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The Sims Vacation

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 143 / 165
Date: February 18, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This is the 4th expansion on the original sims game released in May 2002, Vacation will introduce being able to take the whole household to `Vacation island' (A fully customisable island with various lots) The island has three sections Woodland camping, Snowy mountain and Beach all of which have objects and accessories themed to match. Whilst there your sims can enjoy the sun soaked beaches and fluffy snow but pressures such as money and deteriorating friendships put a strain on time spent there (although short term help is available like postcards for friends and slot machines for money) There are various souvenirs to be found, bought and won and an entertaining posse of characters including the pickpocket, hotel staff and kiddies entertainers. New objects include the arcade games, souvenir cabinet, snowboard half pipe, crazy golf, pool slide, skating rink, fishing pier, igloos and tents. In fact there is over 140 new objects to make amazing resorts from. You design the island and build up hotels, log huts, woods you name it! And you create the fun when you control the holiday! Its runs a bit slower but overall this game looks really cool and is sure to re-addict any bored sims user, and there are no found bugs yet. Whether the sims has been milked enough is yet to be seen.

The Best Expansion Pack Yet!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 104 / 112
Date: April 04, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I sound like a broken record but The Sims: Vacation is absolutely the best expansion pack Maxis has produced yet.

I've made four pages of notes so let's get started with the new objects available in Buy Mode:

* New Pool Chairs and patio table
* "Critter Creek" Lounger (for the lodge)
* Beach bench and picnic table (table looks like it's been carved with those "I love so-and-so" and "Joe was here" type of messages)
* Sew Doe Sofa
* The NoTell Motel Bed (lime green comforter with yellow headboard)
* Lodge-Type Bed with logs (very cool!)
* Souvenir Storage System
* Curio Cabinet
* Wall Cabinet
* Tree Trunk Coffee Table (extremely neat!)
* Polar Bear Rug
* Floral Fencing
* Rock Fence
* New Clock Post
* Sim Mars Video Game
* ST2 - Barky's Revenge Video Game
* Blue Barbecue Grill
* New Buffet Table
* Shower Tub Aqua-Fluvium
* Redwood Hot Tub
* Octane Drain Camp Lantern
* Midnight Bison Table Lamp
* Volleyball Court
* Pool Slide
* New Mirrors
* Water Lilies, Cattails, Tumbleweed and other plants
* New Trees
* Moderne Decko Arch
* Deluxe Awning
* New Staircases
* New Fireplaces (Stone-looking, very fancy)
* New Windows (All Kinds)
* New Doors
* New Floors and Walls

There are also new objects only available on Vacation Island:

* Frost Fortress for Snowball Fights
* Water Balloon Fortress
* Alpine Snow Slide (The Sims love this!)
* Igloo You Can Rent for the Night
* Dart Game With Balloons
* Archery
* Strength O'Meter
* Chicken Toss Game
* Bust-A-Clown (Water Game where Sims shoot water into a clown's mouth to make his head explode)
* Whack-a-Will
* Carnival Prize Booth to Redeem the Tokens You Win at Games for Prizes
* Super Pipe for Snowboarding (The Sims love this too!)
* Eco-Dependency Recliner (The description says two Sims sit in these side-by-side chairs and one's mood rubs off on the other)

There's also a clothing rack just for kids so now your Sim kids can buy bathing suits, pajamas, etc. like the adults do in downtown. Also, kids and adults can purchase Winterwear so they won't be cold in the mountains.

The Vacation Director also tells you that if you go to the pool, for example, in your winterwear or if you go to the colder climates in your swimsuit that you will be "VERY uncomfortable."

If you want to be completely surprised by Vacation, you probably don't want to read the rest of this review. Spoiler Alert!

When your Sims are ready to redeem their tokens for prizes, they can choose from a wooden squirrel, lava idol, stuffed penguin, coconut monkey, quartz skull, stuffed guinea pig, chicken cookie jar or a baby doll. Each one requires a certain amount of tokens that you have to win by playing the various games on Vacation Island.

When you go to lots that have ducks on the water, the ducks actually move and quack.

