I am a console player, but I wanna start out with a expansion pack and also a game pack. I'm still getting funds for my apartment so to actually just spice things up, what kind of expansion pack and game pack should I have so I can actually have fun playing those pack. After when I play these packs for the longest time I will buy more packs.

Okay, this reply ended up being waaaaaayyyyy longer than I expected. But I hope it helps?It really depends on what kind of gameplay you'd be interested in to what you should get.Game PacksIf you're into supernatural things and want to play with/as a vampire or witch then I recommend either getting Vampires or Realm of Magic for your game pack. In both Vampires and Realm of Magic, you start at the bottom ranking and become more powerful as you move up into the ranks and gain perk points which can be spent on powers (vampires) or spellcaster perks (Realm of Magic) Because they have their own game packs dedicated to them. they will allow you to have a very fleshed out experience with either of them. But if you're more into family play, and like the idea of raising kids and starting a family, then I would go with Parenthood. I'm not much of a family player myself so Parenthood is one of my least favorite packs, but those who do play a lot with families really seem to love it, so I'll recommend it anyway.I would stay away from Dine Out, Batuu, Dream Home Decorator, Spa Day and Outdoor Retreat for now. Dine Out because it's very bugged and it takes forever for your Sims to actually get their meals. Spa Day and Outdoor Retreat, because even though Spa Day did get a refresh and is a lot better than it was previously, a lot of us tend to feel both of them fall flat compared to other packs. I still think they're worth getting, but at a later time. I wouldn't recommend them as a beginner pack. DHD doesn't really offer much in the gameplay department and is more of a glorified stuff pack if you ask me. It's really more of a pack for builders. Batuu, well... it's a very controversial pack to say the least. A lot of people feel it's just a big old cash-grabbing advertisement for EA's Star Wars games and I've heard that due to limitations of what can/can't be done, the gameplay is lacking. I don't have it though so I can't say for certainty.Strangerville and Jungle Adventure, although I haven't fully played with them yet also are said to be really cool packs, but there's really not a whole lot of replay with Strangerville since once you solve the mystery, you've solved it. And Jungle Adventure is more replayable than Strangerville from what I heard, but sort of falls in the same category of "you only want to explore the ruins so many times. Again, I'd wait on these if I were you. Expansion PacksAs far as expansion packs go, it again sort of depends on what you want to prioritize. Most people consider Seasons, Cats & Dogs, Cottage Living or City Living to be their favorites. Cats & Dogs and Cottage Living both come with animals and are similar in that respect but also quite different. Cats & Dogs as the name suggests focuses more on the pet aspect being centered around, well... Cats & Dogs. And Cottage Living is basically the farming expansion pack and comes with more farm based animals (cows, chickens, llamas) and also wild rabbits and foxes. The animals in Cottage Living are not editable in CAS and you can't add rabbits or foxes into your household, so this one falls behind Cats & Dogs for me. Cats & Dogs although it comes with only cats and dogs I think has much better, fleshed out animals. You can create them right through CAS or you can adopt strays you find on the street after befriending them. They each have their own unique personalities and quirks too, just like real pets. Some people are disappointed that you can't actual play as the pet or control them, but to me it just makes it seem more realistic and like real life. Also in Cats & Dogs, you can own and run a Veterinarian clinic. With Cottage Living, you raise the farm animals, but also crops which you can enter into competitions at the Fenwick Fair. And you can also run errands for the townies as well. And both packs can contribute nicely to family play. But Cats & Dogs also contributes to occult play seeing as you can bind your pet as your familiar. Seasons, like the name suggests adds Seasons, Weather, and Holidays to the game which is definitely a game changer for sure, but if you're looking for something that adds a lot of things for your Sims to do, it doesn't really have that much other than the different holiday events. You can also create your own holidays which is really cool, and the different Seasons and Weather really makes each world feel different. I do really like this pack, but I'm skeptical about recommending it as a "beginner" pack since it doesn't add a super big amount of new gameplay, but rather enhances the gameplay you already have and making it feel more true to life.City Living, while not my favorite does add A LOT to the game and is fun. I'm just not super into city life. It not only adds apartments to the game but festivals, and flea market too as well as different careers. You also get a bunch of lot traits & lot challenges with this pack which can be pretty fun. The festivals do give your sims a something to do and you can treat it as a fun outing, but they don't really change much in regards to activities from week to week. They're definitely fun to go to multiple times of course, but I recommend splitting up festival visits as opposed to going to one every day during the week. (ie go to Geekcon in one Sims week, but save Romance Festival for another one.) I'd feel comfortable recommending this as a starter pack, definitely. Eco Lifestyle, Get Famous, and Discovery University are all very niche expansion packs if I'm being honest. They're not bad or anything but unless you're super into the environment (Eco) fame Get Famous) or college (Uni) I would hold off on them.Get Together, Island Living, and Snowy Escape are also really good options. Get Together has a club system which can be incredibly helpful and there are a lot of unique lots like the bluffs, ruins and the chalet gardens. Sulani is super fun not only for being able to go to the beach, but there's a lot of culture in Sulani as well. Also, mermaids and dolphins. :) Oh and there are some events that take place there as well. Snowy Escape mostly revolves winter sports like snowboarding and skiing, as well as activities like hiking and sledding. There are also some festivals in Mt. Komorebi, but not as many as San Myshuno has in City Living. Still very good packs in my opinion. Get to Work is a pretty decent pack as well that adds a lot but being the first expansion pack, it does sort of feel lackluster in comparisons to some of the others. But it's also not bad. It's a sort of "middle ground" pack for me. The main focus is active careers which a lot of people seem to enjoy, but I'm personally kind of "meh" on that. Retail lots, while not totally bugged don't really work right since mannequins cause the game to crash. The retail lots still function if they don't have mannequins though, so a bakery for instance would work just fine. And GTW also comes with aliens. Overall, it's a nice pack but one I would wait on. To sum up, these would be my recommendations. Game Packs- Vampires- Realm of Magic - ParenthoodExpansion Packs- Cats & Dogs- Cottage Living- City LivingAlso, if you plan on getting an Expansion + Game Pack at the same time, I'd just go for a full bundle since it's not that much more expensive when you tack on a stuff pack as well.

