The Sims™ 3

The cost of Sims with all of it's DLC is insane to me. I wish EA would a little more reasonable in the cost of a game that is almost old enough to drive. At the time of this review while it is on sale for steam summer sale. 20$ for base + 19 x 10$ DLCs. 210$ for the full game. So you can either buy this game with all DLC, or 2/3rds of a steam deck. Spend your money elsewhere.

Won't run on Windows 11, despite trying every tip & trick recommended online. Very disappointed as a life-long Sims fan. I've been playing Sims 3 since it came out and wanted to continue enjoying this game on Steam. Clearly EA is too cheap to continue supporting Sims 3, (but not too cheap to not charge out the ass for it in the big year of 2025). I already requested a refund. Don''t waste your time.

I honestly would be here forever if i tried explaining everything so ill just tell you that this game is WAYYYYYY more fun than the sims 4, the open world actually made the sims feel like people and not just dolls that show up to a set (like in TS4). they can feel like real living people with their own hopes, wants, dreams, and ambitions.

I grew up on the Sims 4, and I wanted to try out this game, since people seem to prefer it. From what I've seen, this game is fine, great even. I might change this review later. However, I haven't had much time to enjoy it due to the constant [b]BUGS[/b]. I've faced 3 game-breaking bugs so far, and all of them were to simply boot up the game. Two were immediately after the launch window, and one was when trying to load a world. I was able to troubleshoot them all, so I'm making this review to maybe help others. [h2]First bug: Game closes after launch window[/h2] The launch window has several options, mostly links to the Sims 3 website. To start the game, you click on the big play symbol on the top left. However, when I did this, the window would close, and instead of then opening up the game, Steam showed that the whole process closed. [h3]My solution:[/h3] [url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Sims3/comments/12l7ew0/crashes_before_the_game_even_begins/]This Reddit post[/url] complains about the same thing. One user recommends many different troubleshooting tips, and the one I followed and maybe helped was installing [url=https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/Sims-3-launcher-won-t-open/m-p/10700883#M247761]DirectX9[/url], which the Sims 3 still runs on despite apparently not being on Windows 10 or 11. However, the commenter that REALLY saved my ass mentioned a [url=https://forums.ea.com/discussions/the-sims-3-technical-issues-en/re-sims-3-wont-open-alder-lake-intel-12th-gen-cpu/8265792#community-8265792-alternates]user-made, open-source patch[/url] directed at the Alder Lake CPU (a more modern CPU). One commenter says that their wife tried it on a different modern CPU and it worked, so I applied the patch, which finally made the game boot up. [h2]Second bug: "Serious error has occurred while loading (name).world"[/h2] Chronologically, this is the next bug I ran into. Between this one and the last one, I was able to play a bit on a default family, but then I wanted to start a new game from scratch. Whenever I'd select a world for this new game, no matter the world, it gave me the error in the title. I tried playing on that first family again, and it had the same bug too. [h3]My solution:[/h3] [url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Sims3/comments/11vz36h/cant_play_at_all_due_to_a_serious_error_while/]This Reddit thread[/url] was started by a user with the same problem. The top comment by SimsPlayer2765 details instructions to modify the Sims 3 folder in Documents, to force the launcher to create a new version without the bug (just read the comment, they know more about it than I do). This worked for me. [h2]Third bug: "The Uploading Process is not complete" infinite loading times[/h2] Later on, I ran into the second bug that occurred right after the launch window. It would close and the game wouldn't boot up, but according to Steam, it was still open. By force-quitting it through Steam, a window with the error in the title would pop up, and soon be shut down. [h3]My solution:[/h3] [url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/47890/discussions/0/1734342161870073157/]This thread[/url] was started by a user with the same problem, and the user funewchie posted a solution that solved my problem. Again, they know more about this than I do, but it essentially involved changing some files' permissions. Apparently there are more bugs in the Steam version than the EA version, so keep that in mind when purchasing. [b]EDIT:[/b] I ran into yet another game-breaking bug. It's similar to the second bug on this list, but instead of a serious error affecting the .world files, it affects my household files. I've been attempting several fixes based on forum tips but, frankly, the amount of time and effort I'm sinking into getting this game up and running is ridiculous. Unfortunately, due to my hour count (and the fact I bought it more than two weeks ago), I'm unable to request a refund. My advice: just stay away from this game unless you have an older PC and operating system. Play Sims 4, even if it's "inferior".

