While previous mainstream SimCity titles could be best described as mayordom, or "God" simulators, SimCity Societies is different, as foreshadowed by the previews and statements from the developers, by being a 'social engineering simulator' rather than a city-building simulator.
Public works and a tax system do not play a part in the game. Instead, players get weekly income from workplaces in the city. Transportation networks have been simplified to dirt roads, paved roads, subways and bus stops. Players do not build zones, a key element of past SimCity games, instead they have the ability to directly place individual buildings, something not seen in previous editions, and similar to Monte Cristo's game City Life. There are also six "social energies" which allow players to learn about the characteristics of the citizens. The six energies are productivity, prosperity, creativity, spirituality, authority, and knowledge. The city will look, and act, in accordance with the energies the players choose. Players may focus on satisfying one, several, or all of the energies. An improved version of the reward system introduced in SimCity 3000 has been included in the game.
The game is "fully customizable" and allows the players to customize individual buildings, decorations, citizens and game rules. Prior to its release, when mentioning the depth to which the game will allow customization a Tilted Mill representative stated that those who were proficient in C# and XML will have easy access to every asset of the game and that basic tools would be provided for building editing.
Societies
- Authoritarian: Built up with a focus on authority, authoritarian cities are reminiscent of communist capitals such as Moscow or Bucharest, or the fictional London from George Orwell's 1984—complete with surveillance cameras, secret police, propaganda ministries, opulent buildings for the leadership, and slum housing projects.
- Capitalist: Focus is on productivity and prosperity. Capitalist cities feature buildings such as department stores, skyscrapers, stock markets, corporately-owned condos, and major company headquarters.
- Contemplative: Focus is on spirituality. Buildings include cathedrals, pagodas, monasteries, evangelical centers, megachurches, dojos, and golden statues of Buddha.
- Cyberpunk: A futuristic city built with the use of knowledge and authority, complete with neon lights and holotainment centres.
- Fun City: A city built up entirely of venues to maintain the happiness of its citizens. Buildings include ferris wheels, carnivals, zoos, casino water and amusement parks, and candy shops.
- Industrial: Industrial cities are primarily made up of polluting industry, slum housing, high crime, sweatshops, and factories to produce various wares.
- Romantic: Focus is on providing prosperity to the Sims while maintaining cultural and artistic elements. Buildings include concert halls, opera houses, baroque fountains, and cobblestone streets.
- Small town: Focus is on non-urban buildings. Buildings include windmills, a sheriff station, butcher's shops, corner delis, town houses, and farms.