I feel Seasons is essential if you want actual seasons in your game, seasonal activities and temperatures, and a calendar where you can create your holidays (and change the lengths of seasons). Everything else depends on your playstyle, pretty much. Get Together has a nice world and a “grouping” so-called “club”system, where you group any sims to hang out together and do certain activities at certain places. If you like family play, then Parenthood and the Kids/toddlers packs like Kids Stuff Pack, etc add some gameplay and stuff for families with children (and toddlers). Parenthood adds parenting interactions and small cute things like lunch paper bags, etc. You can have your parent sims influence the children with this pack. I’m a family player, so I really loved this pack and the kids/toddlers stuff packs. The kids one adds a Pokémon activity for kids with collecting the cards and such. If you love cats and dogs for digital pets, then you would love Cats & Dogs. It has a good selection of cat/dog breeds and some customization for them. If you like the idea of farming, cross-stitching, gardening some types of oversized crops, and raising farm animals, like cows and chickens, and a cozy cottage/country feel (with a country-styled world), then Cottage Living would be a great choice. I loved this one! There are farming/gardening-related competitions that you can participate in as well. If you like the idea of apartments and a more city environment, with a world that has some small festivals, then City Living would an alternative choice, if you are not a rural fan.If you love occult play, or anything with supernatural or magic, then I recommend Vampires (highly recommend!) and Realm of Magic. Vampires bring about a vampire magic system where vampires have a power tier and rank up their skills. I love that you can customize the vampires’ looks and “dark” alter ego side, and that you can choose some of the powers and weaknesses. There is a daywalking ability later on as well. Realm of Magic does something similar with a power system, but with different spells for spellcasters, and is a bit more easier. The aesthetics of each is different, with Vampires having a more gothic feel, while Realm of Magic is more colorful. The rest of the packs will depend on your own personal tastes and preferences and gameplay wants. I would suggest researching the rest for guides to check for any specifics. For example, for me: Mermaids are only in Island Living, but they are a bit limited compared to past mermaids in that there is no underwater swimming or kraken summoning, and they don’t have the in-depth leveling power tier systems that Vampires or Spellcasters do. Stil, Island Living is still a fave of mine, even though it’s limited in play, because I have always loved mermaids/merfolk and I love the island environment. So, the rest will really depend on your own personal tastes/preferences and gameplay style. ?Best of luck, and enjoy any of the packs you choose! ??

