Since the release of The Sims 4, players have seen eleven different expansion packs, covering a range of topics and adding various new features to the game. Each one brings something new to the table, with focuses including pets, new careers, different lifestyles, and, of course, extreme weather conditions.
It’s not just things like new Create-a-Sim and build mode items that The Sims 4’s expansion packs bring with them though, but also new gameplay mechanics, and, in some cases, even brand new worlds. But which ones offer the best value for money and do some expansions add more to the game than others? Well, here, those questions are answered and all of The Sims 4 expansion packs are ranked.
Updated August 14, 2022 By Tom Bowen: Despite turning 20 a few years ago, EA’s The Sims franchise only actually has four mainline installments. The most recent of these, The Sims 4, also happens to be the series’ longest-running title, with twelve expansion packs now under its belt. For the most part, the main themes that players expected to see in these DLC add-ons have now all been covered, with seasons, pets, and many other things having been added into the game since its initial release. In fact, by the time the latest expansion, High School Years, was released, Simmers really had no idea what to expect. With such a plethora of content now available, however, it can be difficult for players to know which of the many expansions are worth their time and their money. For those struggling, this list will take a look at both the worst and the best Sims 4 expansion packs while also summarizing exactly what each one has to offer.
12 Get To Work
Get To Work is the earliest expansion and it shows. The main focus of this pack is interactive careers. It introduces a doctor, detective, and scientist career. While they are fun to play, and the concept of following one’s sims to work was unique at this point, they have struggled to remain enjoyable. The detective career, in particular, was incredibly glitchy, which meant many players struggled to progress. While some of these bugs have been patched, others still remain in the game.
The pack also included the first occult, aliens, as well as the ability to run a retail store. Later attempts at occult sims have revealed flaws in the way aliens were implemented, which takes a little shine off them. Retail stores have improved over time, with extra things to make and sell, but they have also been superseded in many ways by the introduction of yard tables. The key difference is that the yard sale tables allow sims to sell their items easily without the hassle of owning a separate lot and store.
11 High School Years
Released in July of 2022, The Sims 4: High School Years does exactly what it says on the tin. It focuses heavily on fleshing out the teen Sim experience, allowing players to control their Sims while they’re at high school in much the same way that the Get to Work and Get Famous do with adult Sims while they are at work. Given that those two rank among the very worst Sims 4 expansion packs, it should come as little surprise to learn that High School Years doesn’t really provide players with too much to write home about either.
To its credit, Copperdale is far from a bad world, and some of the Build/Buy items included with the expansion do an excellent job of capturing the teen vibe. Likewise, some of the new Create a Sim options are also pretty decent, though aren’t quite enough to fully justify the price of admission. That said, for hardcore fans of the series, younger players, or those interested in reliving their own high school vicariously through their Sim, it may be worth a look.
10 Get Famous
Many players had high hopes for Get Famous but it can be a polarizing pack. The world of Del Sol Valley is beautiful but is also very small and feels limiting. The game also introduced interactive acting and content creation careers as well as a fame system. The fame system is slightly erratic at times and can be annoying. While the interactive career is fun at first, it can quickly lose its shine as players repeat the same jobs over and over again.
There are also numerous high-end expensive items with this pack. While it’s fun to build an opulent mansion, their use in most normal builds is limited, earning this pack a place near the bottom of the list. It has some quirky features, including the money vault, but for day-to-day gameplay, unless players are very much into the fame system, this pack is unlikely to see much use.
9 Get Together
The strongest features of Get Together are the club system and the beautiful world of Windenburg. The club system is one of the most versatile and underused systems in the game. It allows players to form groups of sims and set club goals. This means they can gather up to 8 sims in one place by calling a meeting. It’s also possible to set the dress code and decide which activities and behavior will be encouraged or discouraged.
There are so many uses for clubs, including boosting social needs, building skills and even calling sims to a secret underground basement, where they will spend eternity painting masterpieces. Get Together is a great pack and often underrated but earns its place here due to the fact that many of its features are often not used for regular gameplay unless players utilize the clubs. Windenburg, however, remains one of the very best worlds in the game, as well as the largest.
8 Snowy Escape
The Snowy Escape expansion was released in late 2020 and is built around winter snowsports including snowboarding, skiing, and sledding. It also includes Mt. Komorebi, a Japanese mountain inspired by Mount. Fuji as well as several new types of wintery weather. For those wondering, players don’t need to have Seasons installed to experience the latter.