Depending on what lot you're on (such as snow or beach), the rental shack has different functions. For instance, you can't rent a sandcastle kit when you're staying on a lot that has snow. Here are the various things you can rent: picnic basket, metal detector, bow and arrow, fishing pole, tent (for the night), igloo (for the night), snowman kit, sandcastle kit and a bow and arrow for archery.

The Sims love to fish. So far, I've seen them catch some sort of pond grass goo, fish (they throw them back) and a boot.

One of my Sims used a metal detector. He found money, an arrowhead and also a boot. He even brought the boot home and put it right on the kitchen table!

Your Sims can "play" in both the tents and igloos.

There are also new kid interactions. What I've discovered so far is rough house (the two Sims look like they're throwing play punches), kids can do a handstand, crazy dance and play, rock, paper, scissors. These are just the ones I've seen so far but Maxis said there are tons of new kid interactions.

The manual also states to look out for the "flying hug." My Sims haven't done that yet but it's worth mentioning.

Also, and this is so cute, when my Sim adult and her son were making a snowman, they got all three pieces of the snowman put together (his body). Then the boy jumped into his mother's arms and she held him close to the snowman's face so he could put on the snowman's eyes, mouth, nose, scarf and hat.

Another thing I've noticed is that when your Sims build a snowman, they have different hats. Some Sims will put a baseball cap on the snowman, others might put a straw hat. I've seen three different hats so far.

I haven't had any bugs or other problems. It takes a bit longer to load with all of the previous expansion packs installed. I have 128 megs of RAM and don't have any issues with the game running slowly. I have heard of others who have a lot more memory who also say it takes a while for the game to load.

But it's nothing serious and it definitely isn't worth passing up this expansion pack for if you really want it.

I hope this info helps!

Let your Sims relax and unwind with Sims Vacation!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 80 / 116
Date: March 12, 2002
Author: Amazon User

The all new expansion pack for The Sims looks super!! Even better than all other expansion packs released to date. I have not yet played this game but I cant wait to!! New features include:
Water Slide
Snow ramp
Half pipe
Various souveniers

There are also loads new activities for your Sims to participate in such as:
Fishing
Snowboarding
Snowball fights
Building snowmen
Building Sandcastles
Mini Glof
Beach Volley Ball
Archery
Whack a Will
Shoot a clown
Camping
The Claw Machine and many more..

There are three different conditions your Sims may go to. Forest, Beach and Winter wonderland! They stay in hotels and the staff are at your command. Watch out though. Theres a pickpocket about and he'll steal your last penny from you! If your kids decide to misbehave and annoy other tourists you could be landed with a hefty fine. Now there are more social interactions such as "scold" between a parent and child. If you get the chance to buy this game go for it because its gonna be the game of the decade. ...
Thanx for reading my review!!

Nice!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 26 / 28
Date: April 08, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This expansion pack again takes the Sims beyond their neighborhoods, adding another dimension to the game. A Vacation Island provides three beach lots, three wooded, and three snow-covered, with your choice of luxury resorts, or down and dirty camp sites. The pack provides some new non-player characters, and some fellow tourists for interaction. Personally, I hate kids, but this expansion does jazz up the interactions that the Sims can have with their kids, making them more interesting and a tad less irritating, if you insist on having them. There are many new objects, a lot of them for entertainment on your vacation lots, but there are many which can be used in your Sims' homes, and I felt that the new objects were worth the price of the pack. Time doesn't pass in the Sim home while they're on vacation, so they don't lose jobs while they're away. There's oodles of new discoveries, for example, renting a metal detector, which lets you find wonderful things like treasure chests and old boots, which the Sims bring home and display. The Sims are very fond of their souvenirs, one of mine enthralled her friends for hours with an old boot!

When a family goes on vacation, unlike Downtown, all members are controllable. This is good. However, if a Sim invites a non-family Sim on vacation, the guest is not controllable. Unfortunately, the guests are too stupid to take showers or use the bathroom and since you can't tell them to, they become miserable. This is bad. Also comical. They'll pee themselves and then hop into bed with their host. So far this is the only gripe that I have. I do have to say I'm not enchanted with the characters who were put in to entertain the kids, although the upside there is that occasionally the kids kick them in the shins.

