SimLife

electronic game

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Last updated

July 19, 2026

Quick Summary

SimLife is an electronic game that falls under the genre of artificial life (A-life) simulations. In these games, players nurture or control artificial life forms. An early example of this genre is John Conway's The Game of Life, a cellular automaton from the 1960s where simple rules govern the evolution of "organisms" based on initial placements.

More commercially, Will Wright is known for developing A-life games. His 1992 release, SimLife, allowed players to influence the evolution of plants and animals by adjusting environmental and genetic factors. This game has been used as an educational tool to teach about ecosystem interactions. Later, Wright's The Sims (2000) became a highly successful A-life simulation where players control the lives of virtual people, directing their daily activities and life choices.12

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electronic artificial life game
…followed with the critically acclaimed SimLife (1992), an A-life simulation in which players adjust numerous environmental and genetic parameters to influence the evolution of plants and animals within the game. It has often been used as a tool for teaching children how plants, herbivores, and carnivores interact to maintain a…
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…followed with the critically acclaimed SimLife (1992), an A-life simulation in which players adjust numerous environmental and genetic parameters to influence the evolution of plants and animals within the game. It has often been used as a tool for teaching children how plants, herbivores, and carnivores interact to maintain a…
Read More