Social simulation game
Encyclopedia
Social simulation games are a subgenre of life simulation game
that explore social interactions between multiple artificial lives
. The most famous example from this genre is The Sims
series of games.
was released in 2000, it had been called "almost the only game of its kind". But there are several important precursors to The Sims and the social simulation genre. Firstly, the game's creator Will Wright acknowledges the influence of Little Computer People
, a Commodore 64
game from 1985. The games are similar, although The Sims is described as a richer gameplay experience. Secondly, Will Wright acknowledged the influence of dollhouse
s on The Sims, a comparison that has since been repeated. This has informed the gameplay of this emerging genre.
Animal Crossing
was released in 2001 for the Nintendo 64
in Japan
. While released towards the end of the life cycle of the Nintendo 64, it developed a following that led to it being ported to the Nintendo Gamecube
and released throughout the world. As the game's popularity has surged, this series has also been described as social simulation games. Harvest Moon, a series that began in 1996 and is often compared to Animal Crossing, has also been described as social simulation games. Its social simulation elements are derived from dating sim
s, a subgenre that dates back to the early 1980s, with games such as Tenshitachi no gogo
in 1985 and Girl's Garden
in 1984.
Since the success of these games in the early 2000s, game reviewers have begun to refer to similar games as belonging to a social simulation game genre.
with heavy similarities.
Life simulation game
Life simulation games is a sub-genre of simulation video games in which the player lives or controls one or more virtual lifeforms...
that explore social interactions between multiple artificial lives
Artificial life
Artificial life is a field of study and an associated art form which examine systems related to life, its processes, and its evolution through simulations using computer models, robotics, and biochemistry. The discipline was named by Christopher Langton, an American computer scientist, in 1986...
. The most famous example from this genre is The Sims
The Sims (series)
The Sims is a video game series developed by Maxis and later by The Sims Studio, and published by Electronic Arts. It is one of the most successful video games series of all time...
series of games.
Influences and origins
When The SimsThe Sims
The Sims is a strategic life-simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. Its development was led by game designer Will Wright, also known for developing SimCity...
was released in 2000, it had been called "almost the only game of its kind". But there are several important precursors to The Sims and the social simulation genre. Firstly, the game's creator Will Wright acknowledges the influence of Little Computer People
Little Computer People
Little Computer People, also called House-on-a-Disk, is a life simulation game/god game released in 1985 by Activision for the Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum and Apple II. An Amiga version was released in 1987...
, a Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
game from 1985. The games are similar, although The Sims is described as a richer gameplay experience. Secondly, Will Wright acknowledged the influence of dollhouse
Dollhouse
A dollhouse is a toy home, made in miniature. For the last century, dollhouses have primarily been the domain of children but their collection and crafting is also a hobby for many adults. The term dollhouse is common in the United States and Canada...
s on The Sims, a comparison that has since been repeated. This has informed the gameplay of this emerging genre.
Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing
The Animal Crossing games have garnered positive response. The first three games are among the best-selling for their respective consoles. Animal Crossing has sold 2.321 million copies; Wild World 10.79 million; and City Folk 3.38 million...
was released in 2001 for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. While released towards the end of the life cycle of the Nintendo 64, it developed a following that led to it being ported to the Nintendo Gamecube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
and released throughout the world. As the game's popularity has surged, this series has also been described as social simulation games. Harvest Moon, a series that began in 1996 and is often compared to Animal Crossing, has also been described as social simulation games. Its social simulation elements are derived from dating sim
Dating sim
Dating sims are a video game subgenre of simulation games, usually Japanese, with romantic elements. They are also sometimes put under the category of neoromance. The most common objective of dating sims is to date, usually choosing from among several characters, and to achieve a romantic...
s, a subgenre that dates back to the early 1980s, with games such as Tenshitachi no gogo
Tenshitachi no gogo
Tenshitachi no Gogo was a popular early dating simulation released by JAST, for the 16-bit NEC PC-9801 computer in June 1985....
in 1985 and Girl's Garden
Girl's Garden
is a 1984 video game that was released exclusively for the Japanese market.-Summary:This video game has elements of adventure games, action games, and dating sims....
in 1984.
Since the success of these games in the early 2000s, game reviewers have begun to refer to similar games as belonging to a social simulation game genre.
Recent history
Several other social simulation games have emerged to capitalize on the success of The Sims. This includes several sequels and expansion packs, as well as games like Singles: Flirt Up Your LifeSingles: Flirt Up Your Life
Singles: Flirt Up Your Life is a video game developed by Rotobee and published by German company Deep Silver in 2004.It is very similar to The Sims in that the player is responsible for characters who have to be taken care of, such as by ordering them to eat, sleep, go to work, etc.The game is...
with heavy similarities.
Examples
- Alter EgoAlter Ego (video game)Alter Ego is a role-playing, personality computer game released by Activision in 1986. It was created by Peter J. Favaro, Ph.D., for the Commodore 64, MS-DOS, Apple II, and the Macintosh. The game allows the user to make decisions for an imaginary person and shows what possible consequences these...
- Animal Crossing (series)Animal Crossing (series)The Animal Crossing games have garnered positive response. The first three games are among the best-selling for their respective consoles. Animal Crossing has sold 2.321 million copies; Wild World 10.79 million; and City Folk 3.38 million...
- Harvest Moon
- Jones in the Fast LaneJones in the Fast LaneJones in the Fast Lane is a life simulation game developed and published by Sierra Entertainment in 1990. The objective of the game is to attain certain amounts of money, happiness, status, and education. The exact amounts needed are defined by the player when the game begins...
- Little Computer PeopleLittle Computer PeopleLittle Computer People, also called House-on-a-Disk, is a life simulation game/god game released in 1985 by Activision for the Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum and Apple II. An Amiga version was released in 1987...
- Miami Nights: Singles in the CityMiami Nights: Singles in the CityMiami Nights: Singles in the City is a dating simulation game for the Nintendo DS and mobile phones.This game is based on the successful Gameloft Nights franchise on mobile which has generated more than 4 million downloads....
- Shin Megami Tensei: PersonaShin Megami Tensei: PersonaShin Megami Tensei: Persona, known in Japan as is a series of role-playing video games developed and published by Atlus. The series is a spin-off of the Megami Tensei series which focuses on demon summoners. However, the Persona series centers around groups of teenagers who have the ability to...
- Singles: Flirt Up Your LifeSingles: Flirt Up Your LifeSingles: Flirt Up Your Life is a video game developed by Rotobee and published by German company Deep Silver in 2004.It is very similar to The Sims in that the player is responsible for characters who have to be taken care of, such as by ordering them to eat, sleep, go to work, etc.The game is...
- Tokimeki MemorialTokimeki Memorial (series)is a popular dating simulation series by Konami. It consists of 6 main games in addition to a large number of spin-offs. The games are notable in the dating sim genre for being highly nonlinear. Their nickname amongst their fans is the contraction TokiMemo....
- The Sims seriesThe Sims (series)The Sims is a video game series developed by Maxis and later by The Sims Studio, and published by Electronic Arts. It is one of the most successful video games series of all time...