SimCity DS screens for Japan, no stateside announcement

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jan 7th 2007 at 6:42PM }

NeoGaf posted screenshots of the upcoming SimCity DS being released in Japan next month. Based on the so-last-gen SimCity 3000, we'd typically scoff at something not SimCity 4's equal, but Simcity DS does look and sound sweet.

We understand that it takes forever and a day to translate and localize Final Fantasy. We're even OK with no release date set for Tingle's RPG. But why no stateside love for an American franchise, originally created by an American developer, who bears a striking resemblance to the "SimCity guide" in the screenshots? There's something seriously missing that we don't understand explaining why this game has no U.S. release announcement. It's not like there's something we silly Americans wouldn't "get" about the franchise. Nothings going to be lost in translation or go over our flighty little heads. We know SimCity and we do like it -- now just translate it out of Japanese and we'll be good to go.

Tags: ds, simcity, simcity ds

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Mattwasx @ Jan 7th 2007 11:26PM

Those screens do like pretty good. But a few of the buildings look japanese, maybe thats why.

Wheeliedude @ Jan 7th 2007 7:12PM

Nice cartoon Will Wright.

chenry @ Jan 7th 2007 8:29PM

Oh man, I definitely want this.

I)06 @ Jan 7th 2007 7:38PM

I wish I could read japanese...

Picklesworth @ Jan 8th 2007 12:07AM

Weird...

I can't be the only one that finds it odd how those screenshots have the following English:

"Date" (In English)
"R C I", which could be quite nicely doable with Japanese characters.
"Mr.[JapaneseCharacters]"

Either they're really being mean and turning an unmentioned English version into Japanese, or there is somehow hope present...

They /could/ be doing a multi-language release like Phoenix Wright (speaking of which, why the heck doesn't that game detect language from the firmware?), which would not hurt.

Anyhow, it's looking pretty cool. Better than that GBA one, perhaps.

SuperJumpMan @ Jan 7th 2007 7:54PM

Cool, that actually looks kinda fun....

Andy @ Jan 7th 2007 8:10PM

this game would be awesome. one of those games you cant put down. i hope it comes here soon

David004 @ Jan 7th 2007 9:47PM

SimCity 4 was terrible! The worst SimCity easily.

Pixelbox @ Jan 7th 2007 8:31PM

yeah, get this one into English already!

Soxfan13 @ Jan 8th 2007 6:25AM

here, here, well said!

Pat @ Jan 8th 2007 11:07AM

I think that is less an english translation or failure for the American people to get the drift of the game. But I think it is more that they still want to see how much of a market there is on the DS in the USA for yet another city sim. It would be nice though because there are none on the DS. I would probably buy it.

Ekrim @ Jan 7th 2007 10:07PM

Confrontational post contradicting original post with personal opinion! Lack of explanatory followup.

Way to go, David004.

futurebiblehero @ Jan 8th 2007 3:56PM

This would never leave my DS. I hope they're just being tightlipped rather than genuinely not planning to bring it stateside.

David004 @ Jan 7th 2007 10:46PM

Shut the hell up Ekrim, this is a goddamn blog! The how point of a blog is to say your opinion. If you can't figure that out then go back to school or something. God damnit dumbass.

hurt @ Jan 12th 2007 3:55PM

*Crosses Fingers* Come on US Release.

Paul Mitchell @ Jan 7th 2007 11:08PM

Sim City 4? This looks more like Sim City 3000.

Mitsuo @ Jan 8th 2007 12:00AM

I seriously will buy the DS just for this game! GIMME MY SIM CITY!!!!!

ferrarimanf355 @ Jan 8th 2007 1:05AM

Why are you guys giving NeoGAF such publicity? That lame excuse of a gaming forum is run by a bunch of Sony fanboys who will permaban you for even thinking about saying anything bad about Sony and/or Nintendo, and voicing support for anything Xbox-related. Those retards are clearly drunk on power every time something like this article happens. Please, please, please find a more reputable source than NeoGAF next time, kthx.