Players use fan-made game challenges in The Sims 4 (coined “Legacy Challenges”) to add depth and long-term goals to gameplay, making each generation unique. Challenges have grown from game to game, with more and more fans adding their versions to the mix, each offering a fresh take on family storytelling.
This chaotic challenge requires each generation to give birth to as many children as possible before moving the household across to one of them. The difficulty of this challenge, aside from the problem of having so many babies in such little time, is to manage finances, relationships, and parenting while keeping the household running.
With constant pregnancies, screaming toddlers, and the need to juggle work and social constraints, the 100 Baby Challenge is great for players who love hectic gameplay. It is the ultimate test in multitasking and means that every generation is filled with unexpected events.
Inspired by TV shows and sitcoms, this challenge tasks the player with creating a generation of Sims that follows the life of a different TV family. Created by Tumblr user “simsbyali,” the first family is to be based on the spooky Addams Family, and players must follow a specific list of rules based around them.
The TV Shows Challenge is ideal for players who like storytelling and can do so by recreating some of television’s most famous families. It encourages them to focus on not only the traits aspect of The Sims 4 but also the extensive customization of Sims and home to truly recreate the famous TV looks.
Created by Tumblr users “lilsimsie” and “alwaysimming,” this challenge assigns each generation of Sims a specific color and personality. Each family member must follow goals, traits, and aspirations related to their designated color, starting with a Mint-colored founder in the Scientist career.
The Not So Berry Challenge integrates career-based goals with the exploration of character creation. With a specific focus on aesthetics, it could also be popular with The Sims 4 home-builders and storytellers, who must plan their characters’ worlds around a single generation.
Inspired by the Not So Berry Challenge and created by Tumblr user “itsmaggira,” the Not So Scary challenge offers its own spooky twist with vibrant colors and supernatural gameplay. Each generation is themed with a different occult Sim type, from vampires to paranormal investigators, and while there are goals in place, the restrictions on traits and aspirations are limited. Giving almost total freedom to the player.
This challenge is fun for a number of reasons, one of which is it focuses on a different type of Sim altogether – in the creator’s own words, the “weird and rejected sims,” but incorporates the feel and ideas from the previously mentioned challenge.
The Legacy of Hearts Challenge is a story-driven challenge that focuses on romance, heartbreak, affairs, and relationships across ten generations. Created by Tumblr users “simplysimulated” and “kimbasprite” and inspired by the Lovestruck expansion pack, players follow a detailed scenario for each generation. For one generation, you must rekindle an old flame, and for another, experience a tragic heartbreak.
Prioritizing the emotional component of The Sims 4 over other aspects, this challenge pushes players to explore complex relationships and breakups. It is perfect for the type of player who prefers to meddle in their Sims life as opposed to sitting back and watching things unfold slowly by themselves.
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Inspired by famous female protagonists from classic literature, the Literary Heroine Challenge was created by Tumblr user “thegracefullion” as a way for players to follow the lives of famous literary heroines while still making their own rules. The first Sim generation begins with Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice with the “Successful Lineage” aspiration.
This challenge encourages storytelling, character development, and world-building. It is a must for book lovers who wish to guide their Sims through struggles and triumphs that mirror the books they are based on. It pushes players to style their Sims’ world according to a different time in history and creates immersive play, blending literature and gaming for a perfect story experience.
Tumblr user “kateraed” creates a Sims 4 Legacy Challenge based on the whimsical wants and, often repressed, nature of Sims in The Sims 4. The Whimsy Stories challenge begins with a free-spirited Sim setting out on their own to find happiness and freedom. The charm of this challenge lies in its imaginative storytelling, where each Sim lives a life based on traits, careers, and life purposes that reflect their whimsical essence.
This challenge is desirable for players who feel stuck in the regimented day-to-day lives of their Sims and struggle to create new stories and situations for them. Players will find freedom in leaning into the whims and whimsy of Sims 4, igniting new creativity along the way.
Based on the beloved cozy game by ConcernedApe, there are numerous Tumblr challenges based on Stardew Valley. Some focus on the NPC characters of the farming simulation, while others center on creating a brand new life as a character from Pelican Town.
The Stardew Cottage Living Challenge, created by Tumblr user “hemlocksims,” asks players to recreate the experience of inheriting a run-down farm and restoring it to its former glory. The goal overall is to rebuild a thriving farm over multiple generations and requires Sims to focus on relevant activities like gardening, fishing, and animal care. All while making lasting relationships with those around time.
This challenge, which starts with a single Sim (with an optional cat or dog), is perfect for those who wish to combine the rustic farm life of Stardew Valley with the creative, immersive nature of Sims 4.
The Sims 4 can be chaotic even at the best of times, even with all the simoleons in the bank, but Tumblr user “jasminesilk” has created a challenge to make life that little bit (or a lot) harder. The concept of the challenge is simple – play through ten generations of Sims on a shortened lifespan. However, there are stipulations when creating the starting Sim and what they are allowed to begin with. For instance, players must move their Sim into an affordable starter home – and then cheat the money to 0.
For players who enjoy a challenge, this one is ideal. Not only must the Sims survive, but there are goals to achieve with each generation, and with a shortened lifespan, time is of the essence. The Nightmare Challenge pushes gameplay to the next level, with chaos and stress likely to ensue.
Often, the best or most fun characters in media are the villains, whether sympathetic or obvious. Gaming can be the same, and Tumblr user “siyaims” created the Fatal Flaw Challenge to center around the “negative” trait element of The Sims 4. Each generation is assigned an overall “negative” trait and must follow the guidelines and goals put forward in the challenge. The rules also specify aspirations and careers to help players in creating a truly terrible Sim.
A fun way for any player who wishes to unleash some chaotic evil energy into their Sims 4 world, this challenge makes being mean the aim of the game. Sometimes, being unhinged is needed to make for some excellent storytelling and gameplay.
Legacy Challenges in The Sims 4 bring fresh and creative ways to experience the game. Whether a player likes to focus on storytelling, fantasy, or chaos, there is a challenge for everyone.
The Sims 4is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
