The Sims 3 is one of the most popular game franchises available today, and it dominates the simulation genre of video games. It is developed by The Sims Studio and published by Electronic Art, also known as EA or Origin Powered by EA. The game was released in 2009 and became an instant hit, selling more than 1.4 million copies in its first week.

The Sims 3 has the same basic idea as previous versions of the game: players control a character and live out their live in the Sims world. Characters have different "Wants" which give players points if they are achieved, such going to the park or having a baby. Characters also have their own self esteem and "moodlets" that alter their motivation.

A major improvement over The Sims 2 is that The Sims 3 uses one open world, meaning player don’t have to wait thought loading screens each time they enter or leave a building. This gives a much more seamless experience to the game. Skills are revamped as well, with more skills available at all level of development. But perhaps one of the biggest changes is careers. Players can now choose between being self employed, part time jobs, and even have a boss and get salary raises. Players can also create their own world, have more control over building and buying objects, and receive rewards for completing in game quests.

There are several expansions to the vanilla Sims 3. They are World Adventures, Ambitions, Late Night, Generations, and Pets. In World Adventures, players can explore Egypt, Paris, and China, including traveling to the pyramids and being cursed by mummies. Ambitions introduces more career options and controls, along with robots and death by meteor. Late Night includes a lot of social additions including bars, night clubs, hot tubs, and even vampires. Generations covers events such as weddings, pranks, graduations, and pillow fights. Finally, Pets, which is scheduled to be released in October 2011, adds pets and animal traits, from dogs and cats to skunks and raccoons.

The Sims 3 also has Stuff Packs. While not expansions to the game, they do add new items, but not new features. The Stuff Packs are High-End Loft Stuff, for furniture and clothing; Fast Lane Stuff, for cars, racing, and classic luxury items; Outdoor Living Stuff, which includes fire pits, hot tubs, and garden terraces; and Town Life Stuff, which adds city items such as gyms, libraries, and playgrounds. The Stuff Packs are compatible with the main game and all expansion packs. While not needed to enjoy the game, they do add fun and exciting elements for playing interested in these topics.

The Sims 3 also has a spinoff called The Sims Medieval, which is similar but set in a medieval time period. Players can choose to be monarchs, wizards, knights, bards and more. One improvement Sims Medieval introduces is geography. The landscape has different altitudes and layouts, which gives a more realistic style to the land.

If you would like to buy The Sims 3 or The Sims Medieval, you can go to Origin, the EA Store, and get them there. For a discount, check for an EA Store promo code at couponsophy. There might be a qualifying discount for your order, so you can save money.