Games Like Sims (2026): 10 Life Simulation Games to Try

The Sims has been the go-to life simulation for years, and it's easy to see why: you create people, build their homes and watch their little lives play out. But maybe you've played it for ages, or you'd like a different take on the idea. Plenty of games share the same love of everyday life.

Here are ten games like Sims, listed in no particular order and sorted from A to Z. They range from realistic life sims to cosy island and village games, and a couple are free phone games. Every detail comes from each game's own store page, so I've left out anything I couldn't confirm there. For more ideas on a console, my guide to life simulation games on Nintendo Switch is worth a look.

Sims-style games side by side

In the free to play column, Yes means the game's store page lists it as free to download, and No means it isn't. Store listings change, so check the page in your own country before you decide.

Game	Platforms	Good for	Free to play
Animal Crossing: New Horizons	Nintendo Switch	Building a relaxed island life at your own pace	No
Avakin Life	iPhone, iPad	Dressing an avatar and hanging out in a 3D world	Yes
BitLife	iPhone, iPad	Living a whole life through text choices	Yes
Disney Dreamlight Valley	Windows (Steam)	Befriending Disney characters and restoring a valley	No
Fields of Mistria	Windows, Linux (Steam)	Farming and friendship in a colourful town	No
Hometopia	Windows (Steam)	Building and decorating homes from the ground up	No
inZOI	Windows, Mac (Steam)	Realistic characters with detailed customisation	No
My Time at Sandrock	Windows (Steam)	Running a workshop and helping a desert town grow	No
Paralives	Windows, Mac (Steam)	Open-world life sim with flexible home building	No
Stardew Valley	Windows, Mac, Linux (Steam)	Farming, friendships and a quiet country life	No

Ten life sim games for fans of the Sims, A to Z

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Best for: Players who want a calm life game about decorating, collecting and visiting animal neighbours, with local and online play with friends.

Avakin Life

Best for: Players who enjoy dressing up a character, decorating a home and meeting others in a social virtual world on a phone.

BitLife

Best for: People who like the story side of life sims, where every decision shapes a character from childhood onwards, all in quick text prompts.

Disney Dreamlight Valley

Best for: Fans of Disney who want a cosy life game with quests, crafting and a home to decorate alongside familiar characters.

Fields of Mistria

Best for: Players who'd like to combine home and farm decorating with a large cast of townspeople to talk to and get to know.

Hometopia

Best for: People who love the building and decorating side of life sims and want freedom to design houses with detailed tools.

inZOI

Best for: Players who want a realistic life sim with detailed character creation, listed on Steam as early access, with new updates arriving.

My Time at Sandrock

Best for: Players who'd like crafting, building and relationships with neighbours more than a traditional house-and-career setting.

Paralives

Best for: People who love customising people and homes, and don't mind that the game is listed on Steam as early access.

Stardew Valley

Best for: Players who want a slower life sim built around a farm, a year of seasons and a friendly community of villagers.

Picking a life sim that fits how you play

Life sims mean different things to different people. Before you pick one, think about which part of the Sims you'd miss most.

• Making people. Some games let you create detailed characters. Others give you a ready-made cast or a single avatar.
• Building and decorating. If designing homes is the part you love most, look for games with plenty of building tools.
• Story and choices. Some games are about the decisions a character makes across a lifetime, rather than the house they live in.
• Pace. Cosy games let you drift along. Realistic ones can ask you to manage needs, moods and routines.
• Early access. A few games here are listed as early access, which means they're still being developed. Read the store page notes before you commit.
• Your device. Check the store page lists your phone, console or computer.

The different flavours of Sims-like life games

• Realistic people sims put detailed characters and houses at the centre, much like the game that made the genre famous.
• Cosy village and island games focus on making friends, collecting things and decorating at a relaxed pace.
• Text-based life games turn a whole life into a series of decisions, which suits quick sessions on a phone.
• Social avatar worlds centre on dressing a character and meeting other players online.
• Building sandboxes are for people who mostly want to design and furnish homes.

If you'd like to try life simulations without needing a connection, my list of offline simulation games for Chromebooks covers options that run without internet.

Check these before you install a Sims-like game

• Do I want a realistic game or a cosy, gentle one?
• Is it early access, and am I happy with a game that's still changing?
• Does it work offline, or is it built around online play?
• Will my phone, console or computer run it? What do the system requirements say?
• What age rating does the store give it, if a child may play too?

Settling into a new life sim

1. Start with the tutorial, even if the game feels familiar.
2. Give your first character or home a simple goal, so you've got something to aim for.
3. Look in the settings for options such as pausing time or adjusting difficulty.
4. Take breaks. Life sims are easy to lose an evening to.
5. If a game doesn't click after a few sessions, try another instead of forcing it.

Parents: age ratings and chat in life sims

Life sims can look innocent, but ratings vary. The two phone games here carry different App Store ratings, and games with online chat can put your child in touch with strangers. Check each game's age rating, look at its chat and online features, and use your device's parental controls before a child plays.

Easy slips when shopping around for games like Sims

• Expecting a copy of the game they know, then feeling let down by a different style.
• Ignoring early access notes and expecting a finished game.
• Skipping the store page and finding the game doesn't run on their device.
• Handing a phone game with online chat to a child without checking the settings.
• Installing several at once and never settling into any of them.

Do you make mobile or PC games? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

Your next life sim

Think about what you love most, whether that's the characters, the homes, the stories or the calm. Try one or two games that match, play for a few evenings, and keep the one you look forward to opening. There's no right answer, and a different life sim can be a refreshing change.

Frequently asked questions

Are there games exactly like the Sims?

No other game is an exact copy, but many share the idea of everyday life. Some focus on building homes, others on relationships or the story of a character, so try a couple to see what suits you.

Are there free games like the Sims?

Two games on this page are listed as free to download on their store pages. The others aren't listed as free. Check the store page in your own country for the current details.

Can I play life sims on my phone?

Yes, a couple of the games here are phone games. The rest are on computers or Nintendo Switch, so check each store page for supported devices.

Are life sim games suitable for children?

It depends on the game. Check the age rating on each store page, look at online chat features and use your device's parental controls.

What does early access mean?

Early access means the game is on sale while still being developed. It may change, gain features or have rough edges, so read the store page notes before you decide.