The Sims 2

***The Sims 2*** is a 2004 video game and the sequel to _The Sims_. It is a simulation game made by Maxis and EA Games.

The game features a full 3D graphics engine. Like the first _The Sims_ game, it has many expansion packs.

EA released a sequel, _The Sims 3_, in June 2009.

## Changes

There are now six life stages: baby, toddler, child, teenager, adult, and elder. An additional young adult stage is added when you get the university expansion pack. Sims can now grow up and eventually die. In the first game, Sims would stay children forever and adults would stay adults forever. Teenagers can hold jobs as well as go to school.

Careers have gone under many changes. There is now a schedule; there are seven days in a week, and Sims at school are off on Saturday and Sunday. Sims can now get paid vacation days and start working 4–5 days a week. A meter measures job performance (their mood when they get to work). A new thing called "chance cards" lets the player pick what to do in a situation. Sims can gain/lose skill points, gain/lose money, or be promoted, demoted, or even fired.

Children and teenagers now bring homework home and their grades rise or fall depending on whether they finish it or not. Teenagers can hold jobs as well as go to school, but if their grades drop too low they can lose their job.

Other new things are wants and fears. These change when a want or fear is done or when the Sim wakes up from sleep.

Also, Sims can have aspirations (big things they want to do) like to have a family, to have many friends, to fall in love, to learn a lot, or to have a lot of money. A player can choose which aspiration they want their Sim to have, and the aspirations will affect their wants and fears. For example, a Sim with the family aspiration might want to have a child, but a Sim with the money aspiration might want to get a job instead.

Like in the first Sims game, a mother Sim and a father Sim can have a child. Also, children can be made at the start of the game or got from the adoption service.

One of the biggest changes in Sims 2 is that a Sim can go to a community lot (a place in the town like a store or a park). They can go there by using the phone to call a taxi.

## Expansion packs

These are addons to the game which add new items, new places and new features. They are listed in the order that they came out in the shops. They are meant to come out 2 times a year.

There are eight expansion packs in total.

|Game Name|Released|Features|
| --- | --- | --- |
|_The Sims 2: University_|March 2005|Sims can study at universities during the new Young Adult life stage|
|_The Sims 2: Nightlife_|September 2005|Sims can go out on dates with other Sims|
|_The Sims 2: Open for Business_|March 2006|Sims can own businesses which they can make money from.|
|_The Sims 2: Pets_|October 2006|Sims can have pets such as cats, dogs, snakes, bunnies, etc.,.|
|_The Sims 2: Seasons_|February 2007|There is weather and seasons that affects Sims.|
|_The Sims 2: Bon Voyage_|September 2007|Sims can go on a vacation|
|_The Sims 2: FreeTime_|February 2008|Sims can enjoy their favorite hobbies|
|_The Sims 2: Apartment Life_|August 2008|Sims can live in apartments and possess witchcraft|

## Stuff packs

These are packages that add only items to the game. They are less expensive than the regular expansion packs.

|Game Name|Released|Theme|
| --- | --- | --- |
|_The Sims 2: Glamour Life Stuff_|September 2006|Luxurious items|
|_The Sims 2: Happy Holiday Stuff_|November 2007|Christmas|
|_The Sims 2: Celebration! Stuff_|April 2007|Party items|
|_The Sims 2: H&M Fashion Stuff_|June 2007|Clothing collections from H&M|
|_The Sims 2: Teen Style Stuff_|November 2007|Goth, Thrashers, Socialite items|
|_The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff_|April 2008|Items for kitchens and bathrooms|
|_The Sims 2: IKEA Home Stuff_|June 2008|IKEA-branded furniture|
|_The Sims 2: Mansion & Garden Stuff_|November 2008|Items for gardens and houses|