As well as winter sports, the pack also provides players with the Salaryperson career as well as several other Japan-inspired elements including items, lot assignments, and music. For those who love the holiday season or simply enjoy learning more about Japanese culture, Snowy Escape is a solid pick.
7 Cats & Dogs
The Cats & Dogs expansion introduces four-legged fur friends into the game. Its biggest addition is the cats and dogs themselves, though players can also join the new interactive Veterinary career, which sees them run a veterinary clinic and live in Brindleton Bay; one of many players’ favorite worlds.
The cats and dogs themselves are really quite adorable and have great customization options to boot; something that will no doubt be appealing to animal-loving players. While this is certainly a solid expansion though, anyone who doesn’t really want a pet may want to take give it a miss. The world is beautiful and the catalog items versatile, but the furry friends are definitely the main attraction here.
6 City Living
The City Living expansion brought the additions of apartments, work-from-home careers, festivals, and the city of San Myshuno. Each of these can have a drastic effect on a player’s gameplay. The apartment system allows players to pay rent to live in an apartment, paying up front only for the furniture. This adds a new element to the game, especially for those who only use the lot traits to live in a fixer-upper home. It can also make a Sim’s starter capital go much further.
City Living’s work-from-home careers, Critic and Social Media Influencer, have also stayed relevant for longer than other careers. While all interactive careers can be repetitive, these offer a few nice perks and fit in well with life in the city. Even if players choose to venture away from the city, the food stalls, festivals, and community lots make it a great place to visit for a change of pace.
5 Cottage Living
The “Living” packs may not be to everybody’s tastes, but they do provide players with plenty of bang for their buck when compared to some of the other expansions. The most recent of them, Cottage Living, is certainly no exception, bringing with it a new world that was inspired by the UK countryside as well as numerous animals, objects, and traits.
Those looking for a quiet life with no alarms and no surprises will love what Henford-on-Bagley has to offer, as too will nature and animal lovers. Players can indulge all of their naturistic desires if they wish, while also getting to know some of the many new NPCs like Agatha and Agnes Crumplebottom and the Chopra family.
4 Island Living
Island Living is another polarizing pack and offers an entirely new way of living on the island of Sulani. There are new part-time careers, new events, and a new vibe, which includes friendlier neighbors and some stunning views. There are also a lot of small additions in the pack, including swimming, diving, odd jobs, sailing, sunbathing, and sandcastle building.
The island itself evolves over time, linking with the new Conservationist career and allowing players to change their surroundings. Overall, the pack offers new ways to play and unique ways to build, something which is rare in The Sims 4. For those who want a new way to play and a new cultural experience, the Island Living pack is, therefore, an excellent choice.
3 Eco Lifestyle
Eco Lifestyle was an unexpected theme that had many players skeptical at first. However, as it’s been explored simmers have discovered that it’s far more versatile than expected. It offers several different ways to affect worlds, including eco footprints and action plans.
Eco footprints allow players to change the world into a green area full of beauty or plunge it into an industrial smog. The pack also adds green energy, a new career, fabrication, and candle-making skills, evolving community lots and so much more. It was a surprise that was well-received, pulling numerous small features together into a well-rounded expansion.
2 Discover University
Discover University is arguably one of the strongest packs we’ve seen in The Sims 4. The pack is tailored toward the entire experience of University life and as such includes a huge amount of detail. Players can take out loans, live on or off-campus, join clubs, and participate in college events. While classes aren’t interactive, players do have a lot of control over their Sims’ timetables and there are extra work-based activities to balance too.
The gameplay is expansive in this pack, with many new activities to engage in on campus. Build and Buy is limited but solid and the Create-a-Sim items are very versatile. Overall, the pack offers an amazing experience for anyone who loves student life gameplay.
1 Seasons
As with other Sims games, Seasons is the game-defining expansion. While it doesn’t come with a new world, it does add so much to gameplay across the board that it deserves the top spot. Alongside seasons and weather, players also see the introduction of the in-game calendar, which allows them to schedule a wide range of events and celebrate seasonal holidays. The addition of holiday traditions, decorations, and other pop-up events rounds out this pack.
Adding Seasons is the biggest change across the game that players will ever see in The Sims 4 and adds a new depth to every home in every neighborhood. It also allows more realistic gameplay in terms of being able to add and plan regular events, including birthday parties. This is also the expansion which is the most general, adding new features that have a wide range of uses and implications. A worthy winner of the top spot on this list.
