Wow. "Tropico 3" is everything that I was afraid to imagine it would be. City builders and strategy gamers need to check this game. "Tropico 3" sets you in charge as a dictator (with "elections") of a tropical island. You make decisions on social, economic, and political issues. Your advisor tells about concerns and gives suggestions with humor that will at least make you chuckle. It's fun, beautiful to look at, and gives us refreshing gameplay. Yes, city builders. This is one of the best city builders we've seen in a long time.

• "Tropico 3" Review

"Fish Tycoon" players - I have an alternative for you. Now it's not a perfect substitute, but it will work for those who cannot bring their computer with them all the time. You will need a Facebook account. If you don't yet, bite the bullet. Sign up and make your profile private. You don't have to be found, if you don't want to be.

"Fishville" is the game you'll want to try if you like "Fish Tycoon." Your goal is to make money selling fish from eggs. Fish have to be checked in throughout the day and fed. The longer you want to sell, the more money fish are worth. Biggest downside I've found is, there is no breeding. You cannot breed to make new types of fish.

Play "Fishville"

The first expansion for "The Sims 3" should be on shelves across the United States. "The Sims 3 World Adventures" gives us a lot to, well, explore. Even if you didn't like "The Sims 2 Bon Voyage," the vacation themed expansion for the previous Sims game, this one is worth checking out. The goal oriented play the adventures (or opportunities) adds gives vacations a purpose.

Sims check out the adventures board to see which local needs help. Sometimes they need your help to check out a tomb and find a missing item. Other times you need to make friends and find their real opinion about a business. There are more puzzles in the tombs than I expected. Sims really do need to bring along food and a tent. Time flies while on vacation.

Sims who haven't traveled start out on Visa level 1. This gives them only 3 days of vacation time. This is not nearly long enough. Only way to get more time is visit more often to earn Visa points. My Sims may just be going on more vacations than they ever have before. The food, shopping, and tombs will keep me busy at least until the next expansion comes out.

• "The Sims 3 World Adventures" Screenshots

It's been a rough year for us all. It's not getting any easier at Electronic Arts. They plan on cutting 1,500 jobs and downsizing their product lineup. Which lines are going have no been announced. It's safe to say "Madden" and "The Sims" games won't be going anywhere.

The second piece of news is the purchase of Playfish. Facebook users may be familiar with their work. Playfish developed "Restaurant City," "Country Story," and "Pet Society." These are free online games.

EA will make their money through Playfish by selling points used to buy virtual goods. Not a scene that is new to EA. They have opened stores with virtual goods for both "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 3." Plus, add-on packs have been released for the iPod/iPhone version of "The Sims 3." It's a smart move for EA to shift towards microtransactions. Small purchases add up fast. "Restaurant City's" strong following makes it the perfect place to start.

• Electronic Arts Plans to Cut 1,500 Jobs - NY Times
• More Facebook Games
• "The Sims 3" Series

I was browsing gaming headlines when Electricpig's new article caught my eye. Ten worst gaming spin-offs as the title, with "The Sims 2 Ikea Stuff" in the blurb. Huh? They couldn't be serious. That was one of my favorite stuff packs. As far as stuff packs go...

"The Sims 2 Ikea Stuff" wouldn't have been top of my list. A casual game based on "The Apprentice" was a big disappointment. The stuff pack is award-winning quality compared to that one. Plus there's the Desperate Housewives game that didn't win many fans either.

Anyone else have a game that was a disappointment to them? Spin-off or not.

• ElectricPig - Worst Gaming Spin-Offs
• "The Sims 2 Ikea Stuff"

Just when I thought I had enough Facebook games to keep me busy, EA goes and releases a "Spore" game. "Spore Islands" is a simplistic version of "Spore." It's one stage of the game, made into a Flash game.

You design a creature by picking out a body, legs, eyes, and a mouth. Then after picking attributes (defense, weight, etc), you send your creature into the wild (or an observation) and hope it earns the most points. The observation screen reminds me of Pac-Man. You watch your creature eat or avoid other creatures (computer or ones created by your friends) to eat plants from a top-down view.

"Spore Islands" isn't the best Facebook game, and it surely isn't the worst. None of my friends have joined yet. I'm sure it has to be more watching your creature race around friends, rather than random wild ones.

• Play "Spore Island - Facebook

Options are expected by sim players. Seeing "The Sims 3" come with only one world was disappointing (you can download another at thesims3.com). Come December that will all change. EA is releasing the Create A World tool. The Sims Resource got a preview. They say it looks technical and think only a few will be able to master it.

We will have to wait. It won't be out until sometime in December.

• The Sims 3 Create A World Preview
• "The Sims 3" Downloads

There isn't an official tool or forum to share brand new objects for "The Sims 3." The Sims Resource, a web site devoted to "The Sims" since its release, developed a program to import and export files. For the unique items, you'll have to visit fan sites. You don't need to download recolors of original objects. Just use the Create-A-Style tool to change colors (accessed through edit button in Build mode).

Which is your favorite to download so far? Furniture, clothes, or hair? For me, it's been clothes. I rotate through clothes often.

• "The Sims 3" Furniture Downloads
• "The Sims 3" Clothes

The first expansion for "The Sims 3" is due out November 17th. Less than a month away, kids! To sweeten the expansion, EA is going to give you "new Explorer's Loot content" when you register, plus 1,000 simpoints to use in the store.

What has everyone picked out from the store? Or have you not used your 1,000 points from "The Sims 3." I bought a bookcase. Now I'm thinking about the kid's animal bedroom set.

• "The Sims 3 World Adventures" Screenshots - new Grim Reaper Bloopers

EA has a tradition of having popular singers and groups take one of their songs make a Simlish version (the language spoken by Sims). I hadn't heard of the artists in the last few games. I'm happy to report I knew a few of the names on the list. Hopefully you will too. Though, not knowing the artists hasn't stopped me from enjoying the game.

• LeAnn Rimes - "You've Ruined Me"
• Fefe Dobson - "I Want You"
• Katie Melua - "If the lights go out"
• Madina Lake - "Lets Get Outta Here"
• Manchester Orchestra - "I've Got Friends"
• Natalie Portman's Shaved Head - "Me + Yr Daughter"
• Esme Denters - "Outta Here"
• Hot Chelle Rae - "Say"
• Audrye Sessions - "Turn Me Off"
• Metalkpretty - "Wake Up, Wake Up"
• Evan Taubenfeld - "Pumpkin Pie"
• Friday Night Boys - "Can't Take That Away"
• Cassie Steele - "Summer Nights"
• Broken Heart College - "Na Na Na"
• Nelly Furtado - "Manos al Aire"
• Pixie Lott - "Mama Do"
• Stefanie Heinzmann - "No One (Can Ever Change My Mind)"
• Matt & Kim - "Daylight"
• Young Punx - "Juice and Sim"