Parents' Guide to

SimCity BuildIt

By Chris Morris, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Decent city builder marred by "freemium" model.

App iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android Free Simulation Games
SimCity BuildIt Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • SimCity BuildIt App: Screenshot #1
  • SimCity BuildIt App: Screenshot #2
  • SimCity BuildIt App: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 6 parent reviews

Kystal A.
Kystal A. Adult
March 27, 2023
age 2+
Its a game for an older crowd. I feel that a lot of comments are saying " too advanced for my kid "0" stars, well maybe give them a game they can comprehend. I dont give a bad review to a kindergarden teacher why my child isnt passing grade 12 math.... This is a good game
1 person found this helpful.
Jason787
Jason787 Adult
February 3, 2021
age 2+

Glitchy and lots of bugs.

Most gameplay requires money. So disappointed that EA has ruined such a classic game.
See all 6 parent reviews

What’s It About?

In SIMCITY BUILDIT, players oversee a new city, establishing zones for commercial, residential, and industrial development. To build properties, you'll have to create resources -- such as wood, steel, plastic, nails, and lumber -- in factories and stores. This is a time-consuming process that generally requires you to wait several minutes (or make an in-app purchase) for them to be completed. As you build, you also need to attend to the needs of your city's inhabitants and solve problems that affect your citizens.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (7):

SimCity BuildIt may look a lot like a typical SimCity game, but it's more like FarmVille or any other popular, time-based resource game. Although the city-building theme is fun, this is yet another app that tests your patience by forcing you to wait increasing amounts of time for resources to be built so you can expand your town -- or cough up some real-world cash to hurry things along. If those waits don't bother you, you'll have plenty of fun with the game, but there's little here that stands out from other titles in the same genre, despite the app's well-respected brand.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about individual wants vs. the greater good. How do you balance the needs of a large group of people?

  • What are the responsibilities of a city government? Does this game really replicate what it's like to maintain a city?

  • Talk about budgeting and how it's better to save your money than spend it immediately on a whim. Kids: Which parts of this game make you want to spend money?

App Details

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