:Bit City
{{Short description|2017 video game}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox video game
| image = File:BitCityicon.jpg
| developer = NimbleBit
| publisher = NimbleBit
| released = March 13, 2017
| genre = City-building, clicker
| modes = Single-player
| caption = App icon
| alt = A 3D-pixel art piece of a government building.
}}
Bit City is a 2017 city-building and clicker game developed and published by the American studio NimbleBit. In the game, the player must generate a steady coin income to build a city that meets a population quota. They may buy in-app purchases to boost their progress in the game and can prestige, which returns them back to the first city with their upgrades and the in-game currency Bux kept. Bit City was released on March 13, 2017, for Android and iOS. The game's initial reception was mixed, with praise for its graphics and soundtrack but criticism for its technical performance and repetitive gameplay.
Gameplay
Bit City is a city-building and clicker game.{{Cite web |last=Ford |first=Eric |date=February 20, 2017 |title=Hands-on with NimbleBit's Bit City {{endash}} Building a Town One Click at Time |url=https://toucharcade.com/2017/02/20/bit-city-hands-on-preview/ |access-date=September 25, 2024 |website=TouchArcade}} With a bird's-eye view,{{Cite web |last=Sowden |first=Emily |date=March 13, 2017 |title=NimbleBit's town-building sim Bit City{{'s}} out now on iOS and Android |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/bit-city/update-nimblebits-town-building-sim-bit-citys-out-now-on-ios-and-android/ |access-date=September 22, 2024 |website=Pocket Gamer |archive-date=April 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417190434/https://www.pocketgamer.com/bit-city/update-nimblebits-town-building-sim-bit-citys-out-now-on-ios-and-android/ |url-status=live }} the player must build a city to reach a certain population;{{Cite web |last=Ford |first=Eric |date=March 20, 2017 |title=Bit City Guide – How to Maximize Your Earning Potential |url=https://toucharcade.com/2017/03/20/bit-city-guide-how-to-maximize-your-earning-potential/ |access-date=October 1, 2024 |website=TouchArcade |archive-date=October 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241005055831/https://toucharcade.com/2017/03/20/bit-city-guide-how-to-maximize-your-earning-potential/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Molina |first=Brett |date=December 24, 2017 |title=Try these 10 games on your new iPhone or Android smartphone |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2017/12/24/try-these-10-games-your-new-iphone-android/972546001/ |access-date=September 23, 2024 |website=USA Today |archive-date=October 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241005055925/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2017/12/24/try-these-10-games-your-new-iphone-android/972546001/ |url-status=live }} once fulfilled, the player can choose to start another city or keep improving the one they are on.{{Cite web |last=Renaudin |first=Clement |date=February 10, 2017 |title=City-builder meets clicker in Nimblebit's addicting Bit City, out in early access on Android |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/bit-city/city-builder-meets-clicker-in-nimblebits-addicting-bit-city-out-in-early-access-/ |access-date=September 23, 2024 |website=Pocket Gamer |archive-date=April 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240420221421/https://www.pocketgamer.com/bit-city/city-builder-meets-clicker-in-nimblebits-addicting-bit-city-out-in-early-access-/ |url-status=live }} Each city has a set number of different-sized plots; when a player decides to buy a plot, they are prompted to pick one of three districts: Residential, Business, or Service, which will build residential properties, businesses, and services, respectively. However, if a district type is built too frequently, its demand and income will lower.{{Cite web |last=Squires |first=Jim |date=March 14, 2017 |title=How to get more coins in Bit City |url=https://www.gamezebo.com/walkthroughs/how-to-get-more-coins-in-bit-city/ |access-date=October 3, 2024 |website=Gamezebo |archive-date=October 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241005055832/https://www.gamezebo.com/walkthroughs/how-to-get-more-coins-in-bit-city/ |url-status=live }} Once a plot is built on, the population increases depending on the plot's size.{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Jennifer |date=March 17, 2017 |title=How to build more effectively in Bit City |url=https://www.gamezebo.com/walkthroughs/how-to-build-more-effectively-in-bit-city/ |access-date=October 3, 2024 |website=Gamezebo |archive-date=September 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240922225322/https://www.gamezebo.com/walkthroughs/how-to-build-more-effectively-in-bit-city/ |url-status=live }} They may rebuild on the same plot to upgrade a building's income.
