Starting a new game can be overwhelming, and that’s why tutorials are a staple of all games.The Simshas its own tutorial family in the Newbies, who were introduced inThe Sims 1,and were probably the very first Sims encountered by players.The Sims 1wasn’t the last players would see of the Newbies though, and the family have made appearances in all ofThe Simsgames since that very first tutorial.
Bob and Betty Newbie guide the player through the basics of playingThe Sims 1, from taking care of their needs, to relationship dynamics and landing a job. The family and tutorial proved to be very popular, in part because of the 1950s aesthetic of their home and because it was the first place where Simmers began experimenting withwhatThe Simswas really all about.
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The Importance of The Tutorial Family in The Sims
Bob and Betty Newbie have the distinction of being some of the only pre-made Sims to appear in allSimsgames (and some of the console games), alongside Mortimer Goth, Bella Goth, Daniel Pleasant, The Grim Reaper, and Agnes Crumplebottom. Though they don’t appear inThe Sims 4by default, they were made downloadable fromThe Sims 4gallery bySimsdeveloper Maxis in 2019 after the release ofThe Sims 4: Cats & Dogs.
The timeline ofThe Simsis out of order, with the official order beingThe Sims 3,The Sims, thenThe Sims 2, whileThe Sims 4takes place in an entirely removed alternate universe. Because of this, the Newbies' ages jump dramatically between game installments, from Adults, to Teens, to Elder ghosts, and back to Young Adults. Players have seen the Newbies in different phases of their lives, and the original tutorial couple have become iconic in the community to the point that their absence was widely noticed in the initial launch ofThe Sims 4. Many accused a new couple, the Pancakes, of being a replacement for the Newbies.
The Sims 5 Has a Lot to Live Up To
The accusation levied towards the Pancakes isn’t entirely unjustified. Bob Pancakes shares his name with Bob Newbie, while his wife Eliza Pancakes has a shortened version of the name Elizabeth, much like Betty Newbie.The Sims 4: High School Yearspromotion materialshowcased that the pair were friends as teenagers, just like Bob and Betty. The Pancakes are also considered a starter family to teach new players to play the game, and are natives to the originalSims 4world of Willow Creek.
The popularity of the Newbies as stalwarts ofThe Simsfranchise couldmean their return inThe Sims 5, if not as a tutorial family, then as one of the many playable pre-made family options. How the Newbies could appear inThe Sims 5depends on the game’s placement on the series' timeline. They could appear as a married couple or, like inThe Sims 3, appear as children or teenagers with their own parents and shine a light on the lore of their extended families.
One of the best thingsThe Sims 5could do is eliminate the other Sims who had been brought in as substitutes for the Newbies, such as the Pancakes and Alex Moyer, who is the current tutorial Sim. Another move that could bring the Newbies back into the spotlight would be tobring back their dog inThe Sims 5base gameto diminish the need for a pets expansion.
The Sims 5is in development.
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