There is even a burgeoning competitive PVP scene which gave Pokemon GO its first-ever appearance at the Pokemon World Championships this year. Events now fill each month’s calendar with new (and sometimes shiny) Pokemon, exclusive rewards and new ways to play the game. Quests (research tasks as they are referred to in-game) have been added that reward items and even special Pokemon. Friendship has been introduced and allows users to now exchange gifts, trade or even battle each other. These additions create an experience that incentivizes users to be more dedicated to daily play without feeling like a grind.
In 2019, the game is flooded with a multitude of tasks, activities, and events that can involve anyone from yourself to a large group of people. If you didn’t care about the IP, the game itself was very lacking. Outside of catching the original 151 Pokemon the game itself relied heavily on the nostalgia of the Pokemon franchise and augmented reality gimmick of having them show up in the real world. When it launched in 2016 it was in a lot of ways a mediocre experience. Pokemon GO in 2019 is a game I shouldn’t care about. Plus, there’s never been a more satisfying feeling than zoning a land for residential and first seeing people move in. As your city grows, you’ll have to keep track of things like mass transit, entertainment, and the economy but the difficulty curve never feels too steep, and success always seems just a stadium away. You need to make sure your Sims have access to electricity and water, but also that they’re safe, have access to healthcare, and the roads are maintained. Or you can burn it all to the ground with catastrophes like earthquakes and alien attacks.Ĭompared to the other entries in the series, the game hits that player agency sweet spot so you feel like you’re empowered to save your city without being overwhelmed by choice. You can build the perfect metropolis – see little sailboats in your marina and cars on your streets, get a statue built in your name, keep your advisors happy by building mass transit and hospitals. The sequel to the original SimCity is a beautiful, funny, detailed sandbox that gives players control of a huge, customizable map that they can manage how they see fit. SimCity 2000 may not be the most complex or original of the city-building series, but it’s definitely the most iconic.