If there is one way to succinctly describe our experience with Pocket City, it would be that is a return to form for a genre pioneered by Sim City. Considering that this was achieved by a one-man game developer based in Canada, it makes it all the more impressive.

The premise of the game is simple – As mayor of a new city, it is your job to strategically lay out residential, commercial, and industrial zones which are essential to its growth. You would then have to complement it with amenities such as power plants, schools, hospitals, police stations and water supply to keep your city running. All fun and no play makes a Jack a dull boy, so it will be important to build parks and museums to keep your citizens entertained.

Truth to be told, there is nothing particularly new here that has been introduced that other similar titles have not. The real difference here however is the fact that Pocket City is a premium release with absolutely no microtransactions. The game boasts just enough depth seen in older Sim City games but manages to keep it simple enough that you play it on the go without dumbing it down to the point of it being a Facebook flash game.

As you go about building your city, you are given a series of objectives and goals to achieve, which in turn grant you additional funds and experience. Experience is essential to building your level, as it unlocks more amenities for you to build. This is a neat way of guiding players along, as you are never overwhelmed with the numerous construction options at your disposal. Progression comes in the form of fulfilling the needs of your city, and these are presented to you in phases. While the game holds your hand in this way, you are still pretty much given the freedom to go about it how you see fit. The handy chart will tell you what your city needs so you will be consulting it most of the time to find out.

Like most city-building games, the mechanics are primarily centered around constructing the perfect city. You get to play the part of a new city mayor, and you better believe you’ll have a tough road ahead of you as you try to figure out the best ways to keep your residents happy as the city grows. There are three separate zones you will need to stay on top of throughout the entirety of the game. These consist of the already mentioned residential, commercial, and industrial zones. Luckily there is a handy chart available in-game that will tell you exactly how much demand your city has for each. So naturally, if one area is lacking, you’ll want to build out more of that zone.

For its asking price of MYR 20, there is a lot of bang you are getting with your ringgit here, and while the developer can pretty much call it a day here, he is dedicated to updating the game and fixing the minor bugs that is currently plaguing Pocket City. The dedication displayed here alone is worthy of support, but thankfully Pocket City stands out in a crowded genre by simply going back to basics.