| Genre |
Life simulation |
City-building simulation |
| Gameplay |
Control virtual people ("sims"), build homes, relationships, pursue goals |
Build city infrastructure, manage resources and budgets, grow population |
| Perspective |
Third-person controlling individual sims |
Top-down god view overseeing entire city |
| Focus |
Individual sims and households |
Entire city |
| Customization |
Extremely high - sims, homes, clothes, furniture, etc |
Moderate - buildings, roads, zones |
| Goals |
Player driven - careers, skills, relationships |
Strategic city-building - utilities, budgets, happiness |
| Maps |
Neighborhoods and houses |
Urban landscapes |
| Simulation |
Daily life, routines, needs of sims |
City systems like power, water, traffic |
| Multiplayer |
Primarily single player, some local co-op |
Single or multiplayer trading resources |
| Expansions |
Frequent - new locations, careers, items |
Infrequent - new systems and challenges |
| Developer |
Maxis (EA) |
Maxis (EA) |
| First Release |
The Sims (2000) |
SimCity (1989) |