Parents' Guide to

The Sims 2: Open for Business

By Nikki Douglas, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Teens can be the boss in this OK installment.

Game Windows 2006
The Sims 2: Open for Business Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

mrscw1234
mrscw1234 Parent of 10 and 13-year-old
December 23, 2009
age 10+

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What’s It About?

In THE SIMS 2: OPEN FOR BUSINESS, players nearly intuitively set up their first business. Sims can purchase a community lot to build their store (even a new, teeny-tiny lot) or put on their bunny slippers and just work from home. As in real life, it takes money to make money. Since players decide the prices of services and retail goods, they may learn quite a bit about time and budget management. Successful business owners earn perks, such as contact lists (to build the business further), cash bonuses, and better business relationships.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (3):

The game doesn't deliver on all its potential, but it does teach good entrepreneurial skills to teen players. Also, like all Sims titles, this game offers never-ending creative options. Fans of the franchise may wish that they could build businesses that more closely matched Sims career tracks, so they could open an office, a medical clinic, a fast food place, etc. But, overall, the game does fill a hole in the Sims universe.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about building a business from the ground up as well as dealing with customers and employees. This is also an excellent way to discuss time-management skills with teens.

Game Details

  • Platform: Windows
  • Available online?: Not available online
  • Publisher: Electronic Arts
  • Release date: May 4, 2006
  • Genre: Simulation
  • ESRB rating: T for Sexual situations, crude humor.
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

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