Sims games are designed to be played in an endless number of ways according to the imagination of millions of players. Every now and then, however, simmers may look for a little inspiration to bring something new to their gameplay.
The Sims community of fans have created and shared their own challenges with fellow players that bring new ideas into their gameplay. These challenges come with their own set of rules for players to meet certain goals and help keep the game fresh. What are the most unique or exciting ideas that Sims players have come up with thus far?
100 Baby Challenge
The 100 Baby Challenge is one of the most popular Sims challenges amongst top Sims YouTubers - and for good reason. The challenge involves one matriarch (and a chosen daughter to continue the succession once they become elders), having and raising 100 children from babies to adulthood. In each stage of the child's life, certain goals, such as getting an A at school, must be achieved before they can grow up and the player can move to the next phase of the challenge.
This challenge helps the player learn how to become a master at many aspects of The Sims 4, from flirting with new fathers to multitasking the care for all of a sim's children. The challenge has mass appeal amongst players because it allows them to use their own imagination to create their very own large extended family in the game.
Rags to Riches Challenge
Trying to The Sims, is not as straightforward as it may seem. The Rags to Riches Challenge requires a single sim to start at zero simoleons with no home or belongings, trying to make their way towards typically one million simoleons without a 9-5 job. A sim will forage, explore, and try various hobbies within the Sims worlds in order to earn money and survive.
This challenge is one of the more difficult challenges created by Sims fans, as simoleons are required for nearly everything in the game - from food to shelter. Players will have to get creative in order to take care of their sim's needs. A sim can try out many activities in the game to see what makes the most money and is the most fun to play.
Random Genetics Challenge
Popularised by players such as Vixella, the random genetics challenge takes place in the create-a-sim mode of The Sims 4. Two sims, a mother and father sim, are created by randomizing every customizable aspect of the sim, from their facial features to their body types. Then, the player uses the create a child option to see the product of the two genetics. Then, players can customize this sim, which can have some very unusual results through sims randomization.
This is a popular option for those who want a quick challenge to play but do not want to affect the save files of their game. The randomization button in the game can have very surprising, and very funny results, and every attempt will create highly different results. Customizing the resulting child sim can be surprisingly challenging, but is fun to play and the overall challenge offers an exploration of all that create-a-sim has to offer.
Not So Berry Challenge
Created by YouTuber Lil Simsie, the Not So Berry challenge is one that spans multiple generations. Each generation is its own color (e.g, "plum" is a sim that wears purple), and each generation has its own goals to be met that are stated in the rules of the game before the next generation.
The challenge was created to help players explore aspects of The Sims 4 that they may not have tried before - for example, a player may never have had a sim in the criminal career before. The challenge gives players a wider understanding of all the game has to offer. While there are strict rules to be adhered to, each challenge will be unique to the player undergoing the challenge, as they create their own legacy challenge with their own visions for the family generations.
Every Lot Trait Challenge
For a Sims challenge on the more extreme side, this may be the right choice. Popularised by James Turner, the Every Lot Challenge requires players to install a cheat that allows PC players to have more than the three traits allowed per sims lot. Once installed, the player can delight, or even torture their sim, with a number of traits that affect how the sim experiences their own home.
The objective of this challenge is hilariously simple - survive. The sim will be presented with a number of challenges attempting to make it through the day with an off-the-grid home that is prone to breakages and even a few ghostly visitors. A sim may enjoy their time in a chaotic home, but its difficulties can be too much for many sims' personalities and may even have some fatal effects.
Gold Digger Challenge
Why try and earn money in The Sims when other sims can do it for you? In the Gold Digger Challenge, a sim has to meet and marry a series of wealthy spouses to go into their own funds. Through the power of charisma and flirting skills alone, the sim must earn one million simoleons and complete the mansion barons as they work their way through marrying the richest sims in the game.
The challenge is popular because it helps train players at becoming better at flirting and other social interactions in order to marry all their wealthy suitors. The unpredictability and the drama of meeting, marrying, and divorcing sims across the worlds keeps the game interesting and challenging as a sim acquires the funds of other sims without earning a single simoleon for themselves.
Black Widow Challenge
For those looking for a deadly twist on the Gold Digger Challenge, the Black Widow Challenge may be the perfect option. Whereas the Gold Digger Challenge simply requires divorce, this challenge follows similar rules, except that a sim's unlucky spouse will meet an untimely death as that sim is widowed many times over in their quest to get rich.
The Black Widow Challenge is ideal for those who enjoy drama in their Sims game and prefer a darker tone of gameplay. The challenge is also a great way to uncover many of the The Sims, and it is a perfect opportunity to get creative and set up a series of various booby traps to help the unfortunate sim spouse meet the grim reaper.
Legacy Challenge
Anyone who wants a long-term Sims challenge rather than a quick adventure should attempt this. The Legacy Challenge starts with one single sim on a large (typically 50x50) lot with zero simoleons, similarly to the Rags to Riches Challenge. From there, players can build a "legacy" consisting of ten generations or more, and the home and wealth will develop as the family develops.
While a long-term challenge, many creative Sims fans will like this challenge due to the level of freedom allowed in the gameplay. Players can play the ten generations of the family in whatever way they desire, and the goals are not overly specific.
7 Toddler Challenge
The 7 Toddler Challenge is one of the quickest challenges, yet one of the most difficult. The objective is simple - one adult lives on a lot with seven toddlers and the aim is to make it through the week and take care of all the toddlers alone without having any taken away by child services.
Toddlers in The Sims 4 are notoriously difficult to handle and are in constant danger of being whisked away by social services, so seven can be a real nightmare! The chaotic week a sim will endure as they try to make it without any help from babysitters or friends means that hilarity will quickly ensue.
Dumpster Challenge
This is a fun challenge for anyone who has The Sims 4: Eco Lifestyle expansion pack. Like Rags to Riches, a sim starts off with zero simoleons, and can only acquire money, food or objects through dumpster diving in the dumpsters dotted around Evergreen Harbor.
Due to the chaotic and often humorous nature of Sims randomization, the gamble of this challenge is that no one ever knows what they're going to get. The odd collection of objects available through the dumpster makes every try at this challenge unique, and it has great replay value.