@Vyne What do you like? Type of books, movies, hobbies? Do you prefer more realistic or supernatural things? Family or young adult gameplay? Knowing these type of things would be helpful to recommand something tailored to your gameplay, because not everybody like the same things.Edit: My personal preferences are : Expansion pack:Cats & Dogs (I like animals and the world is very good in my opinion)Cottage living (same thing above)Get to work (I like opening various business, especially with things you unlock with a skill : farmer market, fish market, bookstore (writing skill), bakery (cooking, gourmet cooking, baking (Get to work)), clothing store (combining with the stylist career and photography skill), furnitures store (handiness table, fabrication skill (Eco living)), flower shop (seasons), souvenirs/gifts shop, gallery and photo studio. The scientist career is good too and the aliens.Game pack:Vampire and Realm of Magic (for supernatural things)Parenthood (for family gameplay)Stuff pack:Paranormal (go really well with Realm of Magic)Tiny living (I like building fonctional tiny spaces)Laundry day (daily family gameplay)

I got the island living because I can't get the cats and dogs because it was out of stock. Thanks @LatinaBunny and all of you I thank you for this kind of things that you did for me. All I need is a game pack but that will take a while.

The last few times I have added to my Sims 4 collection by using that "build-a-bundle" option in the launcher. You select one expansion, one game pack and one stuff pack, and all three are reduced in price. Sometimes you can save quite a bit.I would also echo @Elliandre and @LatinaBunny in suggesting Seasons. Great pack.

What beginner packs should I have for Sims 4?

13 Replies

MeowchaFrappe
4 years ago
Okay, this reply ended up being waaaaaayyyyy longer than I expected. But I hope it helps?

It really depends on what kind of gameplay you'd be interested in to what you should get.

Game Packs

If you're into supernatural things and want to play with/as a vampire or witch then I recommend either getting Vampires or Realm of Magic for your game pack. In both Vampires and Realm of Magic, you start at the bottom ranking and become more powerful as you move up into the ranks and gain perk points which can be spent on powers (vampires) or spellcaster perks (Realm of Magic) Because they have their own game packs dedicated to them. they will allow you to have a very fleshed out experience with either of them.

But if you're more into family play, and like the idea of raising kids and starting a family, then I would go with Parenthood. I'm not much of a family player myself so Parenthood is one of my least favorite packs, but those who do play a lot with families really seem to love it, so I'll recommend it anyway.

I would stay away from Dine Out, Batuu, Dream Home Decorator, Spa Day and Outdoor Retreat for now. Dine Out because it's very bugged and it takes forever for your Sims to actually get their meals. Spa Day and Outdoor Retreat, because even though Spa Day did get a refresh and is a lot better than it was previously, a lot of us tend to feel both of them fall flat compared to other packs. I still think they're worth getting, but at a later time. I wouldn't recommend them as a beginner pack. DHD doesn't really offer much in the gameplay department and is more of a glorified stuff pack if you ask me. It's really more of a pack for builders. Batuu, well... it's a very controversial pack to say the least. A lot of people feel it's just a big old cash-grabbing advertisement for EA's Star Wars games and I've heard that due to limitations of what can/can't be done, the gameplay is lacking. I don't have it though so I can't say for certainty.

Strangerville and Jungle Adventure, although I haven't fully played with them yet also are said to be really cool packs, but there's really not a whole lot of replay with Strangerville since once you solve the mystery, you've solved it. And Jungle Adventure is more replayable than Strangerville from what I heard, but sort of falls in the same category of "you only want to explore the ruins so many times. Again, I'd wait on these if I were you.

Expansion Packs

As far as expansion packs go, it again sort of depends on what you want to prioritize. Most people consider Seasons, Cats & Dogs, Cottage Living or City Living to be their favorites.

Cats & Dogs and Cottage Living both come with animals and are similar in that respect but also quite different. Cats & Dogs as the name suggests focuses more on the pet aspect being centered around, well... Cats & Dogs. And Cottage Living is basically the farming expansion pack and comes with more farm based animals (cows, chickens, llamas) and also wild rabbits and foxes. The animals in Cottage Living are not editable in CAS and you can't add rabbits or foxes into your household, so this one falls behind Cats & Dogs for me. Cats & Dogs although it comes with only cats and dogs I think has much better, fleshed out animals. You can create them right through CAS or you can adopt strays you find on the street after befriending them. They each have their own unique personalities and quirks too, just like real pets. Some people are disappointed that you can't actual play as the pet or control them, but to me it just makes it seem more realistic and like real life. Also in Cats & Dogs, you can own and run a Veterinarian clinic. With Cottage Living, you raise the farm animals, but also crops which you can enter into competitions at the Fenwick Fair. And you can also run errands for the townies as well. And both packs can contribute nicely to family play. But Cats & Dogs also contributes to occult play seeing as you can bind your pet as your familiar.

Seasons, like the name suggests adds Seasons, Weather, and Holidays to the game which is definitely a game changer for sure, but if you're looking for something that adds a lot of things for your Sims to do, it doesn't really have that much other than the different holiday events. You can also create your own holidays which is really cool, and the different Seasons and Weather really makes each world feel different. I do really like this pack, but I'm skeptical about recommending it as a "beginner" pack since it doesn't add a super big amount of new gameplay, but rather enhances the gameplay you already have and making it feel more true to life.

