EA has launched Sims Carnival, a collection of Flash-based games that can be played, modified, and shared with friends. Users are free to play pre-designed games, or to create their own. To celebrate the launch, Sims Carnival has also opened a “Galactic Game Challenge” that will award the best designer a cash prize.

The site offers a number of options that allow users to build their own games using tools that require no programming experience. Users can utilize a wizard that streamlines the creation process down to a few simple questions (What genre? How many enemies?, etc.), or they can choose to create a more customized game using the site’s downloadable editor (Windows only for now). They can also use the Swapper, which allows users to exchange a game’s default images for their own.

The site also allows developers to upload games that they’ve created in Flash independently, while retaining all of their links and branding. This could be a boon to developers looking to gain exposure in the somewhat-saturated Flash games market.

Each completed game can be embedded in social networking sites or blogs, and users can stitch together games to create a playlist. The site will soon introduce an API that will allow game creators to tabulate high score rankings, which can be distributed through email on a regular basis.

Gamers looking for a tie-in to the hit Sims series will be disappointed - it seems that the site is affiliated with the brand in name only. That said, Sims Carnival will likely appeal to much of the same audience. Many of the games are fun but not particularly complicated, and there’s good deal of satisfaction to be had from making your own game, even if there wasn’t much effort involved.

Site: simscarnival.com