28 Details From The Sims 2 That Prove It’s The Best Game In The Franchise
The Sims 2 was released in 2004 and quickly became the best-selling PC game of its time. And for a good reason! The Sims 2 came with a slew of specific, particular details that elevated gameplay to a more personal level. While many remember the game fondly as a significant update from 2000’s The Sims, many have been asking for an updated release of this particular game as the attention to detail was so extensive. Sure, The Sims 3 and Sims 4 have updated graphics and overall present smoother animations in Create A Sim and Build Mode, but The Sims 2’s world-building, lore, and overall attention to detail have made it one of the most loved entries in the franchise among Simmers. Here are 28 details (in no particular order) featured in The Sims 2 that made the game so amazing!
1. The Social Bunny
When your teen or older Sims’ social need was too low, a visit from the Social Bunny was inevitable! Social bunnies came in different colors and had different relationships with one another: the blue and pink ones were often romantic with one another, while bunnies of the same color would often start fights with each other!
2. Teen Acne
Ah, puberty. Teens in the Sims 2 would develop acne if their hygiene was low. They could apply acne cream in the mirror to make zits disappear!
3. Maternity clothes
While some saw maternity clothes in the Sims 2 as a bit of a nuisance, the fact that it was included in the game once your Sim reached the second trimester of their pregnancy speaks to the level of detail included.
4. Couples cuddling in bed
If your Sim’s romantic relationship level was high enough, they would autonomously snuggle up to each other in bed!
5. The school bus
Kids and teens in the Sims 2 would go to school by getting into a school bus that came to pick them up. When getting off the bus, Sims would react to their grades. The bus driver even waved hello and goodbye to your Sims!
6. Breakdancing
Introduced in The Sims 2: Apartment Life expansion pack, breakdancers would spawn on community lots where a breakdancing mat was placed. These NPC breakdancers could teach your Sim how to breakdance, and even engage in breakdance offs!
7. Toddlers left bottles and diapers on the floor
This detail gave an added level of difficulty in regards to taking care of your babies and toddlers. If discarded bottles and diapers were left on the ground for too long, they’d start to smell and make other Sims unhappy!
8. The Therapist
When your Sim’s aspiration bar was in the red zone, the Therapist would pay your Sim a visit and help improve their aspiration level a bit (partially through hypnotism!).
9. Cockroaches
While just a touch disturbing, the appearance of cockroaches when a lot was dirty or had been recently visited by an evil witch is a level of detail that has been missed in more recent iterations of the game. Sims will ‘Freak Out’ and try to stop on the roaches if they saw them!
10. The Exterminator
When stubborn cockroaches just wouldn’t go away, you’d have to call the exterminator. Going hand in hand with the inclusion of cockroaches, the exterminator arrived in this fun truck and eradicates all cockroaches on a lot.
11. Buying clothes from stores
If you wanted to get new clothes for your Sims in the Sims 2, you had to go out and buy them at a store (crazy, I know)! Sims could try on clothes in changing rooms, and once they’d bought their items, your Sim would autonomously begin holding a shopping bag. This added feature was another activity that made gameplay more realistic and personal.
12. Unsavory Charlatan
The Unsavory Charlatan (introduced in the Sims 2: Bon Voyage expansion pack) would often try to pickpocket your Sim on community lots! NPC Sims like The Unsavory Chalatan gave an added element of suprise to the game that is sorely missed in more recent iterations (ahem, The Sims 4)
13. Burglars
In the middle of the night, while Sims are sleeping, burglars would sometimes sneak onto lots and attempt to steal things. While also included in every entry in the series except The Sims 4, your Sims could keep burglars at bay by installing a burglar alarm in Build Mode!
16. Cut Scenes
In important events in your Sims’ life, such as weddings, first kisses, birthdays, and even alien abductions, The Sims 2 included short cut scenes. These cut scenes broke up gameplay and added a certain level of emotion that has been missed in other games in the franchise!
17. Normal-sized telescopes
We’re looking at you, Sims 4. The Sims 2 featured telescopes that were regular-sized, as opposed to a telescope that basically looks like a whole observatory in the most recent entry in the series.
18. Veronaville
One of the things that made The Sims 2 so amazing was the lore that was built into the game! The base game town of Veronaville focuses around a Shakesperean-esque storyline about two young lovebirds from feuding families.
19. Strangetown
A fan-favorite town that has yet to make a return in more recent Sims games, Strangetown’s built-in storyline focused on mysterious alien appearances and the even more mysterious Bella Goth.
20. Pleasantview
The third town featured in the base game of the Sims 2, Pleasantview’s storyline focused on the neighborhood drama surrounding the Goth family, the Caliente family, and the infamous Don Lothario.
21. The ability to create your own neighborhoods
With the option to create your own neighborhood, The Sims 2 had even more ability for customization. The Sims 4 could never!
22. The Bella Goth mystery
Once again, lore-wise, The Sims 2 is unmatched. Bella Goth is a townie in Strangetown with no memories of her past life. Through other details given to us throughout the game, we learn that she is the former wife of Pleasantview’s Mortimer Goth, and that she’s been missing for 25 years!
23. Memories
Memories provided yet another wonderful aspect of storytelling in The Sims 2. Memories could be positive or negative, and even townies who came with the game had them, providing even more backstory!
24. Turn-ons and turn-off
With the Turn-Ons and Turn-Off feature in Create A Sim, players could choose what their Sim was romantically interested in, introducing the concept of relationship chemistry to the game!
25. Astrology
Much like the Turn-Ons and Turn-Off aspect of Create a Sim, choosing an astrology sign for your Sim gave yet another element of personality to your Sims.
26. The ability to play as pets
With The Sims 2: Pets expansion pack, not only were dogs, cats, birds, and womrats (The Sims version of guinea pigs) introduced to the game, but players could actually play as their pets. Dogs and cats were even able to gain certain skills!
27. Jobs for pets
Not only could you play as your dog or cat in The Sims 2, but you could also have them get a job! They could work in security, service, or showbiz.
28. Sims breaking the 4th wall
When Sims have low needs or are about to perform a task they either like at dislike, they would break the fourth wall to express their emotions!
