The Sims 4 is a large game which traded some of the scale of earlier installments for new, more complex systems. Since its release in 2014 the developers, Maxis and The Sims Studio, have released numerous content packs further expanding the options available to the player.
There are three levels of additional content for The Sims 4. The lowest level is Stuff Packs, which contain minor items and customization options. Then there are Game Packs, which bring new small locations, limited systems, and new items.
Finally, there are Expansion Packs, which introduce new worlds, new substantial careers for the Sims to follow, and a broad selection of items for the house and sims. In this guide, we’re going to focus on the expansions to bring you up to speed with the biggest post-launch releases for The Sims 4. Before we get into descriptions, we will briefly describe the base game for those who may not know a lot about it.
About The Sims
As a whole, The Sims is a series of life simulation games about the daily existence of its characters (the eponymous Sims). The players can design their house, decorate it as they see fit, and create a family using the Create-a-Sim system. The Sims are mostly controlled by the game’s AI, but the player can tell them to perform specific actions, such as simple social interactions. There is also a wealth of additional systems, such as jobs the Sims can take on to earn Simoleons, as well as the individual Sims’ aspirations and traits, and many more.
Despite its general complexity, however, the game is comedic in nature and accessible to younger players thanks to the Sims’ exaggerated reactions and the cartoonish aesthetic. Now we can move on to describing the big expansion packs, each of which increased the scope and complexity of the base game in significant ways.
The Sims 4 Expansion packs
Get to Work
New world/neighborhood: Magnolia Promenade
This expansion’s main focus in on expanding the job opportunities of your Sims. It introduces three careers for them to try themselves at: Detective, Doctor, and Scientist, each with its own interactions. Furthermore, your Sim can work in retail stores of various kinds, ranging from bakeries to art galleries. The stores can be designed and customized, including wares you put on the shelves.
The expansion also puts some emphasis on aliens: there’s a hidden lot which is dominated by the extra-terrestrials, for instance. The players can create a playable alien Sim, coming complete with numerous customization options.
Get Together
New world/neighborhood: Windenburg
As the title might suggest, Get Together is a The Sims 4 expansion which is all about parties and nightlife. It allows you, for instance, to create clubs for your Sims to chill out in after school or work. You even get to specify rules, so only select Sims can join, and when they are in the club they need to behave. There are also other group activities, including bonfire parties.
Thanks to Get Together your Sims can also learn how to drop the bass at a club as a DJ, or have a spectacular dance battle against other Sims. If you’re looking to expand your Sims’ social lives, Get Together is the expansion to help you do it.
City Living
New world/neighborhood: San Myshuno
This expansion takes the Sims out of their usual suburban houses and lets them move to the apartment blocks and penthouses of the city. This means the Sims get to have much closer interactions with their neighbors, for good or bad. Or they can avoid having people on the other side of the wall if they can afford to rent a penthouse and make it their own.
Living in the city also means new careers such as Politician or Critic, new places to visit, like the Karaoke Bar in the Fashion District, and a variety of cultural festivals. This expansion is perfect if you’ve grown bored of the suburban houses where your Sims lead their daily lives and want to give them a taste of the city.
Cats & Dogs
New world/neighborhood: Brindleton Bay
The Sims 4 expansion called Cats & Dogs allows your Sims to become veterinarians and set up their own prosperous clinic, helping all kinds of animals to get back to full health. The new neighborhood, Brindleton Bay, is a coastal locale letting you play fetch on the beach, or take a scenic route to a local lighthouse.
In addition to the above, you can make a pet in the Create-a-Pet feature, picking not only the appearance but also traits unavailable to human Sims. Train and play with your pets to increase their bond with you, and make cute photos to post on their Simstagram accounts. Cats & Dogs also lets you adopt strays you find out in the world, and create fox and raccoon pets, in addition to usual felines and canines.
Seasons
New world/neighborhood: none
The Seasons expansion brings diverse weather and seasons to The Sims 4, which include seasonal events and holidays and new interactions between the Sims. Now your Sims can go ice skating when the world freezes over, or invite friends for a pool party to combat a heat wave. There are also four pre-made holidays for each of the seasons, and a convenient way to design your own using the Calendar.
The Seasons expansion also adds two new careers. One of them is Gardening, which comes with a floral arranging skill, and the other is a Scout—an afterschool activity for younger Sims. Pick Seasons for diverse events and holidays happening over the course of a Sim’s life, and if you want to design your own special occasions for the world to follow.
Get Famous
New world/neighborhood: Del Sol Valley
Get Famous wants to make your Sims the stars and celebrities of their world. If you play their cards right, they will even get a commemorative diamond on the Starlight Boulevard and will be the talk of their neighborhood. Get Famous includes new careers in acting and media production, and boosts them with fame systems, allowing your Sim to become famous for being good at their job.
If you have luck and work for it, you’ll get to move to The Pinnacles neighborhood, where the true stars live. The more famous you get, the more perks and fans you get out of this. Whether your Sim will enjoy it or not is up to you.
Island Living
New world/neighborhood: Sulani
Take your Sims on a well-deserved vacation on a tropical island. In this, The Sims 4 expansion pack your Sims will travel to the island of Sulani. You could chill out on a beach, or explore the nearby sea or rivers. You could become a conservationist, and learn something about the local culture. The pack also includes a selection of thematically appropriate gear, such as swimming equipment or a tiki bar for your house.
Other Expansion Packs
Pick your Best Sims 4 Expansion Packs
The above are all of expansion packs available at the time of writing this article. They cover many aspects of life in the suburbs and in the city, but surely there are more Sims 4 packs to come that will make the game even better and more detailed. These are but the largest packs of content released for The Sims 4, but if you still want more items and options for your Sims, there are plenty of Sims 4 Stuff Packs and Game Packs which will have you covered. One thing is certain, getting all of them makes the game the perfect life simulator.