The Sims™ 3

I love this game! its absolutely awesome! I have three expansion packs and it works fine. The problem a lot of people have is that their computers are too new. I have an older Predator and I get no lag, at all. 10/10

I love sims 3 and have been playing since 2014 on playstation. Ea is a cash grab company but luckly the community is amazing and offers all products and patches elsewhere. Sims is the best, Ea sucks.

Fun to control little people in my computer. 10/10 recommend to any with a love of control ;)

cool game. graphics are a bit crap but details are much netter than the sims 4. And i have a much wackier time playing this game as it never really gets boring.

Personally I believe this sims is much better than 4, 4 has better graphics and better home building, sure, Though this Sims has greater depth and moods, and much more. Also another reson to consider this sims instead is because at least the majority of DLC in this game gives you more of your money's worth rather than hundreds of dollars only for lackluster DLC like how it is with Sims 4. I highly recommend Sims 3 over Sims 4.

I used to have a lot more stuff packs and expansions, but I got locked out and EA couldn't seem to help me. I had missed playing and repurchased the base game and Supernatural expansion. I absolutely love playing this game. I like designing homes and creating sims and seeing how far I can take them. Just don't lose your password because EA couldn't help me recover my original account. I'd suggest watching for sales, because it will save you money.

The sims is one of the first games I've ever played on PC. I have The sims 3 both on Steam and the EA App. My favorite part of The Sims series is creating entire families and building homes for them. I love games like the Sims 3 because I enjoy playing god. In the sims I enjoy creating all sorts of cool and crazy characters such as vampires, witches/warlocks, aliens, elves, fairies, werewolves and sometimes celebrities.

The sims 3, in my opinion, is one of the best versions. I say this because unlike other versions there is more customization options in CAS and Build mode.

in conclusion, as a long time Sims Gamer, it is still one of my favorite games even to today because it allows me to use my creativity which is something I value.

its a old classic, i got the dlc for pets/horses. i love how you can control your animals, not just sims. i haven't played long. but i love it as much if not more then sims 2 pets.

hmmmmmmm honestly I'm pretty torn. On one hand I was obsessed with it in my childhood and had loads of fun, on the other the loading times are really no joke, getting longer the more you play. Also, EA is notoriously kinda shitty and this game costs like 450$ with all the DLC????? Wtf man. I love this game but man I hate so much surrounding it. So maybe if you have money to burn and time to waste this is for you, but at this point there are so many games way more deserving. Also apparently it doesn't work on newer PCs? So uhh it's probably not worth it at all anymore.

Best Sims game by far. You don't need tons of add-ons, mods, or game packs to make it enjoyable and create hours of entertainment. I love the open-world component and the rich storytelling made through their programming, which is insane for the time it was made. EA really downgraded with Sims 4, but I'm just happy I get to enjoy this game!

I love it! But the islands expansion pack runs absolutely horribly. Additionally, The Sims 3 is better than The Sims 4.

Super fun! Just the base game alone is filled to the brim with things to do! I don't have a gaming pc or anything but it actually runs great! I love the open world and everything!

if you like simulation games then this is the game for you.
Build, create sims watch your sims grow, learn new skills.

In my opinion, one of the greatest casual games of all time, and the greatest Sims game ever made.

However, this game comes with a major defect: the publisher does not care about the game, at all. Since this game is published by Electronic Arts, that's probably not surprising. There are 2 things in particular that stick out about the way EA has handled this game that you absolutely need to know if you're planning on purchasing it.

1. This release of the game has a massive flaw where NPCs and vehicles will get stuck, yet continue to try and pathfind. Over time this creates a build up of lag that renders your world/save file unplayable. It doesn't matter how careful you are, this is unavoidable, and the longer you play the more likely it becomes.
The game has a 'living world' where NPCs will walk around and live their own lives independent of the players household, with no load zones. This feature is incredible and unique to this entry, but it also causes the severe lag problem. Luckily, modding this game is very simple. NRaas Overwatch and ErrorTrap mods fix these issues and are necessary to prevent the mentioned problem. These are the only 2 mods that you absolutely have to have.


