# SimCity, but with Permits

19 Hacker News commenters recommended SimCity, but with Permits and 9 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 1 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** A browser city builder that teaches civics through permits and petitions, praised for its detailed design and customization. Critics say the constant petitions and cluttered interface get in the way of play.

## Why people recommend it

- Detailed design and city customization (3 comments): "my first impressions are positive because of the detailed game design, customization capabilities of the city" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50221314)) "I just played it for half an hour, it's enjoyable!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50177560)) "the game is great and really playable" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50205109))
- Teaches civics through city management (2 comments): "The subject area is great (teach actual civics) but this fails in execution." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50175394)) "a game whose very description makes a bold and valid point" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50183771))
- Graphics style and charming tone (3 comments): "Love the graphics style, and the idea to it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50177337)) "the website itself is excellently droll" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50179948)) "slightly hilarious and awesome" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50171412))
- Enjoyable and playable (2 comments): "I just played it for half an hour, it's enjoyable!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50177560)) "the game is great and really playable" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50205109))

## What people warn about

- Constant petitions and requests distract (2 comments): "this game's implementation of a full-fledged city builder is quickly drowned out by the fact that it's shoving resident petitions and requests for variances in your face every 20 seconds" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50171392)) "The various decisions/petitions that pop up can break the immersion by mentioning details that don't fit the city" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50171672))
- Cluttered, overwhelming interface (4 comments): "I might have had a minor stroke when the side panel popped up" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50173760)) "A little too much going on all at once in the beginning." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50171253)) "a cluttered and busy UI is just a cluttered and busy UI" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50173904))
- Bugs with roads and zooming (2 comments): "This is very cool - one minor issue, when I zoomed out on a Metropolis it hung for a very long time" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50181967)) "One really buggy thing though is the road system." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50189362))
- Poor mobile support (2 comments): "New game scroll broken on mobile safari" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50171753)) "not built for mobile should be a sin" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50174353))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [SimCity 3000](https://hackerapproved.com/p/simcity-3000.md): 23 recommend
- [SimCity 2000](https://hackerapproved.com/p/simcity-2000.md): 20 recommend
- [SimCity](https://hackerapproved.com/p/simcity.md): 20 recommend
- [Cities: Skylines](https://hackerapproved.com/p/cities-skylines.md): 20 recommend
- [Microlandia](https://hackerapproved.com/p/microlandia.md): 20 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "SimCity, but with Permits", https://hackerapproved.com/p/simcity-but-with-permits/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).