The Sims: Hot Date

The Sims: Hot Date is the third expansion pack released for the strategic life-simulation computer game The Sims developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It was released on November 14, 2001 with overall positive reviews thanks to the addition of a downtown area outside the neighbourhood, which became the set up for upcoming expansions packs in which new areas where added; it also served as the inspiration for The Sims 2: Nightlife.

Gameplay
In addition to many new items for households, the new downtown area is Hot Date's most significant new addition to The Sims and is probably the most significant addition that's ever been made to the game.

Sims can now use their telephones to call a taxi that takes them to downtown SimCity, which is composed of lots that can be shopping centers, recreation areas, restaurants, or nightclubs. While a sim is on a date, the sim can be controlled, but not actually give orders to its date.

Downtown features lots of brand-new, downtown-only items, like food vendors, clothing stores, picnic areas, and duck ponds that couples can use to keep themselves busy, and a few new items, like the restaurant booth seat, that'll let them get to know each other better.

All the time spent downtown takes place independent of time at home; in other words, sims will get hungry, tired, and bored as usual during the time they spend downtown, but once they get home, the clock will actually reset to the time when they left.

This makes having both a relationship and a job (which still typically takes about six hours out of a sim's day) not only possible, but a lot easier than before.

Reception
Overall, the game was judged to be the most substantial of the The Sims expansion packs at its point of release, and critics praised the new downtown area.

Hot Date was received 86% and an 85% averages from aggregate sites Game Rankings and Metacritic respectively. The Armchair Empire gave the game 9.2/10 points saying "Where Living Large and House Party were basically enhancements to the original, Hot Date completely revamps the gameplay by making it possible to focus more on social and romantic relationships and for the first time get away from the Sims house."