Metacritic Games

Sims 2: Pets, The (GameCube)

Sims Have New Friends - Pets! Sims can share their lives with their new pets and add more fun to the Sims experience. From dogs, cats, caged animals and more, your Sims share new friends to experience life's precious moments. With so many different animals to choose from, there’s no telling what unpredictable experiences could occur. Create-A-Pet: Choose from dozens of dog and cat breeds or customize features for a one-of-a-kind pet. You can even modify your pet's body shape by choosing from specific colors and unique markings. Don't like the way they act? Change their personality – from smart and sweet to silly and sloppy – anyone can create their ideal animal friend in The Sims 2 Pets. Your Sims can encourage and discipline pets, training them to shake, roll over, play dead, and more. Unruly pets might dig in the yard, claw the sofa, or topple the trash. Thankfully, a little training can go a long way. Create and control digital characters over a lifetime, setting their goals in life from popularity and romance, to fortune and family– their stories are in your hands. Use special codes to share unlockable pet accessories, fur types or markings with other The Sims 2 Pets players. Take your Sims and their pet for a romp at any of the nearby park areas, or head to the Central Town Park which is a favorite of pet owners. While there, watch your pet play well with others while your Sim can meet others and socialize with fellow animal lovers. Visit the adjoining Town Center, a great gathering spot for Sims that evolves over time. Once you’ve seen the latest styles and decided on a purchase, deck your pet out in the latest clothing and accessories around. From geek to chic and cool to casual, your Sim can customize their pet’s look with one stop in the Town Center. [Electronic Arts]

Electronic Arts
Simulation
Players: 2
T (Teen)
Developer: EA Redwood Shores
Released October 17, 2006

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

66 / 100

Critic Reviews

83	Gaming Age For an expansion pack, there is plenty to do and see and it adds a completely new level of variety to your Sims' already busy life.
80	Yahoo! Games Rarely does an expansion (or companion, in the case of the PS2 and GameCube) see content integrated so well into an existing game. After a few minutes playing Pets, you'll feel as if the animals have always been a part of your gaming life.
75	GameZone This isn’t the best buy for those who have played the series to death. But if you haven’t, then get on board with this animal update.
75	eToychest The expansion only changes the game on a strictly superficial level, although it does this extremely well.
71	GameSpot The Sims 2: Pets adds some moderately interesting animal companions, but offers a surprisingly strong Sims 2 experience.
70	AceGamez I'm disappointed at the lack of defining complexities that grace every Sim game that appears on the PC platform. It's almost insulting - console users aren't dumb, we can handle some dimension!
70	Pro-G Overall gameplay improvements make Pets a better game than Sims 2 on consoles was last year, and animal lovers will no doubt spend hours creating their ultimate cat or dog, complete with embarrassing clothes and lovable personality.
70	1UP Maxis hasn't changed the game drastically and shouldn't have to for an expansion pack that is adding a new (and cute!) perspective to an already solid game.
66	NGamer UK The addition of pets has made Sims 2 marginally cuter, but the novelty quickly wears off as you still spend the majority of your time making sure the toilet is regularly cleaned. [Nov 2006, p.65]
65	Nintendo Power The question is, would you rather simulate real life or just live it? [Jan. 2007, p.110]
60	Game Informer Apart from the animal stuff, the core game has also undergone some tweaks, like a greater sense of ownership of your surroundings. It doesn’t make Pets more fun, though; the lack of sufficient rewards and direction neuters the whole experience and makes it a chore to play.
60	GameSpy The Sims 2 Pets expansion pack could be a good purchase for PC gamers, but buying it for $39.99 on consoles is the kind of choice that will only satisfy the kind of people who keep a place for their cat at the dinner table.
50	Games Radar If you can play this on a computer, do so. If you already own The Sims 2 for GameCube and are considering paying full price again to get the Pets feature, don't.
50	Gamestyle Competent if uninspired.
30	N-Europe If you want to play The Sims, go out and buy a PC and the game too. It may be a lot more expensive this way but for the true Sims experience I would recommend it.