SimCity: BuildIt is an adaptation of the long-running SimCity city planning series for mobile devices. The basic concept is identical to the main games. You are a mayor who has to build and manage a city from the ground up. It starts with small neighborhoods that grow into a larger city and eventually a metropolis if you manage to satisfy your citizens' needs. The transition to a mobile free-to-play concept brings some changes to the gameplay. Generally, it takes a lot of time to develop a city as there is a focus on gathering resources to buy buildings, with wait times that encourage players to come back for short, successive bursts. Materials such as metals or nails are needed to construct and upgrade buildings, rather than buying them with money right away.