The Sims Bustin' Out Preview

The Sims franchise has been an unparalleled juggernaut of popularity on the PC since it debuted in 2000. A number of well-received expansion packs have helped cement the series' reputation as a gaming phenomenon. The franchise expanded last year with a new evolution--created specifically for the current crop of consoles--that was well received, both critically and commercially. Given its warm reception, it's hardly surprising to hear that developer Maxis is prepping a follow-up to the console games. However, news of a Game Boy Advance version certainly was surprising. While translating the unique and deep gameplay of The Sims to home consoles went well last year, performing such a feat for a portable system with four buttons seems like insanity. However, after spending some time with The Sims Bustin' Out, which shares the same moniker as its upcoming console cousins, we have to say we're pleasantly surprised and very pleased with what Maxis and developer Griptonite Games have accomplished. The pair have taken the core gameplay experience from The Sims and married it with some basic structural RPG elements. The end result is a new Sims experience that's both fresh and portable.

This time, you are the sim.

For those who are unfamiliar with The Sims experience, the franchise revolves around the care of a virtual person, called a "sim." In the PC and last year's console games, you played the role of an omnipotent caretaker who tended to a sim's needs. The GBA game makes a radical change to the formula and puts you in the role of your sim. The same basic mechanics apply, so you'll still have to make sure your sim's core group of needs are sorted and met while trying to evolve your little charge from his or her lowly beginnings to a fabulous, fruitful life. How you do that has now been shaped into a much more traditional mission-oriented structure that is more in line with an RPG.

You'll start the game by creating your sim. You'll pick a name, gender, skin tone, hair style, hair color, shirt, pants, and shoes for him or her. Once that's sorted you'll distribute points between a set of 10 attributes that will determine your sim's personality. You'll also pick an astrological sign. Fans of the franchise may recognize the setup process, although the astrological sign no longer has an impact on your sim's personality. Instead, it ties into the exclusive items you'll encounter in the game, as each sign will have items exclusive to it. After you've run through all that, you'll start the game proper by reading a welcome-to-Sim Valley letter (Sim Valley is the game's setting) and watching a short cinema of your disembarkation at your Uncle Hayseed's farm. This starts you on your path to material and financial success.

Character interaction is much more 'in your face' this time out.

The most refreshing thing about The Sims Bustin' Out for the Game Boy Advance is the way the gameplay has been shaped. You'll get your objectives, RPG-style, by interacting with characters in the game. As you do, they'll ask you to do things for them. Your tasks will start out simply enough, as initially you'll collect chickens, buy items, and decorate a room. Eventually your tasks will become more complex. Social interaction is an important part of the game, thanks to the plethora of characters with which to interact, each with his or her own disposition. While previous Sims games have pulled the game camera back quite a ways, The Sims Bustin' Out actually switches to a large head shot where you'll be treated to exaggerated facial animations to fill you in as to how your conversation is going. A meter on the right side of the screen lets you know how strong your relationship with that individual is by showing the points you earn in your chat. If you make the right selections, things will go down well, and you'll rake up the points. Building relationships is important in the game as some tasks require you to bond with certain individuals. As for tending to your sim's day-to-day needs, onscreen meters along the bottom of the screen track how sated your sim is in a particular area. Once a meter starts dipping, you'll have to interact with items in your pad or the environment to build them back up. If your sim is hungry, you'll have to eat some food; if they're dirty, you'll have to find a shower, and so on.

Another nice element of the game is the world in which you'll live. While your uncle's farm will be everything you know of the world for your first set of missions, as you start interacting with people and getting deeper into the game, you'll find a large world to explore that offers lots to do. While this would be less exciting if you were limited to exploring your environments on foot, the game provides you with a moped-like scooter that lets you get around in style.