Comparison between The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval

The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval use the same engine, so they may seem somewhat alike, but they are very different games.

The Sims 3
The Sims 3, like previous games in The Sims series, is set in a modern era. While players have always been able to use custom content to simulate a medieval setting, at least to some degree, the games themselves presume a modern society with refrigerators and stoves, computers and telephones, etc.

In The Sims 3, players can design and recolor almost everything in the game. Also, players can go into considerable detail when creating Sims and families.

The Sims Medieval
The Sims Medieval, as its name implies, is designed to simulate a medieval setting. Therefore, it won't have modern intrusions such as carpools, taxicabs, and telephones that would need to be disguised or worked around.

When creating a Sim in The Sims Medieval, one major difference from The Sims 3 is the clothing and hair that is available. Another difference is that traits are adapted to the medieval setting.

Marriage & Families
In The Sims Medieval, non-selectable Sims do not become selectable when they join a household, even if they marry a selectable Sim. Also, children will not be selectable. This is a major difference not only from The Sims 3, but The Sims and The Sims 2.

Jobs
In The Sims 3 and earlier games, the pre-made careers were modern careers for a modern era. While careers could be modified, and custom careers could be created, the basics remained the same. Sims would enter a career, get paid on the days they worked, and gain promotion by building skills, making friends, and having good job performance.

In The Sims Medieval, the jobs that are available to playable Sims appear to be linked to the various classes of Hero Sims. All jobs have a medieval tone and flavor. For example, physicians use leeches to treat their patients.

One notable difference is what happens to Sims who skip work too much, or who have bad job performance. In The Sims 3 and earlier games, that could result in demotion or firing, but nothing worse. In The Sims Medieval, it could result in fines, being put in stocks and pelted with food, or even execution in "The Pit of Judgment".