Options Menu (Differences)

Discover the key differences between the SNES and NES prototype versions of SimCity's Options Menu, including Auto Go To, Disasters, Graphs, and Dr. Wright.

Hey there! So, you're curious about how the Options Menu shakes out between the SNES version and the older NES prototype of SimCity? It's pretty neat to see how things evolved. Let's break down the main distinctions you'll find.

First off, the SNES version gets some handy tools that are missing from the NES prototype: the Magnifying Glass and the Inspection feature. These make a big difference in how you can poke around your city.

Auto Go To

This one's pretty straightforward. In the SNES version, 'Auto Go To' is on by default, which is super convenient. However, on the NES prototype, you'll find it's off when you first start up a game. The only other minor tweaks are in the text itself. Because the NES screen is smaller, a lot of the titles are hyphenated and split across two lines to fit.

Disasters

This is where things get a bit more thematic! The biggest change is in the disaster menu, specifically concerning Godzilla (or Bowser, as he's known in the SNES version). The NES prototype hasn't been updated to reflect the Mario universe yet. So, the icon for the disaster menu is a mini-Godzilla. In the SNES version, it's a Bowser/Monster footprint. Once you're inside the menu, the 'Monster Attack' selection is pretty much the same. The actual image for the disaster in the NES prototype shows Godzilla stomping on a town, which is pretty intense!

Just like with the Options menu, the other differences here are mostly just wording. The NES prototype uses hyphenated, two-line titles, likely due to screen space. I personally like the 'Air Crash' wording on the NES.

City Map (Comprehensive)

The main difference here is the inclusion of the Road Map in the SNES version, which is absent in the NES prototype. This makes navigating your city much easier in the SNES release.

Graphs (Graph)

When you're looking at your city's graphs, the time period you can view is different. The NES prototype lets you see graphs for 100 years, while the SNES version extends this to 120 years.

Bank

This is a pretty significant functional change. In the NES prototype, the Bank is just a button on the current page. But in the SNES version, it becomes its own selection in the Options Menu, found under 'Information,' and you can only access it after you've built the Bank structure.

Dr. Wright

Here's a fun little behavioral difference! On the SNES, if you bother Dr. Wright too much by clicking on him repeatedly, he'll get annoyed and turn his back. Don't worry, it's not permanent! I've tried repeatedly clicking on him in the NES prototype, and he never seems to get upset or turn away. It's a small touch, but it adds a bit of personality to the SNES version.