I used to describe myself as a console gamer.  I play and enjoy games on any device that will play them, but recently realized that more than half of my all-time favorite series are PC titles.  With the motion controls of the Wii, and the mouse and keyboard support of the PS3, I’m surprised we’re not seeing more attempts to bring the best of the PC to your TV.

    Sim City Creator for the Nintendo Wii is just that—an attempt to bring a PC-type game to a console.  It’s not Sim City’s first appearance on a console, but it seems like a no-brainer coupled with the Wii remote.  I mentioned before that some of my most beloved games are on the PC.  Of those games, the Sim City series is near the top of my list.  I have been playing Sim City games for years, and it’s one of very few games I’m really good at.  Naturally I’m looking at Sim City Creator as a fan of the series, and may be a harsher critic than most.

    For the uninitiated, Sim City is a game where you function as the Mayor of your very own city.  Since you don’t have to worry about being elected, it’s more like being a city planner.  You begin with nothing but money in the bank, and as mayor, you can spend it how you see fit.  You’ll begin by building roads and zoning land for residential, commercial, and industrial use.  As your city grows, you must provide additional services, utilities, zones, etc.  From time to time it becomes necessary to make deals with neighboring cities, and the occasional shady businessman.  Whether your city becomes a thriving metropolis or a forgotten nuclear waste dump it totally up to you.

    For fans of the series, Sim City Creator comes off as Sim City 3.5.  It borrows heavily from the last two main games Sim City 3000 and Sim City 4.  There are some new features added but the core gameplay feels like a hybrid of the best two SC games.  The graphics are similar to Sim City 4, borrowing some of the same building and street models.  When zoning land for development, Creator functions more like 3000, and does not automatically add streets like part 4.  The result is almost decent mash-up of two solid games.

    New to Creator is Hero Buildings.  Add one of these to your city and watch your city transform into a distinct architecture style.  Choose the right hero building, and your city may become a modern Euro style city or a crystal wonderland.  It makes the cities you build look and feel unique enough to identify them from a screenshot. 

    Although there is a new coat of paint, Creator is a game series veterans have played before. The Wii remote lacks the accuracy of a PC mouse and becomes frustrating at times.  You will find yourself using the undo button a lot.  Your city advisors function similarly to the previous games… only useful to a first time player.  Making deals with neighboring cities often glitches up and does not work properly.  Ultimately, if you’re a SimCity fan, stay away from this one as it may turn you away from the series altogether.  SimCity Creator is riddled with bugs, glitches, and even typos.  It may be okay for someone new to SimCity, but I have to recommend any of the PC versions over this one on the Nintendo Wii.

    SimCity Creator is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB, and is only available on Nintendo Wii.

Kevin “Mello Joe” Mercer is a former radio personality and a lifelong gamer. You can find him on Xbox Live and Playstation Network, Gamertag: Mellojoe. View the world as he sees it at www.youtube.com/user/mellojoe. www.myspace.com/charlesk