I was in early grade school. The latest pack out at the time was The Sims Vacation, so this was around 2002. My sister brought home a copy, and the moment I saw it was a digital dollhouse, I was sold.
I (and by that I mean my sister hogging the mouse and keyboard while I dictated) made a couple named Joe and Emilia Smith, the most generic American name kid me thought of. Emilia worked in the science career while I had full control of Joe the whole day. Joe tried to change a lamp's light bulb with no mechanical skill and got electrocuted to death. Immediately after that, Emilia started a kitchen fire.
We didn't save
