The Sims franchise turns 25 this week, which is a big milestone in and of itself, however do you know simply what number of Sims video games there truly are? And I do not imply what number of growth packs or different bits of DLC are on the market (though that does actually add up at this level, imagine me) – I imply absolutely stand-alone titles launched beneath The Sims model.
If you happen to answered “4”, oh my candy summer time baby, have you ever bought rather a lot to be taught. Which is why in celebration of The Sims’ twenty fifth anniversary, I’ve put collectively this checklist of the 25 finest Sims video games from throughout the franchise’s quarter-century of historical past. Study and luxuriate in, and admire the truth that I did even have to chop just a few spin-offs and amalgamate just a few in-name-only remakes simply to maintain the numbers down.
25. The Sims 2 Condominium Pets
Platform(s): Nintendo DS
Launched: 2008
This kinda-cute thought took place on the very finish of The Sims 2‘s life cycle: make a completely standalone Nintendo DS spin-off that mashes collectively the ideas of a few TS2’s fashionable growth packs. It isn’t precisely a beloved basic, however it does function some distinctive pet-centric minigames and a somewhat candy story.
24. MySims Sky Heroes
Platforms: Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS
Launched: 2010
The sixth and, sadly, ultimate MySims recreation was admittedly not the top of the sub-franchise, and it’s important to surprise if EA would not have been higher off sticking with the unique plan of constructing it a direct sequel to the superb MySims Brokers (see beneath). However it’s the solely Sims recreation the place you possibly can fly a airplane, and one of many few to make use of its story to brazenly acknowledge the marginally dystopian undercurrent that feels prefer it’s all the time simply out of sight on the planet of The Sims.
23. The Sims Pet Tales
Platform(s): PC, Mac
Launched: 2007
The awkward center baby of The Sims Tales trilogy aimed, like its siblings, to deliver the fantastic world of The Sims 2 to gamers whose PCs (or extra seemingly laptops) had been too low-spec to wrangle the true deal. One of many scripted storylines featured on this recreation ends with a rich relative generously donating her entire home to a poor cousin so she will keep on her honeymoon cruise ceaselessly, and that is how Pet Tales will seemingly make you are feeling: barely condescended to, however completely happy that at the least you get to take a seat again and play with pet customisation with out setting your complete groin space on fireplace.
22. The Sims 2 Pets
Platform(s): PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation Transportable, Recreation Boy Advance, Nintendo DS
Launched: 2006-2007
The one growth pack within the PC franchise’s historical past to obtain a completely stand-alone remake throughout most up to date consoles and handhelds (though an Xbox 360 port remained conspicuous in its absence), The Sims 2 Pets was visibly chasing Nintendogs’ tail in most of its iterations. The pets actually are the star of the present right here, and fulfilling these fuzzballs’ wishes is such a spotlight that the sport may arguably have benefitted from jettisoning the human facet altogether. (Bonus suggestion: for those who’re inquisitive about how that may’ve regarded, take a look at the 2009 Nintendo-exclusive duology SimAnimals and SimAnimals Africa.)
21. The Sims Social
Platform(s): Fb
Launched: 2011 (closed down in 2013)
The Sims Social is the one recreation on this checklist that you just cannot play in any respect any extra, which is definitely one thing of a triumph for recreation preservation when you consider it. An try and make the most of the Farmville-inspired increase of social media-based video games, TSS sadly simply missed the height of that pattern, and ended up closing up store after solely a few years. It is nonetheless fondly remembered by many who performed it, nevertheless, and can be noteworthy for being the one Sims recreation – amongst many to attempt over time – to really get a collaboration with Woman Gaga off the bottom.
