Though not technically an open-world game in the traditional sense,The Sims 4has introduced over two dozen worlds to explore, customize, and live in. There are27 worlds currently available inThe Sims 4, three of which come standard with the base game and the rest shipping as part of various DLC packs.All Expansion Packs and many Game Packs include a new world based on a real-world location, coinciding with the theme of the DLC and prominently incorporating gameplay features from the pack.
Two of the most important choicesSims 4players make are where to place their new Sim’s starter home and where to move once they outgrow it. WhileSims 4players are as diverse as the worlds and Sims they create, some locations tend to stand out as superior places to live and play, no matter what kind of characters they design or whichSims 4challengethey are taking on. Excluding destination worlds like Batuu, Selvadorada, and Granite Falls along with retail-only worlds, thebest worldsare all great options when planning your next save file.
10Newcrest
Base Game
Newcrest is unique amongSims 4worlds because it is a completely blank slate. Unlike every other world in the game, none of the lots are pre-populated, leaving an entire world open for players to build. The intense ability to customize nearly every aspect of Newcrest makes it a beloved starting world for manySims 4players, especially those who enjoy building or participating inLegacy challenges with large Sims families.
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Like mostSims 4worlds, Newcrest contains three neighborhoods with five lots, each of varying sizes. The background has pre-built houses and high-rise buildings, but none are accessible even as rabbit holes. The theme of the world from the background feels Americanized and suburban, but thelack of default lots means players can essentially theme it however they chooseas they build.
Newcrest represents possibilities and fresh starts for Simmers, and it has the added bonus of being accessible to every player now thatSims 4is free to play. There is something to be said for having the ability tostart with a blank canvas and create a fully custom worldin which to play, and EA eventually releasing another blank world in the style of Newcrest would be a great way to add further customization to the game.
9Mt. Komorebi
Snowy Escape Expansion Pack
Mt. Komorebi is a Japanese-inspired world with two distinct areas:a city, and a snow-covered mountain. As it came with theSims 4: Snowy EscapeExpansion Pack, the world includes tourism activities like festivals, extreme sports like skiing, snowboarding, and mountain climbing, hiking trails, and even a traditional hot spring bath.
Mt. Komorebi has three neighborhoods and consists of 14 standard lots and three hidden lots. Of these, six are residential, three areresidential rental properties for vacations, three are community lots (a bar, a lounge, and the onsen bathhouse), and the threehidden lots are part of the mountain climbing excursion. The mountain itself is a completely unique feature not found anywhere else inThe Sims 4, with perpetual snow coverage and access to winter sporting activities year-round.
Mt. Komorebi is, so far, theonly strictly Japan-inspired world inThe Sims 4, and its atmosphere is rich with nods to Japanese culture. Given the majority ofSims 4worlds tend to be American- or European-themed, the unique cultural landscape of Mt. Komorebi, coupled with the sheer volume of activities available and the fact that it can be both a destination world and a residential world, make it one of the best places in which to build and play inThe Sims 4.
8StrangerVille
StrangerVille Game Pack
StrangerVilleis a uniquely divisiveSims 4Game Pack, and its titular world can be equally divisive. It delivers a dingier, run-down desert town similar to the base game’s Oasis Springs but arguably delivers on the aesthetic far better. StrangerVille is one of the onlySims 4Game Packs toinclude a campaign that dynamically affects the worldas players complete it. It is also the onlySims 4world to include a trailer park, which gives it a unique flair for telling certain stories.
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There are two neighborhoods in StrangerVille, consisting of nine residential lots, two community lots, and one special lot.Military personnel, scientists, andconspiracy theorists all make the world feel more aliveand add something different to interactions with NPCs. In addition, nighttime in StrangerVille feels more foreboding, with non-occult NPC Sims acting and moving strangely.
StrangerVille feels like a small, southwestern American town where everyone knows everyone and where the residents are harboring a secret. The world changes based on player choices, and the theme remains strong both before and after the mystery plot is resolved. It’s delightful to play in and one of the most unique worldsSims 4has to offer.
7Willow Creek
On the surface, Willow Creek can seem somewhat basic. Even with the recentbase game lot refresh, it is one of two original Sims 4 worlds that shipped with the base game back in 2014. However, despite its ubiquity, itremains a popular spot for Simmers to place or purchase a starter homeand begin whateverSims 4story they have planned.
Willow Creek bears a resemblance to New Orleans, Louisiana, with French Colonial home styles and a swampy bayou. The world includes 16 residential and five community lots spread across six neighborhoods. The world is home to someiconicSims 4NPC townies, including the Goths, the Spencer-Kim-Lewises, and the Pancakes Family.
