SimFarm

SimFarm is a spin-off of SimCity, developed and published by Maxis Software it was released in 1993 for DOS. It was ported to other platforms in the subsequent years. Instead of a city you are tasked with building and managing your own farm.

The player chooses a region that mimics different areas of the United States or you can determine your own climate. The game also has a changing weather system that simulates different conditions like rain, droughts, tornados, and more. Starting out you must build up your land, place your structures (barns, silos, etc.), plant some crops, and purchase animals. You must also acquire farming equipment to help with harvesting and general farm maintenance. Certain crops only grow in certain climates so there is a strategy to what to plant. You also need to keep an eye on your pesky livestock as they will try to make a break for it. If you build the recreation area you can participate in rodeos and enter your livestock into fairs. Much like SimCity, Sim Farm is such that it could appeal to any gamer. One thing to keep in mind is that the game has a relatively slow pace, so don’t expect a lot of action.

This game could be looked at as the ancestor of games like Farmville or Hay Day, except more involved. Though not one of the more successful Sims spin-offs, it was praised for its graphics and realistic simulation. Though slow-paced it’s still fun and not a bad way to spend a few hours.