Say what you will of the world's natural wonders, but there's a unique beauty to a man-made building stretching into the sky. One series that continues to encapsulate the majesty of a sprawling metropolis is SimCity

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The Basics

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The new SimCity promises to make city building both accessible and engaging. With an assortment of new features, including region and multi-city control, SimCity has incredible potential. But if you've been neglecting your daily dose of the internet lately, you might not know everything about SimCity and all its high-rising glory.That's why we've assembled a few simple notes for you to study. But these notes are way more interesting than school notes. But probably less important.SimCity is the modern re-imagination of the classic series. It's simplified to a certain extent, with smaller cities than the mass metropolises of previous games. This allows players to micro-manage real-time simulations within their city and beyond it.Your city -- with its bustling, well-managed industrial districts and specialized attractions -- is one of many in an online region. These regions permit friends to play SimCity cooperatively. You can manage the community's crime problems with your efficient law enforcement while Leonard from college collects the trash... just like we always knew he would.It may look intimidating and super-hardcore, but keeping a stable city is meant to be appealing and interesting to anyone. Plus, the goal is to make tasks such as financial management and local infrastructure enjoyable for those who might not typically find such tasks rewarding.Make no mistake, the Call of Duty and Madden nerds of the world won't find much in the way of entertainment in a dedicated strategy game, but the ease of use, lovely look, charming personality, and gradual increase in complexity means anyone can at least try SimCity on for size.Those who revel in tactical, economical decisions should find the moment-to-moment management thrilling. This is a thinking-gamer's game, ultimately, but it's just on the fringe of simplicity for the faint of heart.How can you not love a vibrant world where "plop" is the verb for "create"? This is the adult equivalent of letting your imagination run wild with LEGO blocks. Now with sewage management, of course.SimCity launches on March 5th, 2013.

Mitch Dyer and Ryan Clements write for IGN. When they eventually build their own city, it will be called Paradiso. All will be welcome. Except house plants. Follow Mitch on Twitter at @MitchyD and Ryan at @PwamCider.