Since initially debuting in 2000, The Sims franchise has continued to grow over the years, and with numerous expansion packs and versions, the game is still going strong almost twenty years later. The key to this game being so successful is the constant reinvention process that it has undergone. Instead of maintaining the same gameplay year-after-year, there are so many changes that take place. The newest iteration of the franchise is The Sims 4, which was initially released in 2013. Since its debut, it has released numerous expansion packs that have allowed players to continue playing the game despite it being over five years old. Expansions like Cats & Dogs and Get Famous have made the game exciting even for long-time players.

For those that have played The Sims multiple times know that no game is the same as different interactions and situations in the game make each new creation a different story. Even further, there are also so many secrets hidden within the game that cannot be achieved after just one play. This version of the game is packed with hidden abilities, areas, and situations that need to be played multiple times to explore them all. Even the most dedicated player would need multiple tries to get through them. With so much to see and do, the only way to experience it all is to keep on playing.

Here are 20 Things Fans Didn’t Know They Could Do in The Sims 4:

Beautiful Sylvan Glade

The Sims is well-known for providing players with numerous hidden areas within their cities; as graphics become more enhanced, so does the beauty of the areas.

Sylvan Glade is one of the more beautiful areas in The Sims 4, but it can only be reached if players know how to access its secrets. In Willow Creek's Foundry Cove, the Sylvan Tree is the key to finding this beautiful oasis. The tree needs to be watered in three consecutive visits, after which, a portal will open up revealing the entrance to Sylvan Glade. The area is not only known for being picturesque, but has things that no other area does. Players are able to fish for the extremely rare tree fish, as well as pick through a variety of other rare plants, fruits, and vegetables.

The Death Flower

A row of grafted Death Flowers in The Sims 4

Despite being around since The Sims 3, the Death Flower continues to evolve the game. While losing a Sim's life is certainly tragic, the game has further developed ways in order to prolong one's demise, as well as resurrect those that have been lost.

This flower is only obtainable by those with a level five gardening skill. After grafting multiple plants involving cherries, pomegranates, lilies, and snapdragons, the option to create Death Flowers will eventually exist. When in the inventory, it can be given to Death in exchange for a Sim' life. Since Death is so fond of the flower, he will reanimate and bring a Sim back to life. While tricking Death will always be a roll of the dice, this is a nice way to continue a game.

Grilled Cheese Obsession

Building a Sim to have worth-while aspirations of life is half the fun of The Sims. Instead of having them live a meaningless life, the controller can give them purpose. It is a good thing that the game has the ability to make Sims care about something – like grilled cheese.

After forcing Sims to consume three plates of grilled cheese in a row, they will slowly become obsessed with the dish. In fact, their world will begin to revolve around the toasty treat. All the Sims will think and talk about is grilled cheese, and all their actions will be related to it. While everyone knows the value of a grilled cheese sandwich, all of their wants and fears will focus on this, leading to a game that slowly loses all meaning.

Finally Turning Off The Tutorials

The Sims - Cult

Since the first version of the game was released in 2000, various versions of The Sims have been enjoyed by fans. While the game has evolved, the basic actions and premise of the game have stayed the same. This means that by the time The Sims 4 rolled around, fans had been playing the game for almost twenty years. After that much play-time, watching the same old tutorials has become very tiresome.

Thankfully, The Sims 4 has finally given the option to remove in-game tutorials, which were not able to be skipped before. After building the fifth house in one game, it is nice to start playing without having to re-watch all of the “how-to” guides.

Return Of Rosebud

In the original Sims game, the most infamous cheat code was the “Rosebud” one, which enabled the ability to transfer infinite amounts of Simoleon cash to the player's account. Instead of playing the game for hours to earn cash, this code could be used to expedite the game. While these types of codes have existed through all iterations of The Sims, Rosebud was the originator.

New codes have been introduced with each version, which has made it difficult for fans to remember them. However, Sims 4 reintroduced the cheat that started it all. Instead of using codes like “Kaching” or “Motherlode,” fans could go back to using “Rosebud.” Other codes may provide more cash, but it is always fun to go back to the OG.

Visit An Alien Planet

In the Get To Work expansion pack, it is possible to leave the character's home planet and travel to a distant one.

