Executive Meddling: According to Wright, the publisher refused to release the original SimCity as is, because they felt players would feel the need to have a win condition. Wright appeased them by including winnable scenarios - and of course, the scenarios were the least popular feature of the game.
The Windows 95 version of SimCity 2000 is typically considered superior to the DOS version, but GOG and Origin only offer the DOS version for digital download. This is technically because it's much easier to get it running on modern computers (it simply requires bundling the game with DOSBox, as opposed to reverse engineering the entire game code), but it's still somewhat annoying.
SimCity 2000 Network Edition was a network multiplayer version of SimCity 2000 that only had a limited run in 1996 due to being a commercial failure. The game has never been rereleased.
The Super Nintendo version of the original SimCity has fallen under this as it was pulled from the Virtual Console due to Nintendo's license contract with EA being expired.
Killer App: SimCity's SNES port was this, being a launch title that sold two million units - which is no small feat considering that it also had to contend against Super Mario World and F-Zero. What helped it was that it was not only completely different from the original PC version, but that it was also developed and published by Nintendo themselves, with series creator Will Wright assisting them.
Marth Debuted in "Smash Bros.": The DS version of SimCity Creator replaces all the advisors from the first game (excluding a cameo by Servo 3000 in game artwork) with Mr. Maxis the Sim Master, who calls himself a veteran from DS... except he wasn't. Mr. Maxis is from the Japanese version of DS, who made his western debut with the sequel. SimCity DS 2 was released in the west under the renamed title of SimCity Creator to tie in with the Wii release.
No Export for You: The rare SimCity 64. It was released only in Japan due to it being for the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive, a failed module which died within months of being released.
There was also a standalone port of SimCity 2000 for the Nintendo 64 that was only released in Japan. This was probably due to the fact that the game includes anime cutscenes and a Dating Sim which appeal to a Japanese audience.
Averted with the SNES SimCity. The original plan was for it to be Japan-only, with the west getting a version for the NES instead. Ultimately, the NES version was cancelled in favor of releasing the SNES version worldwide.
Port Overdosed: The original 1989 game is one of the most widespread games of the era, appearing on almost every computer platform available at the time, in addition to later console/handheld and cell phone ports.
2000 also counts, though its complexity and relatively high requirements resulted in compromises that's the root of all the issues that got it branded a Porting Disaster- specifically, being ported to systems that had even less memory or processing power than what the base game was written for.
Rereleased for Free: The original game has been re-released under an open-source license as Micropolis.
Before that, there was a web version of the original SimCity titled SimCity Classic Live. It was only compatible with Netscape and Internet Explorer and it was only available on the now defunct SimCity 4 website.
There's a small high-tech industry called Kane Tiberium.
Vaporware: The SimCity 3000 CD includes a preview of SimMars. The SimCity 3000 Unlimited CD and The Sims: Livin' Large CD include a preview of SimsVille.
The SNES version of SimCity was originally intended to be an NES game. A near-complete prototype build of the NES version was dumped and released on the internet in late 2018.
SimMars was going to be a game about colonizing Mars. A trailer was included on the SimCity 3000 CD.
SimsVille was going to be a game focused on a downtown area, a feature that ended up in The Sims: Hot Date.
Will Wright developed Raid on Bungeling Bay (1984), but discovered he was having fun building cities out of the tools he was working with. Hence SimCity was born.
), but it's still somewhat annoying.