SimCity 2000is a quintessential game in the SimCity series, taking everything from the first game and cranking it up to eleven. While EA hasn't neglected this game the way they did the first game, the version for sale is not the "best version", which I'll go into later.
Now, the MS-DOS version is still being sold on digital storefronts, so if you want to play this version of SimCity 2000, to avoid legal trouble, it's best if you buy it from GOG. However, the Windows versions of SimCity 2000 are still classified as "abandonware", meaning that while they are protected under copyright, EA will probably not sue anyone for having copies of the Windows versions on their PCs.
NOTE: This installation guide is only for the Windows / DOS versions of the game. There were many versions made for many other platforms, likeSNES, Sega Saturn, PS1,Game Boy Advance,and more. Every single one of them requires their own specialized emulators to work on modern PCs.
Now, if you’re still here, follow me.
MS-DOS
As I said before, the DOS versionof SimCity 2000 is available on digital storefronts. I recommend going that route, as it's easier to set up, without the risk of legal trouble.
EA:Buy SimCity 2000™ – PC – EA
GOG:SimCity™ 2000 Special Edition on GOG.com
While this version can be made to work on a Mac, many reviewers have rightfullypointed out that the DOS version is inferior to the Windows versions. People have said it felt clunkier to use, being stuck at a lower resolutionand taking slower to launch than the Windows versions. Furthermore, this version is lacking in features found in the Windows versions, like the intro videos (Windows 95 exclusive) and an extra zoom level. I'm not saying you shouldn't buy this version. Just know what you're getting.
Windows
Ideally, the Windows versions are the ones you should play. However, they are also harder to get working.
If you want the Windows 3.1 version, you’ll need a copy of the game, which can be found as part of theCD (https://archive.org/details/SimCity_2000_Special_Edition_Maxis_Inc._1996). However, to run it, you’ll either need an old PC, or you’ll need VirtualBox or WineVDM.
WineVDM:https://github.com/otya128/winevdm/releases
To run the game in WineVDM, extract the .iso, then simply open “otvdmw.exe” and run BOTH the setup file "SETUP.EXE"(found in the WIN31 folder), as well as the game file (C:\SC2K4WIN\SC2000W.EXE) and the Urban Renewal Kit (C:\SC2K4WIN\SCURKW.EXE)from WineVDM. You’ll need to run the game and Urban Renewal Kit.exe files directly from WineVDM EVERY TIME you want to play either of them.
Luckily, cities do save in the game directory, without any modifications. This will not be the case for the Windows 95 version.
Now for the Windows 95 versions, and oh boy, this one’s a real doozy. You’ll wanna sit down for this one.
This version of the game is the definitive version of SimCity 2000, with brandnew intro videos that always play when starting up the game.
The main problem is that this version of the game has a save bug that causes the game to crash upon pressing the “save” or “save as” buttons (this is also a problem with the Windows 95 version of SimCity Classic).
First, download the game here (https://archive.org/details/SimCity_2000_Special_Edition_Maxis_Inc._1996).
After extracting the .iso file, download InstallShield 3 Engine (http://toastytech.com/files/Is3Engine.zip). Go into the folder labelled “WIN95” and place the file “SETUP32.EXE” into thatfolder (which should contain “SETUP.EXE”). Then, launch “SETUP32.EXE” instead of SETUP.EXE. Thesetup should launch and go on without a hitch. If it doesn’t launch, restart your PC, then try again.
Then, download the SC2000X patch(https://github.com/alekasm/SC2000X/releases), then run the .exe file.
Type in your SimCity 2000 .exe file location ("C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 2000", or your custom file location. Make sure to remove the quotes). When asked if you want to install the game, press "n" for no, as we've already done that. Then, whenasked if you want to patch the game instead, press "Y" for yes. At this point, your game will be patched, and the save game bug will be fixed.
The game should technically be working now, except for one problem: the intro and WillTV videos still do not work.
First, either mount the .iso file, or drag the folder labelled “DATA” (found at the root of the .iso) into the root of your desired drive. The folder MUST be at the root of the drive, or else it will not work, as the game will check to see if the disc is inserted before deciding if it wants to play the intro videos, and only by placing the folder in the root of the drive can you trick the game to think that the videos are loading from the disc.
Then, go into Registry Editor (you can do this by pressing Win + R, then typing in “regedit” in the Run app). Then, in the Registry Editor, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Maxis > SimCity 2000 > Paths. Then, edit the data for the “Goodies” value to link to the exact file directory of the “DATA” folder (once again, make sure to remove the quotes if you’re pasting the file location in from your clipboard). After that, the intro and WillTV videos should be playing, without a problem.
SimCity 2000 can be found on “SC2000X.EXE” (do not use “SimCity.EXE”, that is the outdated one with the save game bug) and the Urban Renewal Kit can be found on “WINSCURK.EXE”.
Do note that if you mount the .iso instead of moving the “DATA” folder to the root of one of your drives, the .iso willdismount itself after a while. There is nothing you can do about it. All you can do is to be vigilant in remounting the .iso file as needed.
Overall, installing SimCity 2000 requires a bit of work on your part. However, it’s well worth the effort, as what you get is a timeless classic that remains fun 30 years later.