10 Sims 4 Expansion Packs Every True Fan Should Play

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The Sims 4 has a lot of expansion packs, and each one adds tons of new things to do. These packs introduce new worlds, careers, characters, and gameplay features, often making the game much more enjoyable. While some are better than others, a few are considered essential due to the significant improvements and content they offer.

A lot of players revisit older expansions to rekindle their interest in Sims 4, using the fresh content to try out new ways to play. However, these expansions can be quite pricey – most cost around $40, which is nearly the price of a whole new game. Because of this, it’s important to carefully choose which expansions you buy, focusing on the ones that appeal to you the most.

Horse Ranch

Take Care Of An Amazing Mare

The Horse Ranch expansion for The Sims 4 does exactly what it promises—it adds horses! What sets this expansion apart from others is that you can actually train and ride them, introducing completely new ways to play the game. Building a relationship with your horse is surprisingly enjoyable, though it might not be as complex as some of the other activities added in other expansions.

Training horses in the game lets you customize their appearance, just like you customize your Sims. While this expansion pack might not offer a ton of new features beyond that, it’s perfect for anyone who’s ever wanted to experience the joy of riding a horse across a wide-open landscape.

Get To Work

Find Jobs That Open Up New Gameplay Opportunities

Okay, so the first big expansion for The Sims 4 was Get to Work, and honestly, it was a really solid addition. It wasn’t super flashy, but it added so much detail and opened up a ton of new ways to play. The biggest thing? It let you actually follow your Sims to work! And it added a bunch of new careers, like…

  • Owning a retail business.
  • Becoming a Doctor through medical training.
  • Training to solve crimes as a Detective.

Each job in the Get to Work expansion offers a unique gameplay experience with plenty of new things to discover. You’ll have a lot to explore with over 200 new clothing options for your Sims and the same number of build mode items. Many players consider Get to Work to be one of the most substantial expansions, and it offers excellent replay value if you want to try out all the new careers.

Life & Death

Embrace Mortality And Accept Grief

custom image by Carrie Lambertsen

Most expansion packs aren’t exactly cheerful, but Life & Death for The Sims 4 stands out by adding a surprisingly thoughtful take on mortality. It introduces meaningful changes, like letting your Sims create a Bucket List – a set of goals to achieve before they die – and makes death feel more impactful, as Sims now genuinely grieve for those they lose.

Though it might sound a little dark, this expansion has a lot to offer! Now, your Sims can actually become Grim Reapers, taking on the job of collecting souls – it’s a completely new way to play. Plus, when Sims pass away, they can return as ghosts and interact with the living world, staying connected to the Sims they used to know.

Eco Lifestyle

Life Off The Land And Influence Your World Through Green Actions

The Eco Lifestyle expansion lets your Sims live a self-sufficient life, even without typical conveniences like electricity and running water. It’s a surprisingly in-depth and sometimes tricky expansion where Sims can create their own resources by doing things like building solar panels, collecting dew for water, and composting to grow food. There’s a lot to explore!

The new “Dumpster Diving” feature in Sims 4 helps players build homes even if their Sims are struggling financially. It’s a fun way to find useful items, and with the Neighborhood Action Plans, you can also focus on making your Sim’s community more environmentally friendly.

Investing in environmental science truly makes a difference, helping to reduce pollution and improve the appearance of our surroundings. While adopting a sustainable lifestyle can be challenging, the positive impact of your choices can be incredibly rewarding.

Cottage Living

Leave Civilization To Live Out In The Wilderness

If you’re looking for a peaceful escape and a more sustainable lifestyle, the Cottage Living expansion lets you and your Sims move to the countryside. You can live completely self-sufficiently, growing your own food and disconnecting from modern conveniences in a truly “off the grid” setting, far from the city.

Farming and raising animals in this expansion is surprisingly relaxing and straightforward compared to other parts of Sims 4. It shifts the focus away from detailed life simulation and more towards basic survival – almost like playing Stardew Valley or Minecraft. Plus, the decorative items included are some of the best the game has ever seen, making the expansion worthwhile even if you’re just looking to customize your Sims’ world.

