Why, as a responsible adult, SimCity 2000 hits differently

Game Mechanics & the “Simulator Effect”

• Several comments dissect SimCity 2000’s underlying simulation as shallow but cleverly presented.
• The “Simulator Effect” is referenced: players project far more depth and realism onto the model than actually exists, filling gaps with imagination.
• This is framed as an intentional design strategy: optimize for a coherent mental model and fun, not accurate urban simulation or politics.

Transport, Water, and Other System Flaws

• Traffic is described as fundamentally “broken”: trips choose random junction exits and time out easily, making realistic road grids and hub‑and‑spoke transit nonviable.
• Optimal play often means highly artificial, junction‑free point‑to‑point networks, or even disconnected cities that still satisfy demand.
• Debate over water: some claim pipes are mostly cosmetic; others cite tests suggesting water significantly raises land value and affects development.
• Comparisons are made to later games/mods (SimCity 3000/4, NAM, Cities: Skylines) and to Transport Tycoon for more robust transport logic.

Nostalgia, Aging, and Morality in Play

• Some readers resonate with revisiting SimCity as adults: priorities shift from maximizing density to creating pleasant, “leafy” suburbs.
• Others reject over‑seriousness: SimCity is praised as a sandbox whose charm is precisely its illusory realism.
• A few extrapolate to future games where NPCs might be self‑aware agents, raising ethical questions about “playing god.”

Cars, Transit, Density, and Children

• A huge subthread uses SimCity as a springboard into real‑world urbanism.
• One camp: having kids makes car dependence understandable; dense cities and transit are seen as stressful or “child‑hostile,” especially with strollers.
• Counter‑camp: cites experiences in New York, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, etc., arguing dense, low‑car cities are excellent for kids’ freedom, safety, and activities; cargo bikes feature heavily.
• Intense disagreement over whether density lowers fertility, whether suburbs are economically subsidized by cities, and how fairly externalities of car use are priced.
• Many emphasize that American “cars or nothing” is a policy choice: zoning, subsidies, and infrastructure design, not geography alone.

UI, Versions, and Alternatives

• The clunky SC2K UI is recalled fondly; hidden long‑press menus were confusing but compact.
• People discuss GOG’s DOS version, SimCity 4, Theotown, and other city‑builders, plus classics like SimTower, as spiritual relatives with differing realism/complexity trade‑offs.