Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Sims 2: Strangetown on Nintendo DS offers a fresh twist on the classic Sims formula by tasking players with running a quirky, rundown hotel in the middle of a UFO-infested desert town. Unlike other entries in the series, this version unfolds entirely in real time—meaning that days, nights, and even holidays pass as they do in the real world. You’ll find yourself logging in over days and weeks to discover new guests checking in, VIPs overstaying their welcome, and seasonal events unfolding all around you.

At its core, the game is about balance. You must juggle your own Sim’s basic needs and desires—keeping them fed, rested, and happy—while meeting the demands of an ever-rotating cast of hotel guests. Each new room you unlock adds a unique touchscreen activity, from composing jazzy lounge tunes to dissecting extraterrestrials in a secret lab. These mini-games are intuitive, varied, and often surprising, giving you a constant stream of fresh gameplay without overwhelming you with menus or complex controls.

The management layer is deeper than it first appears. Decorating rooms isn’t just cosmetic; it directly influences guest satisfaction and revenue. High-end furniture and decorative items attract wealthier visitors, while certain themes (pirate, gothic, sci-fi) unlock hidden guest types and side quests. Maintaining a clean, well-appointed hotel corridor can be just as important as scoring big wins in the casino or impressing a local mob boss with your impeccable service.

Graphics

For a handheld title on the DS, Strangetown impresses with its colorful, stylized visuals. The top-down isometric view is crisp and easy to navigate, while the smaller touchscreen animations bring each mini-game to life. Whether you’re watching your Sim mop dirty floors or sketch out a new painting in the art gallery, the animation remains smooth and expressive.

The character sprites are charmingly exaggerated, giving each guest type—from the shady gangster to the aloof Goth girl—a distinct personality at a glance. Subtle details, like the blinking neon signs in the casino or the dust clouds kicking up in the desert outside, add to the sense of place without overloading the DS’s limited hardware. Even when the screen is split between map, Sim portrait, and touch-activity window, readability rarely suffers.

Strangetown’s interface cleverly balances functionality with flair. Icons and menus are bold and well-labeled, ensuring you spend less time hunting for the right tool and more time actually playing. While the DS’s resolution may not rival home consoles, the art direction and thoughtful UI design more than compensate, creating a polished experience tailored to the handheld format.

Story

Unlike the open-ended nature of most Sims titles, Strangetown weaves a light narrative through its hotel-management gameplay. Guests arrive with their own agendas: first a notorious mob boss demands VIP treatment, then a mysterious Goth girl drops in with magical curiosities, and finally a megalomaniacal robot sets its sights on world domination. Each arc unfolds organically as you progress, adding narrative stakes to your daily grind.

Story events are triggered by guest behavior and room upgrades, so you’ll feel a real sense of agency in how the plot develops. The eccentric cast—complete with UFO sightings and secret-area unlocks—keeps the tone delightfully off-kilter. Though the overarching plot is simple, the individual character interactions provide enough humor and surprise to keep you hooked.

Dialogue is delivered in bite-sized bursts, perfect for quick DS sessions. NPCs pepper your inbox with requests, complaints, and cryptic hints, all of which tie back into the gameplay loop. The result is a seamlessly integrated story that never feels shoehorned in, but rather a natural reward for managing a thriving, if slightly bizarre, hotel business.

Overall Experience

The Sims 2: Strangetown stands out as one of the most inventive and engaging handheld entries in the franchise. Its blend of real-time strategy, light narrative, and varied touchscreen mini-games creates a gameplay loop that’s easy to pick up yet hard to put down. Whether you’re a longtime fan of The Sims or new to the series, the unique hotel-management angle feels both familiar and refreshingly original.

Replay value is surprisingly high. With multiple room themes to unlock, hidden mini-games like Moogoo Monkey, and branching VIP storylines, you’ll find new surprises long after your first hotel opens its doors. The real-time clock system also encourages regular check-ins, turning Strangetown into a charming daily ritual rather than a one-off distraction.

In sum, The Sims 2: Strangetown on DS delivers a balanced, bite-sized Sims experience packed with personality. Its accessible yet deep gameplay, combined with charming graphics and a whimsical story, make it a must-play for simulation fans on the go. Get ready to welcome guests, fend off UFOs, and run the quirkiest hotel in the desert—you won’t regret checking in.

Retro Replay Score

6.8/10