It has also been released for mobile phones, such as those running the iOS, Bada OS, Windows Phone 7, webOS, Android, Symbian^3, and Nokia N-Gage platforms. A much simpler version is also available for mobile phones with support for the Java platform.
The Sims 3, an instant success, sold 1.4 million copies in its first week and dominated the sales charts over a month later. Critics issued mostly positive reviews. The Sims 3 gained an 86% score from aggregator Metacritic.
Gameplay
The Sims 3 is built upon the same concept as its predecessors. Player controls their own Sims in activities and relationships in a similar manner to real life. The gameplay is open-ended and indefinite.
Sim houses and neighborhoods are entirely in one continuous map. The developers stated, "What you do outside your home now matters as much as what you do within." The game includes an optional feature called "Story Progression", which allows all Sims in the neighborhood to autonomously continue as if the player was controlling them, such as grow up, get married, get jobs and promotions, have children, build or buy their dream house while the player isn't playing.
The Sims 2 used a reward system called Wants and Fears. This is replaced with a new system called Wishes in The Sims 3. Fulfilling a Sim's wish contributes to the Sim's Lifetime Happiness score and mood. Some wishes, such as "Go to the Park", may add little points to their lifetime happiness while "Have A Baby Boy" may add thousands of points. In The Sims 2, Wants and Fears also contributed to a Sim's "Aspiration" meter, roughly analogous to current self-esteem. In The Sims 3, Aspiration is removed entirely, replaced with "Moodlets", which contribute positive or negative values to the original Motivation meter. Moodlets can be inspired by physical events, such as having a good meal or comfort from sitting in a good chair, as well as emotional events like a first kiss or a break-up. Most moodlets last for a set duration, but some negative Moodlets can be cured (such as the one incurred by an urgent need to urinate) and some positive ones rely on the Sim's surroundings and traits.
Sims live for a set duration of time (adjustable by the player) and advance through several stages (baby, toddler, child, teen, young adult, adult, and elder). Sims can die of old age or they can die prematurely from causes such as fire, starvation, drowning, electrocution, (as of the World Adventures expansion pack) The Mummy's curse, (as of the Ambitions expansion pack) a meteor, and (as of the Late Night expansion pack) by thirst (vampires only).
Open World
On March 19, 2008, EA revealed open world, a new feature, for The Sims 3. Players can explore the world outside their Sims' homes without having to face strenuous loading times. Every house lot is now synchronized with the main neighborhood time. In previous Sims games, the time of day was separate and different for each house lot.
Players can interact with every building and amenity in a city. Although players are unable to see inside of certain commercial buildings (grocer, bookstore, theater, police office, school, etc.), they are able to enter and retain limited control over their Sims' actions while in these locations. The player has complete control in some other commercial buildings - such as the gym, library and the beach house. All occupied residential buildings can be entered in the same manner as a Sims' home, provided that they are not empty or too late at night.
Skills
There are several skill-dependent abilities, such as advanced social interactions available from high charisma, special songs for guitar players and appliance upgrades (self-cleaning, more TV channels, etc.) for high handiness. Painting, writing and guitar are now different skills, instead of the all-encompassing "creativity" skill of The Sims and The Sims 2. Paintings are now more particular to each Sim, based on their traits. Sims can increase their skills by practicing a skill (e.g. playing the guitar, working in the garden, writing a novel, even flirting, etc.), reading a book about the skill, or taking a class in the skill at a civic building. Sims can begin building their skills as early as their toddler days. While skills do not show up in the meter right away, using skill building objects is rewarded once the toddler grows into a child. Logic can be used to teach children skills that will help them in later life.
Careers
In The Sims 2, Sims 'disappeared' once they took the carpool to work, and the player had no control of them until they returned, whereas in The Sims 3, each career now takes place in a building in the neighborhood that a Sim travels to. New aspects of careers include self-employment, part-time jobs, overtime, and salary raises. Sims now have a boss to report to. Each career can yield several different rewards and some can be split into several tracks. A new function is that instead of having just skills to advance in a job, Sims also depend on relationships with co-workers and their boss. While at work, the player has a certain level of control over working Sims through 'Options', adjustable settings that dictate how the Sim should go about their work (e.g. take a break, socialize with co-workers, run errands, , etc.), which all come with their set of advantages and disadvantages.
Opportunities
One of the major new additions to gameplay is Opportunities, tasks that Sims can complete to earn rewards. These challenges occur randomly based on aspects of each Sim's lifestyle, such as relationships, skills and job. Career opportunities such as working overtime or completing special tasks can yield a pay raise, cash bonus, or relationship boost. Skill opportunities are requests by neighbors or community members for Sims to solve problems using their acquired skills for cash or relationship rewards.
Create-A-Sim
Create-a-Sim (CAS) is the character (Sim) builder, where the polygon 3-D models of Sims can be modified. New features include the ability to change footwear and headwear separately and add facial details. Sliders have replaced prior functions in CAS. For instance, muscular and obesity sliders replace The Sims 2 system of three body types (fit, regular, and overweight). Skin color, voice pitch, hair color, and chin size among other things may also be adjusted on sliders. Tattoos were introduced in the update patches from version 1.12/2.7/3.3.
The original system of percentage bar personality points has been replaced with a system of traits. These traits include moodlets, interactions, and behavior associated with the trait. For example, a Workaholic Sim is not easily stressed by work and enjoys being at work while a Flirty Sim is more successful with their romantic advances and has more romantic interactions than the average Sim.
Build / Buy modes
The build and buy modes have received their own makeover. The square tile outlines that appeared on the ground in previous Sims games' build and buy modes are now a quarter of their original size to give the player more liberty to place objects where they want. Players can re-color and re-pattern the furniture and other items to specific shades and patterns with the new Create-a-Style and make six story houses with basements.
Create-A-World
On October 29, 2009, Electronic Arts announced "Create-A-World (CAW)", which is a game world editor that allows players to create their own custom cities from scratch for use within the game. The editor tool is offered to players as a separate download (156MB), and was released on December 16, 2009 as a beta version. EA will offer technical support and updates. Players are able to share their neighborhoods as with other content. The Create A World tool is currently only available for Windows based PCs.
Cheat Codes
Like most of the other Sims games, cheat codes are available to accomplish a number of things, including getting simoleons, force events, and setting Sim attributes (career, clothing, etc.). Cheats are entered through the console.
