Amazed to hear that you have'nt play SIMS, its a great game and i am playing it for more then 6 yrs, The Sims was released in 1999 and i have it plus all 7 expansion packs that are in order of release :
1. Livin Large
2. House Party
3. Hot Date
4. Vaccation
5. Unleashed
6. Superstars
7. Makin Magic

Now playing The Sims 2 with University EP installed, you can say that i am a Sims freak :D

by the way have you played
Dark Reign 2, it was a great strategy game of its time much likely to Age of Empires :)
Age Of Empires also falls in strategy games category, isnt it?