For fans of The Sims who are looking for the opportunity to try similar games on the Nintendo Switch, there are quite a variety of games to choose from. From life and farming simulator games to social dynamic management narratives, plenty of titles feature elements of gameplay that share some common ground with different features available in The Sims. Whether a player is looking for an extensive character creator, generous building and decorating mechanics, or gameplay with various interesting social and romantic interactions, there is a game on the Nintendo Switch for everyone.

Many video games feature a strong focus on renovation, where a player can explore the process of restoring areas and crafting items to improve various spaces. There are also some that are ultimately life simulators but feature occult themes that will appeal to players of The Sims who favor installments for the game, like Realm of Magic, Vampires, or Life & Death. For players of The Sims who enjoy a simple theme but also like interacting with other NPCs and exploring romantic and different social options, there are Nintendo Switch games that cater to this preference as well.

10 Explore Endless Customization In Disney Dreamlight Valley

Disney Dreamlight Valley character with brown hair and glasses clasps her hands in delight in front of a jungle and s rock stage.

Disney Dreamlight Valley is a stunning life simulator set in a magical valley that players can restore and customize with a decorating mode reminiscent of Build Mode in The Sims. Players can engage in a variety of quests and tasks to befriend beloved Disney and Pixar characters in a satisfying life simulator gameplay mode. Disney Dreamlight Valley has one of the more extensive character creators in any game that’s available on the Nintendo Switch, ultimately enhancing the overall customization opportunities that the game has to offer.

What also makes Disney Dreamlight Valley a perfect Switch game for Sims fans is its community-driven world. Players can participate in an activity called DreamSnaps, which involves customizing an area according to a brief, taking a photo on the Nintendo Switch, and submitting it to the community. Players then vote on their favorite photos, an activity that's similar to exploring player creations in The Gallery in The Sims. Disney Dreamlight Valley's continuous opportunities to explore customization and decorative options makes the game a suitable choice for fans of The Sims to try out on the Nintendo Switch.

9 Create Your Dream Island In Animal Crossing: New Horizons

A villager taking good care of her turnips

One of the best-selling life/farming simulators of all time, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a must-have on the Nintendo Switch for any player who is a fan of The Sims. The laid-back game features extensive crafting and decoration modes where players can explore creativity and decorate their islands however they like. There might be less in the way of careers, but there's no shortage of things to do.

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While exploring the island and collecting valuable resources, much of Animal Crossing's appeal comes from interacting with other villagers, developing friendships, and discovering the unique personalities of each character. The amount of creative freedom along with the game’s customization options gives Animal Crossing: New Horizons a similar appeal to The Sims.

8 Restore And Relax With Stardew Valley

Happy characters from Stardew Valley
Custom Image by Katarina Cimbaljevic

Stardew Valley sets the bar for all farming and life simulator games. The pixelated simulation game offers an abundance of social and romantic interactions while players inherit and restore a farm. With land full of valuable resources to explore, players can participate in the usual farming simulator tasks like growing crops, fishing, mining, and raising animals.

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What makes Stardew Valley one of the games available on the Nintendo Switch that is the most similar to The Sims is its emphasis on life simulation interactions, which take place through completing tasks and daily management of the game’s events. Socializing with the other villages and building relationships are central aspects of the overall experience.

7 Explore, Craft And Build Friendships In Palia

7-10 Things to Know Before Playing Palia

Palia is a free-to-play game on the Nintendo Switch with a community-driven life simulator element similar to that of The Sims. The game is set in a fantastical world where players can create a character, explore the land, and participate in activities like crafting, community building, and cooking.

Palia has an extensive build mode where players can build and create the homes of their dreams, with many items to craft and decorate with. As an MMORPG, Palia allows players to interact with other players in real time, and its character-building features are comparable to The Sims.

6 Rebuild The Town In My Time At Portia

A well-kept garden in the game My Time at Portia.

