"We focused SimCity 4 Rush Hour around transportation, because it was the number one requested area to expand upon among SimCity 4 fans and is the life-blood of every city," said Lucy Bradshaw, Vice President in charge of PC Development at EA's Maxis studio. "Players can control vehicles freely, solve missions that will affect their game play, and experience the thrill and power of creating the ultimate transportation utopia."

In SimCity 4 Rush Hour, players take control of their city's transportation with a wide variety of new options. They can create the elevated train networks of Chicago, the wide-avenues of New York, or the one-way streets of San Francisco. Players can develop a seamless mass-transit system including monorail, subway, or even a scenic ferry service that connects to a greater regional travel network. With all-new problem-solving maps and tracking tools, players can see the pulsing flow of traffic, map out the most efficient routes, and quickly get Sims from one city to another.

For the first time, players take charge of vehicles in their cities. Is the fire department stuck in traffic on its way to a four-alarm fire? Players can take direct control and pursue the quickest route to the blazing inferno. They can also put their Sims on the move in new cars, scooters, futuristic jet-packs, and motorcycles.

Players also solve missions that range from good to evil. Players that accept good missions such as catching car-jackers and thwarting bank robbers will earn reward buildings and other vehicles. Players that decide to be lawless and drive the get away car will earn more Simoleons, but their mayor rating will take a hit. As players gain traction by fixing transportation problems and solving missions, they watch their mayor approval rating soar and their Sim population grow!

Also new to SimCity 4 Rush Hour are over 30 new bridge options and a bridge selection tool. Players also can create a city based on an all-new modern European building set or choose one of three new architectural styles included in the original SimCity 4 including Chicago 1890s, New York 1940s, or Houston 1990s. Players can add dozens of new structures including rail yards, lighthouses, and ferry buildings. Players can now place a space shuttle launch center in town or a TV news station with a helipad for the news copter. They can make their final mark as mayor and personalize their city by labeling street names, mountains, neighborhoods, and points of interest.

True to the SimCity™ series, the expansion pack features new disasters. Car accidents and train derailments can snarl traffic and wreck havoc on the commute. Players can start a UFO alien invasion and watch the abduction of Sims, the destruction of buildings, and the creation of crop circles. Others may want to take control of their own UFO from Dr. Vu's Area 5.1 to create their own chaos and abductions. Players can also watch Autosaurus Wrecks transform and come to life out of buses and cars and cause destruction and devastation in the city. Players can now put their foot on the gas and get their Sims on the go in SimCity 4 with SimCity 4 Rush Hour.

SimCity 4 Rush Hour also includes tutorials to help new players get started and new gameplay levels, so players of any skill can create the city of their dreams.

SimCity 4 carries an ESRB rating of "E" for everyone with descriptor(s) of Violence. It is available in stores now for a suggested retail price of US $19.99 or by direct order from the EA StoreSM at http://www.ea.com or by calling 877-EA GAMES (1- 877- 324-2637). Existing SimCity 4 users will be eligible for a rebate of $10.00** when they purchase SimCity 4 Rush Hour.