Not enough content in the base game to be charging that much wile having players rely on DLC. It's not a good look EA.

To cheat and manipulate Sim needs in The Sims 3, first enable "testingcheatsenabled true". Then, Ctrl+Click and drag on the Sim's need bar to adjust the value. This method works in Live Mode only, not when time is paused. Additionally, Shift+Clicking on Sims provides options like making them happy or static

The Sims 3, released in 2009 by Maxis and Electronic Arts, marked a pivotal evolution in the life simulation genre, expanding the possibilities for creativity, immersion, and storytelling. As the third major installment in the globally beloved Sims franchise, it both refined and redefined what it meant to simulate the lives of virtual people. By introducing an open-world structure, enhanced customization tools, and deeper personality mechanics, The Sims 3 elevated the franchise beyond a house-building simulator and into a living, breathing sandbox where every decision—small or large—could ripple through a dynamic, interconnected world. Perhaps the most revolutionary feature in The Sims 3 is the seamless open world. Unlike its predecessors, where players were restricted to individual lots and loading screens dominated the transitions between homes, parks, and businesses, The Sims 3 offered a fully explorable neighborhood. This meant Sims could jog across town, visit friends, attend school, go grocery shopping, or take a relaxing stroll at the beach—all in real time, with the rest of the town actively living their lives in the background. This design decision transformed the gameplay loop, making it more fluid, immersive, and believable. It gave the sense that the world was not merely a backdrop but a functioning system reacting to and evolving with your Sims. Customization was another key pillar. With the introduction of the Create-a-Style tool, players could adjust the color, texture, and pattern of virtually every object in the game—from furniture and clothing to flooring and wallpaper. The system gave unprecedented creative control, allowing for a level of aesthetic expression that no previous life sim had approached. Combined with the expansive Build/Buy and Create-a-Sim modes, The Sims 3 empowered players to craft unique households, environments, and entire towns reflective of their personal tastes or storytelling goals. In terms of gameplay, The Sims 3 improved the emotional and psychological depth of its virtual characters. The new trait system replaced the simplistic personality point system of The Sims 1 and 2. Instead of assigning a fixed set of numerical values, players could now select five distinct traits—such as "Loner," "Bookworm," "Evil," "Hopeless Romantic," or "Neurotic"—that combined to form nuanced, often humorous personalities. These traits significantly affected behavior, social interactions, and aspirations. Combined with the expanded Lifetime Wish system and an updated mood system, The Sims 3 gave players more granular control over long-term goals and personal development, making Sims feel less like mechanical units and more like individuals with quirks, dreams, and evolving narratives. The game’s base career system was robust, offering more work flexibility, in-job decisions, and visible career progression than earlier entries. Sims could climb the corporate ladder, become rock stars, ghost hunters, scientists, or chefs. The world outside the household mattered more than ever, and community lots were no longer just static destinations—they became stages for relationships, events, and spontaneous storytelling. Ambitions, romantic entanglements, family dynamics, and even midlife crises were better fleshed out and easier to manage (or sabotage) through thoughtful UI design. Graphically, while The Sims 3 doesn’t rival today’s standards, it was visually ambitious for its time. The transition to a seamless, load-free world came with trade-offs: textures were softer, character models slightly more cartoonish, and animations occasionally clunky. However, the game’s distinctive art style, color palette, and design coherence ensured it remained visually appealing. The soundtrack—ambient, soothing, and occasionally quirky—remains one of the series’ highlights, perfectly complementing both the domestic chaos and tender, life-sim moments. That said, The Sims 3 isn’t without its flaws. The game’s ambition sometimes exceeded its engine’s capacity. Performance issues—lag, save file bloat, pathfinding glitches, and memory leaks—plagued even high-end systems, particularly in long-term saves or densely populated towns. While modding could alleviate many of these problems, the fact that optimization remained a persistent issue cast a shadow over the game’s otherwise stellar design. The base game also lacked a few features that would only appear in later expansions, such as more robust supernatural elements or deeper family interactions, which left the initial release feeling slightly bare compared to the full potential of the game. However, the real longevity of The Sims 3 came from its massive expansion pack ecosystem and its vibrant modding community. Expansions like World Adventures, Ambitions, Seasons, and Generations each added new mechanics, worlds, and layers of complexity that turned The Sims 3 into an almost endlessly expandable life sim. The modding community, meanwhile, introduced custom traits, clothes, worlds, UI fixes, and even major gameplay overhauls—effectively allowing players to personalize the game far beyond what was officially offered. In conclusion, The Sims 3 stands as a landmark achievement in life simulation. It took the sandbox design philosophy to new heights, giving players an unprecedented degree of control over both the minutiae and the grand narratives of their Sims' lives. While its technical limitations and reliance on expansions remain valid criticisms, the core experience is rich, flexible, and endlessly replayable. For players who value creativity, storytelling, and open-ended play, The Sims 3 is not just a high point in the franchise—it’s a defining game in the simulation genre. Rating: 8/10

