Today in the Bargain Bin we’ve got Sim City Classic.

I first played Sim City on my Nintendo Entertainment System, having rented it from Erols Video.  While I enjoyed it, I wasn’t fond of moving around with the D-Pad on the controller.  Some time later I found a PC copy in the local Wal-Mart, titled Sim City Classic and included a level creator.  I played this immensely, and was the door opener for me and RTS games.  So why not, go back into my gaming history and relive an old classic?

Because CABAL refused to run it.

But I was able to once again, find a web based version!  Located here.

Now this web based version doesn’t have any sounds, and also lacks some of the options I remember from the regular game, and there is only one choice of land.  But I can only work with what I got, so I’ll just be ignoring all that.

In Sim City, you cannot win, nor can you lose.  For many this is the perfect game.  And it makes for a great casual game, probably one of the first real casual games.

I start playing, trying to remember all my old strategies, build the power plant far away to avoid the smog, zone residential closer to the water, stuff like that.  I don’t think I’m doing too bad, people seem to like my place so far.

I start to notice some traffic issues, so I opt to run some rail lines.  Only, I manage to box myself in and have to level some newly zoned areas to allow for my train.  But all is well, I even take the time to swap out my power plant for a nuclear one.

Then the flood comes…  But not even Mother Nature can stop me now.

But as my population exceeds 86,000, I now have an Airport, Seaport, and two Stadiums.  I figure now is as good a time as any to stop.  After all, I can’t win it, and in fact the game will go on for ever if I let it.

And to top things off, they liked me more than they hated me.  Who could ask for more?

For a game that was developed almost 30 years ago it still has a good hold on what entertainment is.  For many people the ‘Sim’ games are loved, and for many they aren’t.  You’re never going to please everyone with a game.  But I think that a game like Sim City is one of those games that can appeal to more than most.  Although I would rate Sim City 2000 to be the best in the Sim City Series.

And even this cut back web based version, missing all but the basics, still works.  It’s fun, it’s enjoyable, it’s entertainment, and that’s what we look for in a game.  I definitely would say when you’re playing The Sims 3, that you take a moment to go back and play a little bit of Sim City Classic.  It’s the game that started it all.

Sim City Classic recives a score of 4.