Comparison between The Sims 2 and The Sims 3

The Sims 3 is based on The Sims original game and The Sims 2 original game, and contains most features of these.

Completely new features

 * Seamless neighborhood
 * Bicycles
 * Time passes on all lots on the same time - in The Sims 2 it was frozen on the home lot as long as Sims visited community lots. To avoid exploitation of this, Sims could not learn skills, or sleep, in community lots. In The Sims 3, Sims can do almost everything regardless of where they are.
 * Create-A-Sim features:
 * Continuous body shapes (muscularity/obesity)
 * Footwear
 * Traits
 * Variable lifespan
 * New skills (Guitar, Painting, Writing) and challenges
 * Upgrades
 * Recipes
 * Elementary civic buildings
 * Opportunities
 * Enhanced job options

Sims 2 expansion features in The Sims 3
Many features introduced in The Sims 2 expansions appear in The Sims 3 base game.


 * Young adults (University)
 * Mobile phones (University)
 * Guitar (University)
 * Treadmill (University)
 * Private cars (Nightlife)
 * Personal inventory (Nightlife)
 * Gardening (Seasons)
 * Fishing (Seasons)
 * Storing and eating leftovers (Seasons)
 * Jewelry (Bon Voyage)
 * Ceilings (Apartment Life)
 * Toothbrushing (Apartment Life)
 * Playground structures (Apartment Life)

Lost features
These game features were found in The Sims 2 base game but not in The Sims 3.


 * Cleaning skill
 * Creativity skill - replaced by Guitar skill, Painting and Writing
 * Aspiration - replaced by lifetime happiness
 * Aspiration rewards - replaced by lifetime happiness rewards
 * Slacker career
 * Fears
 * Underwear styles - though underwear can be used as the pajamas style
 * Private school
 * Visible retail stores - replaced by "rabbit holes"
 * Yoga
 * Meditation
 * Interests
 * Memories
 * Aliens and alien abductions
 * Environment and comfort needs (replaced by moodlets)

Lost objects
These objects (with unique interactions) were found in The Sims 2 but not The Sims 3:


 * Piano - replaced by Guitar
 * Springboard - though pools remain
 * Hot tub
 * Retail objects - cash register, shelves etc
 * Farstar e3 Telescope - the simple telescope remains
 * Specialised weight machines - the game now has only one combined weight machine.
 * Magazines - though specialized books exist