The Mac has plenty of games, but it'll always get the short end of the stick compared to Windows. If you want to play the latest games on your Mac, you have no choice but to install Windows ... or do you?
Can I still make a digital copy so I can play it without the DVD? And yes, I registered the game at sims3.com via my yahoo account. The only time I used the code was when I was installing the game from the CD few days ago and it prompted me to enter the code.
There are a few ways you can play Windows games on your Mac without having to dedicate a partition to Boot Camp or giving away vast amounts of hard drive space to a virtual machine app like VMWare Fusion or Parallels Desktop. Here are a few other options for playing Windows games on your Mac without the hassle or expense of having to install Windows.
GeForce Now
PC gaming on Mac? Yes you can, thanks to Nvidia's GeForce Now. The service allows users to play PC games from Steam or Battle.net on macOS devices. Better still, the graphic power of these games resides on Nvidia's servers. The biggest drawback: the service remains in beta, and there's been no announcement when the first full release is coming or what a monthly subscription will cost.
For now, at least, the service is free to try and enjoy. All supported GeForce NOW titles work on Macs, and yes, there are plenty of them already available!
The Wine Project
The Mac isn't the only computer whose users have wanted to run software designed for Windows. More than 20 years ago, a project was started to enable Windows software to work on POSIX-compliant operating systems like Linux. It's called The Wine Project, and the effort continues to this day. OS X is POSIX-compliant, too (it's Unix underneath all of Apple's gleam, after all), so Wine will run on the Mac also.
Wine is a recursive acronym that stands for Wine Is Not an Emulator. It's been around the Unix world for a very long time, and because OS X is a Unix-based operating system, it works on the Mac too.
As the name suggests, Wine isn't an emulator. The easiest way to think about it is as a compatibility layer that translates Windows Application Programming Interface (API) calls into something that the Mac can understand. So when a game says 'draw a square on the screen,' the Mac does what it's told.
You can use straight-up Wine if you're technically minded. It isn't for the faint of heart, although there are instructions online, and some kind souls have set up tutorials, which you can find using Google. Wine doesn't work with all games, so your best bet is for you to start searching for which games you'd like to play and whether anyone has instructions to get it working on the Mac using Wine.
Note: At the time of this writing, The Wine Project does not support macOS 10.15 Catalina.
CrossOver Mac
CodeWeavers took some of the sting out of Wine by making a Wine-derived app called CrossOver Mac. CrossOver Mac is Wine with specialized Mac support. Like Wine, it's a Windows compatibility layer for the Mac that enables some games to run.
CodeWeavers has modified the source code to Wine, made some improvements to configuration to make it easier, and provided support for their product, so you shouldn't be out in the cold if you have trouble getting things to run.
My experience with CrossOver — like Wine — is somewhat hit or miss. Its list of actual supported games is pretty small. Many other unsupported games do, in fact work — the CrossOver community has many notes about what to do or how to get them to work, which are referenced by the installation program. Still, if you're more comfortable with an app that's supported by a company, CrossOver may be worth a try. What's more, a free trial is available for download, so you won't be on the hook to pay anything to give it a shot.
Boxer
If you're an old-school gamer and have a hankering to play DOS-based PC games on your Mac, you may have good luck with Boxer. Boxer is a straight-up emulator designed especially for the Mac, which makes it possible to run DOS games without having to do any configuring, installing extra software, or messing around in the Mac Terminal app.
With Boxer, you can drag and drop CD-ROMs (or disk images) from the DOS games you'd like to play. It also wraps them into self-contained 'game boxes' to make them easy to play in the future and gives you a clean interface to find the games you have installed.
Boxer is built using DOSBox, a DOS emulation project that gets a lot of use over at GOG.com, a commercial game download service that houses hundreds of older PC games that work with the Mac. So if you've ever downloaded a GOG.com game that works using DOSBox, you'll have a basic idea of what to expect.
Some final thoughts
In the end, programs like the ones listed above aren't the most reliable way to play Windows games on your Mac, but they do give you an option.
Of course, another option is to run Windows on your Mac, via BootCamp or a virtual machine, which takes a little know-how and a lot of memory space on your Mac's hard drive.
How do you play your Windows games on Mac?
Let us know in the comment below!
Updated October 2019: Updated with the best options.
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Comments
- edited September 2015Yes. But digital is really the path of less resistance because digital installs can never suffer from the discs being lost, scratched, or otherwise damaged over time. You just have to worry about EA pushing out the occasional flawed Origin update; I sure hope we've seen the last of those.
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Our new site is at http://nraas.net - I agree with Igazor for same reasons they posted , Play the digital version. I do . Haven't played my discs in years.
- Any disc drive will work.
I prefer disc drives manufactured by LG, since they're one of the best disc drive manufacturers ever.1 - edited September 2015@ceejay402 Might know more about this.
