Spanning over twenty years and hundreds of games, I’ve put together a list of The Best The Sims Game Of All Time, but do you agree?
I don’t think anyone could have expected just how successful The Sims series would be when it first got introduced to us over 20 years ago! But in 2024, the series is still going strong- somehow. Although The Sims 4 has gotten a lot of mixed reviews from simmers over the years, from half empty, full priced expansion packs to buggy gameplay mechanics, many of us don’t know whether we hate, or still love the series.
However, it wasn’t always this way. In fact many of us remember putting so many hours into their favourite The Sims games a fair few times in their life! So that got me thinking, what are The Best The Sims Games Of All Time? Here is a list of some games that are loved by myself and other simmers alike.
The Best The Sims Games Of All Time
The Sims: Bustin’ Out (Gamecube, PS2, Xbox)
I’m just going to just say it, The Sims: Bustin’ Out, is probably one of the best The Sims games of all time. Released on consoles such as the PS2 and original Xbox in the early 2000’s, this game breaks up the stale routine of living in one home and gets your Sims visiting and even moving to different locations.
While it still plays like the original Sims game, where they would go to work 7 days a week, and everything was a little more basic than games of today, the gameplay itself is just entertaining, mixing realism and cartoon humour together.
Not only does the game have a Freeplay mode, but it has a Bust Out Mode too which allows simmers to complete many mission based objectives, from moving out of Mom’s House and working their way up to a mansion.
The Urbz: Sims in the City (Gamecube, PS2, Xbox)
They certainly don’t make Sims games like this anymore, that's for sure. Following on from The Sims: Bustin’ Out, The Urbz swaps out career-chasing in the comforts of the suburbs to living on the streets and earning reputation in the many different districts. Reputation is everything, so you dress the part of the district, socialise with other sims and complete mission based objectives, just so you can get into the best clubs and bars across the city.
Although it’s a step away from the traditional Sims formula, The Urbz: Sims in the City was a fresh change to the series, allowing us to enjoy what’s to come. The music is catchy, the graphics were stylistic for its time and the gameplay is entertaining- and at times a little bit crude! Also it was the first game to actually introduce weather to The Sims series- I just thought you should know that random fact!
Although not everyone enjoys magic and supernatural content in their Sims games, there is no denying that The Sims: Makin’ was probably the only expansion pack to get the concept right! The final expansion pack to the original Sims series, the game enables your sim to wield a wand and cast spells, make charms and even raise dragons.
Jumping into a suspicious hole in the ground, they are instantly taken to a new location of Magic Town, where they can shop for specific ingredients, enjoy the attractions and even take part in duels and even put on a magic act. If you want to know more, why not check out my review?
The Sims 2 - PSP Version
Let’s face it, handheld Sims games are pretty awful, in fact they are some of the worst ports to exist, however the PSP version of the Sims 2 seemingly broke that trend and gave up an entertaining Sims game that can be enjoyed on the go!
In this version, you control a Sim whose car breaks down in Strangetown and is suddenly wrapped up in the strange goings on here. There are cults, vampires, ghosts, night beasts and even a self aware sim who knows that this is all a game and that everyone is being controlled. Probably one of the best The Sims games of all time for handhelds, it gives you plenty of mission based objectives to complete and progress the story, as you uncover the game’s main antagonist.
The Sims 2: Seasons (PC)
Despite it not being the first Sims game to introduce weather to the franchise, I am still putting The Sims 2: Seasons on this list of the best The Sims Games of all time, due to how it fleshed it out and made an impact on how we played the game overall.
Although it doesn’t really need explaining, The Sims 2: Seasons introduced four seasons to the game, complete with different weather conditions, such as rain, hail, snow and even heat waves. Not only do you have to manage your sim's standard needs, but have to ensure that they are dressed appropriately and don’t either freeze to death or even pass out from sunstroke.
The game even introduces gardening and greenhouses, allowing your sims to plant and tend their crops, even harvesting them at the end of the season to fully enjoy the benefits of the produce. You can even create remedies and soups to help sims get over sickness quicker.
The Sims 3: World Adventures (PC)
Although I would argue and say that The Sims 3 is the weakest instalment to The Sims franchise, both graphically and gameplay wise, there is no denying that it boasted some amazing expansion packs in its heyday.
The Sims 3: World Adventures is probably one of the best The Sims games of that decade, as it branches away from traditional vacation expansion packs of the past, such as Bon Voyage and Vacation, and has your sim jet off to places inspired by China, Egypt and even Paris, so that you can explore tombs and solve mysteries around certain items and locations.
Unlike many games on this list, which requires you to probably run an emulator, you can easily download the entire Sims 3 series on Steam right now, some expansions are relatively cheap these days too!
The console ports of The Sims franchise can either be hit or miss. Despite being just a watered down version of the PC game, the original The Sims game for Gamecube, PS2 and Xbox was revolutionary for its time and allowed those who didn’t own a PC at the time to enjoy the franchise. Myself included, as this was my first introduction to the series.
Not only can you spend hours living out your stories in freeplay mode, but it also has ‘Get a Life’ in which you have to complete many mission based objectives of getting off of Mom’s couch and out of her house and into the world of hard work, eventually grinding your way up the career path, into marriage and into a mansion. Do you think The Sims console port is one of the best The Sims games of all time?
The Sims Medieval (PC)
The early to mid 2000’s is where EA spent most of their creativity in my opinion, and that statement doesn’t run any truer when they released The Sims Medieval in 2011. Unlike all the other games on the list which takes place in current time, The Sims Medieval takes place in the past, way back, where you have to create a successful kingdom.
It’s your standard simulation game with action-adventure elements thrown in, where the gameplay is more quest given than a traditional sims game. And with its unique take on the franchise, the game comes with plenty of obstacles and threats too, such as plague, peasant revolts, wildlife, poisons, duels, and more.
Let’s just hope that there is enough hype surrounding The Sims Medieval for EA to create a follow on from this game. I know they brought the aesthetics of castle building to a game pack recently, but damn it, we want to go back to Medieval times itself.
The Sims 2: Castaway (Gamecube, PS2, Xbox)
The Sims 2: Castaway was the third spinoff game to be released on consoles. Unlike traditional Sims games where you have progressed up the career path, The Sims 2: Castaway has the player create a crew of characters- or just the one if you don’t want the hassle of juggling everyone’s needs and just survive on a deserted island.
Here you’ll need to explore locations, gather resources in order to make your camp, cook up food and create better hunting utensils, as well as find a way off of this island. Despite it being watered down in the survival aspect, the fact that this game branches away from traditional gameplay for something that requires exploration and gathering is amusing. Do you think that The Sims 2: Castaway is one of the best The Sims games of all time?
