Not all the system-unique offerings augment the experience. For example, the “Karma Powers” feel like a gimmick that most developers learned to abandon shortly into the original DS’s life cycle. The so-called powers let players unleash a variety of effects, both good and bad, on their Sims by blowing into the system’s microphone or shaking the 3DS. Considering these effects must first be selected through an in-game menu, the gestures seem like an unnecessary second step to playing god.
| Joystiq: The Sims 3 3DS preview; A sim-ple port |