Sim City's Mysterious Time Loop
Nearly thirty-five years after its release, we've finally discovered what happens when the clock ticks past the year 9999 in Sim City for the Super Nintendo. The age-old mystery has been the subject of much speculation and debate among fans for decades. And now, thanks to modern technology, emulation, and a generous dose of patience, the enigma has been cracked wide open.
The Power of Emulation
This is precisely how I embarked on this time-warping mission. Leveraging the capability to accelerate the game by over 400% and waiting for nearly three full days in the real world, the year counter was observed to see how it would wrap around after 9999.
The Unexpected Twist
Would it reset to 0000? Progress to 0001? Or, would it perhaps revert to the starting year of 1900? No. The reality was far stranger: the game time-looped to the year 1661. Not 0000, not 1900, but 1661. A seemingly arbitrary number with no apparent connection to the game or its mechanics.
Busting Myths and Clarifying Old Tales
This revelation might actually shed light on some vintage urban legends. There were whispers, claims even, in the corridors of Nintendo Power's letter sections, where players sent snapshots boasting Megalopolises in just a single year. At face value, achieving such a feat by 1901 seemed implausible, if not impossible. But with this newfound knowledge, these claims take on a different dimension.
Achieving a Megalopolis by 1901 (after the game time-wraps to 1661) now appears achievable. Players would essentially get a head start, having their city's infrastructure already in place from the previous 'time cycle.' However, to experience this phenomenon on the original hardware, one would need an unimaginable level of dedication, leaving their Super Nintendo on for weeks non-stop!
What Does 1661 Mean?
The choice of the year 1661 is undoubtedly puzzling. Why this particular year? Was it an Easter egg left by the developers, a nod to something historical, or perhaps a simple oversight or quirk in the coding? The answer is elusive, and only the original developers might hold the key to this mystery.
Retro Discoveries Never End!
The world of retro gaming is full of secrets waiting to be discovered. With advancements in technology, fans can dive deeper into these classics, uncovering peculiarities and shedding light on old legends. The curious case of Sim City's 1661 phenomenon is just one testament to the evergreen allure of vintage games and the lengths to which enthusiasts will go to unlock their secrets.
The question now is, what other mysteries lie dormant, waiting for their moment of revelation?
~Smash
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