When comparing SimCity 2000 vs The Sims, the Slant community recommends The Sims for most people. In the question“What are the best PC games that don't focus on victory conditions to guide the player through the game?” The Sims is ranked 11th while SimCity 2000 is ranked 12th. The most important reason people chose The Sims is:
Making sure the Sims are fed, happy, live in nice houses and are generally well off are all easily relatable things to anyone and don't need to be expressly stated for the player to want to improve conditions for his protagonists. At the same time, the game doesn't force anyone to make sure the sims have great conditions. The game allows exploring how different choices affect the outcome of the situation.
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Pros
Pro The game has a high skill ceiling
Figuring out how all the complex systems interact with each other and how to apply those systems to your own goals can be a challenge. You have to take into account how to manage utilities (water, power), crime, pollution, quality of life and account for natural disasters. There are a good number of tools at your disposal to figure out how to best apply.
Pro The game offers real-world reasons that can motivate the player, but doesn't force them
Making sure the Sims are fed, happy, live in nice houses and are generally well off are all easily relatable things to anyone and don't need to be expressly stated for the player to want to improve conditions for his protagonists. At the same time, the game doesn't force anyone to make sure the sims have great conditions. The game allows exploring how different choices affect the outcome of the situation.
Cons
Con The graphics are dated
The game was designed with Windows 95 in mind. At a time when 640x480 resolution was common. Blown up on today's HiDPI screens the game shows its age.
Con Drains the users wallet with expansion packs
The Sims has 7 expansion packs that add new items and functionality to the game. The original game ($49.99) and each expansion ($29.99) ends up costing $259.92 which can easily be seen as too expensive to get a complete experience.