When The Sims debuted in the early 2000s, it wasn’t long until it garnered a dedicated fan base that continues to thrive in the modern age. So, if you want to try something new, here are our picks for the best games to play if you like The Sims series.
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Disney lovers will undoubtedly enjoy Gameloft’s life-sim, Disney Dreamlight Valley, showcasing all your favorite heroes and villains from beloved films. Players can customize to their heart’s content, including avatars, clothing, houses, and the villager’s appearance.Â
Similar to the relationships in The Sims 4, you’ll need to get to know the residents to unlock exclusive items and quests, as well as gain insight into their personalities. Players can also expect new mechanics with Disney Dreamlight Valley’s ongoing updates, further expanding the character collection and gameplay.
Stardew Valley
Farming sims are one of the main reasons why simulators continue to prosper in the gaming community, especially with the debut of the critically acclaimed Stardew Valley. You’ll take on the role of a farmer to fix the desolate state of your grandfather’s overgrown plot. Fortunately, you don’t have to do this remodel alone, as the game exhibits couch co-op features to ease the overwhelming stress of revitalizing the farm.
Aside from agricultural life, players can get to know over 30 residents of Stardew Valley, each with their own daily schedules and quests. You can also take things a step further and court one of the 12 bachelors or bachelorettes of the town, unlocking unique cutscenes for specific characters.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Those who enjoy the slice-of-life aspect of the Sims franchise will undoubtedly love the island adventures of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. You’ll get to create a tropical utopia using collectible materials and learnable crafting recipes, similar to The Sims 4 Build Mode. Players can also establish relationships with the adorable residents by participating in events, accepting at-home hangouts, and other activities.
It’s entirely up to you how you want to design the island, where every fan-made creation will have its own unique take. One crucial aspect that sets Animal Crossing and The Sims apart is that New Horizons has online capabilities. In particular, you can explore your home and share resources with your friends or family. If you are still waiting for The Sims 5 multiplayer, you can already get started with this cozy game.
My Time at Portia
Many simulators have given us the age-old tale of restoring a family member’s farm to regain its former glory. But, with My Time at Portia, you’ll instead reconstruct your Pa’s deserted workshop to become the best building supply store in the town. Players can accept commissions to gradually rise in popularity and make friends with the residents to unlock more wild adventures.
Like The Sims, you can romance a partner and get married without any restrictions on gender. Players can also have kids after the ceremony, broadening their familial bequest in Portia. Plus, the series sequel My Time at Sandrock is another excellent installment to continue the entertaining workshop adventures.
BitLife
Out of the games on this list, BitLife showcases elements most akin to the Sims series, giving you complete control over a character’s life. Although it is primarily text-based, you’ll have your hands full with the impactful choices you’ll make throughout your journey, determining the fate of your chosen person. Players can also take part in minor decisions, from a simple workout at a gym to an entertaining night in the club.
You can even live out an entire life in a measly 10 minutes by consistently pressing the age-up button and watching how it all plays out in the timeline overview. Additionally, you may notice a familiar meter system from The Sims, with BitLife’s Happiness, Health, Smarts, and Look stats. Here, you must monitor these statuses to get the best experience for your character, but you can always start over again with the next playthrough.
Virtual Families
While the original Virtual Families’ graphics may be outdated, it is still revered as one of the best in the series. Players will begin their journey with a single character until they meet their partner to start the family’s legacy. Like Animal Crossing, the game exhibits a real-time mechanic with its weather system, demonstrating its authenticity.
Virtual Families is excellent for achievement hunters with its abundance of trophies, such as marrying for love, earning 1,000 dollars, and receiving 50 emails. Aside from the original, you can try out other titles from the franchise, including a recent third installment.
Cities: Skylines
Cities: Skylines isn’t necessarily a lot like the traditional The Sims games, but it embodies everything that makes the SimCity series such a massive success. The game follows the same format as SimCity, which makes for a great alternative for any player who wants to avoid the stress of keeping a Sim happy.
Skylines can still be quite challenging as players construct a functional metropolis that must satisfy every resident. Therefore, those who want to increase the thrill of building gameplay should try this gem, and especially its sequel, Cities: Skylines 2.
Second Life
Any gamer who is a fan of The Sims but has always wanted to take their creations to the next level should undoubtedly make their way over to this one. Second Life is exactly what it sounds like — an online virtual world that offers the ultimate player freedom, with various communities to join, millions of customizable content, and entertaining locations to visit.
If you build a fancy nightclub here, you can visit it with your avatar and meet up with other real players looking for a fun night on the town. You can even play the role of the DJ by spinning your own musical selections for the crowd. With all this in mind, it is genuinely the ultimate life simulation game and an experience that is constantly offering something new for you to do every time you log in.
Calico
Those who love the pet expansion packs of The Sims franchise can get their “pawty” on in Calico, a life sim that lets you rebuild an adorable cat cafe. At the story’s beginning, players can alter their character’s appearance through its wide variety of clothing and cosmetics. But, of course, the heart of the game is the feline friends you’ll meet along the way, permitting you to recruit them for the shop.
You’ll notice familiar building mechanics from The Sims, given that the cafe can be decorated with chic furniture to incorporate your personal style. As a bonus, players can participate in cooking minigames to provide tasty dishes for their customers or brew some magical potions to take part in Calico’s occult side.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town
The classic Harvest Moon games have transcended into the Story of Seasons series, revamping the venerated franchise. Similar to other simulations, players must fix an old farm in the latest entry, Pioneers of Olive Town, to get the settlement back on the map. You may even discover friendly Earth Sprites who can help you with your journey through their resourceful skills.
Once the farming day ends, players can head to Olive Town to go to local festivals and trigger 200 events based on their social interactions. You can also find someone special to explore the lands with, from a soaring sky island to the inside of a treacherous volcano.
Tiny Life
For a more retro look, Simmers can try out the 2D adventures of Tiny Life. In fact, the game was inspired by The Sims series but with a unique twist of an isometric pixel art design. Thus, everything you love from Maxis Studios’ entries can also be done with this new take.
Players will initially begin the game by customizing their character with over 100 clothing and color options. Then, they can start building their house and control their new Tiny family. If you enjoy the Sims Gallery, Tiny Life features a similar system where you can share your builds with the community.
Software Inc.
The Sims career world was relatively brought to life with the Get to Work expansion pack, yet it didn’t have much beyond the select few jobs. That’s where Software Inc. comes in, blending Sims-like customization and work life together. As a company owner, you must hire and manage employees to build the ultimate software and hardware empire.
Not only will you customize the structures of your company, but you’ll design your products, too. These features determine the business’s success, which involves a lot of multi-tasking. Even more so, players can test their abilities in a competition of up to three players to see who becomes the most successful.
That does it for our picks on the best games like The Sims. For more content, be sure to check out the relevant links below, including all expansion packs.