2. The paywall locked content. Its absurd that EA is still charging 20 bucks per DLC for this game that came out in 2009. You can get a 'decent' price on the full bundle (when its discounted!), but you have to look specifically for it and wait for a heavy discount.
Even if you buy the discounted bundle, guess what? EA still found a way to squeeze even more transactions into this game. There's a separate Sims store where you can buy all kinds of in-game stuff. And people, this might be the most embarrassing thing of all.

The Sims store uses a "Sims Points' currency, which you CANNOT purchase from their official website. After looking around for a bit, solutions were mentioned that involved downloading EAs desktop launcher (pass), linking your steam account, navigating to the game, going to the DLC tab, buying point- No, just don't do that, it's the dumbest thing imaginable.
There are somewhere around 1000 items on the points store, and some of the best hairstyles, clothing and furniture are on there (because of course they are.) The prices are absurd, and EA expects you to do an equally absurd little dance just for the privilege of being able to buy these items. Thankfully, its extremely easy to find all of these items for free online.

This game is actually incredible, doubly so when you have access to all of its content. But it is not worth the price EA is asking for it. I felt dirty handing such a large chunk of money to a company that obviously doesn't care whatsoever about the arguable crown jewel of one of their biggest series. This is yet another game kept alive by its awesome community, its hardly even playable otherwise.

Motivates me to fix my own life due to how good I make my Sim's life to be lol

Def buy the base + DLCs discounted when you can. The game's too fucking expensive for something so old (& slightly buggy).

A lot better than the sims 4. I miss a couple of the quality of life features from sims 4 but as far as content and doing fun things with your sims its not even a contest

Even on newer laptop's apparently you can't play it. I bought it and tried to play it. It originally worked until I closed the game. Then whenever I tried to enter my save or start a new one, It told me to restart the application. I tried that several times and now I might not even get a refund because I have 3 hours "playing" this game. It's not worth the effort for your brain cells or nostalgia.

I've played this game for nearly 2 decades off and on, and I always come back to it. The open worlds, and variety of content is better than the 4th installment in my opinion. I like that you don't have a loading screen every time you leave a lot, that there is an actual town, and several options for your sims to participate in, such as, movies, bookstores, grocery stores, libraries, etc... The game doesn't feel confined to a small neighborhood, it's very open and free feeling which helps with immersion. I wish it had a story mode, and a version of Castaway. When I'm asked what my favorite generation of The Sims is, my answer for now is The Sims 3, and The Sims 2 is my second fave. I always recommend this game.

I wish I could smash sims 3 and 4 together to make the ultimate sims game. It was nice that I didn't have to sell my soul for the DLC since it was about 5 bucks a pop on sale when I got them.

I will be playing this game until I'm put 6 feet under.

Love this game so much it makes me even wanna think about it! i suggest looking in reddit for really good expanison packs.

Chaotic in the best way possible. Gives you the option to be a sadist OR masochist with no repercussions! Tries to self destruct when mods are installed.

10/10

have played this game and all other sims games since they came out, this and sims 2 are by far the best. back when the creators weren't hungry for money. this will forever be my favorite sims game.

DO NOT BUY IF YOU HAVE INTEL 13TH/14TH gen CPU!. This game has had an issue with Intel CPUs for a while. EA actually did release an official fix a few months ago, despite not having updated this game in many years. However, it still has stability issues on 13th and 14th gen, and I have issues with the game crashing and being unstable. You can download an unofficial fix online, but it's not guaranteed to work. I still have issues despite having it installed, and without it I can't launch the game at all. This was AFTER EAs official patch. I'll update this review when EA fixes the game for Raptor Lake.

Other than that it's a good game and far superior to the Sims 4. I have way too many hours in this game on the EA app, and when I launch it it's like going back to childhood again.
It is overpriced though and I would not buy it without a big sale. I got it for over 80% off so I advice anyone considering it to just wait for something similar. The prices should've been lowered long ago, but we know EA is too greedy for that.

