The MySims Cozy Bundle is a pack of two remastered games from the MySims series. While the spin-off of the Sims is a popular series in its own right, I’ve seen some hesitancy by those to dive in to MySims. As someone who has vivid memories of playing the original MySims on the family Wii, I was very excited when I heard it was coming to The Switch and PC. While I will not tell you to for sure buy or not buy it, I do believe this can help you at least know whether it will be worth it or not for you.
History of MySims
MySims was originally released by Maxis and Electronic Arts as a spin-off to the original The Sims series, which had gained incredible success and became household names with their first release of The Sims in 2000 and The Sims 2 in 2004. The MySims series differed from the mainline games in both art style and content, being rated E for Everyone while the mainline games for Windows and Mac were T for Teen. Between 2007 and 2009, MySims released for the Nintendo DS, Wii, smartphones, and mobile phones.
MySims Kingdom is to MySims as The Sims Medieval is to the Sims 3. MySims Kingdom was released for Nintendo DS and Wii in 2008, and was not the only spin-off of the spin-off series MySims. While not included in the bundle, the MySims series also includes follow-ups like MySims Racing, MySims Sky Heroes, MySims Agents, and MySims Party. (Possible future bundles? 👀)
Table of Contents
What is the MySims Cozy Bundle?
The MySims Cozy Bundle is a rerelease of two games from the MySims spin-off series of the 2000’s. The bundle is a port of the original Wii and Windows PC release versions of the games to Nintendo Switch and Windows PC. There were also DS editions, but they were different games and have not been ported or included.
The MySims Cozy Bundle is a re-release and port of the Wii version, rather than a remaster or updated version of the game. Outside of optimization so it works well on newer system, some slight control changes, and ensuring that it can look good on higher resolutions, the game is in the same state as it was when it released in 2007.
MySims Overview
You are the new resident of a town that’s fallen from grace, and you’re tasked by Mayor Rosalyn P. Marshall to build it back to its former glory and attract both new and returning residents. Using building materials and Essences collected through gardening, collecting, and even fishing, you build entire homes, businesses, and furniture for incoming Sims and build friendships along the way!
MySims CAS: 6.5/10
Create-A-Sim in the MySims series is always simplified, primarily because the style the game is in really only allows for simplified, cartoony characters. This means that it is not very extensive, but I still believe most people can create a MySim that looks or feels like them or however they want that MySim to be, even with the barriers in place.
A disappointing aspect of MySims CAS that many, including myself, hoped would’ve been fixed in a rerelease or remaster was how limited the CAS actually is. There is only three available skin tones, four default hair colors (With certain hairs having an extra color specific to them), and eye colors are assigned to different eye shapes.
While these aspects can be stunting for creativity and representing yourself in the game, the CAS is true to the MySims style and has clothing and facial accessory options to help make your character unique. It’s very cutesy and feels nostalgic for those that played the games back when they originally released in the 2000s.
MySims Build/Buy Mode: 8/10
Once you’ve spoken with Mayor Rosalyn P. Marshall, you’re brought to the empty lot where you will build your home. The MySims Build mode is entirely unique and simplified, making it overall easier to grasp for everyone but limiting what you can actually create within the boundaries of the game. Homes and buildings are created from prefabricated items in pre-existing styles, categorized and separated by their function (e.g. roofing, windows, doors, flairs, columns, etc.). Once you’ve built your home, you can then use the Paint Brush tool to adjust the color or color schemes of most items.
The interior, or “buy” mode, uses furniture you’ve collected through gifts or have built yourself, instead of a pre-existing menu of furniture like in the mainline series, and is not changed based on the exterior shape of your home. Using your nearby workshop, which you will also have to build, you can build any number of unique furniture items, either from your own imagination or based on Blueprints, which can be given as rewards from townies or obtained as you progress through the game.
As someone who has almost always primarily played the mainline PC series of The Sims, and who played a good bit of this as a child, the MySims build and buy mode stands out because it makes you build and put effort into almost everything you put in your home, and building is at the center of the actual gameplay. Even with the limitations from prefabricated building pieces, you can create a home that feels unique to you.
