What is The Urbz: Sims in the City
Developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts in November 2004, The Urbz: Sims in the City moves the Sims formula out of the suburbs and into an urban setting called Urbzville. Instead of managing a household, players create a single character and guide them through the city's social scene, satisfying motives, making friends, and working jobs along the way. The game released on PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube, with separate handheld versions for Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS developed by Griptonite Games.
Rep, districts, and social life
Urbzville is divided into nine districts, each home to a distinct social group with its own style and culture: Central Station, Kicktail Park, Gasoline Row, Skyline Beach, South Side Bridge, Diamond Heights, Cozmo Street, Neon East, and The Foundry. Players build reputation, known in-game as Rep, by socializing with district regulars and fitting in with local crowds. Gaining Rep opens up VIP rooms, new districts, and access to larger apartments. Job minigames in each district let players earn money, with earnings tied to skill levels built over time.
Music and the Black Eyed Peas
The console versions feature a soundtrack produced in collaboration with the Black Eyed Peas. The group recorded original songs for the game along with Simlish-language versions of "Shut Up" and "Let's Get It Started," both from their album Elephunk. The Black Eyed Peas also appear as guest characters in the game, with will.i.am playing a role in the console storyline.
Console and handheld versions
The console and handheld releases play quite differently. On PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube, the game follows a story-driven structure across Urbzville's nine districts. The Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS versions take an adventure-game approach with direct character control and are set in Miniopolis rather than Urbzville. The handheld games organize social groups into four Rep Groups: Richies, Artsies, Streeties, and Nerdies. The DS version was a launch title for the Nintendo DS and includes an exclusive mission set on Splicer Isle not found in the GBA release.