imacheat (Win95, Pocket PC)

Unlock the secrets of SimCity 2000! Discover essential strategies for RCI zones, taxes, land value, and more to build your ultimate metropolis.

Hey there! So you're diving into SimCity 2000 and want to get the most out of it, huh? This guide is going to break down some of the stuff that people often get wrong about how the game actually works. We're going to focus on what really makes your city grow, from the basic zones to the nitty-gritty details.

I've been digging into this game a lot lately, testing things out to figure out what's fact and what's just old rumors. A lot of what you read online or even in old game manuals just isn't quite right. So, I've tidied up my notes to help you out, whether you're just starting or you've been playing for ages. Just a heads-up, I'm not going to get too deep into arcologies – they're kind of a cheat code that bypasses the fun of building a city. Most of my testing was on the Windows 95 version, so while it should be pretty similar across platforms, there might be tiny differences.

• The absolute essentials for a working city are power, RCI zones, and decent transit. You can get pretty far with just these.
• The biggest thing for RCI zone development is sticking to the game's desired zone ratio, which shifts as your city gets bigger. You can slack off in other areas and still grow, as long as you get the zones right.
• Tax rates give you some wiggle room. 9% taxes mean you *have* to stick to the right zone ratio, but demand stays high. Lower taxes let you build more freely. Go above 9% and your population can get really unstable. On harder difficulties, you might need to lower industrial taxes.
• Only RCI zones actually need transit, and they need paths to each other. Don't bother with transit for other buildings unless it looks cool.
• To get big, dense zones, you need high land value. This comes from good water, nice scenery (trees, parks, water), and keeping pollution, crime, and rubble away.
• Health and education? Honestly, they don't impact the rest of the game much, even though there are lots of things that affect them.
• City ordinances can really tweak demand, money, and quality of life, and we'll cover how.
• And yeah, rotating the map actually changes your city. Weird, right?

The Core: RCI Zones

Residential (where Sims live), Commercial (where they shop), and Industrial (where they work) zones are the heart of your city. Everything else is just there to support them. Power and transit are also crucial, but only RCI zones actually use transit. The game likes a specific