I had no trouble either installing or running this pack, but you'd be well-advised to heed the installation guide and close any open programs, and do a scan disk and defrag before installing, this game is very demanding of your computer. But whereas the last Sims expansion pack, Hot Date, seemed to make interactions cumbersome and unbalanced at times, this one is lithe and pleasant to play, and I'm loving it.

The Sims Vacation allows, Vacationing!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 61 / 93
Date: February 22, 2002
Author: Amazon User

The Sims Vacation, a all resort guide to good life to The Sims, or worring about Livin' Large's Mad Scientist Chemisty Set, or worried about House Party's Mime, and no worring about Hot Date's having a bad date, now your just relaxing over the sun!

In Hot Date, you get Downtown's for each neigherhood, now you get ten Vacation Islands with different themes like winter, Beach, and Forest. Also in Vacation, kids will have more interaction then what they do in Hot Date, they barely do anything in Hot Date, this will change this compility.

In Vacation, you will have more gift's for Hot Date, Sims can win prizes in Carnives, and even win a trophy! In Vacation, you can have snowball fights and Volleyball, plus Dad and Son can get togather to fish! Try to get a big one! Vacation will allow you to have Hotals! All kinds of different prices and decoration will be allowed! Have a cheap hotal with no TV or Pool, or have a Great Hotal with Pool, Whirlpool, beds and decoration!

Vacation looks great! Grapics/Looking Animation, well, it's like all The Sims Games:10/10 Fun, it's going to be a lot more fun with Hotal's and Beach's:9.5/10 Gameplay/Movieplay-How long it lasts, this is going to last a while, come on' there is Mini Golf in it! :D 10/10 Sound, downtown music was suberb, I wonder how Vacation music will sound? It will probably be awesome! 10/10 Overall, if your a Sims fan, get it. 9.5/10

Fun but not essential for the Sims gamer

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 20 / 21
Date: December 03, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This shining little bauble of an expansion pack rather quickly loses its luster. The idea of sending your sims on vacation is a great one, and some of the new activities (e.g., building snowmen, having snowball fights, snowboarding on the half pipe) are fun-at first, but the whole thing gets a little boring after a while. What really ruins the game play is the fact that your invited guests have no idea of how to have a good time, and you have no control over them at all. As others have said, they don't even have sense enough to make use of restrooms and shower stalls. Basically, in such a scenario, your sim is left wandering around trying to find anyone who will do anything with him/her. Playing volleyball by yourself is not my idea of an ideal vacation. Much of the time, your chosen vacation spot is all but deserted, leaving you high and dry indeed. A family vacation is much more enjoyable because you at least have some control over all of the vacationing sims' activities and interactions. Even then, though, the fun is limited and the experience rather monotonous.

This expansion pack is certainly worth buying if you are a Sims addict, but I wouldn't call it an essential component of the Sims experience. It also does slow the game down, although I don't see too much difference between Vacation and Hot Date in this regard. You and your sims can definitely have a little fun on vacation, but I doubt you will be anxious to rush off every weekend to get away from it all.

The next big thing for Maxis

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 30 / 38
Date: January 29, 2002
Author: Amazon User

"The Sims Hot Date allowed you to take an individual Sim out of the house and on a downtown rendezvous," said Tim LeTourneau, Producer at EA's Maxis™ studio. "With The Sims Vacation, you can take your whole Sim household to a fabulous island for a Sims-style holiday."
Your sims are tired, they have been partying with The Sims House Party, and have been out dating with The Sims Hot Date. They need a vacation!! This new expansion allows you to do just that, take your WHOLE FAMILY to a tropical island vacation. That is right the VERY TALLENTED programers at EA Games have made it possible to bring the whole family to a place out of the home. You can go shopping for suviners, you can have the staff assist your every need, anything is possible. This is the 5th expansion for the sims, and is the most advanced. Expect many more exciting expansions for The Sims.
Also if you like The Sims try Sim Golf. It is the same addictive gameplay on The Sims on a golf course. See my review on Sim Golf for more info.

