Avid fans of The Sims 4 have logged in hours of gameplay, and while there are plenty of things in The Sims to discover, you may be looking for something new. There are many aspects of The Sims that have made players gravitate towards it, whether it’s the character customization, the ability to create within the world, or the simulation gameplay.
When looking for a new game to dive into you may be searching for one that shares some of your favorite features in The Sims. There’s a variety of games given, so whether you’re looking for something pretty close, or something wildly different, your future favorite game is somewhere on this list.
10 BitLife
This life sim app lets you play out your Bitizen’s life one year at a time. It’s a text-based game with a variety of prompts to choose from, with more unlocking as your Bitizen ages up.
You can attend college, adopt a pet, steal a car, get married, and more. And there are randomized prompts and challenges that will change the path of your Bitizen’s life.
9 Planet Zoo
If you like the building aspect of The Sims but are tired of the people, then Planet Zoo is the game for you. The main goal of the game is to build a successful zoo from scratch, by constructing habitats, adopting wild animals to care for, and managing the needs of the zoo.
The game allows for a lot of creativity and customization when it comes to creating the zoo, making it a builder’s dream.
8 Disney Dreamlight Valley
This life simulation game is perfect for big fans of Disney. Disney Dreamlight Valley lets you create an avatar–with plenty of customization options–who will explore Dreamlight Valley, a world full of Disney and Pixar characters.
The goal of the game is to restore Dreamlight Valley to the bustling city it once was by helping the characters with missions. You can cook delicious meals, decorate your house, and explore the open world landscape.
7 My Time at Portia
For Simmers who love to max out their Sims gardening skill, farming simulation games are the way to go. My Time at Portia is a farming sim wherein you are trying to rebuild your neglected family farm.
Reminiscent of many other farming simulation games, My Time at Portia stands out in small details, such as needing to patch up your house in increments. You can, of course, farm, but you can also pursue romance, decorate your farm, and explore the world of Portia.
6 Coral Island
Another farming simulation, Coral Island stands out primarily for its beach-centric vibe. As you work on your farm, you can go diving to clean up trash from the water and collect valuable materials.
Dating and decorating are also available in the game, as well as pretty extensive character customization.
Also, because of the island setting, the crops available to grow in Coral Island are ones not typically featured in farming simulations, like okra and pineapple. Cooking food with the crops you grow is also included in the game, as well as gifting your creations to characters in the world.
5 Two Point Campus
If you’re a fan of the University expansion pack, Two Point Hospital offers an even more immersive experience. You have to build and manage a University, from constructing buildings for classrooms to helping your students play games.
If you’re more of a fan of the Sims expansion pack Get to Work, which features the doctor career, there is also Two Point Hospital, made by the same game studio.
4 House Flipper
For those who love renovating EA’s pre-built houses in the Sims, House Flipper is a great game to channel that. In House Flipper, you can play through every realistic stage of flipping a house, from buying it to cleaning it, remodeling, decorating, and finally selling.
Each feature is pretty extensive, down to having to manage your multiple properties and clients rather than being able to buy and sell immediately. There are also spin-offs available like Garden Flipper and Farm Flipper.
3 Second Life
Second Life has been around for nearly as long as The Sims, acting as its online counterpart. If you love everything about The Sims, but think that gameplay can be a little lonely, then Second Life offers a similar experience mixed with an online community.
You can customize your avatar and their house, then mingle in the online world with other real-life players.
2 Animal Crossing
A franchise that has been around for a long time but hit a peak during the pandemic, Animal Crossing offers a lot of customization and social aspects of The Sims. In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, your character is tasked with building up an island for you and your animal neighbors to live on.
You have complete creative control over what your island looks like, with plenty of aesthetic options to choose from.
1 Stardew Valley
Perhaps one of the most popular farming simulations available, Stardew Valley has inspired the farming simulations that have come after it. In this pixilated 2D game, your character is gifted their grandfather’s farm and asked to tend to it, allowing you free rein in designing your own farm.
You can also customize your character and your home, as well as date and marry from a selection of townspeople. When you’re not farming, you can go to the beach to fish, or to the mines to get ores and battle monsters.
