Highlights
- The Sims franchise may not have direct competitors, but there are numerous life simulation games available that offer similar enjoyment and customization options.
- Games like Terraria, Dinkum, and Alter Ego provide players with the ability to build and create their own worlds, whether it's through town-building, farming, or simulating the life of a character.
- While these games may have different gameplay styles and themes, they offer engaging experiences with replay value, addictive gameplay, and plenty of content to explore and enjoy.
The Sims franchise has been incredibly successful since its release in the early 2000s. While the series has largely been without any real competitors, there has been a huge expansion of the life simulation genre, which continues to grow every year with even more incredible games.
It's a tough task to find that fine balance between fun and realistic while offering players the possibility to build the life they want. If any fans are looking for something to do while waiting for The Sims 5 to be released, there are plenty of games like The Sims 4 that should hit the spot.
Updated October 3, 2023: This article has been updated with each game's specifications.
25 Terraria
Although Terraria is a far cry from The Sims in terms of gameplay, there is still a pretty great building and town-creation mechanic here for those who are interested in crafting their own world. Terraria features a hefty dose of combat but players can always choose to peacefully build homes for themselves and their NPCs if they so wish. With so much content to see and explore, players could find themselves engaged for hours.
Terraria is made even better by the ability to play multiplayer, allowing players to bring their friends along for the journey.
24 Dinkum
One of the best aspects of The Sims is that players can freely craft their own town if they see fit. Although they will create their own character or family at the start, they are free to explore the other pre-established families in the neighborhood and even meddle in their lives if they see fit. It's fun to have control over multiple aspects of the world and there are other games that give players this same freedom.
Dinkum is one good example, giving players the ability to make their own farm, while simultaneously helping to build and influence the surrounding town. Although this title is currently in Early Access (at the time of writing) it still has quite a bit of content to sift through.
23 Alter Ego
It's amazing that a game that is solely text-driven can allow players to enjoy a great time as they simulate the life of one particular individual. Alter Ego succeeds in this regard and is easily one of the most immersive life simulation games around.
While the events present in this game might vary in quality, the addictive nature of Alter Ego mainly stems from its replay value and great writing. It's a fun and brief experience as players zoom through the life of a custom character and imagine the various scenarios that play out in this great CYOA.
22 Fallout Shelter
At a glance, Fallout Shelter might seem like nothing more than a soulless cash-in mobile game that besmirches the name of one of gaming's most beloved IPs. However, it's only after players check this title out for themselves that they'll see just how engaging this game really is.
While the game does partake in some detestable freemium video game design at times, the overall experience is pretty solid and addictive. Trying to manage a shelter following the nuclear apocalypse is a blast — no pun intended — and makes for a great time indeed.
21 Starbound
Developed by Chucklefish, Starbound is very similar to Terraria in its design but features a much larger world than the hit Indie release. In fact, it features multiple worlds, scattered across a galaxy and gives players the freedom to pick and choose what and where they explore. Gamers will gain access to a spaceship that they can customize to their liking, traveling across the cosmos and landing on different planets to collect resources and complete quests. They can even find their own personal planet and build a base just like in Terraria. It's a blast to play, features quite a bit of combat, and will keep players entertained for hours.
20 Grounded
Grounded
- Platform(s)
- PC , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- September 27, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror , RPG
It's rather combat-heavy compared to The Sims but players who enjoy building their own home from scratch may want to consider playing Grounded. This cooperative title sees players shrunk down to near-microscopic size and forced to contend with an array of vicious bugs that plague an expansive backyard. Players will be able to craft items, unlock abilities, and even construct bases to help keep themselves safe from the prying eyes that stalk the tall grass. Grounded is a ton of fun to play alone but is an absolute blast with friends.
19 Two Point Hospital
Two Point Hospital
The creators behind the amazing RollerCoaster Tycoon also came out with a brilliant title called Two Point Hospital. At a glance, managing a hospital might sound like the most boring thing in the world... but Two Point Hospital completely destroys this preconception with its imaginative gameplay.
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18 The Partners
The Partners is probably the most blatant clone of The Sims on the market today, but that doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. It lacks the levels of polish that are present in its inspiration, but the sheer heart put into this game is pretty noticeable and its biggest saving grace.
Players control lawyers in a law firm as they strive to solve cases while also managing their personal lives as well. Once players manage to look past the somewhat janky gameplay, they can definitely have a pretty fun time with the title.
17 RimWorld
Sci-fi fans who love management games and simulation games will fall in love with RimWorld. This top-down view indie game has players looking after a group of colonists and managing just about every aspect of their lives.
This game is just like The Sims in the sense that needs and relationships need to be managed. That said, there's a big survival aspect to the gameplay as well, from protecting the colony, building new structures and crafting various new objects.
