The Sims 3

Game tools

 * Create a World is a download released after The Sims 3. It allows players to create and share neighborhoods. The tool got criticism from Mac users as the tool is only released on Windows.
 * Create a Pattern is a download released in 2010, after the release of The Sims 3. It allows players to design a pattern quickly using dozens of images available in the Sticker Library or layer and modify their own images to create unique patterns.

Game comparisons
A few features from The Sims 2 are not in The Sims 3. Some of them are the cleaning and creativity skills, the Slacker career, and aspiration rewards. See The Sims 3/Removed features

System requirement differences between The Sims 3 and The Sims 2

 * Unlike The Sims, The Sims 2, and The Sims Stories, The Sims 3 requires a Service Pack (for Windows XP and Windows Vista only)
 * The amount of hard drive space required has raised from 3.5 GB to 6.5 GB.
 * The RAM requirement has raised from 256 MB to 1 GB and 512 MB to 1.5 GB.
 * The processor requirement has raised from 800 MHz to 2 GHz and 1.3 GHz to 2.4 GHz.
 * The amount of video memory required has raised from 32 MB (Free Time and later versions 64 MB) to 128 MB.
 * The video card now requires Pixel Shader 2.0 while The Sims 2 and The Sims Stories did not.
 * The game no longer runs on PowerPC-based (G3/G4/G5) Mac systems.

Gallery
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Trivia

 * The executive producer of the Sims 3 was Ben Bell.
 * This is the first game where:
 * The DVD is released on both Windows and OS X although download versions of The Sims 3 were originally Windows only but Origin was released for OS X as of 2013 allowing The Sims 3 download versions to be used on OS X. However, the Steam version and Create a World are Windows only.
 * Originally, The Sims 4 only supported Windows but was released on OS X on February 17, 2015 although The Sims 4 Create a Sim Demo is still Windows only. Unlike The Sims 3, only download versions work on OS X.
 * A Service Pack is required.
 * Displays the May contain content inappropriate for children (See exceptions below).
 * The player must accept the EULA (Most Sims games released prior to The Sims 3 lacked an EULA).
 * Has no PowerPC Support on Mac OS X.
 * As of Ambitions, the All Rights Reserved after © [year] Electronic Arts Inc. has been removed.
 * Limited Edition items (which can be permanently missed) and Origin exclusive items as of Pets.
 * The Sims 3 is the first game in the series that has multiple expansions representing a similar theme.
 * Late Night and Showtime have a celebrity theme; World Adventures and Island Paradise represent vacationing.
 * The Main Theme is a remix of the Main Themes of The Sims 2: University and The Sims 2: Open for Business.
 * In the Action Channel, the player can see the opening video of The Sims Castaway Stories.
 * On the "Channel Trowler 27" Deluxe TV" television, copies of both MySims and The Sims 2 Castaway can be seen in the lower area.
 * The Sports Station uses clips from Madden NFL 10 as the highlights. The teams are the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.
 * If a Sim plays a video game it will show clips from Madden NFL 10, Skate and Burnout Paradise.
 * This is the 3rd Sim game to require a Service Pack. The first is SimCity Societies, 2nd being MySims and the 4th being The Sims Medieval.
 * The Sims 3 is the first game in The Sims series where its trailers display the disclaimer May contain content inappropriate for children. This also occurred with most of  The Sims 3' s EPs (e.g. World Adventures), The Sims 3 (console), The Sims Medieval and The Sims 4. Games prior to The Sims 3 simply said Visit www.esrb.org for updated rating information.
 * However, The Sims 3 High-End Loft/The Sims 3 Design &amp; High-Tech, Outdoor Living, Generations and Town Life are exceptions to this as they do not display the disclaimer.
 * On older releases of The Sims 3 for Windows and Mac OS X, the cover has a diamond pattern which resembles the PlumbBob. However, later releases of The Sims 3 have a cover which is similar to The Sims 3 Deluxe. The mentioned covers can be seen in the infobox.
 * Interestingly, many downloadable towns for The Sims 3 feature Sims from The Sims 2 starting with Riverview featuring Don Lothario and the Broke family, Barnacle Bay having Nina and Dina Caliente, Lucky Palms with the Dreamer family, Sunlit Tides with Daniel and Mary-Sue Pleasant, Monte Vista with the Monty family, Aurora Skies with the Beaker family, Dragon Valley with Jennifer Pleasant and John Burb, Midnight Hollow with Olive Specter, and finally, Roaring Heights with the Capps.
 * Although Daniel, Jennifer, and John appeared in The Sims 2, Daniel and Jennifer actually made their debut in The Sims, while John first appeared in The Sims: Unleashed. This means that as of Roaring Heights, Daniel, Jennifer, and John are the only Sims from the original game and its expansions to appear as living Sims in both The Sims 2 and The Sims 3 Store towns.
 * Some The Sims 2 base game Sims didn't make an appearance. Among them are the Oldies from Pleasantview, the Smiths, Grunts, Singles household, and Ajay Loner from Strangetown.