SimCity
Open-source simulation engine based on the original SimCity Classic, designed for building city simulation games.
What is SimCity?
Micropolis is an open-source city simulation engine based on the original SimCity Classic code from Maxis, designed by Will Wright. It provides a modular simulation core that models urban dynamics like zoning, traffic, and disasters, allowing developers to build custom city-building games or interfaces. The project modernizes the legacy code into a cross-platform engine that can run in browsers via WebAssembly or headlessly in Node.js.
Game developers interested in city simulation mechanics, retrocomputing enthusiasts exploring legacy codebases, and educators or researchers needing a modifiable urban simulation platform.
It offers a proven, historically significant simulation foundation under the GPL license, with modern refactoring for flexibility and cross-platform deployment, unlike proprietary alternatives.
Overview
Automatically exported from code.google.com/p/micropolis
Use Cases
Best For
- Building browser-based city simulation games using WebAssembly
- Studying classic simulation game architecture and urban modeling
- Creating educational tools for urban planning concepts
- Experimenting with retro game interfaces like TCL/Tk or Flash
- Developing headless simulation backends for research or AI training
- Modding or extending the original SimCity gameplay mechanics
Not Ideal For
- Developers seeking a complete, polished city-building game with modern graphics and UI
- Teams requiring up-to-date documentation and active community support for quick onboarding
- Projects focused on mobile platforms or high-performance 3D rendering without extensive modification
- Organizations needing a simple, out-of-the-box simulation with minimal setup and legacy dependencies
Pros & Cons
Pros
Includes original SimCity Classic code with legacy versions for TCL/Tk, PyGTK, and Flash, making it a treasure trove for retrocomputing enthusiasts and game archaeology.
MicropolisCore is a clean C++ rewrite that decouples simulation logic from UI, enabling cross-platform use and easier maintenance, as highlighted in the README.
Compiles to WebAssembly via Emscripten for browser execution and runs headlessly in Node.js, allowing integration into diverse environments from web apps to research backends.
Released under GPL with a proven simulation core, it provides a modifiable base for educational tools, urban planning studies, and custom game development without licensing fees.
Cons
The README notes that wiki documentation needs updating and illustration, creating barriers for developers trying to understand or extend the codebase.
With a lineage spanning C64 to Flash, the project has convoluted dependencies and legacy code, making navigation and contribution difficult without deep historical context.
The README explicitly directs new development to MicropolisCore, indicating that the main repo is not the focus for updates, potentially leading to stagnation or compatibility issues.
Open Source Alternative To
SimCity is an open-source alternative to the following products:
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
OpenRAOpen Source real-time strategy game engine for early Westwood games such as Command & Conquer: Red Alert written in C# using SDL and OpenGL. Runs on Windows, Linux, *BSD and Mac OS X.
VVVVVVThe source code to VVVVVV! http://thelettervsixtim.es/
OpenTTDOpenTTD is an open source simulation game based upon Transport Tycoon Deluxe
Prince of PersiaA running-jumping-swordfighting game I made on the Apple II from 1985-89
Found a gem we're missing?
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.