City Living, while not my favorite does add A LOT to the game and is fun. I'm just not super into city life. It not only adds apartments to the game but festivals, and flea market too as well as different careers. You also get a bunch of lot traits & lot challenges with this pack which can be pretty fun. The festivals do give your sims a something to do and you can treat it as a fun outing, but they don't really change much in regards to activities from week to week. They're definitely fun to go to multiple times of course, but I recommend splitting up festival visits as opposed to going to one every day during the week. (ie go to Geekcon in one Sims week, but save Romance Festival for another one.) I'd feel comfortable recommending this as a starter pack, definitely.

Eco Lifestyle, Get Famous, and Discovery University are all very niche expansion packs if I'm being honest. They're not bad or anything but unless you're super into the environment (Eco) fame Get Famous) or college (Uni) I would hold off on them.

Get Together, Island Living, and Snowy Escape are also really good options. Get Together has a club system which can be incredibly helpful and there are a lot of unique lots like the bluffs, ruins and the chalet gardens. Sulani is super fun not only for being able to go to the beach, but there's a lot of culture in Sulani as well. Also, mermaids and dolphins. :) Oh and there are some events that take place there as well. Snowy Escape mostly revolves winter sports like snowboarding and skiing, as well as activities like hiking and sledding. There are also some festivals in Mt. Komorebi, but not as many as San Myshuno has in City Living. Still very good packs in my opinion.

Get to Work is a pretty decent pack as well that adds a lot but being the first expansion pack, it does sort of feel lackluster in comparisons to some of the others. But it's also not bad. It's a sort of "middle ground" pack for me. The main focus is active careers which a lot of people seem to enjoy, but I'm personally kind of "meh" on that. Retail lots, while not totally bugged don't really work right since mannequins cause the game to crash. The retail lots still function if they don't have mannequins though, so a bakery for instance would work just fine. And GTW also comes with aliens. Overall, it's a nice pack but one I would wait on.

To sum up, these would be my recommendations.

Game Packs
- Vampires
- Realm of Magic
- Parenthood

Expansion Packs
- Cats & Dogs
- Cottage Living
- City Living

Also, if you plan on getting an Expansion + Game Pack at the same time, I'd just go for a full bundle since it's not that much more expensive when you tack on a stuff pack as well.
LatinaBunny
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
I feel Seasons is essential if you want actual seasons in your game, seasonal activities and temperatures, and a calendar where you can create your holidays (and change the lengths of seasons).

Everything else depends on your playstyle, pretty much.

Get Together has a nice world and a “grouping” so-called “club”system, where you group any sims to hang out together and do certain activities at certain places.

If you like family play, then Parenthood and the Kids/toddlers packs like Kids Stuff Pack, etc add some gameplay and stuff for families with children (and toddlers). Parenthood adds parenting interactions and small cute things like lunch paper bags, etc. You can have your parent sims influence the children with this pack. I’m a family player, so I really loved this pack and the kids/toddlers stuff packs. The kids one adds a Pokémon activity for kids with collecting the cards and such.

If you love cats and dogs for digital pets, then you would love Cats & Dogs. It has a good selection of cat/dog breeds and some customization for them.

If you like the idea of farming, cross-stitching, gardening some types of oversized crops, and raising farm animals, like cows and chickens, and a cozy cottage/country feel (with a country-styled world), then Cottage Living would be a great choice. I loved this one! There are farming/gardening-related competitions that you can participate in as well.

If you like the idea of apartments and a more city environment, with a world that has some small festivals, then City Living would an alternative choice, if you are not a rural fan.

If you love occult play, or anything with supernatural or magic, then I recommend Vampires (highly recommend!) and Realm of Magic. Vampires bring about a vampire magic system where vampires have a power tier and rank up their skills. I love that you can customize the vampires’ looks and “dark” alter ego side, and that you can choose some of the powers and weaknesses. There is a daywalking ability later on as well. Realm of Magic does something similar with a power system, but with different spells for spellcasters, and is a bit more easier. The aesthetics of each is different, with Vampires having a more gothic feel, while Realm of Magic is more colorful.

The rest of the packs will depend on your own personal tastes and preferences and gameplay wants. I would suggest researching the rest for guides to check for any specifics.

