The Sims 2 (console)

The Sims 2 is the fourth title in The Sims console series. The Sims 2 was released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, PSP, and mobile phones in the fourth quarter of 2005. The console versions include a story and gameplay similar to previous versions of the game, while the DS, PSP, and GBA contain their own storylines.

This game lets you control the Sims directly rather than through point and click movement, which had mixed reactions from fans. The game also carries many things over from The Sims 2 on PC, such as wants, but does not carry over the aging aspect.

Several aesthetic improvements were made, such as being able to customize your Sim's meal.

Bands such as Paramore provided Simlish versions of their songs for the game.

Gameplay
The game progresses much like the other console Sims games: the Sim is given a number of objectives to complete while advancing in their career, and they move from house to house as objectives are completed and the player advances in their career.

Unlike other games, the player controls the Sims directly with the analogue stick, rather than moving them using the point and click to queue up actions.

When a Sim enters a conversation with another Sim, the camera zooms in on their conversation and the player chooses their actions from a menu. The background changes depending on the Sim's relationship with the other Sim.

The player can also pick different food choices and mix them, depending on the combination and the Sim's Cooking skill. Doing so may give a higher boost to the hunger meter.

Locations
There are 12 different locations that Sims may travel to across Pleasantview, Strangetown, and Melbourne throughout the course of the game. In order to unlock a new location, you must complete Golden Wants (basically, a Want that is a mission). If you are playing 2-player, only player 1 has Golden Wants.

As a Sim advances through the game, new locations will become available. There are eight main and four small locations in Story Mode, and four others in Free Play Mode.

Characters
There are a variety of different characters in different lots. Some are NPCs and some are playable. Characters have their own personalities, aspirations, goals and fears. Don Lothario, Dina Caliente, Nina Caliente, Patrizio Monty, Isabelle Monty, and Goopy GilsCarbo all appear as characters in certain locations.

Music
The game features music performed by Paramore, Ryan Ferguson, Trivium, and more recording artists (all songs recorded in the Sims language "Simlish"). The Humble Brothers donated heavily to the game.

Nintendo DS
The Nintendo DS version of The Sims 2 begins with the player's car breaking down in Strangetown. Upon arrival, an anonymous donor grants the player the deed to a hotel which can be operated and customized at the player's discretion.

Your job is to bring life backing into Strangetown by encouraging people to come to your hotel, you do this by upgrading it and making your guests happy. There are several ways in which you can make Strangetown a nice place to warm up in, but it is up to you to find it by making other Sims happy, putting goons in jail, vanquishing aliens, shutting down robots, and doing missions for others.

Game Boy Advance
The Game Boy Advance version of The Sims 2 takes place in Strangetown, and shares a similar GUI to its predecessors (The Sims Bustin' Out and The Urbz: Sims in the City). Players are guided through a goal-oriented game based on the reality television concept in which partitions of the game are divided into "episodes".

The player's Sim is working for Daddy Bigbucks. His most recent scheme to make money happens to be a TV show, with the player being the main character. The player has to complete aspects of the plot in different missions, and gain bonus points at the end of each mission for talking to people badly, nicely, etc., and in the end they even offer the player to choose the people in the town or the player's Sim.

PSP
The game begins with the player's character driving through the Strangetown desert, presumably 'Road to Nowhere' in their car, when suddenly a PlumbBob flies towards the player and causes them to lose control and damage their car. Fortunately, the player finds a gas station. The player takes their car into the garage. At that point the player takes control. The player is introduced to a vehicle mechanic named Oscar, who after a brief tutorial in teaching the player how to talk to NPC Sims, informs the player their car will only take a short while to fix.

The player is then free to roam around the gas station, and after being introduced to some more NPCs, including Bella Goth, who claims to be abducted by aliens, completing tasks and being taught the basic objective of the game which is 'Secret Hunting' for the store clerk. The player then exits the shop only to find the garage around the back has completely disappeared along with Oscar and their car, with only the foundation of the garage remaining.

The player informs Police Deputy Duncan about the situation who replies that he can do nothing about it and suggests the player find a place to stay. After having bought Bella's house for pocket change and getting donuts for Deputy Duncan, the player finally gets a lift into Strangetown's Paradise Place, only to find more tasks and mysteries.

It is finally known that the Green Diamond appearing throughout the game is a mind-controlling device controlled by an "outside force" (the player). The main antagonist also realize that the protagonist is really controlled by another outside force, just like playing a game. It is unknown if the Green Diamond's role applies to the other Sims games. But it may be possible since when the player changes the active Sim, the other one has free will.

This Sims game features such as traveling to places, getting secrets, and meeting characters from The Sims 2 for PC such as Loki Beaker, General Buzz Grunt, Circe Beaker, Pascal Curious, Lazlo Curious, Bella Goth, and others.

Locations:


 * Service Station
 * Paradise Place
 * Deadtree
 * Division 47
 * The Monument

There are also several changes from the PC version:


 * Sims can no longer have babies nor age, though some Sims have the appearance of an elder.
 * Sims cannot have jobs, but they can complete missions and play mini-games to earn some money for a living.

Easter Eggs

 * There is an island that may be referring to The Sims 2 Castaway.
 * There is the hot air balloon.
 * Don Lothario lives in the same house as Nina and Dina.
 * There is an underwater mansion called "Bio Dome".

Glitches

 * There is a glitch where a Sim can take the shape of another. For example, if you have Felicity Usher as your partner living on a lot, enter the Social mode and kick her out. Go to another location where you had Felicity and make sure you have Ossie Madison as your current partner. Then, talk to "Felicity" and look on the thumbnail picture and notice that it has Ossie instead of Felicity You can also notice that "Felicity" walks, and talks similar to a male Sim.
 * There is also another known glitch where a Sim can have the phone stuck in their hands. To do this, cancel the action "Call..." while the Sim is picking up the phone. This may sound fun at first, but then the telephone will be stuck forever in their hands and there is no way you can make your Sim's hands normal again.
 * There is a rare glitch where the surfing board gets stuck in the Sim's legs.
 * When a Sim goes to work when in their work clothes and you switch to the Sim that is going to work, the action "Go to work" is canceled and the Sim changes back to his/her clothes. This occurs if you are using Direct Control. This glitch is also present in The Sims 2: Pets.
 * Sims will sometimes block the door when they dance using a DJ Stand. This can prevent Sims from coming in or out of a room. This is also present in The Urbz: Sims in the City, The Sims 2: Pets, and The Sims 2 Castaway.
 * The carpool will automatically drive off if you have cheats activated. Resulting in a Sim(s) missing work.
 * Another common glitch if you have cheats activated: Your Sim will socialize with another. When exiting the conversation you will find your camera stuck at the place of socialization. The camera will not follow the Sim, it will stay in the exact place. (Fix by saving and re-entering the household. It should be fixed.)