Comparison between The Sims 2 and The Sims 3

The Sims 3 is based on The Sims original base game and The Sims 2 original base game, and therefore contains many of the same features.

Completely new features

These features in The Sims 3 base game have not existed in any game in The Sims series before:

Seamless neighborhood
- Bicycles
- New music
- 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.
- Ability to visit other homes
- Story progression - non-active households evolve during gameplay (can turn on or off)
Create-A-Sim features:
- Continuous body shapes (muscularity/obesity) and skin colors
- Enhanced facial customisation features
- Independent footwear (was attached to legwear in The Sims 2)
Traits
Moodlets
Create-A-Style
Ability to adjust lifespan
Ability to turn off aging (was did it using cheat window in The Sims 2)
New skills (Guitar, Painting and Writing)
Skill challenges
- New Upgrades
- Recipes
- Sheet music
- New literary genres
"Rabbit holes" - elementary, opaque civic buildings
Opportunities
Enhanced job features
- Job performance options
- Dynamic performance criteria (skills, co-workers, assignments)
- Raises
Roof objects
Basement, basements tool. (was on under foundation deck in The Sims 2)

Many features introduced in The Sims 2 expansions appear in The Sims 3 base game, to some extent.

Young adults (University): This life stage was for college years. Now it is a regular life stage.
Mobile phones (University): Each Sim that is a child and older now has a mobile phone fixed in their inventory.
Guitar: As many games and expansions featured a fixed electric guitar, The Sims 3 has a portable acoustic guitar with a designated guitar skill.
Treadmill (University)
Private cars (Nightlife)
Personal inventory (Nightlife) - now limited to vehicles and portable objects
Fish tanks/bowls (Pets) - can be used for caught fish
Gardening (Seasons) - expanded
Fishing (Seasons) - expanded
Storing and eating leftovers (Seasons)
Jewelry (Bon Voyage) - though many kinds of jewelry (such as face piercings) are left out without the addition of custom content
Walking between lots (Bon Voyage)
Activity table (Free Time): Toddlers no longer gain regular skills, but certain activities can give skills as they grow up.
Bug catching (Free Time): See collecting.
Ceilings (Apartment Life)
Toothbrushing (Apartment Life): As it was featured in The Sims base game.
Playground structures (Apartment Life)
Influence - combined with Charisma skill

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

Cinematics
Mechanical skill - replaced by Handiness
Cleaning skill - much because of the neat and slob Sim traits
Creativity skill - replaced by Guitar skill, Painting and Writing
Aspiration - replaced by lifetime happiness
Slacker career - replaced by part-time jobs
Fears - much because of the coward and brave Sim traits
Underwear styles - though underwear can be used as the pajamas style or added in custom content
Private school
Visible retail stores - replaced by "rabbit holes". Retail stores reappeared in The Sims 3: World Adventures
Yoga
Meditation - re-added with The Sims 3: World Adventures
Interests- only favourites now
Memories
Aliens, alien abduction, alien pregnancy
Environment and comfort needs (replaced by moodlets)
The ability to create new neighborhoods replaced by Create-A-World
Illness
Inheritance
Photo album - Screenshots are uploaded to TheSims3.com where stories are created.
The need to buy clothes - your Sims already have everything.
Cockroaches - Although they can be collected. See collecting.
Dreaming during sleep (re-added in patch 1.5/1.6)
Body Shop

NPCs that were in The Sims 2 base game, but not in The Sims 3.

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

Aspiration rewards - replaced by lifetime happiness rewards
Career reward objects (sandbag, hydroponic garden, obstacle course, etc.)
Piano - replaced by Guitar
Diving board/water slide - though swimming pools remain
Hot tub (believed that it will be re-added in the first Stuff Pack)
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 to change interests
Wedding arch