It's always going to be The Sims 2 for me.
I played it on the day it came out, having already been an avid Sims fan before that. I remember waiting for it to be released and feeling so satisfied when I finally had a copy in my hand on a mid September evening. The graphics were such a huge step up from The Sims and from my other games consoles I had at the time (I grew up on the Mega Drive and N64 - graphics always impress me!). I remember being awed by the sheer attention to detail, the limitless possibilities and the strong custom content and modding community. I still remember some of the long dead sites from the time and some of the people I'd speak to on The Exchange (RIP). One of my favourite simming memories is seeing snow for the first time in Seasons, I remember having my sim make hot chocolate and it was just such a gorgeous scene that really sticks out for me. I remember how new businesses were and my shock when I realised I could have my sim create a business selling anything they/I felt like.
I have so many happy memories with it and of course, I was almost 14 years younger then. But it's so much more than just nostalgia and I can't even call it rose-tinted glasses because I still play it on a regular basis. It's not that the other games are bad as such (though I do take objection to some of the decisions made), they're just not 2; they don't capture those finer details, how revolutionary it was and the surprisingly intricate storyline. It holds up remarkably well and there is a reason why it's so beloved: because it really is as good as everyone says it is.
