If you read this topic, you already should have your answer: YES, it does ;)

P.S.: Oops, you meant the network edition? This was AFAIK only windows, not DOS,,,,,, (and therefore not GoGs version)...

No need to be impolite ... come on.

Might be a misunderstanding: I understand that the network edition has several improvements over the version for DOS. I also understand that the network edition was Windows-only, but it was specifically Windows 9x-only (there's a difference between Windows 3.1 and Windows 9x, I suppose you know that). But apparently there was a pre-network edition, which was neither designed for DOS nor for Windows 95 but for Windows 3.1. It was not the network edition.

Until yesterday I was only aware that there were versions for DOS and for Windows 95 (and Mac and OS/2 and several consoles and Amiga, yes) of Sim City 2000. If there was a version specifically for Windows 3.1 it must be different from either one of the others. I was interested in whether it had any improvements apart from the additonal zoom setting, which is not much and knowing the DOS version would not really improve anything, since I remember playing Sim City 2000 only in the highest zoom setting (the others were not really helpful to me). Do you see what I meant by asking whether this Windows 3.1 specific version had any improvements? It is inconsequential anyway because it won't be available. The Network Edition would be something if that was available ... but as discussed it will be impossible to get that running again short of virtualizing a Windows 95. Actually that wouldn't be a half bad idea ...

Just learned that there is a 32-bit version of SimCity 2000 for Windows.

https://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/SimCity_2000#Installing_on_64-bit_versions_of_Windows

That's the Network edition, discussed in this thread. Your link is very interesting, so it seems there actually is a way to get SimCity 2000 Network running on a modern Windows. The 16-bit installer is a hurdle.
The page is a bit confusing, though, since it also talks about DOSbox, which should only be applicable to SimCity 2000 Special Edition (which is a game for DOS).

It's sad that this game isn't available here ...

SimCity 2000 Special Edition does have a port for Windows 95 along with DOS and Windows 3.1, the Special Edition CD has each in its own folder. The Network Edition is a later version.

The PC Gaming Wiki has a separate page for the Network Edition: https://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/SimCity_2000_Network_Edition

I think you only do steps 1-7 immediately after the title.

I am happy with the DOS version. People want the WIndows version because of cheats and better graphics and interface? that's really pointless, imo (if people want to cheat, rather than learning how to play it and be challenged by it, why do they play it in the first place?). If a DOS game runs today in modern computer, I just have to wonder how great DOS is compared to early Windows products.
The only issue that I have is that I couldn't install the game by myself. SC2000 was put in a ".15" file and WinRar could not recognize it, so I was forced to install GOG Galaxy to be able to play the game. It runs well in GOG Galaxy, though.

I prefer the Windows version because of the better music and the fact that you can see a lot more of the map at a time because it runs at the resolution of your monitor.

And regarding the WOW16 / WOW32 compatibility layers, the Windows version is a 32-bit app and it runs just fine under modern 64-bit Windows 10 with only a slight modification to the original exe to fix a bug with the open and save dialogs.

What kind of ignorant nonsense is this? There is no such thing as "WOW32" or "WOW16". WOW64 means "Windows on Windows 64", which is a system that lets Windows programs (32-bit) run on Windows 64.

There IS ALREADY a 16-bit compatibility layer in Windows 32-bit. It was introduced way back when they first switched to 32-bit. This is why you have a "system" folder and a "system32" folder. The same as wow64. And it STILL IS IN WINDOWS. But for some reason, it is only present in 32-bit versions of windows. They arbitrarily removed it from 64-bit versions of windows. That means you can still run 16-bit programs on 32-bit versions of windows 10.

No emulation is needed, all that is needed is to intercept 16-bit system calls and translate them to 32 or 64-bit ones, same as with old unsupported directx.

200 years later, and we never got the superior version

can someone please explain this to me here:
https://archive.org/details/SimCity_2000_Special_Edition_Maxis_Inc._1996

To my knowledge, this site is legal.
So that means, I can legally and for free download the Windows version (which you can easily install and play on Windows 7, 8 and 10, if you use a special installer and install a special compatibility fix) of the same game, which you can buy here in the inferior DOS version for 5 Dollar or Euro?

WTF?

