Parent's Guide: The Sims 3: Pets - Age rating, mature content and difficulty

The Sims 3: Pets is the latest game in the successful life simulation series, The Sims. As a relatively open-ended game, you simply create your own virtual people and guide them about their daily lives - climbing the career ladder, falling in love and growing old.

The game is a bit like playing with a giant virtual dollshouse, so is conceptually quite easy to pick up and play - although there is a fair amount of reading involved, from the menus that let you order your Sims around to the various opportunities and job promotions that crop up, so reading is pretty much a necessity. While there are plenty of tutorials and explanations available if they're struggling, again it's all text so they will need to be able to read fairly confidently to get the most out of The Sims 3. What is probably more of a problem is how awkward the menus and general interface are to navigate around, as you need to switch between various 'modes', and menus quite often.

That said, The Sims 3: Pets is relatively slow paced, giving you plenty of time to get used to the complex interface. While those that prefer the action of Mario and the Lego games may get bored, those who are willing to put in the time in games like Harvest Moon or Animal Crossing will find a lot to like here.

As a game that simulates all aspects of life, it's to be expected that the Sims 3: Hidden Springs will contain at least some mature content. However, as an expansion pack, there's little here that goes above and beyond what was seen on the Sims 3.

First things first, the violence is very much of a tongue in cheek, slapstick affair - basically, if your Sims aren't too keen on each other, they may get into a fight, where the pair are engulfed in a cloud of dust and random limbs periodically poke out the sides as they 'brawl'. As for sex - which is known as 'Woo Hoo' in the world of The Sims, two adult Sims (either opposite sex or the same sex) can choose to 'Woo Hoo' or 'Try For Baby' when interacting with a double bed. At which point, they both dive under the covers and roll around unseen under the covers, giving off fireworks, rose petals and giggles as they get down to business. They then emerge in their underwear/pyjamas and nod off to sleep.

The Sims 3 Pets also has a challenge that requires your Sims to Woo Hoo in several different places - like in a Hot Tub, in the theatre or in the graveyard, as well as travelling to both the past and future to Woo Hoo. Your pets can also have sex - either with the same or opposite sex.

The Sims 3: Pets is an entirely single-player game, with no multiplayer components whatsoever.

Age Ratings

Format Reviewed: Xbox 360