What is the best Sims??

[Melooon]

The Sims!

Its time to vote! This is necessary information and I would like you to know there are wrong choices, but voting is thankfully anonymous 

What version of The Sims do you enjoy most? What makes it stand out to you? Are there any expansion packs / mods that make that version of the game better for you? Do you play it on a PC or a console? Do you ever feel like a sim? Do you wish they would finally stop releasing Sims 4 expansions?? Sometimes I do actually talk in semi-simish to myself and that's normal and acceptable 

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm vote!

[rina]

sims3 because i played it a lot as a child. sims4 still feels so buggy even years later

[MrsMoe]

SIMS 3 SUPREMACY!!!!!!!

A lot of people will probably answer with Sims 2, but Sims 3 is what I grew up on. I'll always have a vendetta against Sims 4 btw. Not just because of the infamous expansion packs and prices, but because it undid the open world mechanic. That was one of my favorite aspects of the third and it really made no sense to take that away.

[tarraxahum]

Well I grew up on Sims 2, so that's what I'm naturally answering 

To be fair though, I can see why people would say Sims 3. There are some interesting things and mechanics there that weren't in Sims 2 yet and then somehow got immediately dropped in Sims 4. Like the open world. Or color/pattern customization for EVERYTHING. Etc. I've seen simmers point out that family dynamics and some careers were more interesting in Sims 3 than in 4. So I get it. But...

I'll admit that Sims 2 might be simply nostalgic for me, however I believe there was still a certain craziness about it that got mellowed out in the future instances. Somehow I barely remember playing Sims 3, as if nothing really captivated me there, while Sims 2 was my jam for years.

And boy oh boy the hours I've spent in the Body Shop very badly creating "custom content" (my favorite anime characters' outfits) for myself by painting over others' meshes badly in MS Paint... Sure picking colors right in the game's CC was easier, but digging around in files and textures is another thing entirely! 

Oooh and the city creating tools in-game... Choosing a landscape, putting decorations all around to make sure your Sims live EXACTLY where you want them to live! Even placing stuff floating in the sky and such... Every city of mine must have had a fallen UFO or maybe multiple~

Like, the customization options of it all were simultaneously less and a lot more than 3 & 4 had. Which, ironically, is not unusual for ye older computer stuff in general.

[Còbra!]

Good to see everyone agrees with me that Sims 3 is the best game! The Sims 4 was such a let down, in my opinion…

I think Urbz on GBA and DS gets a shoutout as well!

[kurohaato]

The only version of The Sims 3 I've ever played was the smartphone version they made 10 years ago (not the mobile version, the smartphone version). The mini-games were fun, but there just wasn't a whole lot to do besides eat -> sleep -> work -> weekend party with The Boys. There wasn't even a build mode you just tapped a pop-up and boom you have a new house. Still nostalgic though.

[aribluejeans]

I almost failed the 9th grade because I was playing so much Sims 3 and I still wouldn't call it my favorite! Nothing can compare for me to a console version story mode or a spin-off. I picked Sims 2 for DS because its so delightfully weird but I have to shoutout my other favorites, too. MySims Kingdom is incredible and if you loved that when you were younger I'd highly recommend the Dragon Quest Builders games. I also loved the story mode for Sims 2 on console, and in a similar vein I loved Bustin' Out. Honorable mentions go to The Urbz and Sims 2 Castaway.

[TheFrugalGamer]

I see I am the only one who has voted for the first game so far  I'm not surprised, since it is pretty bare-bones compared to the others, and it's not everyone's thing. Sims3 would be my second choice, and the one I have spent the second most time on. I know Sims2 seems to be the most beloved among fans, but I unfortunately missed that boat when I was younger!

[Melooon]

I'm actually surprised, I thought people here would be more into the original game too, Iv only played it on GameCube at a party I think and it was slightly disturbing (we locked a man in a room with no windows or doors and I still feel bad  ) - Id say Im 50/50 on playtime with 3 and 4; I actually quite like the visual style of 4, but the limits of the game are tiresome. One time me and a friend played 3 for 18 hours straight on two laptops (sorta like a who can make the best household contest).. my sims played the kids radio station the whole time, it's still burned into my mind 

[xandra]

i know i'm in the minority, but sims 3 is my least favorite sims game! the faces look so much like pudding, it was really off-putting. plus, you had to have a NASA quantum computer to run it smoothly at ultra settings. i think the "no loading screens" was awesome in theory but in practice, i never really got the benefit from it because my entire gameplay experience suffered. and i think sims 3 had the same problem with microtransactions/excessive packs, but that's kind of the nature of playing a game owned by EA at this point. (really excited about the competition life simulators coming out over the next couple of years!)

that being said, i picked sims 4 for a few reasons:

• it's super compatible and easy for a lot of folks to run on their PCs and laptops
• i love the art style; it feels like its own visual character, like sims 2 but more updated
• the furniture and styles feel more timeless versus previous games feeling very trendy/dated with item sets
• i actually really like the infants life stage!
• the AI seems 'smarter' in sims 4; a lot of previous games had quite a bit of simulation struggle that would really frustrate me
• being able to actually go to work with sims with some careers is actually really cool

for the last point as well, i was a big fan of the sims online (which i also voted for, despite the many issues with that game). i would love doing the waitress job! that game was so heavily dependent upon other people being there and being active, it was no wonder the game declined so quickly.

edit: also, how could i forget about the sims medieval?! if you haven't tried it, you totally should. it's such a weirdly likeable sims game!