20. MySims
Platform(s): Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PC, Nintendo Change
Launched: 2007-2008 (remastered in 2024)
The late 2000s to early 2010s noticed the groups liable for creating Sims spin-offs attempt their fingers at just about every thing. MySims was EA’s try and place a Nintendo-first sub-franchise as a critical competitor to Animal Crossing, and in equity, they did not do too badly. MySims itself could also be pretty formulaic for those who’re aware of the supply materials, however it was cute and enjoyable sufficient to spawn 5 sequels (which took a shot at being every thing from Mario-Occasion-but-Sims and Mario-Kart-but-Sims, and even dipped a toe into journey gaming), and lately bought the remaster remedy as a part of the MySims Cozy Bundle.
19. The Sims On-line
Platform(s): PC
Launched: 2002 (official servers closed down in 2008)
The Sims On-line used property from the unique Sims for PC to create a Second Life-esque social area for gamers to work together with each other’s avatars in real-time. It went about the way you’d count on, and is now finest remembered for being an totally chaotic melting pot of cyber brothels and beautiful trolling. And, as you’d additionally count on, it was beloved amongst a sure area of interest of gamers.
TSO formally went, nicely, offline in 2008, though numerous fan recreations have performed pretty nicely since then. The final, sadly, shut down in December of final yr, however there is a truthful likelihood one other will crop up sometime, with EA seemingly content material to look the opposite manner when and if it does.
18. The Urbz: Sims within the Metropolis (console)
Platform(s): PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube
Launched: 2004
The Urbz: Sims within the Metropolis may be probably the most mid-2000s online game conceivable. The Sims franchise as much as that time had been very a lot a suburban life simulator, presumably as a result of having a house gaming set-up was nonetheless seen as fairly a middle-class factor. The Urbz flipped that idea on its head and took a romanticised, aspirational view of inner-city residing that predicted your seemingly future employment within the gig financial system a superb decade forward of schedule, however eased your fears of disappearing into the city jungle with a promise that you simply’d be smooching celebrities at a glitzy rooftop bar inside weeks of transferring into your dingy first condo.
The hand held model of Urbz was higher obtained than this house console version, admittedly; however the handheld model did not function an prolonged cameo by The Black Eyed Peas, so who actually gained?
17. The Sims Life Tales
Platform(s): Home windows, Mac
Launched: 2007
The primary Sims Tales spin-off geared toward lower-end PCs did not depend on any fancy gimmicks, as a result of it understood that you can create some splendidly bizarre tales simply by making the most of what was already current in a pared-back model of The Sims 2 base recreation. Gamers who mainly view The Sims as a cleaning soap opera generator ought to really feel proper at house with these outlandish tales, which begin with an evil ex-boyfriend conspiring to steal the inheritance of a beloved aunt, and finish with the Grim Reaper forcing a tech billionaire to decide on between his fortune and a good looking girl who’s simply been crushed by a falling satellite tv for pc.
16. The Sims Cellular
Platform(s): iOS, Android
Launched: 2018
Regardless of receiving its ultimate content material replace in early 2024, The Sims Cellular continues to be being actively supported with reruns of previous seasonal occasions, and thus stays a preferred selection for contemporary Simmers on-the-go. Made utilizing an artwork fashion and property that may make followers of The Sims 4 really feel most at house, TSM’s quests are extra character- and story-oriented than these of different cellular entries into the franchise, and it additionally invitations you to admire different gamers’ creations by way of gentle social options.
15. The Sims Castaway Tales
Platform(s): PC, Mac
Launched: 2008
The ultimate entry into the Sims Tales trilogy is extra open-ended than its predecessors, inviting you to create your personal character earlier than taking part in by way of a scripted story that might no more clearly have been impressed by the then-recent success of the TV present Misplaced. Not like the console riff on the Castaway idea, the paradisiacal island of Castaway Tales is something however abandoned, and the story is actually extra about discovering your toes in a brand new group than day-to-day survival. The result’s, somewhat endearingly ultimately, one of many few PC video games within the sequence to see your Sims do one thing apart from spin ceaselessly on the hamster wheel of capitalism.
