The Sims Wii
Developer: EA
Publisher: EA
Genre: Sim
Rating: Pending
Number of Players: 1, multiplayer unknown
Expected Release: TBA 2007
The Sims Wii Gallery

Electronic Arts is once again bringing their all-time best-selling PC series, The Sims, to a home console. However, with Boku to Sim no Machi, the upcoming Wii version of the game, EA is taking a vastly different approach to the successful formula that already has millions addicted to their PCs.

The first noticeable difference is graphics. The graphics are practically unrecognizable when compared to any of the previous games in the series. As the game is being targeted specifically at the Japanese market, everything has been given the “chibi” treatment. The Wii Sims are decidedly less realistically proportioned than the other more American-geared Sims games. With large heads and exaggerated facial expressions to match, the Wii Sims resemble the Mii character-creation feature of the system itself.

Unfortunately, hardly anything else is known about the game. Only a half-minute trailer, a few small screenshots, and a couple Japanese game magazine articles comprise the entirety of what is known about the game thus far.

From the scant info that is available, it seems that both the character creation and house design interfaces have been simplified for the Wii. Ample buttons control the expected customization options, while the Wii remote will add the point-and-click/drag-and-drop convenience of the PC versions.

A few screenshots hint at the possibility of town exploration, with several different locations to take your Sim out of the house. Wii Sims seems potentially similar to the features in the previous Bustin’ Out game.

Another screenshot shows fruit trees and their growth cycles, which seem very reminiscent of Animal Crossing’s fruit trees. Apparently your Sim will be able to pick the fruit – apples are the only ones that have been shown so far – and take it home to eat, also very much like Animal Crossing. This also suggests other features, such as seasons and different climates to further simulate life: human, plant, or otherwise.

Of course, this is all speculation based on what little information is available. The game has not even been officially announced for a US release yet. However, it remains to be seen if the large Western audience that so openly embraced the original Sims concept will be just as receptive to the Wii version, a distinctly radical departure from the original. As the game comes closer to its initial Japanese release, more information is sure to come.