# 1849 > California Gold Rush city-building and management simulation game. (iPhone/iPad app by SomaSim.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1849/id840299641 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [SomaSim](https://appshunter.io/developer/840299644) - Category: Games, Simulation, Strategy - Price: $4.99 with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.40/5 from 18 App Store ratings · 62 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 12+ - Requires: iOS 6.0 · 76 MB - Languages: American English, French (France), German (Germany), Polish - Released: 2014-05-07 - Data updated: 2026-06-24 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1849/id840299641/reviews.md ## What is 1849? "1849 ... might just be the only real city-building game on iOS" - Owen Faraday, Pocket Tactics The year is 1849, and gold has just been discovered in California. You decide to head out west, to seek fame and wealth in the approaching Gold Rush. Will you strike it rich and become an overnight mining magnate? Or build your fortune bit by bit by supplying 49ers with pickaxes and blue jeans? Gameplay: 1849 is a city management game set during the California Gold Rush. Your task is to build towns, populate them with workers, and keep your citizens housed, fed, and entertained. You’ll have to manage and coordinate extensive production and trade networks to make sure your towns thrive. Updated with two new scenarios! The Epilogue presents two final scenarios, taking place in the period after the gold rush, as the people of California attempted to forge a new identity in a state that went through an irreversible transformation. Key Features of 1849: - A campaign mode that traces the development of the Gold Rush from mining camps to bustling cities. Each city scenario presents players with unique starting conditions, victory goals, and obstacle events. - Sandbox mode with a procedurally-generated map for your location, based on geography (from the Pacific coast to the Sierra Nevada mountains), precipitation, resource availability, and starting lot size. - Vivid Old West towns with geography and architecture directly inspired by California’s Gold Country. - Over 50 resources to dig up, farm, refine or manufacture as you build complex towns and cities. - Classic city management gameplay meets modern technology in a sim tailored specifically for tablet / touch screen play. - Developed by SomaSim, a new studio dedicated to producing deep simulation games for today’s players. ## Key features - City management simulation - Gold Rush campaign mode - Procedurally generated sandbox maps - Complex production and trade networks - Over 50 resources to manage - Tablet-optimized touch controls ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: $4.99. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | California Cities 10-pack | $2.99 | one-time | | 1849: Nevada Silver Expansion Pack | $1.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (10 of 62) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1849/id840299641/reviews.md ### 1/5 — does not work *2020-05-27, version 2.0.8* used to be a great game. picked up my new ipad to play it again, but seems like the game was never updated for new ios ### 5/5 — Loved it! *2018-11-18, version 2.0.8* I loved this game so much! Please put out another game like this soon. ### 5/5 — Great game. *2018-11-16, version 2.0.8* Great game. I wish they would come out with another expansion pack or update each city with another couple More starting scenarios, adding to the 3 per city they have now. I played this game. After a while deleted everything and played it again. I want more. ### 5/5 — California residents A Rare Find! Absolutely great game free!! *2017-03-16, version 2.0.8* This game is amazing!! Thank you to everyone involved in bringing this game to the public! Not only fun but so educational about the history of California! I highly recommend this to everyone and any age over 8 up to 75. Thank you again! ### 5/5 — A real gem! *2017-01-28, version 2.0.8* To me, this game has got a lot of charm. Also, I support these kinds of games where the only "in app purchase" is an expansion pack. Way to go SomaSim! ### 5/5 — EUREKA! Aunt Kathy 7/30/2015 *2015-08-21, version 2.0.8* Wonderful game. Beautiful graphics. I have played through the California and Nevada scenarios. This has become a favorite especially since the sandbox mode has opened. The tasks are varied enough to really hold your interest as you build cities and mine your way across these to states. Replay value is truly a plus. ### 3/5 — Epilogue doesn't load *2015-08-13, version 2.0.7* I can choose Nevada city, read the introduction but pressing ok to start does nothing. It's just frozen. Bummed! I was looking forward to more