SimCity™ 4 Deluxe Edition

I am 55. My ex-wife and I have a daughter together, and adopted our son together. They are now both 4 years old. When we were going through our separation, I found myself lost and miserable. I was self destructive. I got so mad one day from everything spiraling out of my control that I punched some concrete in a moment of overwhelming emotion. That caused me to break my 5th metacarpal in my right hand... my working hand... my games hand.. the hand that I held and carried my children to bed with.. The hand I desperately needed to make sure I could continue to provide. After learning of the severity of my self-inflicted damage, I was borderline suicidal. Keep in mind that just a few months before this, I was the happiest man with no history of depression or anxiety. I have never had fits of rage, or been one to break down and cry, but I was in a low spot that just really buried me from being able to see the light on the other side. Having nothing better to do, I searched for a game I could play, ONE HANDED while I recovered. I somehow stumbled upon this game and read some of the reviews. I decided that it had to be worth a shot... I must admit, I didn't beat the game, or play nearly as long as some of you. In fact, I may have only played this game a day or two.. With that being said, after doing so, I had a new found joy and hope for life. I was able to put behind me the pain and suffering that had been cast over me. I was able to experience other peoples joy and happiness. I was able to see the fruits of my "labor". I relaxed for 5 ♥♥♥♥ing minutes to this music long enough to realize that I was going to be okay. After coming to that realization, I turned the game off, and I went back to work. It hurt my hand like hell but I was motivated. I stopped feeling so damn sorry for myself, and I became the father I needed to be in that moment, not the weak boy I was behaving as. Today, I am close friend with my kids mother. We don't fight, or argue, or say hurtful things to each other. We are parents, and friends. I now have 3 kids. My third child is, wait for it, ALSO 4 YEARS OLD. The woman I am with was going through a very similar situation at the time of my own separation, and we just stumbled in to each others life unexpectedly. We have been in a relationship for a year now, and are very happy together. Moral of the story, you never know what life holds in store for you, and if I would have given up when all the odds were stacked against me, I wouldn't be where I am today. This silly little game helped me realize that. Thank you.

Still holds up very well today, and in a lot of ways it beats its contemporary successors like Cities: Skylines as it does a great job of simulating incredibly large cities while also giving you the flexibility to have fully functioning crime ridden slums. CSL base game gives you no content and buying all the DLC is incredibly expensive, whereas this is just everything for a reasonable price and frequently goes on sale. There's people still adding things to the game and fixing bugs, and while you can still play the game vanilla, these plugins really do add a lot and are worth spending a few hours setting up. See this thread to get started https://community.simtropolis.com/forums/topic/762126-the-ultimate-guide-to-simcity-4-mods-for-new-players/ Can't recommend this game enough to anyone who is even vaguely interested in city building.

Hitting "Stop" in Steam while this game is minimized causes Windows 11 to crash lol. Anyways, 22 years and many versions of Windows later, there is still no comparison to this game. 10/10 city builder.

