Play Sims 2, The GBA Online

Playing The Sims 2 on GBA feels like a stripped-down but weirdly charming version of the full game. You still build a house, manage needs, and chase careers, but everything moves at this odd, almost dreamlike pace. The first time I played, I spent way too long just rearranging furniture in my tiny starter home before realizing my Sim was starving.

The pixel art has this nostalgic warmth to it, and the controls work better than you'd expect for a handheld port. But some things are just missing—no open world, no real aging system. It's more like a series of small tasks than the sprawling life sim you might expect. Still, there's something satisfying about grinding through a career path or finally saving up for a better couch.

If you go in knowing it's a simplified take on The Sims 2, it can be a fun little time-waster.