Common Sense Media Review
By Erin Bell
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
City-building sim is well organized, with good tutorials.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Cities XL 2012
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
CITIES XL 2012 is an incredibly detailed simulation that lets players build cities by choosing from almost 1,000 different buildings on more than 60 different maps that represent all types of terrain from wintry forests to sandy beaches. In their role as virtual mayor, the player must address concerns such as making sure there are enough jobs and amenities close to residential areas, and managing energy supply and transportation issues. Players can even set up trade agreements between cities and thereby develop a global economy. That said, Cities XL 2012 is more of an expansion pack to Cities XL 2011 than a full-blown sequel, offering new buildings and maps. Players who already own Cities XL 2011 can purchase Cities XL 2012 at a discounted price.
Is It Any Good?
There is definitely a learning curve to Cities XL 2012; and while its interface is menu-heavy, it's ultimately well-organized. Players can also opt to participate in detailed tutorials that gradually introduce the game's controls and key concepts. The game delves into all aspects of urban planning in a realistic way; the potential downside being that players might find the game a little dry since the only "disasters" they might encounter are high unemployment, rather than the tornadoes or giant robots of SimCity. Nonetheless, for players who like detailed simulation games, this is a good one.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the toughest decisions you had to make as "mayor?" Was it deciding where buildings should go? Tackling unemployment? Or the fact that you have to juggle everything at the same time?
Families can also talk about strategies for building cities over different terrains. How does your approach have to change if you're building a city on the shore of the sea versus at the foot of mountains?
Game Details
- Platform : Windows
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Focus Home Interactive
- Release date : October 20, 2011
- Genre : Simulation
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate