Washen ta? Baben goga dea, kal min eigen day, fro? Y et margen say!

Chances are that if you recognize this "babble," you are at least a casual player of the Sims, the hot new video game from Maxis. Ok, so "new" may be a bit of an over statement: The Sims original game has been out since 2000 while the latest Sims installment pack (The Sims Hot Date) came out Fall 2001.

The Sims topped video game sales for months and delighted fans for days and nights on end (and after some sleep and nutrition, a few more days and nights on end). While the Sims today might be old news, we who purchased it might still be feeling the effects of splurging on this high priced video game. With the main game retail priced at 49.95, and each of the three subsequent expansion packs at 29.95 each, consumers are looking at a 140$ hole in their budgets. I know my household is.

So now that the game is sitting around collecting dust (and taking up valuable hard drive space) just what were we thinking? Were we temporarily brainwashed by clever advertising? Peer pressured into purchasing for conspicuous consumption purposes? Or did the novelty simply wear off?

Even with the addition of a new expansion pack that adds an entirely new area for our Sims to explore (the downtown area in the Hot Date Expansion Pack), 2000's hottest video game is cooling off. The game isn't any less entertaining, nor are the expansion packs of a worse quality than the original. The problem, obviously, is with us. Do you remember being a child and watching a television commercial for the *coolest* toy you had ever seen? Do you remember begging for weeks and months for your parents to buy it? Remember being willing to trade your very mother to even breathe in the sweet smell of the plastic? Well how about the moment after you got it, played with it, and got bored with it? Where did the toy end up? Right at the bottom of the toy box right next to your old G.I. Joe or Ballerina Barbie.

We never really grew out of our old childish ways of "buying and tossing" but rather the time period in which we are happy with our purchase has increased along with our attention spans and age. So, how do we re-ignite our passion for the Sims?
Let's look back at our childhood for an answer. Ok, that toy you threw in the toy box has now stayed in there for about 2 years. Digging through the box you suddenly find it again, and you are transported backward through time. Back to when it was fun and new. Looks like someone just found their new favorite toy again.

All we need is a break. Remember Wolfenstein 3D or Doom? Those things are old, yet look how they came back with a vengeance! Yes, The Sims has only to wait before they are back in business making all the big Simoleans in googa mul olden broa!