| Yoot Tower | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | OPeNBooK9003 |
| Publisher(s) |
|
| Designer(s) | Yoot Saito |
| Platform(s) | Mac OS, Windows 95 |
| Release | November 24, 1998 |
| Genre(s) | Construction and management simulation |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Yoot Tower (known in Japan as The Tower II) is a 1998construction and management simulationcomputer game. It may be considered the spiritual successor to the 1994 game SimTower.
The lead designer, Yoot Saito, who also worked on SimTower, produced this game as a sequel to SimTower, adding several new features while retaining the same general interface and style. The game's premise is largely unchanged from its predecessor; players must build a profitable and unique tower block complete with various amenities and living accommodations, while balancing the needs of the occupants.
Gameplay[edit]
Ever dreamed of constructing and running a tower building of your own? Play SimTower - The Vertical Empire first. SimTower - The Vertical Empire is a popular management simulation game where you have to run a tower building from the ground up. Meaning you must oversee the birth of your building from construction and being able to mange its operations in it. 1994, the year SimTower: The Vertical Empire was released on Mac, as well as Windows 3.x and 3DO. Made by OPeNBooK Co., Ltd. And published by Maxis Software Inc., this simulation game is available for free on this page. Jan 28, 2020 SimTower: The Vertical Empire is a simulation game developed by Japanese company OpenBook and published by Maxis in 1994 for Windows 3.x and Macintosh. The game was initially developed by a young Japanese programmer called Yoot Saito, who released the game in Japan with the title 'The Tower'. Developed by Yoot Saito of OPeNBooK, SimTower was originally titled The Tower. SimTower: The Vertical Empire (known as The Tower in Japan) is a construction and management simulation computer game developed by OPeNBooK Co., Ltd. And published by Maxis for the Microsoft Windows and Mac OS 7 operating systems in November 1994.
Using the provided starting funds, players must begin to build a tower from scratch. As in SimTower, offices and food courts can be built to generate income, as well as condos that can be sold to families. There are plenty of new facilities that can be placed such as rented apartments, vending machines and public restrooms for food court patrons. There are also many changes to existing items that featured in the original game, i.e. a notable difference between the shop item in Yoot Tower and the one originally in SimTower is that it no longer functions as a rented space where the player has no control over what the shop sells; rather the player is provided with different types of shop from the start from which the income they make is part of the player's earnings. Another interesting addition is the ability for players to build two or more towers next to each other and join them with sky bridges. Other income sources also exist, such as placing billboards outside and renting them out as advertisement space.
Also new to this game is the ability to choose where the building is built. What the player can do in these locations varies, such as how many stories high the building can be, what the player is actually allowed to build, and how much money the player starts off with. The variation gives each location its own difficulty level compared to the others.
Yoot Tower includes a non-invasive form of static in-game advertising. Users can place billboards for Apple Computer (in Mac version only) and Sega, whilst there are tenants featuring real-world stores like GameWorks, Orange Julius or Air Jamaica. Some updates include more real-world tenants and billboards. The Japanese version includes a Glico store.
The Tower II is a fully 32-bit program unlike SimTower which was 16-bit. It can even run on all 64-bit Windows operating systems. The Tower II also has a resizable window that can support very high resolutions (3200 x 2160).
Expansions[edit]
A new addition of the game is the ability to expand the game using plug-ins released for download which would add new features, such as new facilities (e.g. additional shops, restaurants, and services, ranging from a Glico store to a swimming pool), new events, billboards, and movies, as well as other aspects of gameplay. Inspection of the game's official website through web archives indicates that although the American version never got any true additions, the Japanese version got several updates, including new movies and locations. However, none of these appear to have survived when the official websites relating to the game and its developer OPeNBooK9003 went offline between the years 2001 and 2002. Through translations on the Japanese downloads page, an Austin Powers movie can be downloaded.
The original Tower II game came with Tokyo and Hawaii. The American version had Tokyo, Hawaii, and Kegon Falls. However, unlike in Japan, America did not get updates. In Japan, each expansion pack was sold under the Towerkit title.
Locations[edit]
Waikiki, Hawaii[edit]
The easiest of the three scenarios, Hawaii has users building a mixed-use structure featuring condominia and hotels. After building up those plus an underground shopping mall, users can place a cathedral on the top floor (the 45th).
Tokyo, Japan[edit]
The advanced Tokyo level has users building a fast-paced tower with primarily offices and eventually other uses as well. Users place a stadium on the top level.
Kegon Falls[edit]
In this scenario, the player is required to construct mostly underground, building a vast underground tourist attraction through hotels, shops, and a museum. This was initially sold in Japan as an expansion, but is included in Yoot Tower and later The Tower II releases.
Statue of Liberty[edit]
This expansion, was released in Japan in February 1999 under the name Towerkit CD-ROM: The Statue of Liberty. It was also originally meant to be available to download from the American official website, but the English version never materialized. The expansion is rare in Japan.
Tokyo Tower[edit]
In this game, player build below Tokyo Tower. Yoot Saito also indicated the Tower team was working on another location, 'Tokyo Tower'[1], but the addition was only released in Japan as Towerkit. This is not to be confused with the 'Tokyo' location.
