Editing SimTower (section)

{{Short description|1994 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title     = SimTower: The Vertical Empire
| image     = SimTower Coverart.png
| alt       = A video game cover art. A skyscraper is in the foreground; fire is coming out of one of its floors, and a helicopter flies towards the building.
| developer = [[Vivarium Inc.|OPeNBooK]]
| publisher = {{vgrelease|JP|OPeNBooK|NA/EU|[[Maxis]]}}
| director  = [[Yoot Saito]]
| series    = ''[[List of Sim video games|Sim]]''
| released  = '''Windows, Mac'''{{vgrelease|JP|1994|NA|November 1994|EU|1994}}'''Sega Saturn'''{{vgrelease|JP|March 1, 1996}}'''3DO'''{{vgrelease|JP|March 29, 1996}}
| genre     = [[Construction and management simulation]]
| modes     = [[Single-player]]
| platforms = [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Macintosh]], [[Sega Saturn|Saturn]], [[3DO Interactive Multiplayer|3DO]]
}}

'''''SimTower: The Vertical Empire''''' (originally published in Japan as {{Nihongo foot|'''''The Tower'''''|ザ・タワー|Za Tawā|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}}) is a [[construction and management simulation]] [[video game]] developed by [[Vivarium Inc.|OPeNBooK]] and released in 1994 for [[Microsoft Windows]] and [[System 7|Macintosh System 7]]. Outside Japan, the game was published by [[Maxis]] and branded as part of their [[List of Sim video games|Sim series]]. Ports for [[Sega Saturn]] and [[3DO Interactive Multiplayer|3DO]] were released in 1996. A sequel titled ''The Tower II'' was released in 1998 and called ''[[Yoot Tower]]'' outside Japan.

The game allows players to build and manage a tower and decide what facilities to place in it, in order to ultimately build a five-star tower. Random events take place during play, such as terrorist acts that the player must respond to immediately.

Critical reception towards the game was generally positive. Reviews praised the game's formula, including its open-ended nature and its ability to immerse the player into the game. Criticism targeted the game's lack of documentation, which some reviewers found made it harder to learn how to play the game. The in-game speed was also criticized for being too slow, which was a crucial issue in the game because time must pass for the player to earn income to purchase new facilities.