Review by: Toni Schwartz

Most gamers look at PC games that are ported to consoles with a wary eye—and for good reason. Something is usually lost in the process. Sometimes it’s as minor as changing the menu system but other times it can be as drastic as introducing a different form of gameplay altogether. Thankfully, The Sims 3 on the PS3 is nearly identical to its PC predecessor, only with a gamepad driving the interface.

The first thing you encounter in The Sims 3 is character creation. With the thought of “console port = simplified” still in my head, I wondered if the game’s robust character editor has suffered from its move to consoles. The answer is no. Although you can always choose from predetermined models, you can tweak every feature (nose, eyes, jaw, body shape, skin color, etc.) using sliders, and like the PC version, the console version features personality traits, five of which you can choose for your Sim. They range from positive traits such as being a computer whiz and a hard worker, to negative ones like clumsy and coward. Throw in a few negative traits with the positive ones and see some hilariously unexpected results in your Sim’s behavior. I made a kleptomaniac, and she often came home with odd things in her inventory, stuff she “borrowed” from work and friends’ houses. She was a neat freak though!

While controlling a virtual life is the main draw of any Sims game, you’re not limited to just playing house. The Sims 3 for PC introduced Lifetime Happiness points, which is also found in the console versions. These are earned by fulfilling a Sim’s various wishes, which can then go towards sweet perks, such as the ability to take the day off from work without repercussions.

However, to appeal more to console gamers who enjoy achievements, awards, and challenges, there are added features on the console that you won’t find on the PC. First are the Karma Powers, which can be used to temporarily benefit or hinder (for the giggles) your Sim. Examples of Karma Powers include “get lucky”, “stroke of genius”, and “epic fail”. There’s even one in which you can create an earthquake to knock a bunch of Sims on their backside. Challenges are various tasks you complete to earn rewards. Some are really quick and easy such as completing the tutorial, but a majority of them are quite time-consuming—such as fulfilling 1000 wishes (whoa!). There are so many different kinds of challenges that earning them is guaranteed to keep you busy over multiple playthroughs.

A significant aspect of gameplay in any Sims game is building and decorating your home. Yes, the Build and Buy Mode is available in console Sims 3 as well. Although you have all the same options and tools, building a home using a controller isn’t quite as smooth as it is with a good old mouse and keyboard. When I build a home on the PC I zoom the camera far out and aim it directly above the house. This makes it easier to see the grid lines when I’m laying down walls. However I found that I can’t aim the camera directly above when I was playing the console version. The camera was at an angle, so it was a bit tough to see where I wanted to lay down my walls. Furthermore, the menu has been adjusted in that you have to wade through layers and layers of options so it takes a long time to do the simplest tasks, like say, changing the wallpaper.