SimAnt
The Super NES version adds eight scenarios, where the goal in each is to eliminate the enemy red ants in various locales, each with different hazards.Natural hazards include human footsteps, electrical outlets, bug spray, spiders, antlions, lawnmowers, and rain, which washes away pheromone trails and can flood the bottom of ant nests.SimAnt was developed by Maxis and designed and programmed by the company's co-founder Will Wright alongside his high school friend Justin McCormick.While Wright focused on the simulation core during the day, McCormick handled much of the front-end programming at night with the duo meeting twice daily.[18][19][20] Using Wilson's scientific data, Wright said the game was designed with layers of complexity based on how ants function in the real world, making it a form of "self-directed learning.[14] Wilson commented that the game "captured the subtleties of life in an ant colony" and that he was charmed enough by its "sophistication and precision" that he would recommend it to entomology students.[29] This last port, developed by Tomcat System, contains eight gameplay scenarios alongside the full game; has unique graphics and music; and is compatible with the Super NES Mouse.An enhanced CD-ROM version from November 1993 featured Super VGA graphic, digital sound, 20 minutes of full-motion video, and an avatar named SimAntha to entertain and guide the player.[36] Computer Gaming World stated that "players seeking a non-linear, unconventional and provocative strategy simulation will hit paydirt with SimAnt.Designer Will Wright stated in 1994 that he considered the game his biggest disappointment up to that point in his career as he felt he failed to convey "how cool ants are."[50] In a 1996 postmortem, Wright considered SimAnt as effectively educational yet "too simple" and lacking the same level of creativity and personal imprinting of the original SimCity.[56] Wright has stated that working on SimAnt helped inspire him to create the hugely successful social simulation game The Sims, first released by Maxis in 2000.[7][17][57] The crowdfunded real-time strategy game Empires of the Undergrowth, released for early access on Steam in 2024, is considered a spiritual successor to SimAnt.
Developer(s)Publisher(s)Designer(s)Will WrightPlatform(s)MS-DOSWindows 3.xFM TownsX68000Super NESGenre(s)Life simulationSingle playervideo gamedesignedSoftware Publishers AssociationCodie awardsSimCity ClassicSimLifeWindows 95simulationant colonyE. O. Wilsonscenariosred antsblack antssuburban hometop-down perspectivepheromonetrophallaxisregurgitatedspiderscaterpillarsantlionslawnmowersSimCitySimEarthsocial insectsant farmHarvard UniversityThe AntsBert HölldoblermyrmecologistemergencePulitzer PrizeOakland firestormsource codeBroderbundMacintoshresolutionOcean SoftwareImagineerPC-9801Super FamicomSuper NES MouseSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemCD-ROMSuper VGAfull-motion videoDragonComputer Gaming WorldGameProEntertainment WeeklyAmiga ComputingAmiga ActionAmiga FormatAmiga Powerpostmortemimprintingfirst-personsocial simulation gameThe Simscrowdfundedreal-time strategy gameEmpires of the Undergrowthearly accessspiritual successorAnt-keepingFormicariumAnt colony optimization algorithmsThe New YorkerCondé NastThe A.V. ClubPaste Media GroupPeachpitMIT PressJones & Bartlett LearningGame InformerGameStopRunning PressThe Washington PostGame DeveloperInformaPsychology TodayDiscoverKalmbach MediaNewsweekThe Harvard CrimsonBerkeleysideVideoGames & Computer EntertainmentLarry Flynt PublicationsThe New York TimesThe OneNintendo PowerNintendo of AmericaVideoGamesPC PlayerMaverick MagazinesPC ZoneFuture plcCMP Media Inc.PC GamerMediumEurogamerGamer NetworkGameSpotFandomOfficial U.S. PlayStation MagazineZiff DavisEngadgetYahoo! Inc.Rock Paper ShotgunMobyGamesInternet ArchiveSim video gamesElectronic Arts