The Sims 3 'Late Night' Celebrities: Stalk Them, Impress Them, Join Them

"The Sims 3: Late Night" expansion pack introduced Celebrities into the world of the Sims, which lends a surprising amount of challenge, interest and entertainment to the already-satisfying "Sims 3" video games. The "Late Night" expansion released on October 26^th, 2010, and already fans are praising the vast amount of new features. However, the intricate world of Celebrities deserves a closer look all on its own! You can also read my full review of "The Sims 3: Late Night" expansion here.

Naysayers may scoff at the implementation of Sim-Celebrities-I know I did, at first-but this new addition to the "Sims 3" universe is actually quite addictive. Sim-Celebrities are eccentric, exclusive and aloof members of the neighborhood, haunting VIP rooms and posh lounges in the downtown area implemented in "Late Night." They have stars under their names, which indicate their level of Celebrity-yes, there are levels, 1-5. The more stars, the more influential-and temperamental-that Sim happens to be. The first step is finding a Sim-Celebrity, which is easier than I expected; just head over to your favorite community lot and look around.

Next, your Sim must impress the Celebrity before they will gain access to additional interaction options. They can name drop, brag about their wealth, skills and interests. As a fan of the money cheat, I found wealth to be a very easy way to impress Celebrities with one or two stars; after three attempts, my Sims had passed the scrutiny of the Sim-Celebrity. Once that is accomplished, your Sim can engage in the normal amount of social interactions; Sims with the "friendly" trait, for example, can use those bonus abilities to build a relationship faster with Celebrities. As an added bonus, impressing their first Celebrity gets your Sim one star on the five-star chart; you can view their Celebrity status menu, which will keep record of your Celebrity connections. A quick way to enjoy Sim-Celebrity status is to woo and marry a Sim which already has 3+ stars; having traits which boost interaction, such as "Flirty," "Friendly" or "Great Kisser" can give you a huge advantage. Children of Celebrity couples also enjoy a boost in Sim-Celebrity status.

Having Celebrity status comes with both pros and cons, which is to be expected. Your Sims can gain access to VIP lounges and exclusive parties, enjoy freebies from local businesses, and run from the paparazzi just like actual Celebrities! Unfortunately, the paparazzi are as much of a burden as a boon, plus any scandalous behavior observed in public can damage your Sims' reputation-until they pay-off the paparazzi, of course! The more stars your Sim generates on the Celebrity meter, the more drama the perks and burdens become.

"The Sims 3: Late Night" Celebrities feature is a great new addition to the video game series, especially if you and your Sims enjoy an active nightlife. The Celebrity status is only one perk of the latest expansion, and goes hand-in-hand with the implementation of Vampire-Sims, the resurrection of the Sim band-with improvements-and a host of new traits, abilities and items. For anyone looking to add even more depth to their "Sims 3" world, I highly recommend "The Sims 3: Late Night" and the intricate, addictive world of Celebrity Sims!

Sources:
EA Press, "The Sims 3: Late Night" Press Kit