For the past 25 years, any list of games like The Sims has been mostly wishful thinking. There hasn't been anything truly like The Sims series—until now. Last year we finally got some true Sims competition that mimics the full suite of character creation, Build Mode, and Live Mode simulation that the series has dominated for decades.
There are now two games that are truly like The Sims in early access that you can play right now with one more scheduled to launch in 2026.
Games like The Sims
Inzoi
Release date: 2025 (early access) | Developer: Inzoi Studio | Steam
The first genuine competition to The Sims series has finally launched and Krafton's life sim is just as pretty as I expected. The character creator is gorgeous and the build mode, after I got used to it, is incredibly pretty too. Inzoi came out the gate with some features that have long been pain points for Sim fans: decent wedding ceremonies, pregnancy gameplay, and an open world with drivable cars.
At the beginning of early access, Inzoi did feel a little empty, in my opinion. It's clearly a good foundation on which Inzoi Studio has a lot of plans to build, and the updates it released over 2025 so far were impressive.
Tiny Life
Release date: 2023 (Early access) | Developer: Ellpeck Games | Steam
Tiny Life is still in early access with a small development team but it already meets so many parts of the quintessential Sims experience. You can build homes and community lots, create families with silly traits and goals, and manage their unpredictable life journeys in an open world with multiple neighborhoods.
The pixelated art style won't be to everyone's taste but I already had a surprisingly good time digging into Tiny Life's early access version. It makes keeping an eye on traits and relationships pretty easy so I always felt like I was able to appreciate its funny moments of simulated weirdness. The open world is also great, bringing a bit of old Sims 3 nostalgia for those that miss it.
The Sims 3
Release date: 2009 | Developer: Maxis | Steam
Since there are still very few true options for games like The Sims to play I am going ahead and recommending The Sims 3. I've been returning to it myself and honestly having a blast. Visually, The Sims 3 may have aged like milk—though I do have a soft spot for the crunchy old homes if not the characters—but the way it forces you to play is still great.
Unlike The Sims 4, which always asks for permission before sending your Live Mode story spiralling in a new direction, The Sims 3 very deliberately throws speedbumps at you. I really enjoy being forced to react to burglars, unlikely romantic attraction, and other chaos. It's a matter of taste definitely, but if you're someone constantly feeling bored of The Sims 4 and not sure what you want to do in game next, The Sims 3 is my answer.
Since The Sims Legacy Collection re-releases of The Sims and The Sims 2, there are now even more classic Sims games you can try as alternatives to The Sims 4. I think The Sims 3 is still my personal recommendation, but The Sims 2 is a very close second.
Upcoming games like The Sims
Paralives
Release date: May 2026 (early access) | Developer: Paralives Studio | Steam
Paralives has been in the works for a long time from a small team and finally plans to reach early access in 2026. It leans even harder into stylized visuals than The Sims 4 does, with characters that almost look painted. The big appeal of Paralives for me is its very adaptable build system that lets you do things like resize windows (imagine that), turn objects like tables and lamps into different size variants easily, and grid-free wall construction. On the simulation side Paralives looks like it's definitely going to lean into developing a character over time by growing skills, changing jobs, and more.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
