Since the first game in The Sims franchise was released, there have been so many things added to the series. From Game Packs to Stuff Packs and Expansion Packs, there are a ton of ways to add some fun to your Sim's life. There have been four games so far in the main Sims series and each one has come with some unique additions. Some of them add more jobs, others add more creatures, and some just give you something to do.
Because there have been so many for every single Sims game, most fans of the gaming franchise definitely have some opinions on which Expansion Pack is their favorite. The people over at Metacritic even rated every single Expansion Pack in Sims history.
Want to know the 10 best Sims Expansion Packs ever released? Keep reading!
10 The Sims: Hot Date (85)
The Sims: Hot Date is the third Expansion Pack that was ever released for The Sims. Even though it came third, it's the Expansion Pack with the highest rating on Metacritic, coming in at 85 points, right after the base games. It was released in 2001 and became popular with fans thanks to the new area of town that the pack added to the game.
This Expansion Pack added a ton of items to help players build homes for their Sims but it also added a whole new area. This Expansion Pack added Downtown into the game. Players were finally able to send their Sims out of their house to Downtown on dates or to have a little fun.
9 The Sims 4: Island Living (84)
The Sims 4: Island Living is the most recent addition to The Sims franchise, but it's definitely already solidified a place as a fan favorite. This Expansion Pack adds a whole new world, mermaids, and a ton of other totally tropical features. Sims can now live off the grid on a beautiful island, jet ski, and even become a mermaid.
With 84 points, The Sims 4: Island Living is the second-highest scoring Expansion Pack on Metacritic. The Expansion Pack's new world and honoring of Polynesian cultures made this pack an early fan favorite after it was released.
8 The Sims: Livin' Large (82)
Time for some Sims history! The Sims: Livin' Large is the first Expansion Pack ever to be released for The Sims. Crazy, right? Even though this Expansion Pack was released all the way back in 2000 when The Sims was a brand new franchise, it's still highly rated to this day. With a score of 82, this pack is one of the highest-rated Expansion Packs on Metacritic.
This pack added so many new things to the game including characters, items, and careers. Thanks to this pack, players could meet aliens by looking through the newly added telescope and even summon a genie! New careers included the Paranormal career path, Slacker, Musician, and Hacker.
7 The Sims 2: University (81)
There comes a time in every Sim's life when they must decide what to do with their futures. Will they get a job? Will get they an education? Will they settle down and start a family? Before The Sims 2: University, Sims didn't exactly have much of a choice. The life stage of young adult was added into The Sims franchise with this pack. It gave teenage Sims the ability to head to college and get an education after high school.
With a score of 81, the Expansion Pack that introduced The Sims to young adults and introduced higher education is one of the most highly rated on Metacritic. At any point as a teenager, Sims are able to move to college. This will make them a young adult and will allow them to live in the dorm, join a Greek house, and declare their major. Sims are even able to apply for scholarships depending on life experiences.
6 The Sims 3: World Adventures (81)
Other Expansion Packs for The Sims have added new neighborhoods that Sims can either visit or live in, but none have added a new area in such a big way. The Sims 3: World Adventures didn't just add in new neighborhoods for Sims to live in or visit. Instead, this pack actually added new worlds that Sims could visit.
With this Expansion Pack, Sims could go to the following new worlds: Shang Simla, Champs Les Sims, and Al Simhara. They could explore tombs, discover relics, and solve puzzles while on their adventure. Metacritic gave this pack a score of 81.
5 The Sims 4: Seasons (81)
While having different seasons in a game like The Sims may seem like a no-brainer, The Sims 4 fans know it's a huge deal. Fans had to wait quite a while before The Sims 4 received the Seasons expansion pack. This pack added in weather, holidays, and a ton of new clothing and build items for players to have a good time with. There's a reason Metacritic gave this pack a score of 81!
Finally, players can have their Sims celebrate holidays like Rebate Day, Love Day, and even holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Holiday traditions and decorations were added to the game to really make all these holidays super immersive and fun for Sims 4 players.
4 The Sims: Makin' Magic (80)
The Sims: Makin' Magic is the final Expansion Pack that was released for The Sims. It remains one of the most popular expansion packs from The Sims franchise, with a score of 80 on Metacritic.
As the name suggests, this Expansion Pack added magic into The Sims. It was later brought into The Sims 2 and The Sims 3 in other forms and fans are waiting for this pack to be added into The Sims 4. With this pack, Sims could cast magic spells and create potions. This Expansion Pack also added NPCs like Bonehilda, a new neighborhood, and tons of new items.
3 The Sims 3: Into The Future (80)
The Sims 3: Into the Future is the 11th and final expansion pack that was added to The Sims 3. This pack allowed Sims to travel from the present day way into the future to see what life is like. After traveling hundreds of years into the future, your Sim can experience the most advanced technology and meet their descendants.
With a score of 80 on Metacritic, it's obvious that this futuristic pack is definitely a favorite for Sims fans. With this pack, Sims could not only visit the future but also change the future through their actions and by experimenting with technology.
2 The Sims 4: Cats And Dogs (80)
Fans of The Sims 4 waited a long time to finally be able to give their Sims pets. Whether it's a cat, a dog, a rodent, or a raccoon or fox, Sims can finally have a pet of their own to live in their home. Past Sims games have had an Expansion Pack that added pets in some way, so Sims 4 players were definitely excited to see The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs released in 2017.
Metacritic gave this Expansion Pack a score of 80. This pack added animals, the veterinarian career, and a whole new neighborhood called Brindleton Bay. Players can now adopt or create a pet of their own for their Sim or befriend all the stray animals in their neighborhood.
1 The Sims: Unleashed (79)
The Sims: Unleashed is an expansion pack that was added to The Sims and received a Metacritic score of 79. This Expansion Pack added a ton of new gameplay content, including pets, new careers, and some new features like farming and going to new community lots.
This expansion pack added new families into the game and a new neighborhood. The main draw of this expansion pack was the fact that Sims were allowed to own pets now. Sims could choose between dogs, cats, reptiles, fish, and birds for their pets. Along with pet ownership, the animal care and circus careers were added. Non-animal careers like education also came with this pack.