It's hard to compare something that has had five years of updates, expansions, stuff packs and store content added in versus a base game that hasn't been released yet. All I can say is that TS3 has nothing for me anymore. I play Sims games for the Sims, and TS3 is tremendously lacking in that respect. They're little robots, or maybe paper dolls. Ever since hearing about TS4 and what those Sims are capable of, I can't even think to play Sims 3. It's just too dull and lifeless and empty. I guess the only thing that it has over TS4 is toddlers and family trees, but there really is no contest for me. My copy of TS3 is no longer on my computer and will never see the light of day again.