It does not even start. You get to the play button and that's it - does not open.

Game's great, but honestly if you're not already invested, take a pass. EA stands above the pack when it comes to greed and shitty practices, and there's no fucking way it should cost as much as it does when the base game is 16 years old and the newest content additions are 12 years old. Yes I bought it (on a 50% discount) and I'm enjoying being back, but I still feel shitty for enabling EA's predatory ways.

It cant even load into sunset valley cuz of an error. like what

I strongly advise against installing this version of the game as it appears on Steam. I, and from what I have read online, many others have had serious issues with the game crashing for various reasons and even after following multiple online guides to resolve these issues, they have remained un-fixable and totally game-breaking. That's obviously not to say that everyone will have this problem, but since they have refused to refund me for the game and DLCs I purchased, despite claiming to review refund requests on a case-by-case basis (and my having told them that the couple of hours of 'playtime' I had within the game were actually spent troubleshooting), I cannot in good conscience recommend that people buy this game on this platform. I understand that I am over the number of hours that they will allow for refunds to take place, but don't say that you'll review cases on individual bases if you... won't. I didn't actually get to play any of this game because of the issues I experienced, and now I can't get my money back. An absolute farce. I'm beyond disappointed and furious doesn't even begin to cover it.

I dont know if its my computer but I have done SO many things to try and get this game to work it says that I have played it for 10 hours since downloading it NO TRY 2 because the other 8 hours have been trying to get the app to stop and load like seriouslyyyyyyyyyyyy

Credit where credit's due. It's a fun game! I prefer it to the Sims 4. But it's kinda bare bones without expansion packs, but the expansion packs are way to expensive. Don't make the same mistakes I did. Spend your money elsewhere. The game's incredibly laggy and buggy, too. It's also one of those games that runs in the background even after you close it, eating up system resources. It's very easy to forget to turn it off.

This game has never worked for me. It says nine hours of game play when all it does is say error and says it running when it isn't even letting me access the game. Sims 4 is better never going back to sims 3 wish I could get my money back. Even on my new computer it does not play.

cant get sunset valley to load after the first time. Completely wasted money trying to download a game ive loved with all my heart for many years because the download doesnt work.

In my 6 years of owning this game I have never gotten it to launch, after several efforts on different occasions. EA has plenty of money, financial incentive and time here to patch it - they've done absolutely nothing. For shame.

10/10 yes the sims 4 has alot more features but sims 3 is very story like not AI so much fun!

Surprisingly fun to play regularly. Usually I try to engineer insane experiments and torment my sims, but it's actually pretty fun when you engage with it earnestly

PEAK. PEAK PEAK PEAK, BETTER THEN SIMS TWO DO NOT LET THE SIMS TWO PROPAGANDA LEAD YOU TO BUY IT. THIS IS PERFECT BASE GAME (i would recomend buying late night tho)

this game is actually a pretty solid time-waster, and is charming without the "omg so quirky" vibe of the 4th game

Great game! Reasonably priced expansions and way more features compared to Sims 4. Does not work on Alder Lake Intel CPUs. Needs a mod/third party patch installed that you can easily find online, otherwise it will crash after the launcher. On Linux, may need Proton Experimental and the following launch option to install and run the first time: PROTON_USE_WINED3D=1 %command% You can install the third party Alder Lake patch on Linux if you are an unfortunate soul like me that has both. Install wine as a system package, then make a symlink to your ~/.local directory at ~/local-symlink (because the patch through wine cannot enter hidden folders). Then open the patch through wine and you can navigate to your installation through the patch's file explorer; it'll be located at ~/local-symlink/share/Steam/steamapps/common/The Sims 3/Game/Bin/.