The player can buy transportation—including cars, boats, and planes—from a vehicle garage; when tapped, it will reward them with coins or the in-game currency Bux. Bux can be purchased and used in-game to speed up construction or buy special buildings, which give bonuses for a district.{{Cite web |last=Tylwalk |first=Nick |date=March 21, 2017 |title=How to unlock all the special buildings in Bit City |url=https://www.gamezebo.com/walkthroughs/how-to-unlock-all-the-special-buildings-in-bit-city/ |access-date=October 3, 2024 |website=Gamezebo |archive-date=October 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241005055924/https://www.gamezebo.com/walkthroughs/how-to-unlock-all-the-special-buildings-in-bit-city/ |url-status=live }} The player may also obtain Bux by completing a mission where the same building must be built a specified amount of times. The amount of coins the player earns per second increases for every building and vehicle in the city, and a coin income compounds while the player is outside of the app.
Each city also has a government building for upgrading certain aspects of the city, such as the vehicle or zone payout; these upgrades will reset after the player moves on to a new city. Permanent upgrades apply to every city needing Bux; each new upgrade increases the amount of cash stored in the Pension Pig. The Pension Pig accumulates cash over time, and the player can buy it as an in-app purchase to claim the accumulated funds. The player may choose to prestige, sending them to the first city with their upgrades and Bux intact and giving them keys with a collective earning bonus.{{Cite web |last=Tylwalk |first=Nick |date=March 15, 2017 |title=How and Why to Prestige in Bit City |url=https://www.gamezebo.com/walkthroughs/how-and-why-to-prestige-in-bit-city/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702164311/https://www.gamezebo.com/walkthroughs/how-and-why-to-prestige-in-bit-city/ |archive-date=July 2, 2022 |access-date=October 1, 2024 |website=Gamezebo}} Later in the game, the player unlocks moon cities, containing satellites and moon rovers.{{Cite web |last=Hodapp |first=Eli |date=April 11, 2017 |title=NimbleBit's Bit City Heads to the Moon This Thursday |url=https://toucharcade.com/2017/04/11/nimblebits-bit-city-heads-to-the-moon-this-thursday/ |access-date=September 24, 2024 |website=TouchArcade |archive-date=October 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241005055831/https://toucharcade.com/2017/04/11/nimblebits-bit-city-heads-to-the-moon-this-thursday/ |url-status=live }}
Release
Bit City was developed by NimbleBit, who previously created mobile games such as Tiny Tower and Pocket Trains. The studio's co-founder, Dave Marsh, tweeted building designs in July 2015 after experimenting with an art style.{{Cite web |last=Squires |first=Jim |date=July 29, 2015 |title=NimbleBit might be working on Bit City, and it might look pretty cool |url=https://www.gamezebo.com/upcoming/nimblebit-might-be-working-on-bit-city-and-it-might-look-pretty-cool/ |access-date=September 22, 2024 |website=Gamezebo |archive-date=September 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240922225321/https://www.gamezebo.com/upcoming/nimblebit-might-be-working-on-bit-city-and-it-might-look-pretty-cool/ |url-status=live }}
Bit City was released for Android and iOS on March 13, 2017,{{Cite web |last=Dotson |first=Carter |date=March 13, 2017 |title=NimbleBit's Bit City Now Available, Combining City Builders and Clickers |url=https://toucharcade.com/2017/03/13/nimblebits-bit-city-now-available/ |access-date=September 22, 2024 |website=TouchArcade |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921175641/https://toucharcade.com/2017/03/13/nimblebits-bit-city-now-available |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Dotson |first=Carter |date=March 8, 2017 |title=NimbleBit to Release Bit City on March 13th |url=https://toucharcade.com/2017/03/08/nimblebit-to-release-bit-city-on-march-13th/ |access-date=September 22, 2024 |website=TouchArcade |archive-date=October 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241005055832/https://toucharcade.com/2017/03/08/nimblebit-to-release-bit-city-on-march-13th/ |url-status=live }} following a month-long early access period on Google Play. In April 2017, the game had received 2.5 million downloads, and moon cities were added on April 13.
== Reception ==
{{Video game reviews
| rev1 = 148Apps
}}
The overall gameplay was considered charming but repetitive. Gamezebo
Bit City{{'s}} graphics were liked by critics. While some reviewers commended the variety of buildings, Bird praised Bit City{{'s}} landscape design, but Ives-Allison criticized that the lack of a rotative camera made it challenging to view vehicles. Critics received the game's soundtrack positively for its upbeat nature.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{NimbleBit}}
{{Portal bar|Video games}}
Category:Android (operating system) games
Category:Early access video games