Or, I tried to do that-I had my share of spectacular failures and embarrassments. At first, I spent much of my time wandering around parks, pulling coins from ears and doing two-bit card tricks. Much of the charm comes in watching these fledgling Sims try to get their foot in the door. Of course, newbie performers have to just contend with a few lights and plain-looking boards. These venues house customizable stages, allowing those well-established performers to plan out and decorate exactly how they want to look in front of an audience. I settled in the new town of Starlight Shores, a Hollywood-esque center rife with plenty of venues for Sims to perform. My primary Sim in this latest adventure was a budding magician, and after the requisite character roll and purchasing a prefurnished house ( I really don't like building or interior home design), I sent her out on her path toward greatness. Borrowing from an earlier expansion, Showtime expands the 'gig' idea, allowing for less 9-5 type career paths. Players now can focus their creative juices to build master magicians, acrobats, singers, and other entertainers. So with that grain of salt in mind, I still found The Sims 3: Showtime to be a solid entry into the series, bringing even more of the goodies and experiences that Sims fans crave.Īs the name would suggest, the Showtime expansion focuses on giving the Sims a time to shine as stars on stage. I know many people find these games very enjoyable, and I appreciate the charm and wit that is poured into each title-and still I find myself greeting a new Sims title with lukewarm enthusiasm at best. Even as I try to convince myself that the game is really just an RPG, with players advancing their stats and constantly bettering their characters in both abilities and equipment, I still have some sort of mental hurdle I cannot seem to leap. I'll be honest here-I never really 'got' The Sims.

Sims 3 showtime