Fun, but ive been trying to boot it up since february and its given me an error message every single time

The game would not launch unless I put the cpu to 1 and then it stopped even working using that method. It's not worth the hassle.

This game is really fun, if you have played Sims 4 then it immediately feels like a different game but not in a bad way. You can tell effort has been put into this game more than the Sims 4. Some good expansion packs for Sims 3 would be generations and seasons, Which introduces new items and weather such as lightning and heavy snow. These specific packs do not have new worlds to explore, so if you are looking for additional locations, Supernatural and Island Paradise. BEST FEATURES, world you can explore and a great build mode.

the performance is terrible but the gameplay is great. Probably the best sims game. Definitely better than sims 4.

this game is an absolute classic a masterpiece of sims genre its unfortunate EA abandoned it.

I love this game and it's great if you have an MBTI list to make proper profiles for simulations with.

I love the graphics, I love the feel of the game in general. It's so nostalgic and cozy feeling!

I used to find this game fun, but not so much now. Creating things can be a blast, but the actual gameplay is mostly just waiting for things to happen. I've gotten so bored playing this game at times that I just use my phone and/or play other games as my Sim sleeps, goes to work, etc.

This is my favorite Sims so far, even though it's the older version of the game. I love that you can get ghosts in your house if you don't take their urn to the cemetery. I love that death comes to collect them. I love that you have to raise and teach your toddlers. I love that you can earn money without ever having a real job. I love that you can plant a money tree. I love that you can date and hang out with others at home or elsewhere. The interface is easy to deal with and far less complicated than Sims 4.

I have attempted to play this game at least six times over the past few days. Only the first attempt worked, and I played for about an hour. Every other moment of "playtime" has been crashing, serious errors, and trying to figure out how to make the game stop running so I can actually restart it -- I wound up having to shut my entire PC off because it wouldn't stop no matter how long I waited, even after I tried to stop it through Steam itself. The game is completely nonfunctional for me, and at this point I think I'd rather put my twenty bucks towards getting my Xbox 360 running again so I can play a version that actually shuts off. I'd recommend a version of this game that actually works.

The Sims 3 is an excellent successor to the sims 2, though with minor bugs, the game is very much playable for long periods without any issues. I do however experience lag from time to time, but this can be solved with mods. The open world aspect is what sets this game apart with its predecessor. Outside your house, the world feels much more alive, with other sims having their own activities making it really feel come to life. The game comes with several expansion packs and stuff packs. My favourite is University Life, very much like the collage life. Not all of them are my cup of tea. But i did incorporate at least one aspect of each pack that I bought in to my game, making my game fresh every time I play. So in overall, I highly recommend this game. You will get tons of play hours playing the Sims 3.

I don't play it anymore but man this was my childhood game back when I was 12 and playing in the family computer. I miss those times when my biggest worry in life was my homework.

Hello.... I was able to run Sims 2 and Sims 4. After troubleshooting it. But have not been able to run Sims 3. Can I uninstall Sims 3 in Steam and re-install? My Sims 3 just runs to the launch windows and stops on its own, without going further. I would like to uninstall it all and re-install. But if there is any suggestion, please advise. Even though I was able to play Sims 3, Sims 4 and Sims 2. In the case of Sims 3, my game are not complete. So just in Sims 3, It is playable but has not downloaded all my games like late night etc. I will proceed to uninstall/reinstall to see if this downloads all my games. Once this happens I will be happy to have ONE place where I can access all my games. Up to now SIMS 2 and Sims 4 are ok... NO errors

我只建议和我一样的熟练玩家在Steam购买这个游戏，因为当你终于解决兼容性问题的时候，你已经玩了太多小时而不能退款了 --- I would only recommend that skilled players like myself buy this game on Steam, because by the time you fix the compatibility issues you've already played too many hours to get a refund.

Unplayable, doesn't open, no simple fix and Steam won't give a refund.