OP: Are there any concerns you have with going digital?Formerly known as Simasaurus09
i7-7700K • 16GB • GTX 1070
S3 simblr: http://simplysimming.tumblr.com/
S4 simblr: http://simlogic.tumblr.com/ - im partial to digital but im also fortunate to have high speed internet so for example DLing sims 3 all EPs plus almost all stuff took under one hour. and i was using wifi! the biggest time consumption was spent hand holding origin since i think my processor may have been faster then its registering i had installed stuff. so i would have to after almost all installs wait a few moments while origin hung at 100% installation reboot computer and then move to the next installation. shakes fist in air, origin!
that said i will say if you have slow or even mediocre internet speed but already have the discs then discs are a good way to go. a couple of suggestions though i wouldnt spend a ton on a disc reader, they really are becoming the vcr of today, a solid cheap one will do the job like something under 30 bucks and the other thing i would do so that read/transfer times dont matter is install the last Ep/stuff digitally, the most recent released EP or stuff you own that way you dont have to keep the disc drive connected when playing.
but for sure irregardless do register all EPs and stuffs as time passes things change with EA and youll upgrade computers and a registered digital copy down the road if sims 2 is any indication will provide the most options to play the series when the inevitable changes comes. - I think my concerns about going digital are that my old computer always asked for the disc even after I installed everything. (I think I redeemed the code on Origin.) Also will the code still work even if I had the game on a different computer (that is dead now).
- edited September 2015If you 100% for sure did download it from the Origin client (not by disc) then it shouldn't ask for a disc. Once a game is registered to an account you can't add it to another account. TheSims3.com and Origin are linked so the same account you use on one site will work on the other (including the Origin client). Only registered games will give you a digital copy. Games purchased digitally through Origin are automatically registered.Formerly known as Simasaurus09
i7-7700K • 16GB • GTX 1070
S3 simblr: http://simplysimming.tumblr.com/
S4 simblr: http://simlogic.tumblr.com/ - Maybe I did forget to do something. I will never know for sure now. I remember seeing the Origin launcher and the Sims 3 in it as one of my games. It would even keep track of the days I played it. If I were to install Origin on a hypothetical new computer and logged with the same account I should be able to see my information.
- Yes, you can sign on any computer with your Origin account. A patch has now bundled packs together. They are listed under the base game. Hover over TS3 cover and click on the i icon or right click and select View Game Details.Formerly known as Simasaurus09
i7-7700K • 16GB • GTX 1070
S3 simblr: http://simplysimming.tumblr.com/
S4 simblr: http://simlogic.tumblr.com/ - Any disc drive will work.
I prefer disc drives manufactured by LG, since they're one of the best disc drive manufacturers ever.
Can you please stop the fanboy posts - Any disc drive will work.
I prefer disc drives manufactured by LG, since they're one of the best disc drive manufacturers ever.
Can you please stop the fanboy posts
Sorry.0 - I think my concerns about going digital are that my old computer always asked for the disc even after I installed everything. (I think I redeemed the code on Origin.) Also will the code still work even if I had the game on a different computer (that is dead now).
how discs work for sims 3 is the most recent released EP or stuff installed will require a disc in the player unless the most recent released installed is digital. so for example ITF if you installed via disc youll always need the disc to start up the game now if you installed all EPs via disc but you instead installed ITF digitally you dont need a disc
registering games at origin allows you to access the digital files under my games. and to be able to access origin on different computers simply install origin on the new computer and log in with the same acct that holds all of your sims codes and then under my games youll find their digital files - The laptop I was looking at is on eBay. This is the one without the optical drive and it is also refurbished. I will not be buying it because I just looked at the return policy- you can only return it if it is dead on arrival (DOA). The seller also told me refunds also only apply for DOAs. So let's say that I buy the computer and I don't like it. Maybe it's too slow or the performance is worse than I thought or some other technical problem that persists, I can't return it unless they determine the problem is DOA.
Other than that, thank you for all your advice. Even if I get a laptop with an optical drive I will see if I can try to find a way to play without the discs and keep them as backup. - The laptop I was looking at is on eBay. This is the one without the optical drive and it is also refurbished. I will not be buying it because I just looked at the return policy- you can only return it if it is dead on arrival (DOA). The seller also told me refunds also only apply for DOAs. So let's say that I buy the computer and I don't like it. Maybe it's too slow or the performance is worse than I thought or some other technical problem that persists, I can't return it unless they determine the problem is DOA.
Other than that, thank you for all your advice. Even if I get a laptop with an optical drive I will see if I can try to find a way to play without the discs and keep them as backup.
if you need help selecting a laptop fit for the game let me know - edited September 2015The laptop I was looking at is on eBay. This is the one without the optical drive and it is also refurbished. I will not be buying it because I just looked at the return policy- you can only return it if it is dead on arrival (DOA). The seller also told me refunds also only apply for DOAs. So let's say that I buy the computer and I don't like it. Maybe it's too slow or the performance is worse than I thought or some other technical problem that persists, I can't return it unless they determine the problem is DOA.
Other than that, thank you for all your advice. Even if I get a laptop with an optical drive I will see if I can try to find a way to play without the discs and keep them as backup.
I would be careful about buying any laptop on ebay especially used. Not saying that you cant get good things there. I bought my tablet that was brand new on there however make sure seller has a return policy, They have been on ebay a long time and that they have great feedback.
