Sims 3 in 2024

 

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I’ve played The Sims 3 since I was young, creating countless stories and embarking on various journeys with the sims I made. It was an experience like no other, and many in the simming community feel the same, with some still preferring it over The Sims 4. The Sims 3 holds a special place in my heart, much like The Sims 2 does for others. The game felt limitless, especially with its open-world format, making it perfect for a young teen like me with a big imagination. It provided an outlet for my creativity, and even today, it has stood the test of time — I still love playing it and never get bored of it.

The Sims 3 was where the modding and creator community really began to flourish, laying the foundation for the thriving modding scene we see today with The Sims 4. The Sims 4 now boasts the strongest modding community, but it all started with those who created custom content and mods for The Sims 3 as the community was still growing. Many of today’s popular Let’s Players and Sims YouTubers, some of whom have left a lasting legacy in the community, began their journeys with The Sims 3. Over the years, the game fostered a strong and dedicated player base, and this was a time when Maxis, before becoming part of EA, maintained a closer connection with its players, delivering packs that truly added depth to the game.

The Sims 4, in comparison, feels quite restrictive to players, often leading to burnout as the gameplay can quickly become repetitive. Many players have abandoned The Sims 4 in favor of older editions, especially since EA has been slow to address ongoing issues with the game. It’s no surprise that people are returning to older, yet more fully completed games. Additionally, over time, the packs for The Sims 3 and The Sims 2 have become more affordable, with prices around £10, making it easier for players to purchase all the packs. In contrast, The Sims 4 packs are still priced around £20, making older games a better value and, in many cases, a more enjoyable experience.

The Sims 3 base game offers a lot on its own, but the expansion packs like Seasons, Late Night, and Island Paradise significantly enhance the gameplay, adding depth and variety. Even the stuff packs introduced items that were both aesthetically pleasing and thematically consistent. In contrast, The Sims 4 introduced game packs as a way to split up expansion content, often making them feel smaller and less substantial. For example, packs like “My Wedding Stories” were released with numerous bugs, with some players reporting that the pack didn’t even function properly. While The Sims 3 did have issues with lag and occasional crashes, these problems were often easily fixable, making the overall experience more enjoyable and reliable.

With an 83 score on Meta Critic the game has built a tremendous reputation not only among players but also with professionals, attracting the attention of artists like Katy Perry, who had an entire pack themed around her and even created a special version of one of her songs specifically for the game. PC Gamer, as quoted on MetaCritic, described it as “The best Sims game yet. It’s still about playing with virtual dolls, but it’s never been this big, beautiful, and eager to please.” While the title of “best Sims game” can vary depending on personal nostalgia, with some players giving that honor to The Sims 2, The Sims 3 has certainly earned its place in gaming history.

The modding community has been instrumental in keeping games like Skyrim alive by creating enjoyable and fun content. In the case of Baldur’s Gate 3, the developers have collaborated with the modding community to enhance the game over time. The Sims franchise was designed with custom content and mods in mind, allowing players the freedom to tailor their experience. This has been key to keeping games like The Sims 3 popular for years. Mods like NRaas have become essential for many players, adding depth and story to the game world. Additionally, custom content (CC) allows players to improve the game’s visuals to their liking, further extending its longevity and appeal.

The open-world aspect of The Sims 3 makes the game feel limitless, allowing fans to create and share custom worlds that enhance replayability, particularly for long-time players. This feature also appeals to newer players, enabling them to build their own communities of Sims without many restrictions. In contrast, The Sims 4 imposes limitations on the number of worlds and lots that can be added, making the experience feel more confined. Combined with the high cost of The Sims 4, many players find it more appealing to purchase an older game like The Sims 3, which offers greater freedom and fewer limitations for creative expression.

The Sims 3 has been a part of my life since I was a teenager, and as a girl who loved being creative and crafting stories, it was the perfect game for me. At the time, with new content still being released, I was instantly hooked after buying it. Even now, despite playing The Sims 4, I often find myself switching back to The Sims 3 because I miss the freedom that was lost in the newer version. While I understand that these changes were made to ensure The Sims 4 could run more smoothly on lower-end PCs, it still made the experience feel more limited. Although I love both games, The Sims 3 will always hold a special place in my heart.