The only new feature with any real impact on gameplay is the ability to make curved roads. You no longer have to set up a city in block-by-block grids. Instead, you can squiggle lines all over the place using the Wii Remote and make a twisting asymmetrical metropolis. While it's nice to finally have this option included in a SimCity game, control issues make it difficult to use. Don't be surprised when your curved roads come out looking like you were holding the Wii Remote with your feet. Everything in SimCity Creator is controlled with the Wii Remote. The D pad navigates menus while the motion controls mimic a mouse and handle the cursor. The problem with this setup is that the motion controls also move the camera. Moving the cursor too far from the center of the screen sends the camera soaring in that direction. There's no option to separate the two or to lock the camera in place, so you have to have a steady hand and a lot of patience if you want to build that perfect city.
There is a multiplayer mode of sorts in SimCity Creator. By going to the contest area, you can enter your city in various contests and see how you rank against your friends. You can't see leaderboards until you enter a contest, though, so you never know exactly what you're up against. It's a bare-bones mode, but it provides some more challenge if you've already blown through the Mission mode.
The crisp and clean presentation is easy on the eyes. The diverse hero buildings feature a fair amount of detail while the motion-controlled helicopter or airplane rides let you get up close and personal with your city. The menus--with their big symbols and smart organization--are easy to navigate. The charming MySims characters fit in nicely with the visuals, though you don't see or interact with them too much.
If you've never played a SimCity game before and have a capable computer, you're better off tracking down an older version. You'll get most of the features, all of the depth, and none of the control issues of SimCity Creator. If the Wii is all you've got, you'll still find a serviceable SimCity game in Creator, but you'll just have to dig a little deeper to find it.
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Where to buy
SimCity Creator (Wii):
$27.99 - $29.95
| store | price | in stock? | rating |
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$28.99 | Yes |
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$27.99 | Yes |
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$29.95 | No |
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