Looking for a list of all hobbies inThe Sims 2?The Sims 2: Freetimeexpansion introduced10 hobbies for Simsto pick up, each with a different associated career and secret lot. Read on for a list of all hobbies and more information on how to unlock them inThe Sims 2.
In this guide:
Sims 2 hobbies list
As mentioned above, there are 10 possible hobbies to pick up if you haveThe Sims 2: Freetimeinstalled. These can be discovered when Sims perform an activity associated with the hobby. You’ll know when this happens as the game will issue a pop-up message in the top right corner telling you that a Sim has discovered a new hobby.
Sims with certain personality traits are predisposed to pick up a hobby relating to their traits. You can check a Sim’s personality traits by navigating to the ‘Hobby Enthusiasm’ menu (click on thehead symbol, then thekite symbolon the bottom left panel). Here are all the available hobbies inThe Sims 2, which personality types are more pre-disposed to pick them up, and which activities may trigger them.
Along with the activities listed above, you can also gain enthusiasm for any hobby by browsing or blogging about the topic on a PC. You can also read hobby magazines, their respective sections in the daily newspaper, or talk about the topic with other Sims.
A Sim’s enthusiasm level for a hobby isn’t the same as their skill level. A Sim may find enjoyment in cooking, for example, but have a low cooking skill. To see a Sim’s skill levels to compare, navigate to the ‘Skills & Career’ panel represented by the desk icon at the bottom left of the screen.
Predestined hobbies
Although a Sim may pick up any hobby, each Sim will have a special predestined hobby that they are more enthused with and will gain levels in faster than others. This is determined by your Sim’s personality traits.
Once discovered, the hobby will be outlined in silver in the ‘Hobby Enthusiasm’ panel, a special noise will sound and you’ll get a pop-up message saying “I’m very excited that I tried this [hobby name]! That was a lot of fun!”.
Hobbies and careers
Certain hobbies are connected to careers. When a Sim excels at a hobby, they may be approached with a job offer at an elevated level, giving them a fast track onto the career ladder. The following hobbies can help you get a starting jump on these careers:
Secret hobby lots
When a Sim gets to level 5 ‘Enthusiasm’ for a hobby, they may receive a visit at their lot by an ‘Instructor’. Instructors are masters of a particular hobby and can coach other Sims to help them gain levels faster. They will usually introduce themselves to your Sim and then leave. You’ll be able to visit them again at their associated secret lot.
Alternatively, they may just leave a message with your Sim, inviting them to a Secret Lot. You’ll know when you’ve got access as there will be a membership card icon next to the Hobby Enthusiasm meter.
To visit a secret lot, prepare your Sim to travel (select your Sim and select the ‘Walk to Community Lot’ option or call a Taxi). From the neighborhoods menu, select ‘Hobbies’. This will show you the secret lots you can travel to. The following secret lots will unlock depending on your hobby:
Children cannot gain membership to a secret hobby lot. However, if they have a level 5 ‘Hobby Enthusiasm’ in any of the hobbies, they can do so when they become teens. It is usually beneficial to befriend Instructors as this goes towards gaining promotions in their associated careers.
How to get a Genie lamp
If you reach level 10 ‘Hobby Enthusiasm’ in any hobby whilst also achieving a high Lifetime Aspiration level, there is a chance the matchmaker NPC will visit your lot with a Genie Lamp. If you interact with the lamp and rub it, a Genie will appear and grant your Sim three wishes.
These wishes can range from money to attraction and even have the power to bring a Sim back to life. Careful though, if the Genie is in a bad mood they may sabotage the wish and bring them back as a zombie.
That rounds up our guide to all hobbies inThe Sims 2. For more tips and tricks, check out our guide to allWooHoo locations,ways to kill Sims, and how to getabducted by aliens.
