The Sims 3

Sims 3 for console is the first time the franchise has been presented as a near-match to its PC counterpart.

With Sims 3, console gamers finally get a true translation of the gameplay that has made the PC entries such a hit. Engaging new content and intuitive design makes picking up the console port of EA's digital dollhouse a no-brainer.

The Sims 3 succeeds on all counts, despite some technical difficulties.

A good porting of the PC experience. Maybe some extra content could've made this one a must buy deal, but still if you love the Sims and have an HD console, this must be yours.

If you've been away from the franchise because your PC is no longer the gaming platform it once was, dropping real-life Simoleons for this one wouldn't be a total waste. Mind you, the definitive Sims 3 experience remains on PC, but this is easily a solid alternative.

So there you have it console gamers, a fully fledged Sims title without the dreadful feeling of missing something or not getting what the PC gamers have gotten.

Inferior to the PC version and lacking in a number of ways, but well worth a look for anyone who only plays games on console.

A very good console version of the famous EA game, with a satisfying control system and nice console exclusive additions.

The first full-fat Sims experience on consoles. [Jan 2011, p.78]

A high-end conversion of a PC stalwart, marking the first time the Sims formula has migrated intact to a console. [Issue#66, p.89]

The facts remain - there's nothing quite like this on the Xbox 360 and the series is wildly popular for a very good reason.

Although maybe not as deep of an experience as you could find on the PC, if you are looking for The Sims on a console this is a great option.

If you ever wanted to play the Sims but never had the PC to do so, your time has come. The Sims 3 on consoles is a direct port, and a faithful one at that.

With the console version of The Sims 3, EA have successfully recreated the addictive popular life-sim that's undoubtedly had a popular life on PC, and they've done it with relative ease. Sure it may not be as detailed and have the same community-creative outlets that the PC version does, but it's clear that the console version is for those that don't have an affinity towards PC gaming and haven't otherwise experienced it... Like myself.

On consoles, at heart, it's the same rewarding, anecdote-rich and very personal experience as it ever was. If you've got the option, then the PC version is still the one to go for, but in every significant way, this is just as good.

Overall, The Sims 3 is a thoroughly enjoyable video game that has received a successful conversion to the Xbox 360. The game's features are to the same level as those of the PC and the control system works perfectly for the console. Whilst the control system may be best suited to the PC, this is definitely one to consider.

The game is quirky and humorous and full of things to see and do. So much in fact that it should keep you occupied for months on end.

If you only play games on consoles - or if you're looking for a Sims experience you can share with your friends - it's worth a rental at the very least. If you're familiar with the series on PC, knock the below score down a star - the controls are going to drive you nuts.

The new console format allows you to have control of up to six Sims at a time, who you can follow, nurture, torture, or ignore. The possibilities are endless. And when they die...you can just create more!

The console versions of The Sims 3 are exactly what we expected: a well crafted PC porting with some little new features that add some spice to the original formula.

The Sims 3 for the Xbox 360 retails for roughly 60 dollars, about average for a 360 game, and can provide endless hours of entertainment, provided you enjoy the genre. It's not a perfect port of the original, so if you have access to a PC gaming system, I would still suggest that you stick with the original Sims 3 for the best experience. If you don't, however, the 360 port really isn't shabby and is probably the closest you're going to get to the original, so go ahead and give it a shot.

Console version of The Sims 3 is finally a decent porting of the PC Game. Still, annoying controls and irritant loading times are there to frustrate the player.

While Sims 3 on console is a good port on its own, you won't ever get rid of the sensation that a joypad is the real way to enjoy the sims experience.

It's still not perfect, but it's a great step in the right direction. [Holiday 2010, p.87]

Minor flaws aside, The Sims 3 is a decent port of the PC version and extremely playable on the Xbox.

The Sims 3 is perhaps the best console version of a Sims game yet. However, the port is still not as good as the original game on the PC.

It's amazing that The Sims 3 works so well with a controller and that many of the PC functions are still intact. So if you're curious about the Sims and don't own a computer, you should try out the console version.

May be users will perceive such things stripped from the PC experience as the deep gameplay, the entirely free roam or some technical issues, but The Sims 3 is the most serious entry for the series in consoles.

At last: a console version of The Sims without a crappy control scheme. The Sims 3 may be not as extensive and flawless as the PC version, but is still a nice translation of the original concept that made The Sims great in the first place.

Bottom line, The Sims 3 is solid and worth checking out.

All in all, keeping the same Sims formula may keep old fans satisfied but in my eyes changing things up a bit more would have made this title much more interesting and successful.

The Sims 3 for Xbox 360 and PS3 not only has the spirit of the original one from PC, but offers the same gameplay and options. This is great news for the console owners, who will have the option of controlling the lives of their Sims: where they live, who they fall in love with, their job and their dreams for the future. Unfortunately, the control system and the loading times remind us we're not playing on a computer.

The console version of the PC megahit lacks fluidity, though it's still fun in its own right.

The Sims 3 commits the greatest crime a game possibly can: I want to have fun, but it just won't let me.

It's an absurdly addictive experience that maintains this draw on consoles. As a whole, the game's fairly solid.

As expected, the virtual playground that is the Sims doesn't convert very well into the console world. Even with the added gameplay components like Karma, the experience is very much like Sims 3-lite compared to the larger world in Sims 3 for the PC.

Does The Sims series fit in the console world? We're not sure. The problem is not in the controller but more in the game concept itself. [Dec 2010]

It was probably foolhardy to ever try to bring The Sims 3 to consoles and despite a spirited attempt this is just a shadow of the PC version.

This console version of the Sims 3 will be able to satisfy fans of the series and will more importantly allow console gamers to enjoy the thrill of creation and divine impartiality thanks to the addition of the Karma. If the added exchangeable contents and new features work, we sill regret that only the Wii version of the game has real exclusive original content (multiplayer, ability to live on a houseboat...) on top of better ergonomics thanks to the Wiimote.

Clearly not essential for those who own The Sims 3 on PC, this title nevertheless incarnate the best episode from The Sims on console.