Willow Creek includes aSims 4hidden world, Sylvan Glade, which is only accessible via interactions with the unique Sylvan Tree at Foundry Cove near the recently updated Crick Cabana lot. Sylvan Glade includes rare collectibles and the exclusive Treefish. It can also be built on using thebb.enablefreebuildcheat.
Despite being one of the oldestSims 4worlds, Willow Creek holds up to this day. Collectors can appreciate the good items found in this base game world, family players and storytellers can choose from diverse lots to raise generations of Sims to adulthood, builders can create all kinds of residential and commercial buildings that fit right in with the world’s strong southeastern US theme, and explorers candiscover the secret regions and enjoy the scenic natural landscape. There is something for everyone in Willow Creek and something to be said for getting such a complete, timeless world for free.
6Sulani
Island Living Expansion Pack
Of all theSims 4worlds,Sulani may be the most strikingly different from anywhere elseas it introduces players to a veritable island paradise. It isn’t locked behind the destination world feature like Selvadorada, meaning players can live on and explore the island or visit it on vacation, depending on their preferences. Coastal worlds tend to be incredibly popular with Simmers, but none offer quite the same atmosphere as that of Sulani.
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Based on Hawai’i and other Pacific Islands, the landscape of Sulani is a tropical archipelago, interrupted only by towering volcanoes, caves, and even a waterfall. The world is dynamic, like StrangerVille, and once the beach has been cleaned up and conservation efforts are in full effect, the community can gather together forhidden beachfront festivalsin clear blue waters. There are three neighborhoods in Sulani, containing 11 residential lots and three community lots. Many lots are on the water, encouraging crafty Sims builders to get creative andbuild houses, bars, and even libraries or shops on stilts or platforms.
Relaxing beach and waterfront pastimes like jet skiing, swimming, and fishing are encouraged. Mermaids can be spotted swimming in the waters, and Sims can even choose to become mermaids and explore the sea. The atmosphere is far more relaxed compared to the bustle of a city like San Myshuno or Newcrest, and the community is close-knit like that of StrangerVille, making for a unique balance that helps Sulani remainone of the best worlds inThe Sims 4to play in and explore.
5Henford-On-Bagley
Cottage Living Expansion Pack
Like Sulani,Henford-On-Bagley offers Sims a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of city lifeand live in a cozier, more rural place at a slower pace. Henford-On-Bagley feels like a quaint town in the British countryside, with plenty of open land for farming and animal husbandry and a small town square that hosts festivals and farmer’s markets. Henford-On-Bagley is one of only threeSims 4worlds with wild animals roaming around on the various lots, which helps it feel more dynamic and alive.
There are 12lots in Henford-on-Bagley, spread over three neighborhoods. Only two lots are communal, with the option to build more if they so choose.The landscape is green and lush, with rolling hills and a river running through town, as well as a dense, wild forest area full of animals to befriend, where the Creature Keeper lives. Those looking for a more rustic lifestyle for their Sims and families may choose to live in Henford-On-Bagley. It can also be a perfect place for older Sims to move to after a busy life in the city and enjoy retirement.
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There’s much to be said for the slower pace and closer-knit community of life in Henford-On-Bagley. There is also quite a bit of lore associated with the world, with plenty to discover by chatting with NPCs, running errands and doing odd jobs for them, and exploring. Additionally, the way it synergizes with many otherSims 4DLC, especially occult packs likeRealm of Magic, animal-oriented packs likeCats and DogsandHorse Ranch, and even smaller packs likeCrystal Creationsand theCastle EstateKit, makes ita strong choice for Simmers of all playstyles looking to tell cottagecore-inspired stories.
4San Myshuno
City Living Expansion Pack
Before theFor RentExpansion Packallowed players to build apartments in anySims 4world, one of theonly places to rent rather than buy was San Myshuno. The city remains one of the most beloved worlds to play in, both for its vibrant neighborhoods and its numerous community activities and festivals. Though the name and layout of the city are clearly based on San Francisco, it pulls from other influences as well, including New York City, Sydney, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, with elements of Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Moroccan cultures.
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There are four neighborhoods in San Myshuno and one special lot containing a massive Central Park. San Myshuno isfairly large for aSims 4world, containing 18 lots across nine apartment buildings (with 21 units spread between them), two penthouses, one residential lot, and six community lots. The world also includes set dressing that makes it look and feel like a bustling city, with many high-rise buildings in the background and what appear to be cars and low-poly pedestrian Sims nearly everywhere.
San Myshuno feels like a real city and tends to be afan-favorite place to start young adult Sims, as renting can feel like a more relatable situation at that life stage than putting down roots by purchasing a home. With so much to do and see and realistic starter apartments for any style of Sims player, San Myshuno feels full, bustling, and diverse in a way most Sims worlds cannot replicate, which earns it a high spot on this list.
