A Sims spin-off built on style and status
The Urbz: Sims in the City is a life simulation game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts in 2004. Released for PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS, it moves the formula of The Sims away from suburban home building and toward city culture, fashion, and social climbing. Instead of perfecting a house, players move into an apartment and work to raise their standing across a series of distinct urban districts, each with its own look and social scene.
Districts and reputation
The console versions of The Urbz take place across nine districts in a city called Urbzville. Each district has its own fashion trends, resident Sims, and VIP areas that only open once the player has earned enough influence. The central goal is to build "Rep" by socializing, forming alliances, and switching up your style to match each neighborhood. Players take on jobs through minigames and can unlock special abilities called Xizzles to help them get ahead. Gaining reputation opens the way to new districts and exclusive locations around the city.
The Black Eyed Peas in Simlish
One of the most distinctive parts of The Urbz is its partnership with The Black Eyed Peas. The group recorded several songs for the game, including Simlish versions of tracks from their catalog. They also appear as guest characters in the console versions, making this one of the earliest celebrity crossovers in the franchise.
Console and handheld versions
The console and handheld editions of The Urbz offer quite different experiences. On PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube, the game is an open-ended reputation builder set across Urbzville's neighborhoods. The Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS versions take a more adventure-driven approach, following a storyline with structured missions. The DS version includes an exclusive sixth mission not found in the GBA release.