Want just a quick summary of the game and my rating? Check out the spoiler below!

The Sims 3

Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Genre: Strategic Life Simulation

Publisher/Developer: Electronic Arts/The Sims Studio

*This is a review for the original Sims 3 on Xbox 360. It does not include The Sims 3 Pets or any PC expansions.

Ever since I played the original Sims on the PS2 (Yep, played it on that first) and later on the PC, I have always had a special place for The Sims. For me it was originally one of those relaxation games. As time went on the series really felt like it was going further and further away from its roots without actually improving them though and the Sims 2 on consoles was a complete disaster. Turbo Review for that one? Maybe. Then, comes along The Sims 3, which I purchased for consoles. My expectations were very low but I had a little bit of hope that it would be great again. That tiny bit of hope did wonders. The PC might be superior in many ways but for a console effort, The Sims Studio pulled off something really good.

Upon entering the game with a blandish menu you get some very nice music that sounds like it always had belonged in the series. More on that later. Then a first slight gripe pops up, EA Online. You need an online pass to access some pretty basic features, such as the Workshop where you upload and access custom design from other players. This, was not the best first impression. It does not hinder the overall game, but it was an annoyance to see. This pass might be free at this point, I cannot remember actually. Be sure to check that if you pick up the game.

Upon entering the actual game though, you are immediately tasked with making your first Sims so you can put them in a lot within the city. There is no real story mode to speak of, its just get in the game and do whatever you wish, which I actually prefer. Creating your Sims is very simple as it has always been but now you get far more options than any previous console Sims game. You can change the hair, face, clothing, clothing for specific events, such as the wonderful event of sleeping, make-up, and more. Here you can also write a biography for your Sim and select personality traits for them, which there are plenty to choose from to make good combinations. This helps your Sims easily stand out from each other and it is one of the best features. You also choose a Lifetime Wish here. Wishes are random objectives that will pop up a lot from your Sims, which upon completion, increase your Sims mood and gives you Lifetime Happiness points, which can be spent on different rewards. There are also plenty of challenges to complete which once you complete you earn different points for different rewards, like new furniture, clothing, and more. Some might say that the game lacks features in the overall modes since there is literally only one, but I found plenty to do as there are numerous locations to explore, people to meet, and all of this can be done at your leisure.

Once in the game itself, the building features are also the best that the series has to offer, on consoles at least. You get plenty of options to build that perfect house for your newly created...creations. You can build up to 3 stories, make pools, balconies, have differently themed rooms, and plenty more. Want a neato outdoor porch area with a swimming pool and an HDTV right next to it? You can do that. Building has always been half the fun in this series and it is no different here. One of the newest features in the series, which I mentioned earlier, is the Workshop. here you can paint specific parts of your furniture, choose materials, patterns, and the colors for those patterns. Remember that HDTV you put next to your pool? Make it more natural looking with a wood texture! This is a simple yet remarkably clever feature that allows you to further personalize your household. I once made table and chair set after the Mane 6 color schemes. Sounds neat? It was. Another great thing is the options for your Sims. As per series standard, you can have your Sims make money in several ways, but a job was always the best option before. Now, you can either do that or make money in many different ways. Paintings which eventually can get you a bunch of money, fishing, growing friggin money trees, there are plenty of options and I loved this freedom of choice.

Everything else with your Sims is what you would expect from this series with some small but new tricks. Your sims have an overall mood which is dictated by the several attributes, which fall over time and you have to keep those up in various ways. Series staple there. however, there is one new thing. Moodlets. These are mood enhancers that appear once your sims do certain things, like eating. If they eat a good meal, boom, their hunger bar goes up but they also get a nifty positive moodlet that enhances their mood for a set time. There are also negative moodlets as well, so be on the lookout. You can also have your Sims get into relationships, get married, have a baby, have the baby grow up over time, there is a lot to do here. You can also dictate how fast your Sims age or you can disable that all together, again, more freedom of choice which is wonderful. One gripe I have here, there is no proper family tree. All it shows you are Sims that are currently living, not any past relatives if they had passed away. This is a small gripe but I would have loved a proper lineage tree.

The music in the game is actually very nice. The build/buy modes offer very upbeat tracks that do such a wonderful job setting the atmosphere. It all feels strangely uplifting and sounds like it always belonged here. While I do miss the wonderful Piano music from the original, this does the series justice in a different way. Of course, there is always custom soundtracks that you could use.

Lastly, the graphics are the best that the series has seen on consoles of course. Everything has that Sims charm to it, especially the Sims themselves who are very expressive. The game runs very well on the Xbox 360 (With installation, which I recommend) but there were some moments of slowdown in the PS3 version. nothing gamebreaking at all, but it is there a bit.

Final Verdict: