#8: Sim City
Platform(s): Mac, Commodore 64, OLPC-XL1
Year: October 3, 1989
Why Did it Change Gaming? (Building Simulation):
Sim City was a game created by developer Will Wright under the company Maxis (a division of Electronic Arts).
The success of Sim City spawned many other “Sim” titles including the spin-off series “The Sims” (released in 2000), which was the best-selling computer game up until 2012. Will Wright also admitted the game was inspired by features of his earlier title “Raid on Bungeling Day”. Will Wright also admitted Sim City was heavily influenced by system dynamics.
Sim City was a highly innovative game in the creative department; allowing players to explore their imaginations, letting them build their own cities where citizens could work and live throughout their very own creation. Will Wright redefined the mindset of players that games can be explored to be something else while still being fun, the Sims series seems to be a genre in it’s own right.