Gameboy Advance - Sims: Bustin' Out

Format
Gameboy Advance
Publisher
EA
Developer
Griptonite Games
Country of origin
US
Genre
God sim

Sims : Bustin' Out

By David Rasmussen
7th Jan 05

Studio - EAGames
Age - E for Everybody
Genre - RPG Sim

Merry Christmas! Yet another gift to me!
This week I reviewed Hot Shots Golf 3 and this game (both Christmas gifts), and next week I review the last game I got (Kingdom Hearts : Chain of Memories), so I scored good giftwise for reviews.

Yes, yes. The Sims have been out abit on the platforms, but this is the first one for the GameBoy Advance!
But, question, how do you compress a game like Sims' Bustin Out onto a GBA cart?
Easy! Change the setting and the story!

Instead of being in SimCity, you travel out to the quiet countryside of Sim Valley, which is kind of big in it's own right (but not as big as SimCity).
You move onto your uncle's farm, and begin there.
After settling in, moving into the barn and working for your uncle, you soon begin to live your lifein SimValley. As the game progresses you leave home, explore town, find new things and new experiences, and work over a half a dozen mini-games (jobs) for simoleons.

I figure your working your way to the top of the Sim foodchain here, simple enough (with lots of gameplay to keep you going for awhile). However you don't seem to move as many times as you do in the other Sims games. And, yes, while it's not as massive as Sims : Bustin' Out for the platforms, it does have it's advantages which I'll mention as I go along.

Chief of these advantages is the ability to download long term sims from Sims : Bustin Out so you can start the game with a large Simoleons count and all your skills (or as much as you could build before starting this game) which will make life that much easier for you.

Another advantage is the ability to roam the Valley.
In The Sims : Bustin' Out you had to travel with a vehicle to get everywhere, but here you can walk or use a bike or secret tunnels to get everywhere, offering up more exploration opportunities than the bigger version.

The game also has some quirks. For instance while it's The Sims : Bustin' Out, it seems to have more in common (gameplay wise) with The Urbz than Sims : Bustin' Out!

You can pick up and carry your furniture about, which is something you couldn't in the other Bustin' Out games. You can also hold onto other things (which means you can deliver things for others).

Instead of ordering from a catalogue, you have to go down to the store and buy EVERYTHING!
Yet, when it comes to 5PM - 7PM you can bid for stuff not sold yet in the store auctions (nightly).
This system fails, however, when it comes to buying a burglar alarm (which you have to wait for it to become available for purchase) or something you need replaced (because it was stolen) because you can't buy anything unless it's being sold that day by the store's owner.
So make sure to have at LEAST 650 simoleons on hand each day you check that store so you can grab that burglar alarm ASAP! You'll need it once you move out of your uncle's barn, trust me.

The jobs are another thing that's done Urbz style over Sims style.
Instead of catching a bus and working a faceless job where you just vanish, and return with your money? You'll have to go out and work for your simoleons, playing mini-games to earn simoleons which you use to pay the rent or upgrade your belongings. You have five levels for each job. As you progress and gain "promotions" you'll need to upgrade yourself in order to continue on, until you achieved Level 5 and mastered said job.

This work system offers more for you to do, and more challenges which is another plus over the larger Sims : Bustin Out for the major platforms. You can even hook the GBA up to the GameCube and play these mini-games to add simoleons to your GCN game. How good is that? Very good.

One thing that isn't from any of the Sims games is the way you interact in this game.
Instead of picking out things you do (talk, tickle, sissy fight, kiss, etc) you are given three choices of dialogue (ranging between the polite to the smarmy and rude (occasionally the choice to throw your roommate out or ask for work comes up as well)), a choice to offer the person something, or the choice to end the conversation.

If you pick the right dialogue for the right person? You increase your relationship meter.
Sadly, however, this game holds it's E rating because it eliminates the possibility of lesbian/gay relationships. While you could get away with a lesbian relationship in Sims : Bustin Out? You can't here.
The game doesn't offer the proper things to kickstart a relationship unless it's with the opposite sex.
Oh, you can have a roommate... but what good is that unless it's the opposite sex (marriage?)

There are new things to do, and new things to try, but for some reason it's more Urbz than Bustin' Out.
But in anycase if you need a Sims fix then I can't imagine a better way than this game.
Something for us Sims fans who want a little Sims fix wherever we are. Nuff said.

Sims GBA Breakdown the 1st
What's Hot? - Being the first Sims game out on GBA it broke new ground. Heck, it might have even inspired the game mechanics of The Urbz... maybe. It seems to have quite abit of the game mechanics seen later in The Urbz so I don't see why not.

The game is nice, plays well, and fills your need for The Sims (on a portable scale)... until you pick up The Urbz on GBA that is, but that's another review.

What's Not? - With a tighter rein on things it looks like I have even less freewill than I did playing the GCN version, and that just sucks. Damn.
But still that wasn't enough to turn me away from the game.
In fact I'm looking forward to reviewing The Urbz on GBA (should be good).

Moments to Remember?
Ah, Sims Say the Darndest Things... and that's all I'll say on that.

What to Ignore?
Ignore how you seem to lack some of the free will that being out on your own is supposed to entail... including the ability of your character to get into any relationship they want.
Ignore it because it doesn't detract from the gameplay. Solid is as solid does even if it's a little tight on the control reins. If you have a burning need for a Sims fix you'll enjoy this no questions asked.

Overal1?
If you played any of The Sims (or the recent Urbz) and wanted a portable fix for your GBA?
Well you can't go wrong with the double dose of Sims : Bustin' Out, and Urbz for the GBA!
Of course I'll review The Urbz at a later date, but for now you have this review (and hopefully it compels you to get the game since it's solid on all counts).

Next I suppose they'll feed the need for Pikman and make a GBA Pikman game... which is probably more disturbing than it sounds but... nah.
THEN again they did make Mario Golf Advance, and recently Mario Party Advance so maybe...
Pikman Advance? Now there's a disturbing thought.

-- David Rasmussen 7th Jan 05

Gameboy Advance Sims: Bustin' Out Images