Simcity 3000 < Windows >

The late-night jazz soundtrack by Jerry Martin is legendary. When you are deep in the red, trying to figure out why your water pumps are dry, that saxophone solo hits differently. It feels like the city is sighing with you.

This is where the game’s personality shines. Instead of dry text boxes, you are bombarded by a cast of eccentric advisors. The Transportation Advisor yells about traffic jams. The Finance Advisor panics about bond ratings. The Environmental Advisor guilt-trips you about pollution. The Health & Education advisor worries about hospitals and libraries. Their voice acting (and the ability to turn them off when they get annoying) added a layer of Simlish-flavored charm. SimCity 3000