SimCity 4 Deluxe on Steam offers a classic city-building experience that remains highly regarded among fans of urban simulation games, even years after its original release. The game’s depth, complexity, and attention to detail set it apart from many other city builders, providing a robust platform for players to create, manage, and evolve sprawling metropolises. Its graphics, while dated by modern standards, still hold a nostalgic charm, complemented by a comprehensive interface that balances accessibility with depth. The Deluxe edition includes the base game along with the Rush Hour expansion, adding new features, transportation options, and scenarios that significantly expand the gameplay possibilities. One of the most impressive aspects of SimCity 4 Deluxe is its simulation engine. Unlike more simplified city builders, it offers a nuanced and realistic simulation of urban growth, infrastructure, zoning, and resource management. Players must carefully plan residential, commercial, and industrial zones, balancing the needs of their citizens while managing budgets, traffic flow, pollution, and public services. The inclusion of detailed transportation systems—roads, railways, subways, and even airports—allows for intricate planning, which is essential for the smooth functioning of larger cities. The game challenges players to think strategically about city layout and long-term growth, making it a rewarding experience for those who enjoy complex problem-solving. The Rush Hour expansion adds significant depth to the game, introducing more transportation options, new scenarios, and additional tools for managing traffic congestion and urban planning challenges. It also adds a variety of new buildings and landscapes, giving players more creative freedom and ways to customize their cities. The expansion's emphasis on transportation infrastructure encourages players to think about the flow of goods, people, and services, which is crucial for maintaining a thriving city. The inclusion of scenarios with preset objectives provides structured gameplay for those who prefer guided challenges, while the sandbox mode allows for unrestricted creativity. This versatility makes SimCity 4 Deluxe appealing to a broad audience, from casual city planners to hardcore simulation enthusiasts. The game’s soundtrack and visual aesthetic, while relatively simple, contribute to its immersive quality. The music is unobtrusive and calming, allowing players to focus on the intricate details of city management. The visual style, characterized by detailed sprites and isometric views, remains functional and clear, though it is certainly aged compared to modern graphics. Despite this, the game’s interface is well-designed, offering easy access to complex features and data, which is crucial given the depth of simulation involved. The modding community has also contributed a wealth of user-created content, including custom buildings, maps, and utilities, which significantly extend the game’s lifespan and customization options. Overall, SimCity 4 Deluxe on Steam is a timeless city-building simulation that rewards patience, strategic thinking, and creativity. Its detailed simulation engine and expansive content make it a compelling experience for those interested in urban planning and management. While its graphics may feel dated, its depth and complexity more than compensate, offering countless hours of engaging gameplay. The inclusion of the Rush Hour expansion enhances its appeal, providing additional tools and scenarios that keep the gameplay fresh. For fans of the genre, SimCity 4 Deluxe remains a benchmark for city-building excellence, a game that challenges players to think critically about urban development and enjoy the satisfying process of constructing and nurturing a thriving metropolis. Rating: 8/10

Conocí esta increible saga hace muchos años con el SimCity 3000. Cuando hablamos de juegos builders se nos viene a la mente SimCity por ser el pionero, y en esta ocasión el 4 Deluxe no decepciona. Es mucho mas detallado y complejo que el 3000, pero con un rato jugándolo se comprende fácil (y cada modo de juego trae tutoriales). Es verdad que tiene algunos glitches (puede pasar que se crashee, así que recomendación; guarden la partida de a ratos), sería bueno que EA los solucione, pero también hay varios mods que pueden hacer mas llevaderos esos errores del juego. En fin, muy entretenido para quienes nos gustan los juegos de gestión, construcción y lógica

Nach anfänglicher Euphorie, dass ein Spiel aus meiner Jugend endlich wieder spielbar ist, kam sehr schnell die Ernüchterung... Leider stürzt das Spiel nach spätestens 30-40 Minuten Spielzeit ab. Richtig Freude kommt so natürlich nicht auf. Natürlich kann man oft zwischenspeichern, aber 10-15 Minuten fehlen dann immer allemale, da man ja nicht Minütlich abspeichert. Hatte mich wirklich darauf gefreut und war am Anfang auch total begeistert, aber muss nun wirklich sagen: Spart euch das Geld und holt euch lieber nen Döner davon...habt ihr eindeutig mehr von!! Zum Glück für 5 Euro im Sale gekauft, aber leider ist selbst das noch zu teuer und ich ärgere mich hierüber, das Geld ausgegeben zu haben. Schade!!

23 years and counting... still nothing comes close to beating the charm and soundtrack of this game.

Hey so this game is old asf and there's been a long period where I haven't been able to launch it. But I can now! some recent developments and a decated community of modders have it functioning again. This is the ultimate true city builder and just has something that makes me keep coming back to play over and over. You'll need to tinker a bit and add some mods to get it all hunky dory check the guides and Simtroplios website and mod loader to find mods and learn more. I see a few people mentioning crashing I have also had this issue the age of the game means it should only be run on a single CPU core. This can be set in task manager. I can't get this game running over 1600 x 1200 resoultion I see some people have been able to but I am content to play this windowed at that resoultion full screen just put a black boarder around it. I have used DGvoodoo Ui to set this. There is another issue with using the save and exit and save and quit options with a modded game use Ctrl + S to save instead - see Simtropolis site and save warning mod. My game has been installed and modded over and over I've built a custom heightmap of Christchurch to build in. I my install of the game has some odd querks by now but still keeps surprising me and providing me enjoyment. The new mod loader is a gamechanger and makes the modding process a billion times cleaner and easier. Get building

frequent random crashes like a bethesda game, an issue that isn't present when you run the hard copy/original game. EA clearly does not care to address it. Build up and start a city only for the game to crash and you lose everything, unless you remember to frequently save.