1. Open World

All worlds are open, meaning you can explore every part of it. Searching for collectables, such as rocks, gems, and metals are easier. There is also a Create-a-World tool where players can create their own worlds and lots from scratch.

2. Cars

Cars are a feature loved by many simmers. If your sim doesn't own a car, there is a taxi that sims can use (which is also free).

3. Details

There are so many little details that players find, even though the game came out 15 years ago. I am still finding details that I did not know exist.

4. Create-a-Style

The Create-a-Style in Create-a-Sim makes it so you can color clothes whatever color and make it have patterns.

5. More Gameplay per Pack

There is a lot of gameplay options in each expansion pack. 

6. Traits

With at least 63 traits to choose from, there are a lot of different combinations to make sims unique.

7. Customizable Lifespan

Players can make the lifespan of each life stage as short or as long as possible.

8. Autonomy

Sims are able to take care of themselves by fulfilling their needs on their own (if autonomy is turned on in the settings). Sims also do different things. One time, one of my married sims autonomously went on a date with someone other than their partner!

9. Lore

Sims 3 (along with Sims and Sims 2) have their own lore and stories.

10. Life States (Occults)

There are a lot of different life states, or occults, that are playable. Things like fairies, vampires, witches, and more, are in The Sims 3.

1. Graphics

The graphics are not the best. It is obvious since it is an older game.

2. Bugs

There are several bugs that are in the Sims 3. The most buggy world is Isla Paradiso, which comes with the Island Paradise expansion. Other bugs include that if a young adult sim grounds their teen sim for something they did (if Generations is installed), they cannot go to school. The only way to let them go is if the teen asks for forgiveness or the parent stops the punishment. Other bugs include a wish to become a supernatural that sims cannot turn into (for example, there is a wish for a sim to become a unicorn, which a sim cannot do), bad routing, and others.

3. Rabbit Holes

A lot of the public buildings are rabbit holes, which are places that you cannot see inside of. These include various restaurants, grocery stores, and other buildings in worlds.

4. Zombies (Supernatural)

Zombies in Supernatural are a nuisance. They add no real value and destroy gardens.

5. No More Support

There are no more updates to The Sims 3. This means that the bugs/glitches in the game are not going to be fixed.

6. Unrealistic

Not everything has to be realistic in a game. There are unicorns in the "Pets" expansion and time travel exists with "Into the Future." In "Late Night," which is about celebrities and fame, the celebrity system is so unrealistic. Out of a 5-star system, your sim can become a 1 or 2-star celebrity simply from befriending a 5-star celebrity. There are thunderstorms with "Seasons," but there are no natural disasters that can cause major damage or power outages.  Sims will sit on toilets to eat if there are no other seats available (though this is probably a coding issue).

7. Lag

There is some lag that comes with each world. The most laggy (and buggy) is Isla Paradiso, which comes with "Island Paradise."

8. Sliders

The sliders make customization of sims limited and hard to maneuver.

9. Crashing

The game sometimes crashes, making players lose their progress (since there is no autosave feature). Since I have a gaming computer, I have not run into this problem, but I have read that others have had this issue.

10. Not All Computers Can Run Sims 3 Well

I have a gaming computer, so The Sims 3 works well for me. However, there are others who complain that a normal laptop does not run The Sims 3 well.

1. Create-a-Sim

Sims 4 has a great Create-a-Sim. Players are now about to pinch and pull on the sims to customize them. The clothes and hairstyles are also diverse and fashionable.

2. Build/Buy Mode

Build/Buy mode is searchable, making it easier to find things. Things are categorized better. Moving rooms on a lot is easy as well.

3. Sharing Lots

Players are able to share their builds on a place called the Gallery. Other players can access them and put them in their own world.

4. Inclusivity

The Sims 4 is very inclusive. Players can choose the pronouns of sims in Create-a-Sim. Players can make their sims transgender or nonbinary, choose which gender they are attracted to in Create-a-Sim, and are able to dress sims feminine or masculine. There are also hearing aids and other medical devices. There are also binders and surgical scars for transgender sims. Brindleton Bay, the world that comes with the "Cats and Dogs" expansion, has a pre-made same-sex couple, which is the first world in the series to have a gay couple.

5. Graphics

The graphics are amazing. Things are more clearer and realistic.

6. Active Careers

If "Get to Work" is installed, there are three active careers, meaning sims can go to an actual job instead of just going into a building for work. It makes the game more interactive. There is also another active career if "Life and Death" is installed.

7. Lots of Content

There is a lot of content for the Sims 4. From everything from vampires to vacations, players are able to have a lot of things to do.

8. Mods and Poses

There are a lot of mods for the Sims 4, making it more fun for players. Poses are also things players love to use.

9. Multitasking

Sims are able to multitask, meaning they can do multiple tasks at once. This means that sims can talk while eating, something that previous sims game did not include. This does make some things funny, as there are sims that go jogging with a plate of food in their hand.

10. No/Less Lag

There is not a lot of lag with the Sims 4, making gameplay smoother.

1. Expensive

The cost of all the expansion packs, game packs, stuff packs, and kits combined is well over a thousand dollars ($1,284.18 to be exact).

2. Buggy

The Sims 4 has a lot of bugs, with events not working properly. However, they are being patched with updates.

3. Closed Neighborhoods

Neighborhoods are closed off, meaning that there is no open world.

4. Bad Autonomy

If autonomy is turned on, it is not the best. Sims are not that good with taking care of their needs on their own sometimes. One sim can put a toddler into a high chair to feed them and another will take the toddler out autonomously.

5. Alternate Lore

Unlike the Sims, Sims 2, and Sims 3, the Sims 4 takes place in an "alternate universe". The first three Sims series has their own storyline. The Sims 4 having alternate lore makes the game less engaging.

6. Lack of Story Progression

There is not a lot of story progression, which makes the game seem less realistic.

7. Other Sims Going into Different Worlds

This may seem weird and wonder why it may be a negative. There are different expansions with different worlds. For example, "Island Living" is located on an island named Sulani. While playing in another world, premade sims from Sulani go to other worlds. This feels unrealistic. 

8. Loading Screens

Going to another lot, even in the same neighborhood, requires a loading screen. There are so many loading screens it gets boring to go through them.

9. Limited Customization (No Color Wheel)

There is limited customization for everything, from clothes to wallpapers. There is no color wheel, so players cannot customize colors for an item.

10. Limited Traits

There are not a lot of traits for Sims. Players can also choose only 3 traits for Young Adult and older sims as well, limiting the personality of the sims.