Bit City

Released on March 13, 2017, for Android and iOS. Its initial reception was mixed, with praise for its graphics and soundtrack but criticism for its technical performance and repetitive gameplay.

• Developer — NimbleBit • Publisher — NimbleBit • Platforms — Android, iOS • Released — March 13, 2017 • Genre — City-building, clicker • Modes — Single-player

• Illustration — In Bit City, the player has to build a city to meet a population quota. Bit City is a city-building and clicker game. With a bird's-eye view, the player must build a city to reach a certain population; once fulfilled, the player can choose to start another city or keep improving the one they are on. 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. Once a plot is built on, the population increases depending on the plot's size. 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. 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. Later, the player unlocks moon cities, containing satellites and moon rovers.

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. Bit City was released for Android and iOS on March 13, 2017, following a month-long early access period on Google Play. In April 2017, it had received 2.5 million downloads, and moon cities were added on April 13.