I grew up with this game and it just brings nostalgia to me. It was a fun game and still is. i recommend for all 13+ people. build a home and create a sim. start a life for your sim character.

Finally got it to work on my laptop after some tinkering (and tons of Google searches) and decided to buy some EPs. Turns out that the game did NOT like that. I load the game up, press what world I wanted to start in, and... it stops. It says something along the lines of "(insert world name here) isn't properly installed. Restarting the game is strongly recommended." I've been trying to get it to work for the past 2 hours and it, unfortunately, says the same thing every time. I've tried having the DLC not installed but that makes the game refuse to even open. It's really disheartening to me since I thought that when it first opened and worked that I would be able to download the DLC without issue. I'll probably apply for a refund here shortly. I was looking forward to playing this game since I've heard basically everywhere that it's the best Sims game besides Sims 2. It could just be because I'm not the best at computer stuff but still. Not sure what to do besides uninstall and get a refund. :'(

Nostalgic. Still able to block Sims in pools until they cannot swim any longer. 10/10.

Game keeps running. Won't shut down and doesn't load world. "Serious error occurred". It says 12 hours of playtime, but I haven't even played it yet.

This game brings back a lot of nostalgia for me. My sister was really into The Sims 3 when it first came out and had all the expansion packs. In my opinion, it is still one of the best titles in the Sims franchise. The content and open world make it endlessly entertaining. I really hope they bring back fairies for The Sims 4—I'm begging!

Great game to disassociate to and think about how you are doing nothing meaningful with your life, meanwhile investing all your time, energy and focus onto making your Sims lives picturesque. Perfect family, perfect jobs, happy lives and maxed out skills; watching as they prance through life with fulfilment and purpose as you blankly stare at the screen wishing it was you. You realize that all the time you have poured into this game, you could have been focusing your attention on increasing your own skills, fulfilling your own wishes and completing your own skillbooks and opportunities. The Sims 3 gives you a chance to give some virtual people a life you aspire to have. If I had to guess, since the age of 6 I have probably accumulated over thousands of hours of playtime. I will never get bored of this game. They could never make me hate the Sims 3. 10/10 will continue playing.

It's somewhere between a strategy game, a life simulator, and a fish tank full of people

very fun game and very fun to play around and really screw with the sim peoples lives and screw them over ;)

Sims 3 is such a great game! Unfortunately, you have to spend some money on DLCs to get the full experience, and the "log in to EA" feature to buy items and towns is a downside to the game. However, because of Sims 3, we got " G" the cat. Amazing!

I also highly recommend getting the Steam version because of the mod support—It makes the game so much more fun.

After having been spoiled with an open world, this is no doubt the best game in the Sims franchise. Gameplay-wise, Sims 4 will never compare, but yeah keep developing that cash-grab or whatever if it makes you feel better. Sims 3's graphics are sometimes.. questionable.. but it has Create-A-Style so frankly I don't give a shit. Sims 2 is great but I can't really get into it properly, and the sims in Sims 2 scare me more than the sims in Sims 3. It's the eyes man. W game.

The best Sims game, The Sims 4 is a major step down, and it is just trying to part you from your money. That's why it's gone free to play. But I bought it like a chump early on, Oh well.

Used to play this game all the time ~12-13 years ago, now im playing it again with DLC's ive never had, The Sims 3 has to be one of the best games ever made

Arguably the best game (in my opinion) in the series so far. Sims 4 is good in it's own ways but Sims 3 will forever be my favorite! <3 I've been playing this game since I was like 12 years old, back when I needed a disk to play it. & I'll keep playing it until I die (I'm 26)

Literal trash, I tried every fix that I could find online and nothing gets it to work (Restarting my pc, restarting steam, unsyncing from onedrive, changing the file name, uninstalling and reinstalling, nothing works, and I wasted 3 hours doing this so I'm not sure I'll get a refund now). It also runs forever on steam and the only way to shut it down is to restart my entire computer. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY.