3Copperdale
High School Years Expansion Pack
At first glance, Copperdale doesn’t feel especially unique amongSims 4worlds. It is another American-style town built on a river. However, looking deeper, it is one of the more unique worlds inThe Sims 4thanks to itsreliance on a moody, Pacific Northwestern aesthetic often found in teen dramas; allegedly, both the name and the theme are a nod to the CW’sRiverdaleseries based on the Archie comics, featuring teenagers navigating the drama of growing up and uncovering mysterious secrets about their small, suburban town.
There are 14 lots in Copperdale, some of which are not available anywhere else inThe Sims 4. In addition to the seven residential lots, there are five community lots. These include the High School and Auditorium lots, which provide something like an Active career with Teen Sims by taking them through a day of school and various extracurricular activities; the ThrifTea combination Bubble Tea and Thrift shop, where Teens can gather together and refresh their identity with a trendy new look; and the Pier, which boasts rabbit hole carnival rides that double as greatdate and WooHoo locations.
The biggest reason for Copperdale’s popularity is arguably thatonly Sims living there may actively attend the High School and its events. Like San Myshuno for rentals, until playable High Schools can be built in any world, Copperdale just makes sense to inject more realism intoSims 4gameplay. Beyond that, however, there’s something unique about the aesthetic of Copperdale as well as its potential to synergize with other packs likeVampires,Werewolves,Spooky Stuff, andGet Togetherto help Simmerslive out their ultimate Young Adult Fantasy stories.
2Windenburg
Get Together Expansion Pack
For many Simmers,Windenburg is exactly what they want from aSims 4world. It’s enormous, boasting the largest number of lots out of any otherSims 4world before or since. It is also well-themed, with a German-inspired, European Tudor style that fits theSims 4: Get TogetherExpansion Pack’s aesthetic and club features wonderfully. Despite being thefirst realSims 4Expansion Pack world, it arguably mastered the formula and has become the world to which many Simmers compare new releases.
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Windenburg is the most populatedSims 4world, with 26 NPC Sims calling it home by default. The world consists of four neighborhoods: an old village, a modern shoreside neighborhood, a countryside, and an island region off the coast. Crumbling walls dotting the landscape contribute to the city’s ancient feel, and three special lots provide a place for Sims to hang out or explore ruins and natural wonders. With 14 residential and 13 community lots, Windenburg offers plenty of space to build, multiple starter homes, and several late-game mansions. The city includes cafés and pubs, plus several contemporary-style European nightclubs.
Like San Myshuno, there’s plenty to see and do and many ways to customize the world to fit nearly everySims 4playstyle. Windenburg is also one of the worlds thatsynergizes best with nearly all otherSims 4DLC packs, includingCottage Living,Island Living,Seasons,Life & Death,Crystal Creations, and evenFor Rent, making it a relevant world to play in even a decade after its original release. It is easily one of the best worlds available inThe Sims 4.
1Brindleton Bay
Cats & Dogs Expansion Pack
Dramatic weather patterns and stunning oceanfront views await any Sim who settles in Brindleton Bay. Based on the American northeast, particularly Maine, Brindleton Bay sports docks, beaches, and a towering lighthouse (which doubles as a WooHoo spot), with lots of outdoor space that’s perfect for Sims and their pets to enjoy. Like with Henford-on-Bagley, the presence of free-roaming animals makes the world feel significantly more inhabited and alive, and befriended strays can be easily adopted and added to a Sim’s growing family.
As Brindleton Bay with theCats and DogsExpansion Pack, it is theonly place in all ofThe Sims 4where stray cats and dogs wander freely. One is even the town’s mayor: Mayor Whiskers.
Brindleton Bay is one of the largest and most well-themed worlds inThe Sims 4and is the best for starting a new game, especially for players who do not want to settle in one of the base game worlds. It includes four neighborhoods with 11 residential lots and five community lots. These lots are rather diverse, sizable, and perfect for building large, Cape Cod-style family homes or tight, northeastern brownstones. The landscape of Brindleton Bay is gorgeous and dramatic, with beaches, cliffs, forests, and fields.
Though severalSims 4worlds pull off a coastal vibe, and many are inspired by American cities and towns, Brindleton Bay is so far the onlySims 4world based on the American northeast. Itabsolutely nails the vibrant aesthetic and nostalgic atmosphere of the New England seaboard. There’s something so magical and alive about playing in Brindleton Bay, and through dozens ofSims 4DLC releases, it remains a world beloved by many Simmers (including this one).
