The Sims 3 expansion pack buyer’s guide

The Sims 3: Ambitions

Ambitions not only adds new careers to The Sims 3, but also allows you to register as self-employed to earn money without disappearing all day. With the added professions, you have more control over your Sim’s career, and your town also gets a few new places to visit.

Careers:

Firefighter: As the name implies, your job is to fight fires. Athleticism and handiness are useful here, and you’ll be spending many days and nights at the fire department.

Investigator: Channel your inner Veronica Mars in this career, which tasks you with using your sleuthing skills to solve mysteries around town. This freelance job lets you make your own schedule as you investigate everything from cheating partners to stolen goods.

Ghost Hunter: Who ya gonna call? Those who have had haunted Sim houses know how pesky ghosts can be. The ghost hunter can trap or ward off ghosts.

Stylist: Stylists work in the salon, and have hair and clothing options not available to others while making over Sims. This career utilizes Create-A-Sim mode, only this time, you’re changing the looks of others based on their requests.

Architect: If you love designing your Sim homes from the ground up, you’ll be a great fit for this gig. From replacing windows to total home makeovers, it will be up to you to give your friends and neighbors the upgrades they desire.

Self-employed: Gardener, painter, sculptor, inventor, fisherman; if you like to make money in any of these (or many more) non-traditional ways, make it official by registering as a self-employed worker at City Hall.

Community Lots:

Fire Station: Where firemen and women hang out. Maintain fire alarms so they don’t fail, and be ready to deal with emergencies.

Laundromat:Need to do laundry but can’t afford your own washer and dryer? This is your next stop.

Junkyard: Perfect for aspiring adventures to find scrap.

Consignment Shop: Artists and inventors can sell their creations here, or browse the works of others to buy some unique items.

Hangout: Ideal for party animals and social Sims.

Salon: Get a makeover or a tattoo.

Lifetime Wishes:

Descendent of Da Vinci: Max out the painting, sculpting, and inventing skills.

Fashion Phenomenon: Reach level 10 of the stylist profession.

Firefighter Super Hero: Become a firefighter and save 30 lives.

Home Design Hotshot: Earn 100 top scores as an architect.

Monster Maker: Create three monsters.

Paranormal Profiteer: Reach ghost hunter level 10.

Pervasive Private Eye: Solve 35 cases as an investigator.

Possession is Nine Tenths of the Law: Steal 50,000 simoleans’ worth of objects.

Skills:

Inventing: Create your own gadgets and become a self-employed inventor. Become rich off your brilliant ideas… if you don’t set yourself on fire!

Sculpting: Whether it’s a hobby or your way of earning income, this art form is now available.

Tattoos: Technically released in a patch alongside Ambitions, tattoo artists were designed for this expansion. You can hone your craft and test it on others at the tattoo parlor in the salon.

Traits:

Eccentric: Eccentric Sims make great inventors.

Perceptive: This skill is beneficial to private eyes.

Savvy Sculptor: Learn the sculpting skill more quickly and make more valuable works of art.

Born Salesperson: Get better deals when selling your creations at the Consignment Shop.

Dramatic: Will cause emotional, and sometimes violent, outbursts.

Eco-Friendly: Eco-friendly Sims love to recycle and help the environment.

SimBot: Shockingly, this hidden trait is found in Sims who are SimBots.

Private Eye: A hidden trait gained upon reaching level seven of the Investigator profession, and it can be passed on to children.

Miscellaneous Additions:

A new neighborhood: If you’re bored with the pre-existing towns in The Sims 3, you’ll be happy to move to Twinbrook. This town comes with the new locations already included, though you can add them to other towns as well.

Laundry: You can add a washer and dryer to your home, though this will cause messy Sims to leave piles of laundry every time they change clothes!

Motorcycle: Sims have a cool new way to get around town.

WooHoo in a Time Machine, an object that can be created by advanced inventors.

New home items, new hairstyles, new outfits.