Well Linux has a massive range of development tools that you will no doubt find to your liking.
Regarding the Sims 2, unfortunately it doesn't look like it runs very well through Linux (the highest rating given is "Garbage" on Fedora Core 8). However, a dual-boot will ensure that you are able to enjoy the Sims 2 in a Windows environment and still experiment with Linux.
Edit:
Oh, and don't forget about possibly trying to run Linux from within Windows (through VMWare etc). Then you'll have a native Windows environment to run your games, and still be able to experiment with Linux