i have sims 1, 2, and 3 with the expansions.
In my opinion, I love Sims 3 much more. I find it to be more immersible. I love the fact that I can jog from my house to the movie theatre without a loading screen.
Also, sims 3 "seasons" blows sims 2 "seasons" right out of the water. When it snows, your windows fog up, the snow literally covers anything that its exposed too...looks very realistic. You can see your footprints in the snow.
There's nothing wrong with Sims 2 either but in sims 3 when I go to work, it isn't a rabbit hole. My profession is Home Designer and I go to people's homes and design their dream room with the monies they give me.
Plus there are some construction abilities that aren't possible for Sims 2. Like, I love the fact I can place a coffee table, magazines or anything anywhere i want and not be limited by the building grids.
And a nice thiing about sims 3 is the fact that you dont have to make them pee or eat or shower as often as you had to in sims 1 and 2
And the fact that you can make a 90 floor apartments/club/business sky scrapper (fully functional) in sims 3 is mindblowing.


those are actual livable sim buildings