14. The Sims 2 (console)
Platform(s): PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube
Launched: 2005
The Sims 2 was the golden period of the entire Sims franchise, and whereas the house console version of the sport was fairly broadly thought-about its weakest, it’s at the least fascinating sufficient to benefit a glance. Whereas the linchpin PC model was pushing your complete life sim style ahead in big leaps, TS2 was launched on the tail-end of a console era and thus needed to reduce on some fairly primary however resource-intensive mechanics from TS1, most notably the power to have youngsters. As a substitute, most pre-made households consisted of a married couple residing with a 3rd grownup particular person who wanted to have some convoluted cause to be there that was distinct from all the opposite distinctive menages within the recreation. In most different respects it performed just about like TS2 for PC, however with added scope for scrumptious relationship drama.
13. The Sims Freeplay
Platform(s): iOS, Android
Launched: 2011
The present reigning champion of Sims cellular video games has seen off even the in-house competitors supplied by The Sims Cellular, and by some means continues to be receiving common, substantive content material updates after nicely over a decade. Broadly impressed by The Sims 3, The Sims Freeplay additionally has one thing of an echo of SimCity about it, encouraging you to modify between a number of households within the title of uplifting the group and facilities out there to your city as a complete. It additionally performs out in excruciating real-time, however that is truly excellent news for those who’d favor The Sims was extra of an idle recreation.
12. MySims Kingdom
Platform(s): Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Change, PC
Launched: 2008 (remastered in 2024)
In a surprisingly giant departure from the unique MySims, its first sequel jettisons a lot of the Animal Crossing-esque gameplay loop in favour of one thing extra akin to a (very) lite RPG. The Kingdom of the title is each bit the vaguely fantasy-inspired melting pot you’d think about: a king, a princess, and a wizard process you and your buddies with saving their archipelago nation from financial downturn by way of magically-enhanced house design. Regardless of the straightforward idea, it is laborious to get tired of this story when everybody from cowboys to astronauts to forest elves need your assist to revitalise their residing areas.
11. The Sims 2 Castaway
Platform(s): Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Transportable, Nintendo DS
Launched: 2007
It is my thought-about opinion that this recreation is the true non secular precursor to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, proper all the way down to a few of the musical riffs sounding eerily related. Design a boatload (as distinct from the households of the core sequence) of as much as six Sims, fill within the backstories from their outdated lives, after which see how these skilled expertise assist them fare when their yacht capsises in a storm and leaves them stranded on a desert island with solely the native natural world for firm. Not like its PC equal, the console version of Castaway is one thing of a survival recreation, by which you construct every thing from shelter to clothes from the bottom up whereas uncovering the mysteries of a long-lost civilization.
10. The Sims: Console Version
Platform(s): PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube
Launched: 2003
Why port the then-bestselling PC recreation of all time on to house consoles, when as an alternative you possibly can create a similarly-themed recreation that is additionally solely its personal factor? That is the delightfully baffling thought course of that presumably led to The Sims: Console Version, which is sort of nothing like The Sims for PC, however did introduce a few of the franchise’s most recognisable lore characters, just like the evil property tycoon Malcolm Landgraab and “Mother” (an offended NPC carrying a face pack and curlers who yells at you within the tutorial till you get a job). This unique console outing was {followed} so shortly by its better-remembered sequel Bustin’ Out that you simply might need change into satisfied it was all only a fever dream, however I promise you, this was fairly actual as soon as upon a time.
9. The Urbz: Sims within the Metropolis (handheld)
Platform(s): GameBoy Advance, Nintendo DS
Launched: 2004
The house console version of the identical title already appeared additional up this checklist, but when somebody’s reminiscing fondly about The Urbz, it is greater than seemingly the considerably totally different GBA model they’re speaking about. Sans licensed superstar cameos, this iteration of The Urbz needed to lean closely on a narrative that (checks notes) sees your Sim embroiled in a lifetime of organised crime, dodging jail time and assassination makes an attempt and… ultimately preventing vampires? I am beginning to remorse rising up as a PS2 child, truthfully, this does sound much more superior.
