Really interested in starting to play the SIMS again, but want to know if it is worth finding 5 bucks for. Thanks for any replies, Mark

For 5 dollars? Can't really go wrong with all the content and expandability the game has. Are there particular worries you have?

the game isn't perfect; but yes: it is worth 5 dollars...

play simcity 2000 first, is my only advice

Thanks for the replies. Will definetly pick it iup. Thanks, Mark

Is this a trick question? Yes, SimCity 4 is worth paying $5. It's pretty much the gold standard when it comes to city building games. Like Darvond says, there's a huge amount of free content out there. If you just want something basic, you might prefer the earlier SimCity games. SimCity 4 is rather complex. The tutorial will teach you how to play rather quickly, but it may take a long time before you master it.

Really not a trick question. But with Christmas for the kids, 5 bucks is five bucks. Thanks for the infor though,. I appreciate it, Mark

In 2018, I would argue that Cities: Skylines is the ultimate city simulator and it is often on sale for about the same price. Many quality of life changes and easier to get a grasp on. However, SimCity 4 is good and SimCity has that charm about it.

Don't forget the Network Addon Mod, it's more or less essential if you want the traffic to work.
https://www.moddb.com/mods/network-addon-mod

Personally I had more fun with SC2K and 3K.

Cities: Skylines is amazing as well, base game is often cheap and bundled with a few of the older DLC, but it's a Paradox game, so... loads and loads and loads and loads of DLC content, for better or worse.

I can only say I've heard great things about it, it's not my genre so I'm not personally interested. Check out some YouTube footage for yourself.

SimCity 4 vanilla was really bad, but the Rush Hour expansion improved it a lot (and Network Addon Mod improved it even more). But it is still lacking some content, especially with the variety of buildings, but you can download more. It is also a very detailed and difficult game, it is a true simulation, so I would not recommend it if you are new to SimCity. But it is really a one-of-a-kind game if you are interested in urban planning. $20 is overpriced for its age but $5 is ok, but not great. I hope Cities: Skylines also appears on GOG one day so I can compare.

Sim City 4 is not the most user friendly game out there. It takes some time and dedication to get into, but it's one of the best city builders on the market. I agree with those who say that Cities: Skylines is better, but the two games actually make radically different assumptions about urban planing and what's important. Cities: Skylines is far more focused on the roads, and the ability for someone to get from point A to point B, while Sim City focuses more on proximity and having basic needs met within the city.