Take a trip to Aurora Skies in new Sims 3 expansion

Is your Sims 3 world feeling a bit stale? Are you Sims growing tired of the hustle and bustle of the big city? Do you long for a greener, more eco-friendly way of (digital) life? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you'll likely be interested in Aurora Skies, the newest location to launch in the Sims 3 store.

Aurora Skies allows players to travel up north to a world filled with beautiful lakes and forests, hot air balloons and breathtaking views from every building. Sims that enjoy science will love Aurora Skies' "Cure-All-Collective" venue, which is a workshop investigating green technologies. Sims that love relaxing more than they do working will also find fun in Aurora Skies, as the location comes complete with waterfalls and a geothermal lake.

One of the more interesting pieces to the Aurora Skies puzzle is the introduction of hot air balloons. These are a new premium object in the Sims 3 that your Sims can climb into and actually use, soaring above the world, looking down on the beauty below. What's more, Sims looking to have a romantic moment with a loved one can use these hot air balloons as a way to get away from it all, as the balloons themselves can be used to literally increase a Sim's chance for romance.

In the Aurora Skies Gold Edition, players will also gain access to the Tiny Prodigies Early Learning Center, complete with three floors of educational and play spaces for young sims. There's an art room, outdoor play area, swimming pool and more at your tiny Sims' fingertips, but again, this venue is only available in the Gold Edition of Aurora Skies.

Aurora Skies is now available as a download add-on for the Sims 3 for 2,450 SimPoints (around $25 US), while the Gold Edition, complete with the Learning Center, Local Motion Toddler Walker, and Head Start Playpen items, costs 3,900 SimPoints (around $35). For more information, make sure to head into the Sims 3 store.

Will you purchase the Aurora Skies expansion to The Sims 3? Will you spring for the Gold Edition, or the cheaper version of the new location? Let us know in the comments!