For those over-worked Sims...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 14 / 14
Date: December 05, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Take a vacation!

This is another GREAT expansion pack to add to your Sims collection! I have every single expansion, and I LOVE them all.. call me your neighborhood Sims addict. :D

In this expansion, you get the ability to take your Sims to a vacation resort. This varies from a snowy mountain, to a serene cabin in the woods, to a beachfront paradise. Everything an over-worked, underpaid Sim could dream of!

ALso included are DOZENS of cool new items that your Sims can play with while on vacation. The boardwalk at the beach includes several games your Sims can play to earn tokens. With those tokens, they can get all sorts of Sim junk! And another new addition is a shelf your Sims can put their junk on when they get home so they can always remember their special trip to the beach.

The more frigid Sims can enjoy snowboarding or have a good old-fashioned snowball showdown. For those Sims who want to relax, there are new hot tubs to play with as well. Also, your Sims can rent metal detectors and search for buried treasure.. who knows what the other Sims might have dropped in the snow during their mad rush to the buffet!

If your Sim prefers roughing it, they can pitch a tent in the mountains and spend all day fishing. When they're done fishing, they can sit around a campfire and enjoy the fresh mountain air.. then sleep in a state of the art Sim tent. Talk about heaven! ;)

This expansion pack is a blast and you won't regret getting it. Buy it for your poor Sims, they want a VACATION!

Sorry Maxis...

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 26 / 35
Date: April 06, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I am absolutely IN LOVE with The Sims and all of it's expansion packs. However, I was sort of disappointed with this one. Maxis had a great idea: taking your sims on vacation, but this game is not as fun as it sounds. First of all, it's really slow, unless you have a super good computer. I know that goes with the territory, but it's really annoying. Second, there's not all THAT much you can do with your sims on vacation. Sure, they can play volleyball or sleep in a hotel...but that gets old pretty quickly. I took my sims to the beach, the mountains, and the "winter wonderland" all in about an hour...there just wasn't that much to do in any of the themes.
Okay okay. There are SOME good parts to this game. First, it's pretty fun to build your sims a resort, even if it's not that much fun to make them visit it. Second, there is FINALLY some new interaction between parents and kids. They can now hug in different ways, entertain each other in different ways, and more.

Well, there you have it. If I were you, I'd wait until this expansion is half the price it is now. Don't waste your money.

Still a good expansion pack

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 17 / 20
Date: May 27, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Aaah, finally, your Sims can get away from money problems, affairs, and fireplaces that often rage out of control. In The Sims Vacation, your Sims can head over to Vacation Island, where they can choose between heading over to a beach, forest, or snowy mountains. Once there, they are met by Kana, the ugly Vacation Director and have a variety of activities to choose from, such as volleyball, carnival games, snowboarding, snowball fights, archery, and fishing. Sims can send postcards to their friends and buy appropriate clothes for their vacation. They also can spend a night or two on Vacation Island.

Sim kids get more interactions than they did in Hot Date. They can perform a handstand for strangers or choose the "Hug Friendly" option with their parents.

Sims are entertained by the carnival games, especially "Whack-a-Wil". The more games your Sims play, the more tickets they earn. They can exchange these tickets for souvenirs, like a Coconut Monkey or a Stuffed Penguin. Once your Sims return home, they can place these souvenirs on a shelf. If they care to remember their vacations, they can choose the "Remember" option, where they will study the souvenir and reminscience.

The good thing about going on a vacation is that your Sim family's relationships with each other won't suffer, even if your family members ignore each other during the whole vacation.

I own Windows ME and have played Vacation for about 2 months and it hasn't given me any problems so far. If you own Hot Date, Vacation might not seem as novel as it would to someone who doesn't own Hot Date. Your Sims basically go to a "Downtown" that's a vacation spot instead. Nevertheless, Vacation is a good expansion pack, giving you plenty of new objects to experiment with.

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