SimLife: The Genetic Playground

The A500/A600/500+ version was released around the same time as Sim Life AGA, the drop in speed was minimal and you was able to create the smaller two worlds. Apart from that, the two games are playing in the same manner. While earlier Maxis games involved developing ant colonies, buildings or planets, Sim Life is directed at creating and sustaining plants and animals. As in previous Maxis titles, Sim Life features both a macro and micro approach to its subject matter. Not only will you be challenged to build an ecosystem by adjusting such variables as climate, physics, time, and elevation, but you can also create new species by either splicing genes or mixing three different parts from existing animals or plants. Creatures will evolve and mutate over time, interact with others, and may even become extinct due to environmental changes. Choose from six preset scenarios, a built-in tutorial, and an option to play an “experimental” or freeform game. Sim Life does everything it claims to do, and although it's extremely technical, it never baffles the user with jargon. Its only real downfall is, of course, the fact that only a small percentage of users will fully appreciate what it can do.