It’s tough to find a game out there like The Sims. Although there are some upcoming life sims such as Paralives and Life by You, here are 10 of the best games you can play right now if you like The Sims.
The Sims series is a beloved franchise with four major installments, but what if you’ve had your fill of it? Let’s go over some games you should try that are very similar to The Sims.
10 best games for players who enjoy The Sims series
Coral Island
Life sims don’t always come around and be as great as Coral Island is. This is a relaxing life and farming sim where you grow crops, tend to your farm animals, and romance the locals. There’s even scuba diving, cave mining, and so much more.
Just like The Sims, Coral Island allows you to get married and have children. You can live at your own pace and build the life of your dreams on this island filled with dozens of characters and things to do. There’s even home decoration for The Sims fans who just enjoy building homes!
House Flipper
Speaking of home design fans, House Flipper is the perfect game for people who love designing homes in The Sims. There’s even a sequel, with both games allowing you to turn a run-down home into a masterpiece.
This is a super realistic and detailed simulation game where you can purchase homes, fix them up, and then design them. It’s relaxing, yet engaging enough where you’re meticulously crafting a unique home.
Two Point Hospital
If you enjoy micro-managing your Sims’ lives, Two Point Hospital is a good pick for you. This is a simulation and management game where you can run, build, and manage your hospital. Not only are you designing the hospitals, you’re making sure they run properly.
This is for The Sims players who both enjoy the building and managing aspects of those games. It has a quirky art style and an addictive gameplay loop. You can even purchase multiple DLCs that add to the base game.
Pioneers of Pagonia
Pioneers of Pagonia is currently in Early Access, but it’s a fantastical city builder and simulation game where you run an old-fashioned colony. Construct 40 different buildings, manage the production of 70 types of goods, and create a beautiful village.
It has a lively art style and reminds me a lot of the old SimCity games but without the modern city aspect. Pioneers of Pagonia brings along the simulation and management aspects that many Sims players love but with a unique twist of cozy vibes.
Animal Crossing New Horizons
If you love The Sims, there’s no doubt in my mind that you’d enjoy Animal Crossing: New Horizons. If you’ve yet to pick up this Nintendo Switch game, it’s a relaxing life sim where you build up a town on a deserted island and invite animal neighbors to live with you.
Animal Crossing is one of Nintendo’s longest-running franchises for a reason. You can fish, catch bugs, decorate your home, and even decorate your entire island. What’s even more like The Sims is the Happy Home Paradise DLC that allows you to create vacation homes for a variety of villagers.
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My Time at Portia
Similar to Animal Crossing is My Time at Portia, which is a life and farming sim where you get to start your new life in the fictional city-state of Portia. Build up your old workshop, create a farm, and even design your own home. This town is filled with a colorful cast of characters, some of which are romanceable.
For The Sims players who like that quiet life but want a little bit more action, My Time at Portia has that. You can explore the mines and fight enemies along the way. But this game still has those relaxing life sim elements that The Sims has.
Let’s School
Just like Two Point Hospital, Let’s School allows you to run a facility, but this time it’s a school. You’re the headmaster of a school and can build this school from the ground up. Create classrooms, prepare lessons in a schedule, and take on new students.
This not only has design and building elements like The Sims, but you can micro-manage your school to become highly successful for a clean, comforting, and productive environment. I love its adorable art style and despite the strategy behind it, it’s also pretty relaxing.
Stardew Valley
Inspired by Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley is an indie hit farming and life sim that’ll get any Sims fan addicted. Like any farming sim, you grow your productive farm to earn money, but you can also meet the array of townsfolk to possibly romance.
Not only is there romance, but you can marry someone and have a child. Just like The Sims, you can grow a family and decorate your home to your heart’s content. It’s incredibly chill to play but also hard to put down. The best part? It’s a game loaded with content that’s still receiving giant content updates all these years later.
City Skylines
Although there’s a sequel out, the first game has much more positive reviews, which led me to list it here. Mirroring SimCity, City Skylines has you build your bustling city and manage it. Create residential neighborhoods with roads connecting to the big city and industrial regions.
It’s not that simple, though. You need to keep the city alive with power, water, and other important facilities. Natural disasters may also occur, and City Skylines has the unpredictability of life that The Sims franchise has. Just try to avoid its sequel, since it’s not nearly as fun as the original.
The Tenants
Finally, The Tenants is another good pick for The Sims fans who love to manage the lives of little people. You become a landlord and build up your empire of properties that you rent out to many different tenants.
There’s home designing and life management since you have to keep your tenants happy with their places. The Sims fans will enjoy designing the properties to look stylish and comfortable for their tenants.
Now that you’ve added a bunch of new games similar to The Sims to your wishlist, you may also be yearning for games like Assassin’s Creed.
