Interesting.

I tried a Google Image Search for <"simcity classic" windows box> and found http://www.ebay.com/itm/1999-SimCity-Classic- … c-/271964947192 . The second image (attached for posterity) indicates installation instructions for "SimCity Classic for Windows 3.1", "SimCity Classic for Windows 95", and "SimCity Classic for Macintosh". There doesn't seem to be anything particularly distinctive about the packaging, unfortunately.

A similar disc appears in http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Sim-City-Classic- … c-/381383337771 ; you can just barely make out screenshots of what is clearly a Windows 95 version on the back. Maybe it was a limited jewel-case only release.

Win32s?

I don't know, i've never played the Windows Simcity Classic, and the new version is just an EA publisher partial rebrand. Wild ass guessing.

Jorpho wrote:

Interesting.

I tried a Google Image Search for <"simcity classic" windows box> and found http://www.ebay.com/itm/1999-SimCity-Classic- … c-/271964947192 . The second image (attached for posterity) indicates installation instructions for "SimCity Classic for Windows 3.1", "SimCity Classic for Windows 95", and "SimCity Classic for Macintosh". There doesn't seem to be anything particularly distinctive about the packaging, unfortunately.

A similar disc appears in http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Sim-City-Classic- … c-/381383337771 ; you can just barely make out screenshots of what is clearly a Windows 95 version on the back. Maybe it was a limited jewel-case only release.

Yes it's very interesting because there is not a lot of reliable info available on the Win 95 version and there was never an update/upgrade provided for the Win 3.1 version. Thanks for the pic too, it looks like the version in your pic has 3 separate installers, but until someone shows Version 2.0 or has the disc, we don't know 100%.

leileilol wrote:

Win32s?

I don't know, i've never played the Windows Simcity Classic, and the new version is just an EA publisher partial rebrand. Wild ass guessing.

Are Win32s programs compatible with 64-bit Windows? If yes, then we don't know. If no, then the SimCity Classic For Windows 95 is NOT a Win32s program because it works on x64.

Win32s programs are 32-bit applications that support the Win32s API - a subset of Win32 backported to Windows 3.x.

Thx, I think your response is technically correct however you didn't answer my question directly, however your reply prompted me to check.

Win32s programs do work on 64-bit Windows, at least FreeCell/Win32s does. Pretty cool!

Yes, there was a patch for the Win 3.1 version. There is also an unofficial patch for the Win95 version to run under Win7 without crashing.

filipetolhuizen wrote:

There is also an unofficial patch for the Win95 version to run under Win7 without crashing.

I presume that is the one documented at https://typeinfo.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/an- … nder-windows-7/ , linked to above. (What an interesting bug.)

I thought there might have been a separate version of SimCity for Windows 3.1 prior to the release of "SimCity Classic", but couldn't seem to find any evidence of that. (I'm pretty sure there was a DOS version of "SimCity Classic" released after the original DOS version – the difference being that it can load the alternative graphics sets.)

filipetolhuizen wrote:

Yes, there was a patch for the Win 3.1 version. There is also an unofficial patch for the Win95 version to run under Win7 without crashing.

Please elaborate on this Win 3.1 version patch. Thx.

Jorpho wrote:

filipetolhuizen wrote:

There is also an unofficial patch for the Win95 version to run under Win7 without crashing.

I presume that is the one documented at https://typeinfo.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/an- … nder-windows-7/ , linked to above. (What an interesting bug.)

I thought there might have been a separate version of SimCity for Windows 3.1 prior to the release of "SimCity Classic", but couldn't seem to find any evidence of that. (I'm pretty sure there was a DOS version of "SimCity Classic" released after the original DOS version – the difference being that it can load the alternative graphics sets.)

There is SimCity For WIndows, which, I think is the Windows 3.1 version.

From the pic in the ebay listing, the Win 3.1/Win 95/Mac version is called SimCity Classic.

vogamer wrote:

Please elaborate on this Win 3.1 version patch. Thx. […]
Show full quote

filipetolhuizen wrote:

Yes, there was a patch for the Win 3.1 version. There is also an unofficial patch for the Win95 version to run under Win7 without crashing.

Please elaborate on this Win 3.1 version patch. Thx.

Jorpho wrote:

filipetolhuizen wrote:

There is also an unofficial patch for the Win95 version to run under Win7 without crashing.

I presume that is the one documented at https://typeinfo.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/an- … nder-windows-7/ , linked to above. (What an interesting bug.)

I thought there might have been a separate version of SimCity for Windows 3.1 prior to the release of "SimCity Classic", but couldn't seem to find any evidence of that. (I'm pretty sure there was a DOS version of "SimCity Classic" released after the original DOS version – the difference being that it can load the alternative graphics sets.)

There is SimCity For WIndows, which, I think is the Windows 3.1 version.

From the pic in the ebay listing, the Win 3.1/Win 95/Mac version is called SimCity Classic.

Nevermind, SC2000 came to mind when I said that.

filipetolhuizen wrote:

Nevermind, SC2000 came to mind when I said that.

Yes, there is a lot of confusion on the net between SC and SC2K, at least when it comes to the Windows versions. That's why I posted this thread.

Edit: I just saw a 1999 version that comes with just the Win 3.1/Mac version. Anyone know why the 95 version disappeared?

I don't want to resurrect an old thread without reason, but seeing as the conversation about this topic ended abruptly 2 years ago without any real results, and as I was searching for this elude version of SimCity Classic myself recently after getting to know its existence, I felt the urge to register for the very reason to shed some light into this.

For anyone wondering:
I have found one of the releases where this (the Win95 version of SimCity Classic - also known as Simcity Classic 2.0) was distributed. It is definitely included in the "Sim Classics - Maxis Collections 3" disc in a folder labelled "Win95".

