MySims Hands-on Preview

It’s immediately apparent when picking up MySims on the DS, along with its cousin on the Wii, that EA isn’t even trying to be subtle; this is Sims re-imagined for Nintendo. Visually, both the game world and characters have been remoulded to look as if they might live on the same planet, if not in the same country, as Mario, Luigi and the rest of the established cast from Ninty’s universe.

The Wii version of MySims sticks fairly faithfully to the original template of customisation and interaction that has always defined the Sims games, but on the DS it takes a slight detour from the series’ proven formula. Here MySims is certainly an adventure and exploration title, lead by a combination of objectives and mini-games, rather than the focus on customising your game world familiar to hardened Sims fans.

Set in a small seaside town, you are concerned with filling that community with eager tourists and residents, lured in by the dynamic of the town and the gifts you shower them with. You earn gifts by unlocking and completing the various mini-games, before dispensing the presents to visitors based on the tastes of the individuals on the receiving end of your generosity.

It is the same tourists that set you the tasks and guide you through the game, leading you to the microscopic touch screen challenges available. The mini-games themselves look to be the standard fare we have become used to since the arrival of Nintendo’s ‘games for everyone’ push, but they do seem to have a little more variation and attention to detail, tying in nicely with the plot, unlike the arbitrary tasks in many other titles. Some see you directly constructing the gifts you distribute, such as the high-speed garland making challenge, while others are related to the area you are in and the demands made by tourists.

There are still customisation options available, though from the current playable build it appears that the emphasis here is on the costumes and outfits available, rather than on the buildings and furniture that receive all the attention in the Wii version of MySims. Still, EA is keen to point out that you do still dictate they way the town around you develops, whether through direct modification or as a result of your actions.

Already the game looks great, and while it is very close in visual style to Animal Crossing, it does maintain an aesthetic all of its own, that is only matched by the Wii release. It is clearly bursting with character, and has a charm that is sure to be as popular on these shores as it is likely to be in the East.

As of yet, details on any connectivity between the DS and its TV-bound brother are still to be confirmed for MySims. It will be that, along with multiplayer modes and the content of the mini-games, that will decide if this new direction for EA will be the success on a handheld that it is hoped to be.