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Best Sims Games

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Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Electronic Arts The Sims 4: Island Living
Electronic Arts
The Sims 4: Island Living
Tropical Paradise

Island Living is a sizable expansion that breaks up the monotony of daily life with the ultimate vacation of swimming with dolphins, playing in the sand, and exotic dining options.

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Tropical Paradise
Bottom Line

Island Living is a sizable expansion that breaks up the monotony of daily life with the ultimate vacation of swimming with dolphins, playing in the sand, and exotic dining options.

Pros

Unwind on the tropical island of Sulani. New island-based careers, like lifeguard and conservationist. Plenty of new island-themed clothing and furniture options. Meet a mermaid.

Cons

Not for Sims who would rather hang out at home over having an oceanic adventure.

Best Bang for the Buck
Electronic Arts The Sims 4
Electronic Arts
The Sims 4
Customer Favorite

From planning a backyard cookout to dealing with vampire neighbors, The Sims 4 presents fans of the series with more to enjoy with than ever.

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Customer Favorite
Bottom Line

From planning a backyard cookout to dealing with vampire neighbors, The Sims 4 presents fans of the series with more to enjoy with than ever.

Pros

Completely customize your Sim family’s home and life. Tons of optional and fun expansion packs available. Many hilarious Sim reactions to discover. Affordable.

Cons

You can spend a lot trying to collect all of the expansions.

Electronic Arts The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs
Electronic Arts
The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs
Custom Cats & Dogs

Cats & Dogs sports a surprisingly deep “Create A Pet” mode that allows users to make their dream pal, and unleash these animals on your Sims adds even more depth to The Sims 4.

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Custom Cats & Dogs
Bottom Line

Cats & Dogs sports a surprisingly deep “Create A Pet” mode that allows users to make their dream pal, and unleash these animals on your Sims adds even more depth to The Sims 4.

Pros

Fully customize cats and dogs for your Sims. Many breeds to adopt. New animal doctor career path. Pet lovers will enjoy the expansive new Brindleton Bay area.

Cons

It’s a shame that a new pet takes up one of the eight family member slots per home.

Electronic Arts The Sims 4: Vampires
Electronic Arts
The Sims 4: Vampires
Immortal Fun

Fans of the legendary bloodsuckers will be thrilled to receive a mansion’s worth of gothic home items, creepy fashion options, and a wealth of new ways to play "The Sims 4" that stem from being a vampire.

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Immortal Fun
Bottom Line

Fans of the legendary bloodsuckers will be thrilled to receive a mansion’s worth of gothic home items, creepy fashion options, and a wealth of new ways to play "The Sims 4" that stem from being a vampire.

Pros

Make a family of detailed vampire Sims. Vampire-Sims sport strange supernatural powers. New Forgotten Hollow for vampire socialization. Vampiric lifestyles drastically affect the core game.

Cons

There aren’t too many new things to try out in Forgotten Hollow.

Electronic Arts The Sims 4: Backyard Stuff
Electronic Arts
The Sims 4: Backyard Stuff
Cool Backyard Styles

Backyard Stuff is the perfect expansion if you already enjoy sending your Sims to play outside in "The Sims 4," even if this is little more than a collection of cool patio-side home objects.

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Cool Backyard Styles
Bottom Line

Backyard Stuff is the perfect expansion if you already enjoy sending your Sims to play outside in "The Sims 4," even if this is little more than a collection of cool patio-side home objects.

Pros

Inexpensive expansion. Adds over 40 new home objects to give your backyard a summertime makeover. Includes wind chimes, exciting lawn water slides, garden decor, bird feeders, and more.

Cons

Not for Sims fans who prefer to keep their Sims indoors.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

First Reviewed
December 21, 2021
32
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22
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researched
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Buying guide for Best Sims games

Sian Babish
Written by Sian Babish

Updated September 2022

Ever wonder how you can live vicariously through an interior designer, evil boss, or high-profile celebrity? Now you can, thanks to The Sims games — and before you know it, you’ll be addicted.

Imagine doing everything you’ve ever wanted to do, but on a smaller scale. When you play The Sims, you’re able to dive into exciting experiences, as well as find yourself in precarious situations. In fact, you might even get caught up with monsters or suffer from the plague. As existential as The Sims can be, there’s still a bit of luck and randomness involved in gameplay, which is why it’s remained captivating and engaging for almost 20 years.  

