The Sims 3: Generations Review


Past expansion packs for The Sims 3 have provided focused supplements- from Ambitions‘ addition of new vocational pursuits to Late Night‘s inclusions of bars, clubs and penthouses. The latest extension of the Sims universe,  Generations, defiantly bucks this trend, offering a jumble of content which augments each stage of life. While the expansion may not offer the extended gratification of World Adventure‘s tomb exploration, it does bestow the undeniable pleasure of allowing teenage protagonists to set a bag of dog feces ablaze.

Traditionally, the limited range of activities for babies, toddlers, and children meant that the young ones didn’t offer the same kind of fulfillment as more mature Sims. Now kids have a wealth of toys  and equipments to play with, as well as three different types of tree houses. Imagination plays a key role in childhood, allowing sims to don dollhouse-wrecking dinosaur costumes or interact with make-believe friends (who are only seen by their creators). When the appropriate tools are applied, imaginary acquaintances can even be brought to life, adding an interesting wrinkle to Sims’ world. Personally, I enjoyed sending my brood off to boarding school, were they received an education which paid dividends when they entering their industrious young adult years.


Fittingly, Sims 3‘s teenage years are now ruled by rebellion. Generations accurately captures the angst of young adulthood by introducing mood swings, accompanied by archetypical teenage wants and fits of grumpiness. Fortunately, Generations provides a number of outlets for players, from crank calls, house parties, and booby traps. These high jinx are especially rewarding when gamers execute them without triggering the new punishment system. Of course, even when adolescent Sims are caught, they have the ability to do household chores or study to increase their chances of exoneration.

Similarly, adult Sims can suffer from their own awkward middle-aged crises. Here, recovery is as simple as a shiny new sports coupe, an addition to their house or spending some Simoleans on old fashioned therapy. While the opportunity for reward if wishes are achieved is substantial, the possibility for failure is also increased because these aspirations cannot be cancelled. Adult Sims also have the opportunity to host grandiose weddings complete with a riotous bachelor/bachelorette party. To complement these matrimonial modifications, the relationship system has been beefed up. Now, players have to worry about the specter of the romantic reputation, as their behavior affects future interaction. Luckily, a Clean Slate lifetime reward erases a person’s past transgressions.


The game’s sole career addition is an quizzical choice. Daycare professionals oversee a houseful of children, which allows for some amusing anecdotes  amidst the tantrums and feeding schedules. Much like the actual profession, maturing children can be both hectic and woefully undercompensated. These humorous moments providing kinder care might be the best use of Generations new memories component, which automatically captures key events. These snapshots can either be shared on the Sims website or via Facebook; perplexingly, there’s no posting via Twitter.

Unlike previous expansion packs, most of the content in Generations doesn’t make itself immediately noticeable. Instead, it’s gradually uncovered  as players progress through their Sim-ulated lives, adding nuance and depth to the title’s stages of life. As long as players aren’t yearning for the instant gratification (or even additional towns) of Late Night, Ambitions, or World Adventures, Generations game amendments should satisfy patient, pensive Simjunkies.

About Robert Allen

Since being a toddler, Robert Allen has been immersed in video games, anime, and tokusatsu. Currently, his days are spent teaching at two southern California colleges. But his evenings and weekends are filled with STGs, RPGs, and action titles and well at writing for Tech-Gaming since 2007.

24 comments

  1. If this had the Dancing Bear, I might consider getting it.

  2. That fourth pic looks like one of the guys from Microsoft E3 snoozer. Or Seanbaby.

  3. Where do you get the poop from if the Simworlds doesn’t have animals. Sound like they are forcing you to put Simpet. 😉

  4. I’ve played the Sims a few times, but never quite understood the appeal of the games. I guess I like doing things that I could never do in real life, like gun down terrorists or play in the Superbowl.

  5. Don’t they bundle all the Sim content on a disk one day and sell it for cheap. I can wait for that day.

  6. LazyStormtrooper

    These games are always funny to screw around with. But I think the expansions are too expensive. They should be no more than $20.

  7. Can you be a stripper as an occupation as well? Probably not but that would be cool.

  8. Doesn’t sound like enough content for a purchase.

  9. I’m waiting for the Dexter expansion, myself.

    • Which is my problem with the Sims, you can’t do what you want. Imagine if you were free to kill, or bring people to justice. Instead it applies morality on you.

  10. How much is this one? And how much is Sims 3 these days?

  11. Don’t ask me why is a $40 download from EA and $29.99 from Amazon….

    http://www.amazon.com/Sims-3-Generations-Mac/dp/B004UJNN5G

  12. Not worth $40, but I’d probably pay 20 for it. Im a big Sims nerd 🙂

  13. Do they make crank calls in simmish?

  14. Sounds more like a patch than an expansion pack.

  15. Waffles For Supper

    I’m curious- at what age can you start making babies?

  16. I thought you were a fan of the sims, Deagle?

    • I think he said he didn’t play the games until recently, and didn’t quite understand the fuss.

  17. The Sims has always bored me, but I know I’m in the minority. My family loves it.