  We investigate the power of quantum systems for the simulation of Hamiltonian
time evolutions on a cubic lattice under the constraint of translational
invariance. Given a set of translationally invariant local Hamiltonians and
short range interactions we determine time evolutions which can and those that
can not be simulated. Whereas for general spin systems no finite universal set
of generating interactions is shown to exist, universality turns out to be
generic for quadratic bosonic and fermionic nearest-neighbor interactions when
supplemented by all translationally invariant on-site Hamiltonians.