It’s an understatement to say the possibilities are endless with The Sims, so we’re here to guide you through your first gameplay experiences. Read our buying guide to learn about the base game, a broad range of expansion and activity packs, and our favorites. 

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Like most video games, The Sims offers periodic updates and patches. Sometimes this means servers are down while they’re being loaded.

Considerations

Age range

The Sims has an Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating of Teen because of some crude humor and suggestive themes. For the most part, it’s a kid-friendly game without gratuitous violence or salacious content. While it’s intended for teens, many kids ages eight and above are capable of playing the game. If they’re experienced gamers and independent readers, then they’ll do well with The Sims

Dedication

The Sims is a simulation game. Unlike other video games with matches, mini games, or definitive endings, The Sims is an open-ended game. That means you can log several or hundreds of hours of gameplay trying to level up without winning. 

In fact, there’s no actual “winning” in The Sims. Rather, it’s an ongoing game that measures success in a complex rubric, so you’ll have to satisfy a lot of in-game requirements to level up your character’s skills or home. As expected, developing each aspect of the game takes considerable dedication. Some gamers marvel at the limitless gameplay potential, while others can become bored with repetitive activities and quests. 

Activities

If it can be done in real life, then you can probably do it in The Sims. That means eating, drinking, working, and yes, going to the bathroom. Certain activities level up your skills, such as reading or enrolling in a class. Others, like decorating, don’t have a direct impact on your character except for improving their mood and making their home more aesthetically pleasing.

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Did you know?
The Sims has an in-game cheat code to obtain more simoleons, or money. Type “rosebud” for 1,000 simoleons, or “motherlode” for 50,000 simleons. Yes, EA knows this and is perfectly fine with it.
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Types of Sims games

Understanding the Sims universe

If you’re new to The Sims, it’s important to understand the lingo behind the game. The term “The Sims” is inclusive and pertains to all games, packs, and activities related to the Sims universe and gameplay. The Sims 4 is the base game, which is required to play expansions, games, and stuff packs. 

Base game: The Sims 4, has plenty of content and gameplay. It’s fun and easy to learn, which is why it appeals to non-gamers, new gamers, and even experienced gamers. Have fun customizing your home and your character’s appearance, or dive into development by doing your best to perform at 100% across the board. Trust us, it’s just as tough to do it in The Sims as it is in real life. 

Expansion packs: These have themed content and new worlds or lifestyles to explore. The Get to Work expansion lets you experience the trials and tribulations of various professions. The Cats and Dogs expansion lets you live your best life as a pet owner or veterinarian (and you still need a pooper-scooper). 

Game packs: These are medium-sized packs that add new experiences in thematic ways. Unlike expansion packs, game packs are focused on immediate experiences as opposed to brand-new worlds. In the Dine Out pack, for example, you’ll enjoy managing a restaurant and putting out fires (literally). 

Stuff packs: These are essentially accessory packs for themed outfits and furniture. Some will piggyback onto expansion or game packs, such as the Toddler Stuff pack, which is ideal to play with the Parenting game pack. These are especially popular for gamers with secondary interests in fashion or interior design. 

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Expert Tip
You’ll need to continually improve your home’s décor by upgrading old furniture and decorations to maintain a happy Sim.
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FAQ about Sims games

Q. Is The Sims 4 compatible with Mac?

A. It is, though it’s a digital-only release. You’ll need to create an account on Origin if you don’t already have one. Once you’ve purchased the game, you’ll download it onto your Mac and redeem your product code to start playing. 

Q. The characters in my game aren’t speaking. How do I adjust settings so I can hear what they’re saying?

A. The Sims don’t actually speak intelligible words. There are, however, sound effects that accompany their moods and reactions. In terms of the information they’re communicating to you, simply follow the text prompts on the screen. 

Q. Will I need to upgrade my PC to play The Sims?

A. It depends on how new your PC is and whether it meets the game’s minimum requirements. You’ll need to cross-reference specs before shelling out lots of simoleons (money), so visit the EA website for more information. 

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