MySims Visuals: 9/10
It’s important to view the style and graphics of the game through a specific lens; It released in 2007, is intended to be an “E for Everyone” game rather than “T for Teen”, and it is heavily simplified to be approachable and capable of running on multiple platforms, which included the Wii, PC, and mobile phones. The lead character artist, Emmy Toyonaga, echoes this in an interview with EA Underground in 2009:
The lead designer wanted characters that appealed to the Nintendo market and the game was to be more light hearted and approachable . . . I referenced current Nintendo games and looked at urban vinyl toys as a reference . . . Since The Sims characters have always been more realistic in style, I thought a lighter-hearted version of the Sims should have characters that are small and cute, like toys coming alive.
Emmy Toyonaga, Lead Character Artist of MySims, for EA Underground 2010
Since MySims in the Cozy Bundle is a remaster rather than a full remake, the primary difference in the visuals from the original 2007 release to the Cozy Bundle is updated textures and resolutions. Most textures and details were made higher definition, or redone so they looked smoother since they were being released on more capable consoles and platforms.
I personally love the style of MySims and the visuals because I enjoy the cutesy and cartoony graphics with bright colors that immerse you in their world and provide a unique experience. Even with the range of aesthetics and themes, the overall feeling and vibe is cozy, warm, and overwhelmingly joyful.
MySims Story & Gameplay: 8/10
If you’re a fan of cozy games like Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, Coral Island, etc., you’ll likely enjoy the story of MySims as much as I do because it follows the same formula of “Player character joins town, befriends the locals, and makes the town a better place”. While this sort of plot has been done in tons of games, it’s a great option because it allows players to make characters with their own backstories and without restrictions while keeping an overall goal in mind.
In MySims, you are invited to a town (that you get to name) that has fallen into disrepair and is almost entirely abandoned except for a handful of residents. The town used to have a builder who helped build furniture, homes, and businesses using Essences, but they mysteriously disappeared. Now you’re arriving in town and you have that same ability. You’re tasked with bringing in new sims, building entire buildings and furniture sets, and bringing the town from 0 Stars to a 5 Star rating.
As you progress through star levels, you receive new tools that allow you to open up new worlds. Since you’re continuously building with the goal of unlocking new areas, townies, and businesses, the game is very long-form and has hours upon hours of gameplay. While progressing and inviting more sims to live in your town, the world begins to feel more alive and busy, as you see those sims around your town and interacting with the world around them.
I love this formula and the plot of the game in general. While it is limiting in the sense that there’s little challenge when it comes to actually caring for Sims, as there can be in the mainline series, it is largely overshadowed by the constant gathering of resources and blueprints.
MySims Final Score: 7.9/10
Overall, I think that the original MySims series entry is a great start if you want to break into other Sims console and spin-off series (Other examples include Urbz, Sims Medieval, and many more) or into MySims in general. It’s also a great game if you’re a fan of cozy story games, and you want a break from the open sandbox found in the mainline series and have some guidance along the way.
I personally enjoy it, and it gives me a good break from planning out my Sims lives and trying to balance their ambitions with their ever decreasing motives. MySims feels like a breath of fresh air and a “home away from home”, “Home” being The Sims, so to speak.
MySims Kingdom Overview
You are the new Wandolier of a kingdom ruled by King Roland, rising to your rank as the most important construction worker and architect in town after a series of trials, starting off in your original position as Elmira’s lowly pig herder. Using Mana, you travel the land and assist others in building them the homes and other buildings of their dream. Essences are still present, but they’re generally used to assist with getting new powers for your Wandolier through Scrolls or Tasks.
MySims Kingdom CAS: 6.5/10
One of the biggest differences in the Create-A-Sim system for MySims Kingdom compared to MySims is that you must select either a male or female main character. Although, this doesn’t change much and primarily only changes the clothing and hair options available to you.
Some of the same issues from MySims Create-A-Sim mode did carry over to the release and re-release of MySims Kingdom, primarily with the controls and lack of in-depth customization. While there are plenty of clothing options available, skin tones are still severely lacking with three options available. There is one more voice preset available for each gender, for a total of eight. However, there is also only one slot for face accessories/decals/make-up, compared to two slots for MySims.