After achieving level 10 in the Rocket Science skill and reaching the top of the Scientist career, it opens up a world of possibilities. After upgrading their rocket ship with a “wormhole generator,” they will eventually receive a special assignment to travel to the alien planet “Sixam.” This planet is home to metals and minerals that are not available on Earth, which could lead to the discovery of a new element, and scientists are even invited to a specific playground. To think that some players only use the game to start fires in houses!

Take An Alien Home

As if visiting an alien planet was not exciting enough, this game has taken alien adventures to another level. Not only can a player's creation travel away from their home planet, but they could also end up with an alien companion if they play their cards right.

The aliens on Sixam have the ability to do one of two things: either impregnate a Sim or provide them with an alien keepsake in a bottle to take home. While both instances are some of the least likely to occur in the game, it does keep players constantly visiting the planet. Having the possibility of an alien companion is certainly not something to take lightly. How many other games offer that option?

Vampire Life

One of the cooler aspects of The Sims is the ability to watch a Sim creation grow over time. The life simulator offers the chance to take characters from the cradle to the grave and everything in between. While watching a life progress is full of fun, being able to manipulate it is even more exciting. The Sims 4 even provided the opportunity to manipulate life into the occult.

The “Create A Sim” feature is used for new characters, but additional patches offer the opportunity to turn Sims into vampires. Complete with fangs, supernatural powers, and an overpowering thirst, this turns the game upside down. Not only will their appearances be different, but these Sims will have a complete aversion to sunlight.

Breaking Bad

Looking to use The Sims to create picture-perfect caricatures of another person? Electronic Arts has enhanced the “Create a Sim” feature to the point of being able to manipulate all facial features. Fans have even gone so far as to create some very famous lookalikes.

Clothing choices, hair styles, and body types allow for some great customization of characters. Characters like Homer Simpson, Tony Stark, and even Breaking Bad's Walter White are among some of the most popular characters to create. Fans are even sharing them here to show off their creations to other fans. As The Sims world continues to progress, so do the possibilities of new creations for fans to show off.

Free Real Estate

Choosing to buy property in real life is one of the biggest investments that someone can make. Not only is it expensive, but it is a purchase that has to be lived with for many years afterwards. However, The Sims has taken some anxiety out of that decision by providing a cheat for free houses.

By using the “Free Real Estate” cheat, players are able to purchase any house at a very affordable price: free! That giant house that has always caught every players eye? That one would be free. How about the modest house for the family of four? Also free. How about all the houses on every block? Every available property in the game would become free, but it may take some of the fun out of the game if there is nothing for The Sims to save for.

Spot the Windenburg Sea Monster

While urban legends like the Loch Ness Monster and Big Foot are good tall tales to chat about in real life, they also exist in the Sim World. The first version of The Sims introduced a Nessie look-alike that would appear on the bottom of the screen at times. However, no explanation was provided to the fans who made inquiries about it.

Fast forward to The Sims 4, and the sea monster has reappeared. Now, it is being spotted in Windenburg River, but still cannot be interacted with in any way. While it would be a cool mini-game to find and capture the monster, it is still just there to gaze at whenever it can be spotted.

Finding The Hermit

The Sims 4 is well-known for inserting multiple non-playable characters into the mix. While most of the Sims and families living in the area are able to be played as throughout the game, developers also included characters that are strictly for background enjoyment. However, introducing the random outdoor Hermit in the deep woods was just a strange element.

After a character has achieved the rank of “Outdoor Enthusiast” and they venture into the Deep Woods, they may come across the Hermit. With high skill levels of carpentry, fishing, and herbalism, the NPC is able to fend for themselves in the deep woods. Players can learn a lot from the Hermit for the rest of their game, but his purpose there just seems to be to chill out. While other Sims are rushing to work, he is just able to relax.

Make Sims Left-Handed

Being able to customize a Sim in the image of the player is mostly why people play The Sims. While many other games allow players to create their own avatar, The Sims has always been a step above, but there have always been certain customizable traits that the game hadn't explored before. Thankfully, the newest versions are allowing players to customize even the most trivial details.

By employing the cheat code “traits.remove_traittrait_handedness_right,” players are finally able to choose the dominant hand of their Sim. Instead of being forced to control a right-handed Sim, players can now make a change and add some uniqueness. Sims may not be able to escape a pool without a ladder, but thankfully, they will know how to use their left hand when pouring a drink.

