PC CD-ROM minimum system requirements: Pentium 166mhz; 32MB RAM; 35MB hard disk space; Windows 95; Quad-speed CD- ROM drive; SVGA. £34.99
Sim City 2000 will always be remembered as one of the great games. Maxis found a niche in the market giving the gameplayer total control. You started with a blank grid and from there you built up a metropolis of whatever size and complexity you wanted.
You were responsible for everything - traffic flow, sewerage, tax collection, law and order, education etc. In fact, to keep your city and its folks happy you became almost godlike. Although in theory you couldn't beat, or be beaten, the gameplay was riveting and its popularity reflected this.
Maxis tried to exploit this with a succession of other Sim games, some better than others, but none scaled the heights of the original.
With Streets Of Sim City, Maxis have again veered off its original course, but it has allowed for the gameplayer to import cities created within Sim City 2000 and, for those who still have Sim cities lying around on their hard disk, this is a wonderful opportunity to experience those creations from street level.
Then you get to drive around it, calling at several places randomly selected on the map, destroying enemy cars and trying to stay alive. In fact, apart from the importyour-own-cities option, Streets Of Sim City could as easily be Any Arcade Car Shoot 'Em Up. For example, in one section you drive a courier van and your objective is to earn money by picking up packages and dropping them at different locations. You win by earning the section quota within the allocated time. The money earned can then be used to customise and upgrade the weapons on your car.
Streets Of Sim City has moved far from its roots and is not the better for it. It is a mishmash of a game with little direction and the graphics (even on a P200) leave a lot to be desired. Carmageddon, Interstate 76 or the excellent Grand Theft Auto are far better at this sort of thing. Don't let the Sim badge fool you.
Graphics: 68%, Sound: 79% Gameplay: 60%