For example, for me:
Mermaids are only in Island Living, but they are a bit limited compared to past mermaids in that there is no underwater swimming or kraken summoning, and they don’t have the in-depth leveling power tier systems that Vampires or Spellcasters do. Stil, Island Living is still a fave of mine, even though it’s limited in play, because I have always loved mermaids/merfolk and I love the island environment.

So, the rest will really depend on your own personal tastes/preferences and gameplay style. ?

Best of luck, and enjoy any of the packs you choose! ??
EnvyTheVyne
4 years ago
Thanks guys
elliandre
4 years ago
If you are going to choose one of each, then of the expansion packs, I would recommend Seasons first. The weather really adds so much beauty to the world and the holidays are a lot of fun.

For the game packs, that's harder, because I love Star Wars and Batuu is my favourite, but a lot of builders don't like that you can't customize the world. I don't want to be responsible if you get mad that you can't build there lol. I think Batuu and Strangerville have fun story lines to follow. For occult play, I love both Vampires and Magic Realm Spellcasters. If you don't want occult Sims though, then I would recommend Spa Day for the first pack. I love having my Sims go to the Spa for hand, foot and back massages or do Yoga. My Sims do yoga and put on face masks or have spa baths all the time, it's really fun. If you want something more adventurous than relaxing at the Spa, then I would go with Jungle Adventure. The world is beautiful and I love the archeology skill and exploring for treasure and artifacts.

If you are thinking of a Stuff Pack, I highly recommend Tiny Living. I love the items and the new small residential lots with extra skill building boosts. Or Nifty Knitting, which is a lot of fun too.
EnvyTheVyne
4 years ago
Alright
Skyrryx
Rising Veteran
4 years ago
@Vyne What do you like? Type of books, movies, hobbies? Do you prefer more realistic or supernatural things? Family or young adult gameplay? Knowing these type of things would be helpful to recommand something tailored to your gameplay, because not everybody like the same things.
Edit: My personal preferences are :
Expansion pack:
Cats & Dogs (I like animals and the world is very good in my opinion)
Cottage living (same thing above)
Get to work (I like opening various business, especially with things you unlock with a skill : farmer market, fish market, bookstore (writing skill), bakery (cooking, gourmet cooking, baking (Get to work)), clothing store (combining with the stylist career and photography skill), furnitures store (handiness table, fabrication skill (Eco living)), flower shop (seasons), souvenirs/gifts shop, gallery and photo studio. The scientist career is good too and the aliens.
Game pack:
Vampire and Realm of Magic (for supernatural things)
Parenthood (for family gameplay)
Stuff pack:
Paranormal (go really well with Realm of Magic)
Tiny living (I like building fonctional tiny spaces)
Laundry day (daily family gameplay)
EnvyTheVyne
4 years ago
I got the island living because I can't get the cats and dogs because it was out of stock. Thanks @LatinaBunny and all of you I thank you for this kind of things that you did for me. All I need is a game pack but that will take a while.
StuffyMarx
4 years ago
The last few times I have added to my Sims 4 collection by using that "build-a-bundle" option in the launcher. You select one expansion, one game pack and one stuff pack, and all three are reduced in price. Sometimes you can save quite a bit.

I would also echo @Elliandre and @LatinaBunny in suggesting Seasons. Great pack.
EnvyTheVyne
4 years ago
"StuffyMarx;c-18044347" wrote:
The last few times I have added to my Sims 4 collection by using that "build-a-bundle" option in the launcher. You select one expansion, one game pack and one stuff pack, and all three are reduced in price. Sometimes you can save quite a bit.

I would also echo @Elliandre and @LatinaBunny in suggesting Seasons. Great pack.

I got a key but I agree with you with the build-a-bundle. Looks like I'll buy it next time.
Thehiddenreturn
3 years ago
@Vyne This post is a bit old so I'm sure you've already made your decision by now. @MeowchaFrappe Good job going into details, but she may not be into the supernatural and may be a family player. But I agree with City Living and Parenthood, Cottage Living isn't a bad option either. @LatinaBunny Also a good job going into details, Seasons is essential, but would I buy it first, maybe, maybe not, see the problem with that is that you don't get a new world to explore. And having that is one of the best things from content you buy. City Living is great for having a world and new activities, jobs, and new families to interact with. Cats and Dogs is also good cause it has a good world, adds the be a vet/own a vet clinic/or create your own. and also has good items and build mode stuff. And yall are right about Parenthood/toddler stuff/kids' room if you want to live in a house and build a family those packs add content your gonna want like kid's room activities and furniture, and best of all the clothes and hairstyles as the base game is lacking in that department. So, Seasons Is a very good choice but you don't get a new world, City Living, Cats and Dogs and Get together all have good worlds and good content so it's a close call for me.