You did not mention price range but if you are in the USA . This would work for the starter pack and has a disk drive. No tax outside of CA, TN or NJ $569 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834232376&cm_re=940m-_-34-232-376-_-Product
this is $539 without the disk drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834315065&cm_re=940m-_-34-315-065-_-Product
You can always register your discs with EA and they give you free downloads of the game when you register the discs. I prefer to play the downloads. Discs can get scratched and become unplayable . If you play with disc and something happens with the disc you have to uninstall the game and replace it with the download versions anyway0
does anyone know if i could download sims4 using a portable dvd drive (one that you plug into a computer)???
sorry if this has already been i question!- does anyone know if i could download sims4 using a portable dvd drive (one that you plug into a computer)???
sorry if this has already been i question!
This is the TS3 area of the forum, not TS4. But I'll try to answer anyway.
You cannot run either game, TS3 or TS4, on the device you were asking about earlier, an Asus E200HA. It is not powerful enough, has almost no hard drive space to work with, does not have enough memory (RAM), does not have a dedicated graphics card. If you force an install and try to play anyway, it will either not work or you will damage the device. A portable DVD drive comes into play when a user needs to install from disk onto a more capable computer. The game doesn't actually run from those DVDs, even for those TS3 players without Origin who are still required to keep a disc in their drives to startup. But, as I understand it, TS4 always requires Origin.
Either game, TS3 or TS4, must actually run from a hard drive onto which it is installed, and they require a much more powerful computer to be played upon. There's nothing 'wrong' with these <$200 (US Dollars) Atom processor portables. But they are not for playing graphics intensive games, it's not what they were made for.
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Our new site is at http://nraas.net - Hey guys,
I had the sims4 disc for about going on 2 years and haven't been able to play it cause i need a new laptop but i just ordered the WD passport portable drive the other day so i wanted to know how could i download it onto there when i put the cd in the current laptop i am using right now - edited November 2016
Hi there. The short answer is that you can't. Or maybe I am not understanding what you are trying to do. A passport portable is an external hard drive, it's not a computer. The TS4 discs don't really do all that much, they call up Origin to do the job through digital downloads but there needs to be a computer of sufficient strength to install it onto and run the program once it's installed. As I understand it, TS4 doesn't really run or get installed from the discs.Hey guys,
I had the sims4 disc for about going on 2 years and haven't been able to play it cause i need a new laptop but i just ordered the WD passport portable drive the other day so i wanted to know how could i download it onto there when i put the cd in the current laptop i am using right now
And again, should point out, this is the TS3 section of the forum.
NRaas has moved!
Our new site is at http://nraas.net
Hi there. The short answer is that you can't. Or maybe I am not understanding what you are trying to do. A passport portable is an external hard drive, it's not a computer. The TS4 discs don't really do all that much, they call up Origin to do the job through digital downloads but there needs to be a computer of sufficient strength to install it onto and run the program once it's installed. As I understand it, TS4 doesn't really run or get installed from the discs.Hey guys,
I had the sims4 disc for about going on 2 years and haven't been able to play it cause i need a new laptop but i just ordered the WD passport portable drive the other day so i wanted to know how could i download it onto there when i put the cd in the current laptop i am using right now
And again, should point out, this is the TS3 section of the forum.
Yes you are correct about the TS4 discs- edited November 2016Re-reading this, I think I see what @bayy18 was asking now. They do want to run TS4 from their laptop, but have the program files and presumably the game folder all installed on a portable external drive, which I guess means including Origin. I'm assuming because their laptop's internal drive doesn't have enough space, can't think of any other reason to attempt this. I don't think that's going to work very well, if at all, for various reasons...
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Our new site is at http://nraas.net - I am using an external CD drive on my Mac Book Pro to try to play my Sims 3 game but any time I try to play the game (even though I just used it to download the game on to my computer) it says it can't find the disk to play it off of. The CD drive is making noise so I know it is reading it and it comes up on my system as there but for some reason the game can't find it. How do I fix this?
- edited August 2017
Hi there.I am using an external CD drive on my Mac Book Pro to try to play my Sims 3 game but any time I try to play the game (even though I just used it to download the game on to my computer) it says it can't find the disk to play it off of. The CD drive is making noise so I know it is reading it and it comes up on my system as there but for some reason the game can't find it. How do I fix this?
The game does not actually 'play' off of a disc, it must be installed and it runs off of our hard drives. For disc installs, the disc of the base game, or if you have EPs, that of the most recently released one, must be inserted for authentication but that's all it's used for at that point.
Which Mac operating system are you on? The latest ones, so that would be El Capitan and Sierra (OS X 10.11 and 10.12) are not capable of authenticating the TS3 discs. The only solution that currently exists is to uninstall the disc version of the game and install the digital version by way of Origin for Mac instead. Then Origin can do the authentication and the discs are not needed at all. Your game purchase must be registered on the old TS3 site in order to get a code to use for an Origin install, but it should be at no extra charge if you purchased the game unused.
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