play! ### 3/5 — Expansion pack buggy *2015-08-09, version 2.0* The latest "Epilogue" expansion pack will not allow me to advance past the first city (Nevada City) on iPad. I have passed all goals, but it never recognizes that I have more than 300 residents. Love this game and want to do more ... Please help! ### 5/5 — Great game *2015-08-02, version 2.0* Love this game but cant get past first level of new Epilogue content due to buggy objectives. Even after completing 1st objective and fulfilling 2nd, the 2nd doesn't trigger. Found out you can trick it into triggering by selling even more iron (?!) third objective just wont trigger at all, despite having 330 ppl ### 5/5 — Love this game - wish it took longer to complete *2015-08-01, version 2.0* If you liked Pharaoh & Zeus on the PC then this is along the same lines. The gameplay is not as complex but still good fun. Does not take months to complete like Pharaoh, so was pleased to see the epilogue expansion release. However can't get past the first town Nevada despite meeting all the goals - hope bug fixed soon as a good game ## Frequently asked questions about 1849 ### What is 1849 about? 1849 is a city management game set during the California Gold Rush. Players are tasked with building towns, managing resources, and ensuring the well-being of their citizens to achieve success in the burgeoning West. ### What are the key features of 1849? The game features a campaign mode that follows the Gold Rush's development, a sandbox mode with procedurally generated maps, over 50 resources to manage, and detailed Old West town environments. It's designed for tablet touch screens. ### Is 1849 free to play? The application is free to download and play, but it does include in-app purchases. These purchases may offer additional content or features to enhance the gameplay experience. ### What kind of scenarios are available in 1849? Beyond the main campaign, 1849 offers two new scenarios in 'The Epilogue.' These scenarios take place in the period after the gold rush, focusing on California's efforts to forge a new identity. ### What platforms is 1849 available on? The description specifically mentions that the game is tailored for tablet/touch screen play, implying it is available on mobile operating systems like iOS, optimized for tablet devices. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.0.8 — 2015-08-13 This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon. New in version 2.0.8: - Stability updates - Fixed completion bug in Epilogue ### 2.0.7 — 2015-08-05 New in version 2.0.7: - Stability updates - Fixed completion bug in Epilogue ### 2.0 — 2015-07-30 Added free bonus content - 2 Epilogue scenarios. The Epilogue presents two final scenarios, taking place in the period after the gold rush, as the people of California attempted to forge a new identity in a state that went through an irreversible transformation. ### 1.5 — 2015-07-12 "Nevada Silver" expansion pack: new cities, new train-based trading, new resources, buildings, and challenges. Grab your pickaxe, and mosey on over to the Comstock Lode where new fortune awaits. Available as an in-app purchase. New in 1.5: - Added Polish language option - go to the Settings menu to switch languages - Stability updates ### 1.4.2 — 2015-02-25 "Nevada Silver" expansion pack: new cities, new train-based trading, new resources, buildings, and challenges. Grab your pickaxe, and mosey on over to the Comstock Lode where new fortune awaits. Available as an in-app purchase. New in 1.4: - Added French language option - go to the Settings menu to switch languages - Stability updates ## Apps similar to 1849 | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Sublight Empire](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sublight-empire/id1303098306) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Games | | [mine4miles](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mine4miles/id795892915) | 3.7 (11) | Free | Games | | [Marble Age: Remastered](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marble-age-remastered/id1536412014) | 4.8 (22) | $3.99 | Games | | [Peninsular War Battles](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/peninsular-war-battles/id997026804) | 3.6 (15) | $2.99 | Games | | [Music Road 3D](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/music-road-3d/id6445847231) | — | Free | Games | | [Settle and Battle: New Empires](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/settle-and-battle-new-empires/id6569242284) | 5.0 (1) | $4.99 | Games | ## More apps by SomaSim - [1849: Gold Edition](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1849-gold-edition/id1016041206) All apps by SomaSim: https://appshunter.io/developer/840299644 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-24.*