EA builds SimCity 2 for DS

It hasn't been long since SimCity first made its way to DS - we're weren't particularly impressed either - but EA Japan has already announced a sequel.

First screenshots have emerged on its Japanese site along with early information on the game. The big hook this time is you'll be able to build up settlements and cities through the ages, from the caveman era to medieval times and then the industrial revolution. So forget fending off UFOs and fixing damage caused by rumbling earthquakes. It seems like you'll be concerning yourself with rogue wildcats and the plague instead.

According to information in the latest issue of Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, you'll even be able to combine resources from different ages in Free Mode to create the sort of hybrid city that'd surely made modern day architects weep. We also hope that EA will be improving issues such as the random difficulty curve and the lack of scenarios in the first game.

Currently listed with a March 19th release in Japan, there's no information on US or UK releases yet. On past experience, we'd be hoping for a summer launch - we'll let you know as soon as EA makes an announcement.