[Badgermein]

I have a lot of nostalgia for the Sims 2 on Playstation 2 specifically. At the time, I didn't have much access to a PC so I couldn't play the Sims 2 on there, which I was kinda jealous of. But the game is immensely fun on Playstation, with plenty to do. Customizing my house was my favorite part, with lots of arcade cabinets and games. Using the cheat codes to get more money was always fun too. Looking back, the game is kinda bare bones on that system, but still very fun IMO. I used to love watching Sims 2 music videos and skits on YouTube too. I'll never forget "The Secret of Peach's Castle", LOL. The Sims 2 is also very easy to get for free today, with all of its content. And of course, can't forget about the modding community. I hear that the Sims 3 is the best title in the franchise. I can't speak much to that, on account of growing up with 2, but from what I hear about 4, I'm inclined to believe it!.

[keylanbelle]

i love sims 3 the most, BUT... i haven't played the 1st game aaaaand i've tried playing sims 2 when i was, i guess, too young to understand it, since i hated playing with dolls when i was little :D
And Sims 3&4 is the only once i played basically, so i can only compare these two. For me sims 3 is better because of the ~BIG OPEN MAP~ and very good dlcs that i miss in sims 4... I especially love sims 3 future dlc! it's my favorite and i hate that we never got dlcs that is THAT BIG in sims 4 

[xXWebMasterXx_Gina]

Jeez this is a tough one (or uh rather three!) just because of how many in the series I've played! However, I'm voting: The Sims, The Sims 2, and Other (in no particular order).


The Sims: It's the original, a classic! Absolutely wonderful aesthetics and music. Equal parts wacky, and scary; pure chaos! It's hard to say if it's just the nostalgia speaking; but I think it's the most memorable of the series just because of how impactful the design of everything is.    BUT! we have to be honest with ourselves here; The Sims is BRUTAL. If you aren't optimizing your strategy; your sims are going to die miserably  It's easily the hardest game in the entire series but maybe that adds a little something to it?

The Sims 2: A worthy successor to the first game; a lot of quality of life improvements without loosing the charm and wackiness of it all. I have a very particular memory of playing as Sandy (one of the default townies) and sky gazing when a satellite crushed her mere seconds in. I was devastated and stopped playing for like a week XD. I also really enjoyed the expansion packs and how much they offered! You could go to college, own a restaurant build robots, own a cellphone (when that was still cool), become a vampire, etc.

Other, The Urbz: Sims in the City (DS version): There were a lot of weird Sims games for the DS and I played most of them, but The Urbz was hands down my favorite! It had a unique social system, a plot, and tons of wacky places and minigames! Like The Sims, it too has an unforgettable aesthetic and soundtrack. I really should play it again; but I'm nervous to use my old DS as it's already quite broken (The top half is only half attached  )

[Blue]

I will share my unpopular opinion and say Sims 4  I've only ever played a bit of Sims 3 and recently Sims 2 when it got rereleased but I honestly couldn't get into either of them. I absolutely get all the issues Sims 4 has and the fact that if you want to have more fun in it you need to get more packs or install mods, but I honestly can't get enough of the game sometimes. Most of the mods I even use are ones related to woohoo and clothes/buy mode items since that's what the game lacks a bit (especially with the variety of styles). I adore the CC for this game, and while I do like Alpha CC more, it slows my computer down way more than Maxis Match one, so I can't wait to actually get a better one so that I can play with it and not have my sims just stand for half an hour in-game before they do something.

Absolutely get the problems with it and the abundance of packs that could've just been one (looking at you city living + for rent and parenthood + growing together) but hey, what can you do? I don't hate the game and have a lot of fun with it (currently doing a legacy-style challenge and I'm having fun with it!).

[demiurgeQuantified]

sims 2, easily! i have a lot more time in 3 and 4, but i picked up 2 from the rerelease and it's captured me so hard. it has a certain depth and enjoyability that the other games lack, I think... it's just way too fun. I'm having so much fun exploring it and learning about it... and plus there's 20 years worth of cc, which totally rules!!

Do have a couple gripes with it...mostly that most of the life states feel pretty lame. Vampires don't even drink blood!!! If there were fixes for that kinda thing, I think it'd be the perfect sims game for me!!