SimCopter
SimCopter is a simulation game developed and published for Microsoft Windows by Maxis in 1996.
While flight simulators are usually complex and detailed simulations of vehicles and their handling, SimCopter is more about the duties and emergencies that a helicopter pilot may have to face and respond to. SimCopter puts the player in control of a lone helicopter pilot acting as the sole emergency response unit of a variety of cityscapes.
The most interesting feature of the game is that, like Streets of SimCity, SimCopter uses actual SimCity 2000 maps to serve as its levels.
Users can import any map they made in SimCity 2000 into SimCopter, and vice versa load the cities specifically made for SimCopter into SimCity 2000.
Letting SimCity 2000 maps handle level generation results in the cities being more life-like than one would see in most flight simulators of the time, which lends itself well to the more close-to-the-ground action that comes with being a helicopter pilot. Cities take on believable shapes and layouts. Colorful (if low-detail) Sim-pedestrians wander the streets, chattering amongst themselves, crowding around the sites of accidents, reacting to the orders from your megaphone, and more. Cars drive along the roads, getting in traffic jams and pulling over for emergency vehicles. The game can take the information of the original SimCity, from the state of the transportation system to the severity of the local crime rate, and use it to determine the frequency and variety of emergencies the player must face.
The classic Maxis charm pervades every part of SimCopter, from the exaggerated motions of Sims, to the wacky radio ads, to the humorous lines the Pilot sometimes spouts. Graphics are simple, sometimes even primitive, but they give the game a toy-esque atmosphere that helps overlook some of its quirks in favor of simply enjoying the fun.
And that's without even mentioning the plethora of bizarre easter eggs...
Plus, the fact that the building models are based on the classic SimCity 2000 sprites makes SimCopter an excellent visualizer of your work if you're an avid SimCity 2000 player.
Though rough around the edges, SimCopter is a wonderful little game that is fun to play through and fascinating to dig into.
This page serves as a mini fan-site, a collection of trivia, and everything else you could possibly want to know about SimCopter.
It is not currently possible to legally purchase SimCopter, though secondhand copies can be found on online marketplaces, and the game is not too difficult to track down through other archival websites.
SimCopter can be played reliably on modern systems using the SimCopterX Patch.
The below pages are currently a work-in-progress, and information will be added/corrected in time!
