in real life."

SimCity 4 was chosen as one of IGN's "Editors' Choice" games for January 2003. It also received the Parents' Choice Award from the Parents' Choice Foundation.

Additional content and releases

On September 22, 2003, Maxis released an expansion pack for SimCity 4 called Rush Hour. This expansion added more transportation options, such as four-lane roads and elevated rail systems. It also allowed players to track traffic movement and build larger civic buildings. These buildings had higher capacities but required more maintenance. Other features included controlling vehicles, completing missions to earn rewards, improving city ratings, and receiving cash bonuses. Players could also choose from four architectural styles: three based on American cities from different time periods and one inspired by European designs.

On the same day as the Rush Hour release, a bundle containing SimCity 4 and the expansion was released as the SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition. On August 25, 2004, Aspyr Media released the Deluxe Edition for Mac OS X.

One year later, on September 4, 2004, the Rush Hour expansion was also released for Mac OS X.

On July 20, 2010, Electronic Arts made the Deluxe Edition (SimCity 4 and Rush Hour) available for digital download on Steam, a service by Valve. The game is also available on GOG.com, Direct2Drive, Impulse, and EA’s Origin service. On April 10, 2014, Aspyr updated their Mac version of the Deluxe Edition on the Mac App Store. This update included bug fixes, performance improvements, native resolution support, and compatibility with newer Mac OS X versions.

Around 2014, it was found that the version of SimCity 4 sold on EA’s platforms (Origin and later the EA App) was outdated. This version had a different checksum, making it impossible to update. It lacked stability and modding features compared to versions on Steam or GOG.com. After community complaints on August 27, 2014, EA updated the game to match other platforms. However, on February 5, 2017, players reported the game was again changed to the outdated version. EA did not explain this change. During this time, the game’s store page used screenshots of community-made mods that could not be used on the outdated version. On June 1, 2023, EA updated the game again to match versions on other platforms.

SimCity found itself in a difficult situation because it was still trying to appeal to its core fans. The game had become too complicated for new players. Developers wanted to return to simpler roots, making it easier for newcomers to enjoy without feeling overwhelmed.

Will Wright, a developer, said in an interview on May 16, 2003, that more expansion packs after Rush Hour might be released, but none were made. In another interview on May 22, 2004, Wright mentioned Maxis was trying to find a new direction for SimCity after newer versions became increasingly complex.

Two SimCity games for PC followed SimCity 4. The first was SimCity Societies, developed by Tilted Mill Entertainment and released on November 13, 2007. The second was SimCity, announced in March 2012 and released in March 2013.

In popular culture

During the 2012 Republican presidential primaries, candidate Herman Cain's 9-9-9 tax plan was connected to a similar tax system in the video game SimCity 4. The CNBC cable network reported that the game's tax rules might have influenced Cain's proposal. The story may have first appeared in specialist publications. Cain stated there was no connection between his tax plan and the game.