If you’re on the lookout for games like The Sims then you’ve come to the right place. The Sims has been around since 2000, and since then the franchise has accumulated a fantastic community. With multiple games and spin-offs, The Sims is a cult classic and modern-day gaming legend. With the simple premise of simulating the lives of the Sims, these games are widely popular across multiple platforms. As such, a number of games feature similar premises or elements to the Sims, and whether you’ve burnt yourself out on countless hours of simming or you just want to try something new, these are our ten picks for games like the Sims.
Animal Crossing New Horizons
Click to enlargePlatforms: Nintendo Switch
When it comes to games like The Sims, Animal Crossing New Horizons is one of the best picks. If you’re looking for a game that is more relaxing than challenging, the Animal Crossing games have become famous for being a game that players can spend hours on and not worry about some ulterior goal other than the ones they set out themselves. With bright colours and wonderful animal islanders, Animal Crossing is the ultimate escapist game. You can choose how to play, whether you want to decorate your surroundings (your home or your island), go fishing, catch bugs or dig up fossils. Animal Crossing New Horizons is a beloved game with an active and welcoming community.
Stardew Valley
Click to enlargePlatforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation Vita, iOS and Android
Similarly to Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley is a game with a great number of ways to play. Originally released in 2016, a lot of Sims fans also spend a fair share of their time playing Stardew Valley as the game is equally cosy and relaxing. With no overarching goal, players can choose their own experience. Whether that’s befriending and even romancing the villagers, farming their crops, fishing, foraging, mining or slaying monsters.
- If you do in fact want to learn more about Stardew Valley, you can check out our Stardew Valley guides which can help you get started.
Planet Zoo
Click to enlargePlatforms: PC
Many Sims players enjoy the building aspect of the game rather than the simulation one. But in a lot of cases, the Sims building mechanic is limited especially when compared to Planet Zoo. Although a tycoon game, Planet Zoo features one of the most in-depth building mechanics in most modern games, allowing to create phenomenal builds and sights that would rival any Sims builds. And as a bonus, watching the animals is equally calming and relaxing to do. You can create an in-depth build, then place an animal inside and watch it live its life. Not too different from the Sims!
Planet Coaster
Click to enlargePlatforms: PC
Similarly to Planet Zoo, Planet Coaster features a very detailed building mechanic. However, Planet Coaster puts a lot more focus on creating gravity-defying coasters that you can either build from scratch or from a template then watch guests pour through the doors to enjoy your theme park. Planet Coaster is one of the games like the Sims we would recommend for the building fans among the Sims community, whilst Planet Zoo has something for all, Planet Coaster is far more focused on the building aspect of these kinds of games.
Two Point Hospital
Click to enlargePlatforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mac and Linux
Two Point Hospital features a similar style of gameplay like most simulation-style games. Where players take on the role of a hospital administrator charged with constructing and maintaining a hospital. Doing this means building rooms and amenities that satisfy the needs of patients and staff, in particular you’ll need to build things such as toilets, staff rooms, reception desks, cafés, seating, and vending machines, expanding the hospital into new plots, the hiring and management of doctors, nurses, janitors, and assistants to maintain the hospital; and dealing with a variety of comical illnesses. Two Point Hospital is a stylised and light-hearted game which is easy to settle down and play.
The Tenants
Click to enlargePlatforms: PC
In the Tenants, you become a landlord and deal with problematic tenants as you build your rental property empire. Decide how to react to annoyed neighbors or police interventions. Although you don’t get to decide the actions and desires of your tenants, the home building aspect of The Tenants is very similar to games like the Sims and you’ll quickly figure out the ropes.
Minecraft
Click to enlargePlatforms: Nintendo Switch, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, Mac and Linux
One of the most popular games of all time might be more akin to the Sims than you might think. Build whatever you want in creative mode, or dabble in survival mode. Minecraft has no ultimate goal or way to win, you curate your gaming experience however you want to with Minecraft. Whether you want to create or explore, you can just about do whatever you want in Minecraft.
If you’re keen on stepping into the wide world of Minecraft then you can be sure to catch up on all Minecraft content and news with us.
House Flipper
Click to enlargePlatforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android
House Flipper is a simulation game based around the idea of buying down houses, restoring them and selling them for profit. As such, it’s highly recommended for the builders among the Sims players, those who enjoy creating beautiful homes and buildings. Though don’t expect to see any sims or people wandering around them, as this game focuses around the building and houses more than anything else. You build these houses from the ground up, by painting, laying down tiles, cleaning, installations, and demolition. Players can fix and personalize their own homes, fix houses in quests and buy houses to fix and sell.
The Game of Life 2
Click to enlargePlatforms: Nintendo Switch, Android, Microsoft Windows, iOS
Although not the game you’d expect to see on one of these lists, hear us out. The Sims is all about simulating the life of your various sims, encountering hardships and troubles along the way. Building a family and expanding the lives of your Sims. Well, if you’ve played the board game The Game of Life you’ll realise how similar they actually are. Well, The Game of Life 2 exists and is fully digital, so you can play and simulate life as you roll the dice and play the game of life.
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