In another release, the "CD-Rom Classics"-Series, there is a mention in the jewelcase about installation instructions specifically for Windows 95, directing you to another folder for (what you would guess is a) Win95-version, but I have checked this version and the Win95 version is NOT included. (This is the version which jewelcase is shown in one of the replies above) Despite it saying "Installing SimCity Classic for Windows 95", there is no standalone W95-version on there, sadly.

It may also be included in the "SimCity Classic Deluxe" release from 1996/97, because that version features a "Designed for Win95"-sticker on the packaging, making me think that the W95-version is also on there. But I cannot confirm that.

To conclude..: The only release where I have successfully located the Win95 version is ""Sim Classics - Maxis Collections 3" from 1997 (bundles SimCity Classic together with SimIsle and SimTower). On this CD, you'll find both - the Win3.1 and Win95 versions, the latter one including the elusive "Classics 95" graphic set, which is a mixture of mostly graphics from the "Extended DOS CD"-version mixed with a few new graphics. It also features a different main menu, slightly different toolbars, more detailed maps and different music.

I wasn't even aware of the existence of this thread, but I was a big fan of the original SC back when it was still new 😁
I played the SNES version mostly, but also played the PC version a couple times (not many people actually had a PC back then).
I don't know where my disk is, but if I find it, what am I to look out for here?

Tetrium wrote:

I don't know where my disk is, but if I find it, what am I to look out for here?

Look at my last paragraph (bold)

The nicest thing about the Win95 version its unique Graphic Set. Basically, you can play the Extended DOS CD graphics (that were technically the best ones, and look very nice) without having to play the Extended DOS CD version. Thank god. Also the interface has slightly changed and there is different music compared to Win3.1 version and slight difference in sounds. The main menu is also new.

I\ll provide comparison pictures (same city) later...

Hi, thank you for finding this info and posting. Greatly appreciated.

As promised here are comparison screenshots of both versions.

First up, the widely known "for windows" version, SimCity for Windows, later renamed SimCity Classic for Windows:

Compared to the elusive Windows 95 version, also known as SimCity for Windows 95, or Simcity for Windows 2.0:

Also worthy of note is the fact that it includes all other Graphic Sets as well as a windows version of the Terrain Editor (!):

I also wanted to come back to the "CD-Rom Classics" disc which was depicted earlier in this thread, the one where it states two different installation directories and intructions for Win 3.11 and 95 respectively in the jewelcase

First, the directory it mentions for the Win 3.11 install (which makes you hope the other version is also on there) simply does not exist (also 🤣, illegal foldername). Second, yes, there are two installers on there, one for Win95 to make sure it installs correctly, but it installs the Win 3.11 version as well, as expected. The Windows 95 version is NOT on it. I only found it on the "Sim Classics - Maxis Collection 3" so far.

Thank you again for the bucketload of information.

Why is the 32-bit Windows 95 version is so rare and unheard of? Anyone know?

vogamer wrote:

Why is the 32-bit Windows 95 version is so rare and unheard of? Anyone know?

It's likely because SimCity 2000 had already been released and was a massive improvement (not that SimCity was bad, but it was a 1989 game, originally). Who was going to pay for the classic SimCity when SimCity 2000 could be purchased, instead? On top of that, by late '95/early '96, SimCity 2000 had been out over 2 years already, so it wouldn't have been full price any more.

Also, I'm just speculating, but I wonder if the Win95 version was designed less to be a retail product and more as something for emerging and educational markets... you know, like something bundled with or offered alongside low-powered Win95 computers that were given away in developing countries and sold to schools. It could be one of those things where Microsoft (or someone) asked Maxis to make a Win95 version for such a purpose and Maxis had no plans to offer it in retail until years later, when the idea of offering whole collections on CD was pursued.

Osprey wrote:

Also, I'm just speculating, but I wonder if the Win95 version was designed less to be a retail product and more as something for emerging and educational markets... you know, like something bundled with or offered alongside low-powered Win95 computers that were given away in developing countries and sold to schools. It could be one of those things were Microsoft (or someone) asked Maxis to make a Win95 version for such a purpose and Maxis had no plans to offer it in retail until years later, when the idea of offering whole collections on CD was pursued.

Yes, by the time the Windows (95) version of SCC got released, the game was already 6 years old, and SC2000 going into its 3rd year.
I would also assume that this is the main reason for not having this version advertised at all, instead quietly switching/adding this to the planned collections like SimClassics and others., without much notice.

It is also interesting to note that the folder where this version resides on the SimClassics CD has a hidden attribute set. The launcher will detect your OS and load up the W95 setup file instead if it detects anything past W3.11.

Also bundling this with several Packard Bell PCs in late 95 would make sense regarding silent advertisement for SC2000. And maybe Microsoft intended this to be shipped for a longer period as an integral game for Win95 in the same veins Space Cadet was pulled from Full Tilt Pinball. Maybe that is the reason why this version was popping up on preinstalled Packard Bell systems.

I'm new here and I registered because of this thread. I've been reading up a lot on SC for Win95 and I can not for the life of me find better information than here. I trusted what I read here and picked off a copy of sim classics Maxis Collections 3 because it said the only known version of the disc out there with the game is this one and it lurks in a hidden directory.

I'm glad I did. I have found it hiding in a folder within a folder on there.

Root / SIMCITY / WIN95(hidden) / CLASSIC

Runs like a champ with no patch or foreplay of any kind thankfully. I also see what people meant by that totally pointless little video clip on start up. Thanks for pointing this out I've been sad not being able to play this ever since 64bit windows 7 was a thing for me years ago. Now only if there was a magic bullet for Sim Tower.

I forgot to patch it for save/load, have done this now and it's fantastic.