Growing Together

Family Activities And A New Location

Okay, so the ‘Growing Together’ pack is awesome because it really focuses on family life. It’s not just about having a family, but actually raising them and watching them grow. There’s a ton of new stuff to do with your Sims, and what I really like is that the pack gives you goals and milestones to work towards. It makes each family feel unique! You’ll deal with all sorts of life events – midlife crises, new siblings showing up, even relatives moving in – which keeps things interesting and makes my Sims’ lives feel way more realistic and dynamic. It’s a really cool way to shape your Sims’ personalities and see how they develop.

This new expansion introduces San Sequoia, a charming suburban neighborhood for your Sims to explore. It’s a tight-knit community where Sims can build meaningful relationships, adding more depth and detail to their lives and how they interact with each other.

Cats And Dogs

Build Your Perfect Pet For Extra Companionship

Custom image by Katarina Cimbaljevic

If you’re not feeling connected to Sim families, consider getting a pet with the Cats & Dogs expansion pack. This pack includes the Create A Pet tool, letting you design your perfect companion from the ground up. You can customize everything about your animal – its breed, personality, appearance, and more – giving you a lot of creative control.

This expansion lets your Sims build strong, fun relationships with pets. You can even become a veterinarian and diagnose and treat sick animals! Many dedicated Sims 4 players consider this a must-have expansion, and it’s easy to understand why – everyone loves adding more furry friends to their game.

Get Together

Inject Excitement Into Every Sims’ Social Lives

As a huge Sims 4 fan, I honestly think the Get Together expansion is the best one yet! It adds SO much to the game, especially when it comes to activities. The biggest thing for me is the nightlife – you can take your Sims to all sorts of different Clubs where they can hang out, play games, and really become part of a community. Plus, the new world, Windenburg, is gorgeous and full of amazing places to explore and do even more stuff. It just makes the whole game feel so much more alive!

This new expansion focuses on letting your Sims create and join social groups, forming friendships that influence their experiences. New DJ and dancing skills unlock a ton of activities for these groups, offering hours of gameplay. The depth of the new social interactions is so significant, you could easily spend a whole game exploring everything this expansion has to offer.

City Living

Bring On The Big City

The City Living expansion was a significant addition to The Sims 4, introducing a large new world for players to enjoy. It’s a must-have for dedicated fans, offering a wealth of new places for their Sims to explore within a bustling city. The city is full of fresh events, things to do, and locations, a few of the highlights of which are listed below:

  • Arts Quarter (Location)
  • Karoke Bar (Location)
  • Fashion District (Location)
  • Spice Festival (Event)
  • Romance Festival (Event)
  • Roof Parties (Activity)

As a huge Sims 4 fan, I’m really loving the City Living expansion! It adds some cool career paths, like becoming a Politician – you get to be super persuasive! And while apartment life definitely has its quirks – think loud neighbors and the occasional plumbing disaster – it’s a totally different experience than the houses we usually build for our Sims in the base game. It feels much more realistic and adds a whole new level of challenge and fun.

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Honestly, for me, the city itself is what makes the City Living expansion so great! It just feels so much bigger and more detailed than any other expansion pack they’ve released in ages. It really felt like a missing piece of Sims 4, and nothing else has quite captured that same vibe – except for maybe one other thing.

Seasons

So Good It Should Have Been In The Base Game

The Sims 4 Seasons expansion is widely considered the best, and it’s easy to see why. It introduces all four seasons – autumn, winter, spring, and summer – which change the weather and bring a realistic feel to your Sims’ world. The changing seasons and associated holidays make the game feel more dynamic and add depth to your Sims’ lives.

As the seasons change, we see festivals, holidays, and special events happen at certain times of the year. For instance, Sims enjoy dates on Love Day at the start of the year and celebrate Winterfest towards the end. The seasons also influence what Sims wear, offering new ways to customize their appearance to match the weather and environment.

Throughout the year, seasonal activities happen, like Sims going swimming to beat the summer heat. While many of the features in this downloadable content might seem minor, they really add to the overall feeling of a complete and lived-in world, more so than other expansions.

Many players feel the content in Seasons should have been part of the original game, as it significantly improves the overall experience. For dedicated Sims 4 fans, Seasons is a must-have expansion that adds a level of realism and depth that other expansions don’t quite achieve.

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2025-12-22 00:34