How To Do The Sims 4 Decades Challenge

The Sims 4 community thrives on creating engaging challenges, and the Decades Challenge offers a unique way to experience your Sims' lives across different eras. This guide will walk you through the rules and intricacies of this historical journey.

The core concept involves simulating a new year every two in-game days, starting in 1890. You can adjust the starting and ending years to personalize the challenge. This means days one and two represent 1890, days three and four are 1891, and so on, continuing until 2010 or 2020, depending on your preference. With the Blast from the Past event underway, it's the perfect time to embark on this historical adventure.

Remember to disable automatic aging and utilize the following life expectancy guidelines. Life expectancy significantly changed around 1950, leading to two categories: Sims born before and after this year. The early life stages are consistent for both categories:

• Baby: Ages after 1 day (6 months old)
• Infant: Ages after 3 days (2 years old)
• Toddler: Ages after 8 days (6 years old)
• Child: Ages after 14 days (13 years old)
• Teen: Ages after 12 days (19 years old)

Sims born before 1950:

• Young Adult: Ages after 26 days (32 years old)
• Adult: Ages after 36 days (50 years old)
• Elder: Dies after approximately 14 days (around 60 years old)

Sims born after 1950:

• Young Adult: Ages after 32 days (35 years old)
• Adult: Ages after 60 days (65 years old)
• Elder: Dies after approximately 56 days (around 90 years old)

Begin the challenge with a single young adult Sim, either single or married. Multi-generational households are permitted, reflecting common practices of the time. Strive for historically accurate attire. Housing limitations exist: Strangerville is prohibited, Del Sol Valley is unavailable before the 1950s, and for maximum realism, Sulani is also excluded. Apartments are allowed for single Sims, but marriage necessitates a house move.

Phones are permitted for essential gameplay functions but not for entertainment or communication until the relevant decade. The same applies to computers. Job choices should align with the historical period.

Related: Where To Find Platinum & Ironyum in The Sims 4 Blast From the Past Event

Each decade presents unique challenges. For detailed rules, refer to Cute Coffee Gal's comprehensive guide. Here's a summary:

1890s

Male heirs only. Daughters with the Creative trait must move out upon marriage. WooHoo is forbidden; only attempting to have a baby is permitted. Home births. Men work period-appropriate jobs (e.g., woodworking). Women manage the household, with freelancing or gardening allowed if widowed. No electricity. Elementary school is mandatory; high school is optional. University is allowed for both genders with period-appropriate majors. Begin cultivating a Cow Plant.

1900s

Lamps are now allowed. Indoor plumbing (no showers). Jobs and education remain consistent with the 1890s. Phonographs are permitted for music. Other 1890s rules apply.

1910s

Teen, Young Adult, and Adult males are drafted for World War I. They must eat Cow Plant cake; roll a die for each drafted male Sim – odd numbers eat again, even numbers return home. If all males perish, the oldest female and her husband become the heirs. High school is mandatory (C average or higher). Men can attend university post-war; women can take manual labor jobs.

1920s

Female heirs are allowed; daughters don't need the Creative trait. Talk radio, movies, and all lighting options are permitted. Women can work under broader circumstances. Alcohol is prohibited.

1930s

Kegs are allowed at university. The Great Depression is in effect: Sims cannot pursue business careers, and all lose their jobs at the decade's start, finding new ones after one week. One cooked meal per day; others must be scavenged, caught, or grown. Prohibition ends.

1940s

World War II draft rules (as in the 1910s). Victory gardens (four or more plants). Thermostats, washers, and dryers are allowed. A radio is required, with at least one Sim listening for an hour daily. High schoolers aren't expelled for poor grades; teens can hold part-time jobs.

1950s

Korean War draft (oldest son; same rules as before). Showers and cheap TVs are allowed. Radio listening is not mandatory. High school is mandatory. Phones are allowed for calls.

1960s

Vietnam War draft (oldest two children, any gender). Any college major is permitted. Maternity leave for women. WooHoo is allowed.

1970s

Vietnam War draft (oldest two children, any gender). Marriage is encouraged but not required. Microwaves and dishwashers are allowed. Lottery tickets and food delivery are available.

1980s

Gaming is allowed. At least one Sim must pursue a business career. Science babies are allowed; hospital births are preferred.

1990s

Laptops are allowed; TV watching is unrestricted. Appliance and furniture restrictions are lifted. Texting is allowed. All families must build a Y2K shelter and remain there for three days.

2000s

Computer and phone restrictions are lifted (except Trendi). Babies can be born at home or in the hospital. All music and TV channels are allowed.

2010s

Journalism (print media) is prohibited. Same-sex marriage is allowed. All part-time work is permitted, along with the meat wall, Trendi, and weather generator.

This comprehensive guide covers the Decades Challenge in The Sims 4. While the Eco Lifestyle pack is beneficial, the challenge can be adapted to suit your existing packs. The Sims 4 is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.