16 Fantasy Life
Fantasy Life
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo 3DS
- Released
- October 24, 2014
- Developer(s)
- Level-5
- Genre(s)
- RPG , Life Simulation
Life simulation combined with traditional RPG is exactly what Fantasy Life is all about. Although it's an older game from 2012 and therefore only available for Nintendo 3DS, it's a great mix of traditional medieval fantasy RPG in a place called Reveria, as well as simulation with house decorating and questing.
The quests themselves are interesting since they depend on the type of character the player chooses to play. There's several different RPG classes dubbed as "life classes" in the game that help set the tone for tasks and quests. As is natural for RPGs, players will also fight off beasts and have followers join in on their adventures.
15 Farming Simulator
Farming Simulator 22
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- November 22, 2021
- Developer
- Giants Software
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
There are quite a few realistic simulator games out there, but Farming Simulator has consistently been a favorite among players due to the sheer scope of the game. This game focuses on farming, managing a unique farm in an immersive and highly realistic open-world environment.
That being said, Farming Simulator can get pretty technical and detailed for newcomers, which might be off-putting. It's definitely the ideal choice for those who like ultra-realism above all and don't mind getting sucked into a game fully.
14 Family House
Mobile games have a nice variety of light-hearted simulation games, including Family House, which has the player move into a decrepit building and turn it back into its former glory. In many ways, Family House is similar to The Sims.
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13 My Time At Portia
My Time at Portia
A lot of The Sims 4 fans will have tried games like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, which is why My Time At Portia is sort of the perfect in-between game. It's heavily inspired by Stardew Valley, with a similar premise of a main character returning to their roots to restore their father's workshop to a better state.
The game is three-dimensional and quite immersive. Like in The Sims, there are townies to befriend and interact with, as well as a whole array of quests and romance plotlines to discover. At its core, it all comes down to being a farming simulator with some mild life simulation features.
12 Cities: Skylines
Old-school fans of The Sims franchise will remember just how fun games like SimCity were before they essentially disappeared from the market or became watered down. Thankfully, Cities: Skylines has done a remarkable job at bringing back that classic feel or creating the perfect city.
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11 Planet Zoo
Planet Zoo
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Released
- November 5, 2019
- Developer(s)
- Frontier Developments
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
Managing a household is tough, but how about managing a full on zoo? With gorgeous graphics and very immersive gameplay, Planet Zoo allows players to build their very own zoo establishment and maintain it to the best of their ability.
It's a big step forward from classic games like Planet Coaster and Zoo Tycoon, which were immensely popular during The Sims and The Sims 2, gathering fans from the same franchise. Moreover, it's just a nice change of pace to manage something different than a household.
10 Minecraft
Minecraft
There's a whole community of Simmers out there who have dedicated their free time to building. Creating insane houses and mansions is one of their greatest pastimes, which is why games like Minecraft will bring a special kind of joy to any build lovers.
Its creative mode in particular gives completely free hands to players who want to plan out houses and bring them to the next level. However, its survival mode is still very fun and close to many other popular simulations out there, with RPG and farming aspects included.
9 BitLife
For those who love being thrown into difficult decisions and funny, imagined situations of an alternate life, BitLife is perfect. The application is available for smartphones and randomizes a new life for players, which will progress with every year.
The game will put players through various life events and give options from which they must choose carefully, as decisions will always have interesting and sometimes hilarious consequences. It's a great bit of entertainment that can be carried anywhere, with that random life event mechanic from The Sims very much present despite being only in text form.
8 Avakin Life
Avakin Life
For a person on the go, but who wants a bit more out of the visuals of a game, an ideal pick is Avakin Life. The game is available on smartphone and allows players to create exactly the character they'd like with clothing and cosmetics of choice.
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7 IMVU
Similar to Avakin Life in concept but slightly more expansive and available only on the PC, IMVU also allows players to create that ideal character, with clothing and hairstyle of choice. Again, basic life simulation mechanics are absent here, as the game is more geared towards those who enjoy the character creation aspect of The Sims 4.
Players can then join various chatrooms, furnish their own room or house, and socialize with other users. Various dances and poses are also available, making it a really fun social networking game with tons of room for creativity.
6 Virtual Families 2
Available on Microsoft Store for PC users, Virtual Families 2 puts players in charge of a character and their daily life. Many of the mechanics from The Sims 4 are present here, including customizing their house, building a family one by one, going to work, and helping them with their needs.
Players will be able to edit their house as well as the game progresses, and a bunch of random life events will either spell disaster or mildly complicate daily life, maintaining that fun sense of challenge and mystery. The graphics are very appealing, similar to the first The Sims game with a top down view.