8. The Sims
Maxis | Electronic Arts | 2000
A digital dollhouse in which you watch, control and maintain every aspect - and we mean every aspect - of the virtual inhabitants' lives
What made it so great?
Cleaning the dishes should never be fun. And taking out the trash shouldn't be addictive. Yet for some reason, when it's tiny pet people going about these mundane tasks on our computer screens, we find every last detail fascinating. The amazing thing about The Sims is that it's encompassing enough to depict such minutiae in addition to the epic stuff like love, family, friendship and career.
Creator Will Wright had already given us control over a city, a farm and even the Earth itself. The final logical step was always the simulation of life itself, but nobody expected him to pull that concept off so quickly and so entertainingly. He did and created a seemingly never ending phenomenon in the process.
Get ready to play
Taking care of your Sims is incredibly satisfying, but no player can resist the urge to see what happens when you don't look after their needs. In other words, you want to torture them - you know it, we know it and the game knows it. Fortunately, The Sims has a fantastic sense of humor and will reward you for mistreating them with hilarious situations and animations. No game over screen here... just lots of stinky armpits and soiled underpants.
Been there, done that?
The Sims: Hot Date was the best expansion pack and the first to actually introduce a truly new aspect. The art of Sim romance is almost a full-fledged game on its own and the Downtown area is a nice change of pace from staring at the same house day and night. Plus, WooHoo.
