The closest any console version has come to capturing the depth, complexity and spirit of the original smash hit, The Sims 3 is still a disappointment for console owners hoping to taste the rewards of playing the PC classic.
While the PC game offers an engaging experience that flows fluidly and lets you become hopelessly lost in the micromanagement your little computer people, the console version is hampered by tedious loading times that mark the move between city sectors, a problem which is especially prevalent when managing several Sims as you have to regularly flit between locations. Technical hitches such as jerky animation when the screen is busy also make this a disappointing reworking of the PC game, while awkward pauses when you access menus can be annoying as hell when all you want to do is get down to the action in hand.
Console-specific hitches aside, though, The Sims 3 is a lot of fun. Whether you take a benevolent or malicious approach to the guidance of your digital folk, theres a great sense of achievement when you get a reaction from one of your Sims, whether it be a funny facial expression, gibberish mutterings in the Simlish language, or body language thats range from grateful gestures to humiliating actions based on the decisions youve made. The console versions exclusive challenges which you can use to earn extra goodies for your Sims also add an extra layer of strategy to the proceedings, and the developers should be lauded for how the traditional mouse and keyboard PC controls have been retooled perfectly for a console controller.