I'm addicted

to the Sims 3! I waited so long but then all my willpower just crumpled. Watch my real social life go out the window as I sim out. But it's so fun for my perfectionist personality :)
The new game is easier to use than previous versions and that makes it more rewarding. Everything is a little smoother and more detailed. Your sims make friendships easier and it takes less to make them upset. They also have a much more instant goal/reward system that keeps things running smoothly.

They also changed the game so that you are really encouraged to make one household and just stick with it rather than changing your active characters constantly. I'm not a huge fan of this because one of my main joys with the game is making my own sims and then having them meet in the Sim World.

They also have "opportunities" where you are offered a challenge and if you complete it, then you get rewards. I like this because it keeps the game spicy. I also love the new "trait" system where you can give your Sims characteristics like workaholic, flirty, lucky, daredevil, artistic, natural cook, hopeless romantic etc. Then they have certain affinities and can learn faster. All in all, a better change than from the first to second version. Sims 3 makes things easier for the player while being just as challenging and absorbing.