Substance PSAs

Not only does The Sims reinforce things like family values and social circles, but it also serves to keep their players on a righteous path. While controlling and manipulating an entire world may make players power hungry, game developers have ensured that they will not get any poor ideas about indulging certain substances.

By referencing the infamous Rachel Leigh-Cook public service announcement from the 1990s, the game will quote the advertisement if the player tries to take medication without being ill. The game included the announcement as humor, but it does send a great message. Players may not have thought about getting morality lessons from this game, but it serves a great purpose. Any questions?

Private Rich-Sims Club

Getting together with other Sims in a social setting is part of the life simulation game. Whether players are throwing parties at their own home or meeting in the downtown core, there is always something to do with the other people in the city. Instead of keeping the game inclusive for everyone in the city, recent expansions have created exclusive clubs.

In the “Get Together” expansion pack, players are given the opportunity to create exclusive clubs that are only available for certain types of people. While this was initially introduced in The Sims 3, this newest expansion allows for a new type of club based on economic status. A “wealthy” club for rich Sims with over $30,000 in the bank is as exclusive as these clubs get. Presumably, this club is reserved for eating caviar, as it is exclusive for elite members.

Forgotten Grotto

As the world of The Sims expands, so do the beautiful places that can be visited, but only some places are available for those who know where to look. For example, this “Forgotten Grotto” is not readily available to everyone who plays the game.

Only Sims who venture to Oasis Springs with level 10 handiness are able to get a look at this beautiful place. Hidden behind an old, rusty mine shaft door is a pathway that will eventually lead to this haven of tranquility. Once it has been found, players are able to get to it much easier than their first visit, but it will always remain hidden. It is even reserved for those who are the most centered, as those with high wellness skills are able to teleport there to meditate. Looks like programmers had relaxation on the brain when they thought this one up.

Become A Supervillain

Being able to play out a different life than the one that players regularly live is part of the fun of The Sims. While all of the different career paths for characters lead to a lot of excitement, The Sims 4 introduced the most fun one of all: being a supervillain.

While previous games gave the opportunity to be cat-burglars and thieves, this game takes it up a notch. After getting an entry level job as an agency clerk, players will eventually receive the choice to either stay on the good side and become a secret agent, or break bad and become a double agent; as the game itself says, “why not be the best among the world’s worst?” Eventually, they could work their way up to “Triple Agent” status, where no one really knows if they are good or bad anymore.

Return Of The Cow Plant

Many long-time Sims fans know the “Cow Plant” since it first appeared in The Sims 2, which was only known as a “mutant plant.” While its clinical name is the Laganaphyllis simnovorii, most fans just know it as the strange Cow Plant that has never been fully explained. Thankfully, it continues to make appearances in newer versions of the game, but it has only gotten weirder.

After fishing for the Cow Plant Berry at Desert Bloom Park, players will be able to experience the awesome weirdness of this plant. While all the weird features from before still exist (like the plant consuming neighbors), it is stranger than before. If multiple plants are placed near each other, they engage in a very spooky dance routine. There are some serious questions for the game developers for including something so strange in all of their games.

Vampire Sanctuaries

The inclusion of vampires and the non-living in The Sims universe has been very well received. Not only do players get to live out their simulation dreams, but they also get to have fun with the occult. However, there was one initial problem: how are these vampires supposed to play the game in the sunlight? They don't sparkle like Edward Cullen, but rather, they will turn to dust! Thankfully, the game thought ahead about how to protect Nosferatu-sim.

Various areas like the aforementioned Forgotten Grotto and Planet Sixam are safe for vampires to go to during the day since they do not have direct contact with the sun. Instead of these characters having to live in fear, they can travel to far-away places and enjoy themselves!

Vegetarian Lifestyle

How many vegetarians does it take to change a lightbulb? Two – one to change the lightbulb and one to tell everyone they are vegetarian.

Due to the increased popularity of vegetarian and plant-based diets, The Sims 4 has introduced these lifestyle traits to their own characters. While the traits existed in previous versions, this one has fully embraced the lifestyle. If a vegetarian Sim is given meat to eat, they will instantly become ill. While this is a very entertaining aspect, the ability to “enthuse about vegetarianism” with any character is also a spot-on trait. Sims like this will talk about their lifestyle for hours, even if other people around them are losing interest. If that isn't a life simulator, then nothing is.

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What other cool things exist in The Sims 4? Let us know in the comments!

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