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[ea.com]

Will Wright's army of simulation games has changed the face of PC gaming over the years, but few games have had the impact of The Sims, which he unleashed back in 2000. Being the top-selling PC franchise of all time and having amazing longevity (The Sims 2 and its expansions are consistently at the top of PC software charts every year), it has now passed another milestone, as EA announced yesterday that the game has sold over 100 million units.
Rod Humble, Head of Studio for the Sims Label, had this to say:
"At this milestone, we want to thank players of The Sims everywhere for making The Sims such a worldwide phenomenon. The Sims has been an interactive experience for people around the globe to explore their passion for creativity and we're thrilled to be a part of that. From building houses and relationships, from first kisses to a toddler's first step, from kitchen fires - and even visits from ghosts, players have told more than 100 million unique and fun stories!"
[ea.com]

Kneel. Place hands on either side of the ceramic-like object. Wait. A sudden urge takes you, spewing the remains of a previous ingestion. You glance at what was just created; between the remains of what were once good ideas you see those extra things you tacked on that seemed like a quick fix at the time but ultimately caused their own regurgitation. You lament at the pain you caused yourself, but deep down you can feel that the pain is still there.
So what have you been eating? Or in this case, what have various developers been feeding the ceramic bowl in question, the Wii? Their own regurgitation, that's what - and a little bit of Nintendo's own leftovers for good measure. The Wii is the one that's sick, suffering from delirious spells of minigame collections, shoddy ports, forced motion control schemes, and God knows what else.
A little examination is in order. Five case studies have been prepared, each a different opinion of how Wii software appears. Some of it isn't too pretty – but fear not, we might even discover a cure. So lean back, relax, and try not to throw that Wii remote into the tv.

- Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
- Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
- Sim City DS 2
- Dissidia: Final Fantasy (1, 2, 3)
[gamefront.de]
This review was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Brian Mohr.
Plenty of other classic titles have made their way over to the Nintendo DS after being largely successful on the original consoles. So it’s no surprise that the classic city builder SimCity has made its way to the Nintendo handheld too. Although it features the same addictive gameplay all the previous versions do, the experience isn’t quite the same with SimCity DS.
First and foremost, Electronic Arts didn’t mess with the formula that makes the game successful, allowing players to take on the role of mayor and giving you the opportunity to build a city as you see fit. Just like in every other version, players are responsible for building residential, commercial and industrial properties and keeping everything in perfect harmony. Of course it’s much more detailed than that as you must build roads, power lines, water towers, hospitals, schools, police, fire stations and much more. Accomplishing that feat and keeping the city vibrant while still balancing the budget and making your citizens happy is what makes the game addictive and thankfully EA didn’t mess with that formula.
In addition, the game features an extensive tutorial in case you aren’t familiar with the city building experience. SimCity DS features 15 lessons that break down everything you need to know before getting to work. It was a solid inclusion as the game can overwhelm some players if jumped into too quickly.
The game will "build on the celebreated The Sims 2 experience that allows players to create and control digital characters throughout their lives while determining the outcome of their relationships and choosing their destiny." And for kicks, each version will feature unique content tailored to its console, which certainly beats half a dozen direct ports.
EA speaking of the Sims 2 Pets:
The addition of a new friend is guaranteed to enrich the daily lives of your Sims! Not only will players have the opportunity to choose from a variety of existing breeds, and hot designer mixes, but they’ll also be able to personally design their new friend with the Create-a-Pet feature. The ability to customize gives fans the opportunity to create their ideal pet by choosing their body shape, unique markings, even their pet’s personalities! With so many different animals to choose from, there’s no telling what unpredictable experiences could occur!
Players will also be able to teach their pet new tricks, take them for a romp in the park, outfit them with new pet accessories and even give them a job! As in real life, your Sims’ pet will require care and training. A neglected cat with an urge to scratch might claw up your new couch if you aren’t careful, and leaving your dog unattended near a freshly planted flower bed probably isn’t wise!
No kidding. Here's a feature list sectioned by system.
All platforms:
- Sims Have New Friends - Pets! Sims can share their lives with their new pets and add more fun to the Sims experience. From dogs, cats, caged animals and more, your Sims share new friends to experience life’s precious moments. With so many different animals to choose from, there’s no telling what unpredictable experiences could occur!
- Create-A-Pet: Choose from dozens of dog and cat breeds or customize features for a one-of-a-kind pet. You can even modify your pet’s body shape by choosing from specific colors and unique markings. Don’t like the way they act? Change their personality – from smart and sweet to silly and sloppy – anyone can create their ideal animal friend in The Sims 2 Pets.
- “Sit, Spike, Sit”: Your Sims can encourage and discipline pets, training them to shake, roll over, play dead, and more. Unruly pets might dig in the yard, claw the sofa, or topple the trash. Thankfully, a little training can go a long way.
- Classic Sims Open-Ended Gameplay: Create and control digital characters over a lifetime, setting their goals in life from popularity and romance, to fortune and family– their stories are in your hands.
- Share unique Pet unlocks: Use special codes to share unlockable pet accessories, fur types or markings with other The Sims 2 Pets players.
PC features:
- Friends for a Lifetime: Your Sims’ pets are members of the family and share all of life’s great moments – whether it’s kids training puppies, teens playing fetch in the park, adults watching TV with their cats, or elders enjoying a sunny day in the park with their long-time companion!
- Create a designer breed: Your Sims pets have genetics, allowing you to create the latest designer pet, including popular hybrid breeds like the Labradoodle, Puggle and Schnoodle! Like what you’ve created? Register them to appear in Create-A-Pet as a unique pedigree!
- Bring Home the Bacon: Sims aren’t the only ones with careers anymore! Skilled pets can earn a living from three career tracks – Show Business, Security, and Service – and work their way up through five job levels.
PS2 features:
- Stroll the Central Town Park: Take your Sims and their pet for a romp at any of the nearby park areas, or head to the Central Town Park which is a favorite of pet owners. While there, watch your pet play well with others while your Sim can meet others and socialize with fellow animal lovers.
- Shop ‘til you drop: Visit the adjoining Town Center, a great gathering spot for Sims that evolves over time. Once you’ve seen the latest styles and decided on a purchase, deck your pet out in the latest clothing and accessories around. From geek to chic and cool to casual, your Sim can customize their pet’s look with one stop in the Town Center. It’s sure to be the coolest pet in town!
DS features:
- Manage a Pet Care Center: Pamper, preen, and nurse all the neighborhood pets at your new Pet Care Center that you create and customize.
- How Much Is That Doggie in the Window? In a pet store that you own and operate, you can help other Sims pick out the perfect pet. Earn extra Simoleans by selling the pet products that include the latest pet fashions and accessories!
GBA features:
- Give Your Sim a Career in Pet Care: Take care of the town’s pets by being a veterinarian, a world-class pet trainer and more. Players can even choose from a variety of cat and dogs to adopt as their very own. Whether they are healing pets or just taking them for a stroll, there is always something to do in the pet-friendly town of Barkersville.
- Toys, treats and tricks!: Sims can teach their pets cool and amazing tricks and then compete in the World Championships to be the best in show!
“The Sims 2 Pets captures the magic between pets and their owners,” said Executive Producer Rod Humble. “A dog gnawing at his chew toy, a cat jumping at a dangled feather, a toddler stroking the chest of a big dog who sits by patiently—even a frisky dog getting caught rolling around in the trash. These special moments all come to life through the lifelike animations and artwork of The Sims 2 Pets. There is something delightful about your Sim, a little pet person, having a pet of their own. Pets allows players to tell more stories with their Sims and helps create more emergent anecdotes within the game.”
The Sims 2 Pets will see release on the PlayStation 2, GameCube, GameBoy Advance, Nintendo DS, and PC on October 17, followed by a November 20 release on the PlayStation Portable. All versions will be rated Teen.
Originally written by Shiva Stella
Transforming the traditional Sims gameplay for the Wii and Nintendo DS platforms, MySims moves the player to a delightful but disorganized town where – thanks to the easy and unique controls – they can re-shape everything and make it their own. The town is rundown, but the player can make it much more dynamic. Using a selection of building blocks, unique patterns and engaging creativity tools, players can design furniture and appliances, architect new homes and businesses, and re-define the entire MySims landscape!
As players explore and build up the town, they will get to know dedicated, long-time residents like the always-busy Mayor Rosalyn P. Marshall and Buddy – the mostly-lazy hotel Bellhop. Once things start to look up, they’ll meet and choose from a variety of colorful, would-be residents. Will they build a restaurant for Gino Delicioso the Italian Chef, or will they help Ocean Breeze set up his Yoga studio instead?
Design is everyone’s domain in MySims. From building a new Pizza Oven for Gino to putting the finishing touches on a new roof for Buddy’s busy hotel, each completed task will help the town grow. As it expands to new areas, players will receive special building blocks, decorations and patterns which help customize their unique creations. From furniture and buildings to the town as a whole, every choice informs how residents and visitors feel and behave.
Originally written by Shiva Stella
This trailer for "Wii Sims" just hit, and if you can spot the similarities between the previous Sims games you win a secret prize. The new visual style is interesting, though I can imagine some flack for looking a bit like Animal Crossing.
I hadn't thought of it, but the Wii's pointer-style remote does open some doors for mouse-driven game styles (like Sims) that usually have to suffer a shoddy adaptation to analog sticks. Could we see some RTS games next? Or punch-the-monkey flash banner ads?
[youtube.com]
This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.The original author is Evan Lahti.
In anticipation of its scheduled landing on October 17 in the United States, we've added images from Microsoft Games' Microsoft Flight Simulator X. The game will be released in two editions, and features new aircraft, busier airports, multiplayer modes, and challenging missions, according to the title's website.
Standard Edition 18 airplanes40 airports28 cities30+ missions
Deluxe Edition24 airplanes 45 airports38 cities50+ missions"Glass panel" cockpitTower controller Check out the screenshots below, and check back soon for our review of Microsoft Flight Simulator X.
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