Dec 27, 2019 15 Great Games Like The Sims Have you powered through all versions of The Sims, but still want more? Give these similar life-simulation games a try. It's free to play online.
15 Great Games Like The SimsAnimal Crossing: Pocket CampHave you powered through all versions of The Sims, but still want more? Give these similar life-simulation games a try.
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Are you a fanatic when it comes to The Sims? Do you find being able to control digital people—making them cook, clean, exercise, watch TV, find a job, pay bills, form a family, and have social interactions—incredibly addicting? Congratulations, you just might be a Sims mega fan.
There are quite a few versions of The Sims to keep you busy, but if you've already powered through them, maybe it's time to try out some new games. Whether you're biding your time until the next release or just want to try something new, these 15 games can help you scratch that itch for life-simulation gameplay.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
Nintendo's long-running community simulation franchise Animal Crossing is about to get a new installment. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is due for a March 2020 release, but you don't have to wait that long in order to get in on the fun.
The free mobile app Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp was released in 2017, and is a great way to acclimate yourself to the franchise while you wait. In this game, you interact with other players at campsites, perform tasks, make trades, and decorate your living space.
Avakin Life
While Second Life has mostly been abandoned, Avakin Life is still going strong on iOS and Android. In this game, you build your own avatar from scratch, dress them in the style you want, and even design a home for them to live in. You can also meet and chat with other players from around the world as you build an online community of friends.
BitLife
Released in 2018, BitLife: Life Simulator (iOS, Android) has gone viral with hundreds of thousands of downloads in just a few months. The app is a text-based life simulator where you make various choices through different life stages, monitor character stats, and play minigames. The outcome of your run-through depends on the choices you make.
Once your character dies, you earn achievements for the life they led. You can then choose to start a new life, replay the same character again, or continue on as one of their children.
Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
If your favorite part of The Sims is where you pair up different characters, you may also enjoy a dating simulator like Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator. In this interactive visual novel, players choose between different dads they want to date while also playing through mini games to unlock multiple endings. You can even create your own dad.
The game is available for PC, Mac, and Linux. It has also since been released on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
Dream House Days
In Dream House Days (iOS, Android), you create and control your own building as both architect and landlord. Furnish apartments and decide what kind of businesses should move in. Then take control of your tenants, and help them through life choices, including romance and career goals.
Family House
Family House (iOS, Android) bills itself as the ultimate dollhouse experience, where you create a house full of family members, collect rent, and improve on your dream house. Grow and create your own food, buy new clothing, and design the interior of your home. The game also puts an emphasis on family history, allowing you to explore several generations of your family.
Farming Simulator 20
The Farming Simulator franchise has been going strong for a decade now. Build and manage your own farm, interact with farming equipment, vehicles, livestock, and crops, and explore an open world filled with farming activities. Farming Simulator 20, which arrived on Dec. 3, adds John Deere equipment, new machinery and crops, a North American farming environment, and rideable livestock. Get it on every major gaming platform, including iPhone and Android.
Farming Simulator 19 is also still available. Check out more niche simulation games here.
Create A Family Simulation Games
Graveyard Keeper
Graveyard Keeper is a graveyard-keeping simulation where you command a character who tends to a medieval cemetery. You control the character's time and energy while clearing the land, digging graves, and placing headstones. You can also craft goods, gather resources, and interact with residents of the nearby village. A free DLC adds the ability to reanimate the dead and give them tasks. Though you can earn money to expand your graveyard, the game has no definitive ending, allowing you to continue playing indefinitely.
IMVU
Started in 2003, IMVU allows you to create a 3D avatar, interact with players around the world, and purchase items with in-world currency. It's free to play online, iOS, and Android, but there are in-app purchases.
My Time at Portia
The simulation RPG My Time at Portia asks you to rebuild society by gathering resources, crafting items, clearing dungeons, and completing assignments. The game is available on PC, Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Planet Zoo
If you're more of an animal lover, Planet Coaster is a PC game that allows you to build and maintain a zoo. You care for the animals, who all have their own specific needs, characteristics, and stats. The game also includes several different modes of play that have you follow a character's career, develop your zoo into a franchise, complete challenges, or enjoy unlimited building.
Two Point Hospital
If you’re a lapsed Sims player who wants a game with a concentrated focus, Two Point Hospital could be the PC game for you. Build and decorate a hospital, cure patients with utterly bizarre maladies, train your staff, and upgrade machines to create the most effective facility possible.
Stardew Valley
If you're an old-school Nintendo fan, you might remember a farming simulator game called Harvest Moon. The makers of Stardew Valley were inspired to recreate the look and feel of that original game. Create your own character, build the farm of your dreams, become a master rancher, socialize with other characters, and explore the world around you. While more of an RPG than a simulation game, it will still scratch that same itch.
Virtual Families
Virtual Families is designed to be similar to, but simpler than, The Sims. Players 'adopt' an adult with pre-assigned characteristics, put them in a house, and help them develop full virtual lives, from careers to families. While not as time-consuming as The Sims, the inhabitants of Virtual Families still require babysitting so they don't run out of food or fall ill, both of which have dire consequences.
The sequel, Virtual Families 2: Our Dream House, puts more emphasis on the home life. You can renovate your house, adopt a pet, and purchase new items for the home. Both are available on PC, iOS, and Android.
Free Online Life Simulation Games Like Sims
Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles
Sims online, free No Download
Games Like The Sims Free
If you're also a fan of open-world adventure games, check out Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles. The game requires you to collect magical items throughout the land, but you can also create your own character, farm, fish, and craft items. It's a far more relaxing experience than most home console games might offer.