8. The Sims: Bustin’ Out
Platform(s): PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Recreation Boy Advance, N-Gage
Launched: 2003-2004
Scorching on the heels of The Sims: Console Version got here The Sims: Bustin’ Out, a direct sequel that was much less involved with following within the PC model’s lead, and as an alternative aimed to current gameplay that constructed on the most effective points from the franchise’s console debut. The marginally eyebrow elevating title the truth is fairly innocently* refers back to the manner your Sims might want to get out and about on the planet extra, visiting quite a lot of places as they attempt to achieve the highest of all profession tracks in an try and struggle capitalism with capitalism and regain management of the city from the avaricious Malcolm Landgraab.
*Now that I give it some thought although, there may be an NPC on this recreation referred to as Mona Lott who runs a enterprise referred to as Membership Rubb, so…
7. The Sims 2 (handheld)
Platform(s): PlayStation Transportable, Nintendo DS, Recreation Boy Advance
Launched: 2005
The hand held editions of The Sims 2 had been absolutely the pinnacle of that proud Sims custom of console spin-offs with the identical title as a core PC model however a wildly totally different idea. These three iterations are all so totally different that they virtually do not should be lumped in collectively like this, however I worry my viewers might have restricted persistence for a listing that is simply 25 totally different variations of The Sims 2, so it’s what it’s.
Every handheld model of The Sims 2 is basically a social sim slash journey recreation story mode for Strangetown, one of many neighbourhoods that shipped with TS2’s PC base recreation. I’ve spent a not-insignificant portion of my life insisting to baffled pals that they merely have to play the PSP model specifically in the event that they wish to know what truly occurred to Bella Goth or resolve the alien storyline. (Often {followed} by me needing to elucidate that sure, The Sims 2 had a number of storylines!)
6. MySims Brokers
Platform(s): Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS
Launched: 2009
It continues to frustrate me that probably the greatest journey video games I’ve ever performed is persistently missed resulting from being a kiddified Nintendo unique with “Sims” within the title. Look previous that and you will realise that MySims Brokers is a considerably higher X-Recordsdata recreation than any of that present’s official diversifications, for a begin. It is bizarre and humorous and surprisingly darkish beneath its sugarcoating, and switches it up typically sufficient that you simply by no means get bored.
As with all MySims video games, the DS model is a completely totally different recreation that is not fairly nearly as good because the better-known Wii model by way of both story or gameplay; however there’s actually no such factor as a dangerous iteration on MySims Brokers, one of many biggest hidden gems of all time. Current rumours of a remaster will certainly vindicate me.
5. The Sims Medieval
Platform(s): PC, Mac, iOS
Launched: 2010-2011
There was a short second once I thought that The Sims Medieval was going to be the largest recreation, if not on earth, then at the least among the many vital fandom for Sims spin-offs that existed circa 2010. Simmers love a superb historic whole conversion, and had been so hyped on the thought of a medieval-themed growth pack for The Sims 3 that splitting that idea out for a stand-alone RPG-lite spin-off will need to have appeared like a sure-fire winner.
Alas, it seems that medievalist Sims nerds are extra loud than we’re quite a few, and TSM obtained only one growth pack earlier than the experiment was quietly shelved by EA, by no means to be heard from once more. On the plus aspect, the entire version is probably the most effective cut price on EA’s digital storefront today, setting you again a mere tenner.
4. The Sims 3
Platform(s): PC, Mac, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, N-Gage 2.0, iOS, Android
Launched: 2009-2014
I do know, I do know, it is sacrilege placing The Sims 3 lowest of all 4 most important PC titles on this checklist, however look: the final time I tried as well up my fully-expanded copy of TS3 was someday round 2018, and I am hopeful that my save will end loading any day now.
