How To Do The Sims 4 Decades Challenge

Embark on a historical journey with the Sims 4 Decades Challenge! This engaging community-created challenge lets your Sims experience life across different eras, adding a unique layer of complexity to your gameplay. This guide outlines the rules and provides a structured approach to navigating this time-traveling adventure.

Challenge Overview & Rules:

The Decades Challenge spans from 1890 to 2010 (or 2020, depending on your preference), with each two in-game days representing a year. Automatic aging must be disabled, and lifespan is adjusted based on historical life expectancy: Sims born before 1950 have shorter lifespans than those born afterward. Begin with a single young adult Sim or a married couple, optionally including parents to reflect multi-generational households common in earlier eras. Clothing and household items should reflect the appropriate decade. Strangerville and Del Sol Valley are unavailable until the 1950s, and Sulani is generally excluded for enhanced realism. Apartments are permissible for single Sims, but marriage necessitates a house. Technology use is restricted to gameplay necessities until its historical introduction. Job choices should align with the time period.

Decade-Specific Challenges:

Detailed rules for each decade are available via Cute Coffee Gal’s comprehensive guide (link omitted for brevity). Here's a summary of key differences:

• 1890s: Male heirs only; daughters with the Creative trait move out upon marriage; no WooHoo, only "try for baby"; home births; period-appropriate jobs; limited technology; elementary school mandatory; university optional with period-appropriate majors; Cow Plant cultivation begins.

• 1900s: Lamps allowed; indoor plumbing (no showers); other 1890s rules apply; phonographs allowed.

• 1910s: Male teen, young adult, and adult Sims drafted for WWI (Cow Plant cake consumption and dice roll determine fate); high school mandatory (C average required); women can take manual labor jobs.

• 1920s: Women can be heirs; no Creative trait requirement for daughters; talk radio, movies, and lighting options available; no alcohol (Prohibition).

• 1930s: Kegs allowed at university; Great Depression (job loss at start, new job after one week); one cooked meal daily, others scavenged/grown; Prohibition ends.

• 1940s: WWII draft (same rules as WWI); victory garden required; thermostats, washers, dryers, and radios allowed.

• 1950s: Korean War draft (oldest son); showers and cheap TVs allowed; high school mandatory; phones allowed for calls.

• 1960s: Vietnam War draft (oldest two children); any college major; maternity leave; WooHoo allowed.

• 1970s: Vietnam War draft (oldest two children); marriage encouraged; microwaves and dishwashers allowed; lottery tickets and food delivery available.

• 1980s: Gaming allowed; at least one Sim must pursue a business career; science babies; hospital births.

• 1990s: Laptops allowed; unrestricted TV; texting; Y2K shelter required.

• 2000s: Unrestricted computer and phone use (except Trendi); home or hospital births; all music and TV allowed.

• 2010s: No print journalism; same-sex marriage allowed; all part-time work allowed; meat wall, Trendi, and weather generator available.

The Decades Challenge offers a richly immersive experience, blending historical context with the creative freedom of The Sims 4. While the Eco Lifestyle pack enhances the experience, it’s adaptable to various pack combinations.

The Sims 4 is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.