MySims: Cozy Bundle - Switch Review

Official key art for the game MySims Cozy Bundle. This image shows the cover art for MySims Cozy Bundle. To the left hand side we can see the cover art for MySims, featuring two of the town folk. To the right of the screen you see MySims Kingdom with King Rowland and Princess Butter at the forefront.

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Are you ready to get into your cosy pyjamas and make some adorable friends? Well, you are in luck! With the release of MySims: Cozy Bundle, there is double the fun. Rediscover the charm of two classic MySims games: My Sims & MySims Kingdom. MySims: The Cozy Bundle is available now on Switch for £34.99, depending on the Nintendo Store.

Will you help save the town?

We first covered the news of this release back in August and have been looking forward to it ever since. Have you played MySims or MySims: Kingdom before? Let me know your thoughts and feelings about this re-release down below in the comments!

This image shows the player in the sim creation area. The background is a wardrobe with a mirror. At the forefront of the picture there is the sim, with brown hair and a jacket and jeans. — Doesn’t she look like me?

Gameplay

Originally released in 2007, the MySims franchise is a chibi-styled spin-off from the main Sims franchise. Capitalizing on the popularity of Animal Crossing, Electronic Arts brought in its competition with this series. The first of the series was of course MySims. It brought to life a cosy and idyllic town that needed creativity and imagination to bring it back to its formal glory.

After arriving by train, you are immediately introduced to Mayor Rosalyn. She wastes no time in getting you to work, explaining that you are essentially the messiah for this little town.

A Mayor’s Request

Establish yourself in town by completing building requests for the villagers. Completing these building requests allows more folks to trickle into the town. Eventually, you are the architect of this thriving, cosy paradise. Each new villager brings plenty of personality, with stories to uncover.

As you advance through the story, completing quests, you have the opportunity for your world to grow larger. Mayor Rosalyn gives you the means to expand into surrounding areas. Allowing you to unlock more tasks and more sims in the process.

This image shows a picture of the lake, with the sim standing on the dock with a fishing line. In the middle of the screen it can be seen that the sim has 28x Rainbow Trout. — Never too much Rainbow Trout!

If completing tasks becomes tiresome, other activities can be just as fun. Whether that be fishing, metal-detecting or collecting essences. There is certainly something for everyone.

A Kingdom In Need

After the success of MySims, we were treated to a follow-up in 2008 with MySims: Kingdom. It follows a similar model to the original game, however with better story-telling. Beginning in a run-down kingdom with a monarch desperate to bring happiness back, you are introduced to King Roland. He explains that the kingdom’s Wandoliers have all disappeared and it is up to you to help restore it back to its former glory.

Similar to the original MySims, it is the job of the player to rebuild and remodel homes and other structures. Players can also interact with the citizens within the kingdom, doing activities with them such as having a picnic. Where MySims differs from the original Sims is that the player’s sim do not have needs or wants. Sleeping and eating is optional. Meaning, you can fully focus on the cosy activities rather than needing to make sure your sim needs are fulfilled.

This image shows princess butter in the middle of the screen complaining that everyone had a dramatic entrance but her. — Honestly, Princess Butter is a mood!

Once enough points have been collated to reach King Points Level 5, you unlock the Reward Island. This is an island located at the top-left of the map, where you are able to build as you please. You have the ability to place anything you have collected throughout the game. In addition to this, you are able to view the credits which will be slightly different depending on how many tasks you have completed. Characters only appear in the end credit sequence if you have completed all of the tasks on the island. So, this will differ for each player depending on how much of the game they have completed.

Graphics and Audio

The nostalgic feel of MySims Cozy Bundle is certainly amplified by the similar visuals of the original games, however enhanced. You need to remember that this is not a remake or remaster of the game, but that being said, the graphics have improved.

The most notable change is the reworked control scheme. The controls sometimes feel clunky. It took me some time to get used to it. Especially when I have accidentally zoomed in and I am confused why only half of the building material is on the screen.

This image shows the furniture build mode, with all the different options listed at the bottom. In the middle of the screen there is an outline of the furniture that needs to be created. — Honestly, I don’t even know what I am making…

The audio also enhances the cosy feeling. The soundtracks are cheerful, and they fit the whimsical tones of the game.

Longevity

Thankfully, with the MySims Cozy Bundle, there is double the fun! Fortunately, there is also tons of replayability. And, it is very easy to lose yourself in the game’s storyline. Or, you could just keep fishing and forget about everything else.

Final Thoughts

MySims Cozy Bundle has certainly taken me back to the days of hiding my DS under my pillow when I was supposed to be asleep. It is a great addition to the Switch line-up, and I am excited to see if there are any more MySims games EA will bring back as well. I think for the price, you honestly cannot go wrong. If you are considering MySims Cozy Bundle then I implore you to buy it as soon as possible!

I will be award MySims Cozy Bundle the Thumb Culture Platinum Award!