SimCity 3000 has undergone major changes compared to its immediate predecessor SimCity 2000 (SC2K). Both the integral aspects of city management and the graphic and landscape aspects are “tightened up”. These changes gave the game significant differences from SC2K.
For example, throughout the SimCity franchise, the number and complexity of city services has increased compared to SC2K. Graphics quality has improved significantly. The most noticeable change is the addition of the concept of waste management. In SC3K, in a city with a population greater than 1000, garbage will begin to accumulate and must be disposed of at the city's expense. Farms and agricultural buildings were also added, creating large industrial zones in the city with low land costs and little pollution. In Sim City 3000, there are three zoning densities, compared to SC2K, which had two. Power plants have a limited service life. Unlike SC2K, power plants that have reached the end of their service life must be replaced manually.