The Sims 3 revolutionized the life simulation genre with its open-world design and deep customization options. Players can create unique Sims with distinct personalities and aspirations, shaping their lives through choices and interactions. The seamless neighborhood allows Sims to move freely between locations without loading screens, enhancing immersion.

The game introduced the "Create-a-Style" tool, enabling players to personalize every aspect of their Sims' environment, from furniture to clothing. This level of customization adds a personal touch to each playthrough.

With a variety of expansion packs, The Sims 3 offers endless possibilities, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging for players seeking a dynamic simulation experience.

i have been playing sims since sim safari. sims 3 has BY FAR the best gameplay mechanics of any mainline sims game (ie not counting mysims, story games, or sims psp), and truly the sheer amount of options and interactions in this game (especially with expansions) absolutely dwarfs any simulator game i have ever played -- not even including invisible/hidden interactions, like how you can bounce a golf ball off of a building if you're close enough to it. there is just so much content in this game that i have never been able to put it down. is it the best sims game for modding/cc? no. does it have the largest fan community? no. is it the easiest to play as a beginner? no. but i think if you are even CONSIDERING playing this game, you are exactly the type of person who will enjoy it, and i couldn't recommend it more.

Love it so much I perfer it on steam since I had all the sims 3 packs on EA app and when I logged back on they were sadly gone but I am so thankfully for steam as nothing bad has ever happend to my game after years on here and I love it

This is a far better game than Sims 4. You have full access to the entire world with no load times when you choose to wander the landscape. You can explore easily, and can move from lot to lot without trouble. Mods are slightly more difficult to install, but I find they make for a richer experience. The visual quality is less than Sims 4, but I always had way more fun in Sims 3 and never got past a few Sim days before shutting down Sims 4.

fun game i like to make people i dont like irl do diabolical things sometimes game is laggy but i bought the cheapest laptop at best buy so maybe thats a me issue

Better gameplay than sims 4, graphics are horrible lol

i can't play it at all since i bought it. I Have it on my windows 11 laptop. serious error occured keep popping everytime i open the game.

Starting again after a few years of not playing. I have alot of games but this is the one I'm turning to to take a break from Minecraft because of the boycott. Is that a recommendation? You be the judge.

Took a little tweaking to run smoothly, but game launched immediately after downloading in 2025 without having to fix anything. Very happy so far, brings back a lot of nostalgia from when I played it as a kid.

Sims is always fun, what else to say, but this one has a special charm to it!

Always a good game. Peak in Sims games so far, best freedom and most customizability in game.

Runs very poorly on new systems, even with numerous mods and fixes. I wouldn't waste your money on it nowadays, which is a shame. TS3 was my favorite.

As a long-time fan of the sims 4, I can say that The Sims 3 has the game beaten in a few key categories. For the most part. Firstly, it is cheaper. Yes I am aware The Sims 4 is free, but it requires dlc. So it really isn't. Sims 3 dlc is better value and there isn't as much to get. The gameplay is a little more compelling too, sims are harder to look after, the rewards system has more variety. The create a sim isn't as fleshed out as The Sims 4, but you will likely be spending more time playing the actual game for that to be much of an issue. I also think Sims 4 has more cultural clothing options. The sims 3 overwhelms the sims 4 in terms of content, a few things are more fleshed out than they are in the sims 4, but on the other hand, the sims 4 has some things that are a little more fleshed out than the sims 3, namely social interactions. I like having a separate "pink" bar that makes tracking romance easier. All in all, the sims 3 makes a better attempt at making a game that mirrors actual life. The sims 4 has too many loading screens to be fully immersed in the world. I write this review for those who are becoming a little frustrated with the sims 4 and would like a breath of fresh air. Whether you like it or hate it, I recommend playing it, just to either realise what you're missing out on, or at the very least, come to appreciate the sims 4 for what it brings to the table.