While it is still enjoyable, as I believe most Create-A-Sims are in their own ways, I gave it the same rating as MySims for these reasons.
MySims Kingdom Build/Buy Mode: 8.5/10
As the Wandolier, you use your trusty staff and a menu of prefabricated building pieces and sections to create homes and other buildings for your fellow citizens. Instead of the menu we saw in MySims where the pieces were laid out and you had to click through the menus individually, MySims Kingdom returns to the roots of the mainline series with a toolbar menu with icons indicating what category each button is for. These include prefabricated home structures, roofs, windows, doors, and more.
Controls are visually different but structurally the same, except you’re less limited by the bounds of your lot, and you can view the rest of the world while building without a loading screen. In MySims, you just drag items to their respective locations as the player. In MySims Kingdom, your Wandolier is actually using their staff to place the items in their locations. So it is functionally the same, but you get to see your Wandolier doing their thing and being magical.
MySims Kingdom Visuals: 9/10
Aligning itself with the same visual style as the original MySims with a new coat of paint compared to the original Wii/PC release, the Cozy Bundle edition of MySims Kingdom is cutesy with whimsical vibes, letting you immerse yourself in its world. Even though its not set in a modern town like the original MySims and the re-release, the setting of a full kingdom with nature surrounding it fits perfectly into the MySims style.
With the updated textures and resolutions, the game looks as smooth as ever. The simplified textures and cartoony vibes pair well with the very vibrant colors used in the landscaping and on the characters, staying true to both MySims as a series and other fantasy and cozy games.
MySims Kingdom Story & Gameplay: 8/10
Since, like MySims and other games in the series, it is rated E for Everybody, the gameplay doesn’t contain a lot of challenge. There is still no needs or motives to keep up with, your sims don’t have aspirations that can fail or dreams to keep track of, so on and so forth.
Your primary goal, similarly to MySims, is to revive this kingdom and bring it back to its former glory. Using essences, item scrolls, your trusty wand, and your pals Buddy and Lyndsay, you build homes and businesses for the residents of your Kingdom to raise their happiness and progress through the game. More islands and areas of the kingdom unlock as you raise happiness and gain King Points, allowing you to access more Sims, Areas, and Resources to build with and use for quests.
While in MySims, you receive Blueprints to get new furniture options, you get Scrolls that Lyndsay will read and tell you how to complete. With each completed scroll, you receive groups of furniture, prefabricated structures, and paint types. Scrolls are completed by collecting the correct essences, and tend to vary depending on the world or section of the story they’re collected in.
MySims Kingdom Final Score: 8/10
Since it came out a year later, the original release of MySims Kingdom had some time to fix or change any mistakes or unpopular features from the first MySims game, and while some features are better, others feel very similar. However, I think that this is an overall great game if you’re a cozy games player, a big Sims fan, or even someone just looking to dip their toes into something way outside the reach of the mainline series.
The story is fun, the style is adorable, and the world is full of exploration and things to unlock. I personally feel that it’s just a sliver better than the other half of the Cozy Bundle, MySims, because it feels like there is much more to do and achieve.
Final Thoughts
We have seen so many games from the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s return in this age of re-releases, remasters, and remakes. While I do think the MySims Cozy Bundle is a great buy if you don’t have copies of the original games, don’t own a Nintendo Wii but do own a Nintendo Switch or capable PC, or you’re looking for a fresh coat of paint on an old classic, I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re expecting a significant change from the original releases.
While these two installments in the MySims series lack in a lot of areas that newer releases and the mainline series excel in, I think it is overall a great choice and has its own charm. If you’re dipping your toes into the entire MySims franchise or looking to experience some of the unique titles that came to console after the success of The Sims mainline series, this is a great starting point.
Do you have fond memories of the MySims series, or are you planning to jump into it now?
The MySims Cozy Bundle is available on Switch and PC for $40. Check out our other MySims coverage here!