Kyoto Station Bldg.[edit]
The Kyoto Station was launched as a product based on the Gamera 3: Awakening of Irys movie. This version was sold as Towerkit, or bundled with the base The Tower II game.
King Naniwa Building Legend[edit]
In this add-on, player built around Tsutenkaku.
This version was sold as Towerkit, or bundled with the base The Tower II game.
Christmas Story[edit]
In this add-on, player builds a log building to collect Christmas-themed items. This version was sold as Towerkit and the rarest and most obscure of the released items.
Cancelled releases[edit]
- Lunar base
- Luxury cruise ship
Reception[edit]
| Reception | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||
The game was dismissed by some game review websites and magazines as being too much a rehash of the original SimTower. Many wrote the game off as being basically identical to its predecessor. Due to the average reviews and spotty distribution, the game was largely ignored by the mainstream gaming public after release, possibly contributing to its poor sales.[citation needed] This in turn is the most likely reason why none of the new locations or expansion plug-ins were ever localized for the English version.[citation needed] It sold well in Japan, however, and received several new plug-ins. Another criticism was that some in-game text was not localized effectively.[citation needed] This resulted in some minor text errors and unfamiliar items to American audiences (such as placing cigarette machines commonly).
References[edit]
- ^Frankel, Josh. 'Yoot Tower'. GamePro. Archived from the original on October 11, 2004.
- ^Royal, Anne (June 1, 1999). 'Yoot Tower'. Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on January 30, 2003.
External links[edit]
- The Tower II homepage (Japanese)
- Archived support website, contains patches to the game. (Japanese)
- Yoot Tower at MobyGames
- > >
- SimTower: The Vertical Empire
SimTower: The Vertical Empire
Mac - 1994
Also available on: Windows 3.x - 3DO
Description of SimTower: The Vertical Empire Mac
1994, the year SimTower: The Vertical Empire was released on Mac, as well as Windows 3.x and 3DO. Made by OPeNBooK Co., Ltd. and published by Maxis Software Inc., this simulation game is available for free on this page.
External links
Captures and Snapshots
Screenshots from MobyGames.com
Screenshots from MobyGames.com
Comments and reviews
Ares 100002020-03-190 point
Does this one save? Can it save game? I downloaded one from a different website and it works, but then when I try to save nothing happen, the save window won't even close when I clicked ok. I'd have to start over again and continue.
JD2020-01-272 points
I still have a cd copy of this game in its original box. lol
Exsosus2019-11-290 point
Hi all who do not run Windows 95 /older version of Win or who do not emulate an older version:
On abandonware:
https://www.myabandonware.com/game/yoot-tower-3sp
If abandonware page doesn't work:
http://www.xtcabandonware.com/game/1666/yoot-tower
Yoot tower runs on modern windows, my Windows 10 64-bit for example it runs stable. Its the same game, just about. Enjoy and you're welcome.
KINDLE USER2017-12-21-6 points
I don't suppose this will work on kindle fire? Long shot but thought I'd ask.
tkok2017-07-250 point
its a nice game
ParadoxicalBox2017-07-183 points Windows 3.x version
Does this not work with Dosbox? If so, how? I can't figure it out.
REDnFUZZY2017-03-141 point
Yeah, she's a PDF. The file was compiled incorrectly. Skip this one. Please fix. This game was amazing back in the day.
TheManWithNoName2016-05-151 point
If you're downloading the Mac version, it's a 'Stuffit' archive file, which means you'll need to have Stuffit Expander (http://www.stuffit.com/) or similar that can unarchive Stuffit files.
Once done, put it into a directory where OS 9 can access (or, if running under OS X, put it into a directory where Mac Classic can access. NOTE: You will also need to have Classic installed, if you're using OS X 10.4 or below. Any Mac OS X above, you're SOOL, unless you emulate.)
Artless2016-04-283 points
If you want to play this game, it's fairly easy to do, with some work, but it will also help you run other games. Download the ISO file and and use something Daemon Tools to run the file. Next, use bootcamp or some other program to emulate WIndows 95,98, or xp. Run the game in the emulated operating system.
Doing this will run most games on this site.
danielroxheaps2016-04-143 points
Make a DOS download please.
IcantDownloaadAnything2015-07-010 point Mac version
is only pdf's :'(
SeenBot2015-04-02-1 point Mac version
As with the above comments, this isn't the game. It's a text file with strange characters.
papungha2015-03-221 point Mac version
Unfortunately download didn't work for me, showing 'You can’t open the application “SimTower” because it may be damaged or incomplete.'
thomas2014-12-280 point Mac version
I downloaded on my mac but only a text script opened, any tips??
psutowo2014-12-19-1 point Mac version
How do you install this game?
admin2014-11-241 point Mac version
it's a Mac game man, you can't Boxer it
Kenny2014-11-21-3 points Mac version
I download the file but all I see are .pdfs
There's nothing to run (using Boxer)
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Mac Version
Windows 3.x Version
- Year:1995
- Publisher:Maxis Software Inc.
- Developer:OPeNBooK Co., Ltd.
Game Extras
Various files to help you run SimTower: The Vertical Empire, apply patches, fixes, maps or miscellaneous utilities.
3DO Version
- Year:1996
- Publisher:OPeNBooK Co., Ltd.
- Developer:OPeNBooK Co., Ltd.
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