Mild (however sincere) roasting apart, The Sims 3 was indisputably probably the most formidable entry into the franchise. I am satisfied that the following massive life sim, the one which lastly offers The Sims a run for its cash, will observe TS3’s lead and have a extremely customisable open world. It was an thought forward of its time, sadly; however the excellent news is {that a} decade down the road, the expertise has nearly caught as much as the imaginative and prescient.
3. The Sims 4
Platform(s): PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Launched: 2014-present
The grass is all the time greener on the opposite aspect of the impassable waist-high fence, and the present era of The Sims is all the time being negatively in comparison with no matter got here earlier than it. All of which is to say that The Sims 4 continues the pattern of being probably the most controversial most important entry into the sequence, and with the current announcement that EA plans to proceed constructing onto this framework somewhat than launch a numbered sequel, I would not count on these criticisms to go away anytime quickly.
However whereas the grass over right here may be a tad patchy, it isn’t prefer it’s brown and lifeless, and we are able to nonetheless have a really good garden social gathering with all of the developments which have come so step by step over TS4’s lifespan that we’d not even keep in mind we did not all the time have them. I’ll ceaselessly admire that The Sims 4 was the primary recreation within the franchise to permit for the in-depth creation of gender non-conforming Sims with out the necessity for a single mod put in. I will not go chapter-and-verse on all the opposite issues it is performed nicely during the last decade, however take it from somebody who recurrently goes again to only about each older recreation on this checklist: The Sims 4 is the one actually fashionable Simming expertise, and it actually cannot be beat for quality-of-life.
2. The Sims
Platform(s): PC, Mac, Linux
Launched: 2000-2003
It may very nicely simply be the millennial nostalgia speaking once I say that I nonetheless take into account The Sims to be one of many highest video games, not simply within the franchise it spawned, however that I’ve ever performed in my life. The unique working title was apparently “digital dollhouse”, and all I can say is that sequence creator Will Wright and co. will need to have spent plenty of time observing the ruthlessness with which little youngsters play with their dollhouses, as a result of certainly nothing else may clarify this brutal administration sim dressed up in trendy turn-of-the-millennium clothes.
There is no ageing on this recreation, however Sims nonetheless die, they usually die dangerous. The dying throes of those little laptop persons are so completely harrowing to return and take heed to 25 years later that I am amazed our mother and father ever allow us to play. And these Sims died to every thing. Positioned a rug in the identical room as a lit fire? Lifeless. Didn’t guzzle down eight plates of steak and beans day by day? Lifeless. Did not do your homework? Off to navy college, which is functionally the identical as being lifeless besides your loved ones do not even have the consolation of seeing your ghost wandering round wailing at night time. The early days of this franchise had been, with hindsight, crueller than the wild west. We will not look upon their like once more.
1. The Sims 2
Platform(s): PC, Mac, Java
Launched: 2004-2008
The Sims 2 discovered an actual candy spot between absolutely the carnage of the unique, and the overextension-followed-by-overcorrection of its personal pair of sequels. TS2 may nicely be the goldilocks zone of life simulators: its want administration loop is difficult however not punishing; it managed to retain the unique’s wacky humour whereas firming down sufficient of the too-dark s*** that youngsters needn’t recurrently be pushed to tears whereas taking part in; and its introduction of significant time within the type of ageing allowed for a way of selection to emerge nicely earlier than it started to creak beneath the load of its personal growth packs.
Add in these lovingly drawn sketches that turned the inspiration of many of the franchise’s best-remembered lore moments – within the type of recommended storylines to play out as you discover your toes within the lightly-gothic cleaning soap opera suburb of Pleasantview, the surreal desert group of Strangetown the place all conspiracy theories are actual, and the triumph of public domain-friendly name-brand recognition that’s the Shakespearean-inspired city of Veronaville – and you have got all of the components wanted to showcase a genre-defining franchise as absolutely the peak of its powers.