7 clouds out of 10! [☁︎ ☁︎ ☁︎ ☁︎ ☁︎ ☁︎ ☁︎ 🌫 🌫 🌫] Overall: The fact that decade old game like Sims 3 is barely on sales shows that Sims 3 still holds up really well, and is considered just as good as Sims 4. Personally, I still think that Sims 3 is better than Sims 4 only because everything that's happening in Sims 3 happens right then and there, in real time, unlike Sims 4, where in order to move from point A to point B, you'll be forced to wait for loading screens. Graphics feel outdaded, but not too much. What I like: Game content is big enough for a base game (with no DLCs). Game is stable on many PCs FPS-wise (BUT make sure to limit FPS, because this game will take all the FPS and eventually will cook your motherboard). Personally feels more fun than Sims 4. Feels like you have more freedom of choice, in a way. What I dislike: DLC prices. Honestly, EA could launch a little bit more expensive "Celebration Version" of Sims 3 with the game and all DLCs included. DLCs are only worth buying during 50% discounts. Although, some of the DLCs are super fun, not all DLCs are worth the money. Suggesting you to check out yt videos on Sims 3 DLCs.

Sims 3 > Sims 4 ultimately imo because the entire town is always loaded in. There's no waiting for load screens and feeling like you're traveling to alternate dimensions when you want to venture somewhere else. You feel like you're part of the town life and not in a lonely hole somewhere.

TLDR: I can't emphasise on how much time you're going to waste on doing what your Sim needs to do over what -you- need to do. Don't start playing this series or you might never stop. That being said, it's fun as hell and this entry is probably the best. Story: Create an avatar and find work, create bonds, build your home, interact with a whole town that is just as active as you are. There's no preset story apart from the predetermined world map and other Sims attitudes of some preset families. Gameplay: While where to click isn't intuitive, the puck does the job and the majority of the information isn't stored deep enough to get lost. Plus the tutorials help you get going nicely. So while you're likely to struggle at first, once you get your roll going, it's rather easy to balance a Sims personal growth vs his obligations (you know, work and sh!t, literally). You can create or add family members, allowing you to control more than 1 Sims. Character creation is thorough. While not all interactions work as intended, the majority of things work well enough to be surprising; if you invite someone over and forget to open the door for them, they're likely to pop in your house and do whatever they want or need to do. Carpool will arrive an hour early to pick you up for work, everyday that you need to work, and should you miss it, your character will simply clock in late after your command queue is up. All in all, there's not much proper gameplay, it's all about managing and... I hate to say it but I wish I was as efficient with my own life as I am at managing my Sims. A big improvement from the other Sims is that the game simulates a whole town, not just your particular house, all at once. People have jobs, they like to go to the park, there are chess matches, movies, there's a gym, you can fish, etc, etc. It's up to you to partake in what you want to, and it's kinda crazy how many other Sims you can meet simply by partaking in a new activity. Choosing your Sims traits, life long goal or even purchasing lifetime reward can all be very significant and all help drive the game forward. You can even turn the ageing off, it helps for people like me who want to max out every skill and have the biggest, baddest house. And own all the businesses. And... Man what am I doing still playing this game. Graphics: Cartoonish but good enough. What annoys me is how you can never tell what's going on inside some buildings; workplaces, bookstore, police station, etc. Audio: This is kind of a fun plague. The renown Sims dialogues are awful, yet funny. Can't understand a single thing they say, but it never really gets on your nerves. What CAN suck, however, is the lack of music. Then again, you can easily purchase a sound system for your house and listen to your own tracks. And I'm pretty sure that someone with enough know how can manage to shove personal songs inside the game files. Seriously, it's the Sims. I hope I made any kind of sense because this is probably my least thought through review. The 4th entry is free nowadays, so if you just wanna try these games out, try that one first.

Best out of all their stuff, a little different from when i had the 360 but really good nonetheless!

The sims # is so much more entertaining than the sims 4. The lack of loading times is a game changer.

its forcing me to write what i liked about it but its better than the sims 4 in my humble opinion

On one hand yes fun game on the other A SERIOUS ERROR HAS OCCURRED RESTART APPLICATION

SAVE ME PLS I THINK I'M ADDICTED GOD HELP ME PLEASE I AM STUCK OH GOD SAVE ME DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!!!!

It's really fun and way ahead of its time. I prefer play The Sims 3 more than The Sims 4

Fun game, easily replayable every few years.

Buggy but love the pet interactions far more than sims 4

Still a classic almost 15 years later

Best Sims game out there! Don't bother with 4.