Technically speaking, that's piracy. Legal websites can be used to do illegal things. There's no store legally selling the Windows version right now (except for thrift stores or individuals on Amazon/eBay selling their own out-of-print physical copies), so it's considered to be a kind of abandonware. That doesn't make it less illegal, it just makes it a little more morally acceptable to pass it around because currently there's no easy way of getting it.

The correct solution is to make the Windows version available on GOG. Getting the Windows version to work on newer versions of Windows is actually fairly easy. This page (https://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/SimCity_2000) will tell you all about running the game in general. I've tested this with my personal copy, it works well.

The Windows version has a variety of quality of life improvements, including a faster speed setting, a further away zoom setting, the ability to use higher resolutions, and better cheats (which are very important in a game like SimCity), among others.

However, the DOS version is still nice to have for its unique UI. Wizardry VII is available in both its DOS and Windows flavors, so I don't see why SimCity 2000 can't be.

It has nothing to do with wanting cheats so you're wrong there buddy the cheats are just amusement after you get bored. It has to do with having a more intuitive interface which sadly the DOS version does not have. Also since the Windows version runs in a window you can resize it to even fit 1080P resolution. The Dos version is stuck in 1996 video resolutions and looks bad on a modern widescreen monitors. And yes that matters a whole lot. Also the Windows version has features the DOS version just simply doesn't. Extra levels of Zoom, Better Music, Extra Faster Speed setting (African Swallow) etc.

Even LGR admits the Windows version is better. The DOS version is nice for collectors.

3 weeks ago I installed the Windows 95 version on my XP machine and have played it since. It is awful.

*The typeface is the shitty old Windows thin Arial(ish). The Macintosh typeface was an integral part of the game experience in my opinion, but more importantly was it clear and did an excellent job at providing information smoothly.
*The status box has been integrated in the bottom of the window with the icons entirely removed, and together with the thin typefaces it's as good as gone.
*Scrolling is a PITA.
*GUI is ugly.

These things above might be better on modern Windows, since I guess it borrows those functions from the OS, but on XP and below is it awful.

Music is absolutely horrendous. I cannot stand it, I have to have it turned off. The DOS version music is at least tolerable, even decent in not too large doses. It captures the vibe from the beautiful Macintosh score pretty well, especially given how much music differed between chips and canvases at the time.

The speed is also worse. The new fourth game speed setting African Swallow is useless since it unhooks the game from the real time clock or whatever it is that keeps programs in pace, so the game runs at warp speed on any computer from the past two decades. The other speed settings have at the same time been lowered from the DOS version. I cannot find any info on that in any of the documentation, really weird. Hardly anything on the World Wide Web either, all I found was this www.speedrun.com/Simcity_2000/thread/qaip1

Not even the hailed resolution is something to long for, since the game is designed for the low resolution and you cannot make anything out on modern monitors' high DPI. There's a fourth zoom level, but that makes the resolution argument moot. But sure, you may get some extra useable screen estate.


The only thing the Windows edition(s) have going for them is that the different statistics in the City toolbar becomes windows immediately when clicking, no more momentary windows or holding and dragging.

The Urban Renewal Kit is also better integrated, but that's hardly an argument, I think they just work differently. But sure, if you're much into SCURK it might be an argument.

DO NOTE THAT THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT NORMAL EDITIONS FOR WINDOWS, ONE FOR 3.11 THAT IS 16-BIT AND ONE FOR 95 THAT IS 32-BIT (but still with a 16-bit installer, hence why it's not possible to install natively on 64-bit Windows but runs fine except for saving if you just copy the files). The network edition is yet another one, making it 3 in total for Windows. See: patcoston.com/co/version.aspx


So I really think they did the right call to sell the DOS version. It's the easiest edition to get to work on modern machines thanks to DOSbox and is close enough to the original.

However… I do think the Win95 edition should be included in the GOG buy as an extra option for those who still want it.

But the real demand should be for the original Mac version, the most beautiful of them all, in a good emulation :)


The SC2K edition for Windows 3.1(1) came before 95. I don't know what, if any, differs between them, but from my understanding they are very similar, if not identical feature wise. See this: patcoston.com/co/version.aspx In which Windows version?

The problem with this otherwise noble idea is that emulating the Mac requires proprietary system ROMS that Apple is none too eager to just hand out, (With 7.1 even being the first paid version) even if there is no logical reason for them to hold them back.