My Time At Portia is an open-ended life simulator game available on the Nintendo Switch that is similar to The Sims. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the game is heavily centered around crafting, as players take over a workshop and complete commissions in order to restore the town. Despite the post-apocalyptic concept, it's a perfectly cozy game.

My Time At Portia features a variety of captivating social interactions as well as some romance options that keep the game continuously interesting. The game also features home customization, with options to improve the player character's workshop and house. Like Stardew Valley, there's also an emphasis on farming, where players can grow crops at the same time as crafting items.

5 Forage And Explore In The Whimsical World Of Fae Farm

7 Best Crops To Grow In Fae Farm

For players of The Sims who fancy the more magical themes that the game has to offer, Fae Farm might be a suitable option available on the Nintendo Switch. The fantasy farming simulator offers a relaxing, cozy gameplay experience, with a magical world for players to explore.

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Players can grow crops, craft items, and collect a variety of plants, critters, gemstones, and more while restoring and improving a farm their character inherits. The character creator in Fae Farm is adorable and relatively extensive for a game on the Nintendo Switch, and the game’s decorating elements are somewhat comparable to Build Mode in The Sims.

4 Discover The Power Of Community In Wylde Flowers

Wylde Flowers Drinking a Potion with mushrooms surrounding her.

Focusing a little more on the story but still offering a number of life simulator elements, Wylde Flowers is a cozy and relaxing gaming experience on the Nintendo Switch with social interactions that will satisfy any player of The Sims. Players take on the role of Tara, a young witch who moves in with her grandmother to help with the family farm and discovers that she is, in fact, a witch.

The game features a lot of crafting and collecting with a strong narrative focus that is based on character relationships. Wylde Flowers is similar to The Sims due to its gameplay where players must learn to balance social interactions and dynamics in personal life. It's also another perfect option for those who want a bit more of a magical touch.

3 Unleash Your Interior Design Skills In House Flipper

The cover art for House Flipper, featuring the game's title and logo in front of several houses in a neighborhood.

For any players of The Sims who favor Build Mode over the game's other features, House Flipper is a home renovation and interior design game on the Nintendo Switch that might be a suitable option to try. In House Flipper, players get to buy and improve homes to sell for a profit.

Tasks in House Flipper include things like placing furniture, painting the walls, and installing various fixtures, with room for creative exploration. Each task in House Flipper requires some time management, while each job offers interior customization of the renovated spaces.

2 Build Legacies In Virtual Families 3

A screenshot of Virtual Families

For players of The Sims who enjoy the life simulator elements of the game focused around family dynamics, Virtual Families 3 on the Nintendo Switch is a good option to try. The game primarily focuses on players balancing family life with work and other relationships, managing household needs, and achieving various home upgrades.

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Virtual Families 3 provides similar gameplay to the family management and The Sims while also centering its narrative around daily life. The game offers real-time progression with family generations, so players can focus on family dynamics and legacy in the game.

1 Manage Your Staff And Treat Patients In Two Point Hospital

Two Point Hospital overhead view of a busy hospital

Two Point Hospital is a humorous hospital management game that is sure to appeal to those who enjoy the gameplay features of the Doctor role in The Sims 4: Get To Work. In Two Point Hospital, players can build a hospital where they will treat a variety of different illnesses while managing the hospital’s staff . The game focuses on deg hospital spaces and patient care while also balancing resource management, all while offering quirky simulation gameplay. This game is perfect for those who enjoy management elements of The Sims as well as Build Mode features.

The Nintendo Switch has become a hub for some of the most creative life simulator games that mimic the gameplay features that are available in The Sims. Considering that The Sims games themselves are not available on the Nintendo Switch, the abundance of life simulator games that are available on the Switch can scratch an itch for those looking for something similar to the hit game. Whether its gameplay is based on social or family dynamics, romance options, character customization, or building and decorating, there is an option available on the Nintendo Switch for every fan of The Sims.

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The Sims 4
10.0/10
Released
September 2, 2014

Developer(s)
Maxis
Publisher(s)
Electronic Arts
Franchise
The Sims
Platform(s)
PS4, PC