The Sims 3: Pets

Review

Common Sense Media says

Expansion adds fun, four-legged perspective to popular sim.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
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Parents say

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Kids say

AGE
11
QUALITY
 

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that The Sims 3: Pets is an expansion pack to The Sims 3. Players need the base game in order to play this expansion, which greatly enhances the presence of animals in the virtual Sims world. This expansion adds incremental new content, such as the ability for pets to mate. However, the level of sexuality and violence in the base game trumps anything new in the expansion. There are also a variety of new virtual household items to buy with in-game money, most of which are designed for players' pets to interact with.

  • Positive messages3
    This expansion pack helps bring to life the joy of having a pet by providing Sims with loving animals. The game shows that pets can be by your side when you're feeling low and need a boost of happiness. It also instills in players the responsibilities involved with owning a real pet.
  • Positive role models1
    Everything is open-ended, meaning Sims can behave well or poorly based on player choices. Players are encouraged to be good role models, because other Sim characters will react positively if they are treated with respect.
  • Ease of play2
    Although players can do whatever they want in this game, in order to succeed they need to successfully get a job, multitask, and forge complex social interactions. To keep the Sims healthy, players will need to have a strong attention to detail and a lot of focus.
  • Violence2
    Although the expansion itself introduces no new violence into The Sims 3, the core game does include some. Sims can taunt, argue, and get into physical fights with each other. Sims with nasty personality traits may actually feel better after beating up another Sim.
  • Sex3
    It is possible for pets to have intercourse with other pets and have babies. The depiction is no more graphic than the sexual material that exists in the base game, which allows Sims to make "woohoo" (the Sims version of sex) under bed sheets.
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What's it about?

THE SIMS 3: PETS transforms the Sims 3 experience by introducing a brand new perspective to the game. Players can literally manage the lives of their cats and dogs in a way that is almost as deep and complex as the masterfully sophisticated human simulation element of the game. The game allows players to see the world through the eyes of their four-legged companion, increase their skills and attributes, and explore new places throughout the virtual world. It adds an entire new dimension of play to an already robust and sophisticated game.

Is it any good?

 

The Sims 3: Pets is a fantastic addition to the Sims 3 game for any pet lover or for players who want a new and exciting twist to this fascinatingly complex simulation title. It adds a much deeper component to the game than many of the other expansion packs that focus mainly on adding new areas to explore or a bunch of new virtual trinkets. With this expansion, players get to explore the Sims world they've come to know so well in a completely new way. Players will also have to learn brand new nuances and intricacies of managing their pet's well-being in addition to continuing to focus on their humans.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about how animals enrich our lives. Is that true in this game?

  • Does the presence of animals in a game make it more fun? What is your favorite animal game?

This review was written by Mark Raby
Kid, 12 years old
November 6, 2011
AGE
18
 
Um...
theres no sEx in the game like only pets have babys not the sims
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Helped me decide (9) | Had useful details (8) | Read my mind (7)
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Kid, 10 years old
November 13, 2011
AGE
10
 
THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love this game! I would recommend The Sims 3:Pets to anyone! Pets can now have babies (like sims).
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Helped me decide (9) | Had useful details (5) | Read my mind (7)
Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 12 years old
December 24, 2011
AGE
10
 
coolio!
I loved playing the demo! Allow your 10 year old to play it just make sure their mature. because some people do the adult stuff even though u barely see it. but still monitor them
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (7) | Had useful details (5) | Read my mind (8)
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Kid, 11 years old
February 5, 2012
AGE
8
 
it dosent show ny nudity there always covered and theres no course language theres a little voilence
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Helped me decide (2) | Had useful details (3) | Read my mind (3)
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Kid, 13 years old
March 3, 2012
AGE
10
 
great fun
nothing to gaudy or explicit, just a fun harmless game in moderation please, sims is HIGHLY addictive
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This review was written by Mark Raby
Platforms:Windows, Mac
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Simulation
Developer:EA
Release date:October 18, 2011
Price:$39.99
ESRB rating:T for Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, Violence
This review was written by Mark Raby

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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