Which is better Sims 3 or 4: comparison of two parts of the game

The Sims is a life simulator that encourages players to fulfill all their desires in the virtual world. The most popular are the last two series: Sims 3 and Sims 4. The question that divided fans: “Which is better Sims 3 or 4?”

Let’s try to answer it together, looking at the pros and cons of each project.

What is better in Sims 3?

The first thing we’ll talk about is the difference between the Sims 3 and Sims 4:

1. The open world

So let’s start with one of the biggest differences between them. Sims 3 was notable for its vast open world, in which all your Sims live together in a large community, not limited to neighborhoods like in its next installment.

2. Customization

I can’t speak for all The Sims players, but many of us love the 3 series for one reason: customizability. In the Sims, we want to reflect ourselves, our partners, our family, and our friends. We want to create human Sims that we don’t like and make horrible things happen to them in this digital dollhouse.

In our opinion, customization is essential, and in this respect, each game has an advantage over the other:

Sims 3 has the popular style creation feature, which allows you to change the look, whatever you like.
In Sims 4, this is only available as a mod, if you don’t count the pet creation feature.

3. Add-ons

DLCs have been a huge part of the gameplay since the original game, offering all sorts of new gameplay mechanics, items, and so on.

For many players, The Sims 3 add-ons have an advantage over The Sims 4 because they offer more in-game content, even though they cost more.

4. A great basic game package

There is a thing that really annoys players – the developers deliberately remove pieces of game content from their original game in order to sell it in DLC.

If you compare the two parts, it is clear that Sims 3 was a much more complete package from the beginning.

There was some basic content missing when the fourth installment launched, such as players not having access to build basic things like swimming pools!

5. The accessibility of the “baby” stage of development

Another element of The Sims that has become very important to players is the concept of aging sims. We want to watch how newborns grow up, how the age of our characters, and how generations change. After all, these are all fundamental parts of life, and The Sims 3 has given us those opportunities.

Before the launch of Part 4, it was reported that the “baby” stage of life would be removed (“In The Sims 4, infants will turn into children, bypassing the developmental stage that precedes schooling”). It wasn’t until January 2017 that babies were added to the game with a free update.

6. Transportation

A huge difference between Sims 3 and Sims 4 is the absence of vehicles in 4 parts.

Due to the presence of the open world in Sims 3, the variation of transport in it is pervasive: cars, bikes, motorcycles, and strollers.

We hope this kind of vehicle will be introduced in a younger version of the game.

7. Large choice of pets

In the game’s 4th series, the selection of pets is more sparse than in its predecessor.

The Sims 3 gave us, for example, horses and unicorns, as well as much more flexibility in customizing pets.

In Sims 4, you can’t directly control your pets, which causes inconvenience in satisfying your pets’ needs.

What is better realized in Sims 4

Now let’s look at what’s better in Sims 4 than in Sims 3:

1. Stability and optimization

As we’ve already seen, The Sims 3 may have gone in a much better direction than its sequel. The open-world idea was a bold move, and many fans liked it, but it came at a price – the load on the device, and as a consequence all sorts of slowdowns and crashes.

Sims 4, of course, is not immune to such technical problems, but, as a rule, players, on the contrary, report that

It is much better optimized and runs more stable than its predecessor.

2. Multitasking

In Sims 4 Sims became smarter. Now they can not only eat and talk but do both at the same time. While it can still take an insane amount of time for one Sim to eat a bowl of cereal, at least they can make up for the communication while they do it.

For this reason, the only problem so far is getting them to sit down at the table!

Sims are so good at multitasking that they often forget to sit and relax.

3. No microtransactions

Some people like the Sims 3 store, but the content in it got expensive pretty quickly. While players appreciated being able to buy unusual items, such as a working washer and dryer, such purchases put a lot of strain on and slowed down the game.

Releasing the content in Sims 4 in the format of DLC simplifies the work of the development team, which has become easier to eliminate bugs, and thus improve the time spent by the players with their sims.

4. Moving between areas of the city

While many people resent that the worlds in The Sims 4 have gotten smaller, we can now move freely between them, which was not the case in previous games.

If you want to take your Sims on a day trip, a quick click on the map can take them to sunny Oasis Springs, an eerie forgotten Hollow, or even one of the world’s most secret hidden areas in no time.

5. No long loading screens

The Sims 3 can allow you to move from place to place without loading screens once you’re in the world, but you have to pay for that with a long loading screen when you enter the game. In some cases, we’re talking about a loading screen lasting several minutes.

Shorter and more common Sims 4 loading screens would be a better solution for impatient players.

6. Huge possibilities in the creation of the Sims

The great appeal of The Sims lies in the ability to create Sims that look like real people.

Sims 4 offers more options for creating Sims according to your specific requirements, thanks to the grab-and-go system.

Once you’ve mastered the learning process in front of you, a huge variation of creative possibilities than in the other installments.

7. Personalities and Emotions

Game developers have always wanted your Sims to be able to communicate their needs without words (not just through signs in menus).

The Sims 4 put a new emphasis on the emotions and personalities of the Sims, and on the eve of the launch, these new elements caused great excitement in the community.

While the features weren’t as groundbreaking as they seemed, it was a big step forward.

Hopefully, this will be improved in the next game, helping to make the life simulator more exciting than ever.

8. Easy construction of buildings and structures

Some of us don’t pay much attention to home design, while other players carefully consider every detail in the homes of their favorite Sims.

Sims 4 has a much better layout of buildings by dragging and dropping rooms, roofs, pools, etc. with the click of a mouse.

In addition, it has given us more freedom to use terrain tools, which makes the buildings more realistic.

What should I choose between Sims 3 and Sims 4?

Unfortunately, the answer is not so simple, because there are pros and cons when trying to decide which part is better. It’s up to you to decide which aspects of Sims life are more important from our list.

Both games have their strengths and weaknesses, but to briefly summarize, take your pick:

• Sims 3 – if you’re looking for gameplay with lots of choices and character customization, as well as an open world.
• Sims 4 – if you’re looking for individual character customization, a different range of emotions, and a smooth and fast playthrough.