While life simulation games like The Sims 4 can be fun for the first few hours, playing aimlessly can result in boredom. Adhering to goals and player-defined scenarios is both creative and fun, and it removes the barriers of boredom and frustration.

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Challenges are a great way to shake up your gameplay and discover parts of The Sims games that you normally wouldn't discover. Challenges have long been a part of The Sims community as far back as The Sims 2 and have been adapted for The Sims 4. They have their own rules, themes, and requirements. Some take place over generations of sim lives, while others for just a portion of one.

Updated on March 9, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: The Sims 4 is a life sim title that has been through its fair share of ups and downs before finally being accepted by fans as the definitive Sims experience. The lack of an open world still hurts fans to this day, but most people feel like the game has more than made up for this affront with the amazing wealth of content that players can lose hours to. If playing this relaxing, cozy game without any restrictions is something fans have experienced way too many times, then changing things up with a few challenges is the way to go, and a few more of those challenges have been added to this list to help keep things fresh.

27 Cowplant Farm Challenge

Maintain A Cowplant Farm Without Meeting A Grisly Ending

The Cowplant is an infamous plant in The Sims 4. While the milk that players get from this plant is extremely useful, it comes as a major risk. Cowplants are starving creatures that resort to eating Sims if they aren't fed regularly.

To maintain a farm of these dangerous plants is a naturally dangerous proposition, but an enticing one nevertheless. Players are recommended to dedicate a Sim's entire life to maintaining the farm, since failing to do so can lead to deadly consequences.

26 Vampire Dynasty Challenge

As The Name Suggests, Form And Help A Vampire Dynasty Flourish

Vampires are fun to play in The Sims 4, with these supernatural creatures switching up the gameplay from the standard Sim families. Players who want to lean heavily into the act of controlling vampires can help them live on for numerous generations.

Creating a dynasty of vampires isn't the easiest thing in the world, but it can still be done if the player wishes. As long as they account for the restrictions that govern a vampire's life, they can have a fun time creating a dark, brooding family that feeds on other Sims for sustenance.

25 Alien Adoption Challenge

Raise An Alien Without Directly Controlling The Baby Until They Become A Young Adult

The idea of raising an alien in The Sims 4 can sound like a pretty unique prospect, and players seeking out the same can try out the Alien Adoption Challenge. It gives players the task of raising a kid without controlling them as an active Sim.

This can be quite hard, with Sim autonomy being infamously random and annoying in the games. If players are able to help an alien Sim get out of school, then they can control them from the moment they become a young adult.

24 Zodiac Challenge

Play Through 12 Different Generations Of A Family With The Heir Being A Different Zodiac Sign Every Time

The challenges where players are roped in for the long haul end up being the best ones, and this is precisely the case with the Zodiac Challenge. It compels players to play through twelve different generations with the heir being a member of a different zodiac every time.

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This requires some proper planning for players to not get unwanted zodiacs instead. As long as players check out the dates and know how zodiacs work in The Sims 4, they'll be able to enjoy the game quite a bit with this challenge.

23 Apocalypse Challenge

Start On An Empty Lot And Help Players Climb The Ranks To Reach The Very Top Of Their Career

The Apocalypse Challenge is one of the most complex challenges in the game, with players having to raise Sims and make them the masters of the career path they choose. This is easier said than done since each career path comes with its fair share of restrictions too.

This challenge is a complex and long one that players will spend quite a lot of time on. The fact that they need to start out in what is essentially an Empty Lot makes the beginning especially harder.

22 Random Legacy Challenge

Play As A Sim With A Random Legacy Chosen By The RNG Gods

Players love to decide the Legacy for their Sim and adhere to what they think is best. However, this challenge turns things upside-down and leaves players at the mercy of randomly generated parameters that decide everything from a Sim's career of choice to their position on marriage.

What makes this challenge even worse is that Sims must devote the majority of their time to developing these Legacies, to the point where it's forbidden for them to even earn money through other tasks that aren't relevant to their legacy. It's one of the most popular challenges in The Sims 4 and a perfect one for beginners to check out.

21 History Challenge

Restrict Players With Each Generation As They Progress From A Self-Imposed Prehistoric Age To Modern Times

The History Challenge is one of the more interesting self-imposed challenges players can check out in The Sims 4. Basically, this challenge entails that players play through multiple generations, with families starting from a prehistoric age before moving on to more modern eras.

Restrictions are placed pertaining to everything from the materials used in a house to the type of recreation Sims can enjoy. This challenge is a major pain early on but becomes easier as players get accustomed to the restrictions set for every generation.

20 Rags To Riches Challenge

Start From 0 Simeleons And Earn Money From Scratch Before Earning Enough To Build A House

The Rags to Riches challenge is one of the most popular challenges in The Sims 4. It basically entails that Sims start on an empty lot with no possessions or money whatsoever.

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Players will have to sleep in public spaces and at their friends' places before they can afford a house of their own. It's a pretty tough challenge but one that Sims players will have a great time with.

19 Live The Farm Life Challenge

Use The Most Of The Cottage Living Expansion To Live Off The Land With Extreme Restrictions

The Sims 4: Cottage Living is a pretty great mod that lets players enjoy the farm life with their Sims. It also lets them accomplish a challenge of their own which can be pretty tough yet rewarding.

Basically, all the rules of the Rags to Riches Challenge are implemented in the gameplay of Cottage Living, forcing Sims to live off the land in the most extreme manner possible. This challenge can be pretty tough but doable with the resources that players have access to.

18 Globetrotter Challenge

Move Neighborhoods Every Time The Seasons Change

The Globetrotter Challenge is easily one of the hardest challenges anyone can attempt in The Sims 4. Players need to have their wits about them and keep their Sims as content as possible, especially since they'll be moving every time the Seasons change!

Players need to complete their main aspirations by the time the first round is over. There are a total of eight rounds of moving, where players will access almost all the neighborhoods in the game.

17 Happy Sim Challenge

Do Not Allow A Chosen Sim To Be Sad. Ever.

This challenge has one of the most straightforward yet hardest objectives out of all the fan-made challenges on this list. Basically, players need to ensure that their chosen Sim never gets sad during their lifetime, which is easier said than done.

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Basically, no negative moodlet should ever plague the Sim during a playthrough. This can prove to be a major undertaking, with many things happening outside the player's control that can lead to the Sim feeling dejected over time.

16 ISBI Challenge

Control Ten Generations While Only Directly Controlling A Single Sim In Each One

The ISBI Challenge is one of the most unique and tough challenges on this list. Basically, players need to go through ten generations of a family while only choosing one Sim to actively control throughout this experience.

Given the issues brought about by Sim Autonomy, it's easy to see why many people might tear their hair out while playing this challenge. With enough perseverance and dedication, players can pass this challenge with flying colors... and immense satisfaction at dealing with one of the hardest Sims 4 challenges.

15 Homeless Challenge

Force A Sim To Rely On Public Properties To Survive

The Homeless Challenge is just what it sounds like - create a Sim, remove all their money, and have them rely on the public facilities available to them. The difficulty of the Homeless Challenge comes with having very limited funds and utilizing public facilities in creative ways.

Your Homeless Sim is not allowed to get a job but may earn money through hobbies, fishing, collecting, and gardening. The challenge ends when your Sim earns enough money to build a house.

14 Big Brother Challenge

Recreate The Scenario Of Big Brother In A Huge House With Many Sims

The Big Brother Challenge is based on the reality TV show Big Brother. The goal is to place a variety of Sims in a single household, and once per week evict the Sim that has the least friendships with their housemates. Randomizing the Sims competing and giving them clashing personalities makes the challenge all the more interesting.

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Another fun element of this challenge is building a mansion worthy of being the Big Brother mansion and all that title carries.

13 Bachelor/Bachelorette Challenge

Let Players Choose Between Five Love Interests, Evicting One Person Every Week With The Lowest Romance Score

This challenge is also based on a reality TV show, except it's focused on romance rather than friendship. Create one male or female Sim, and give them five possible love interests. Move them all into the same household, and once per week evict the Sim that has the lowest romance score with the main Sim.

The Sims 4's dating system can be used in this challenge, as well as creating a lavish mansion to house the Sims. Vacation packs, such as The Sims 4: Snowy Escape can be used for romantic vacations with contestants.

12 Master Chef Challenge

Recreate The Dynamics Of Masterchef, With Experienced Cooks Judging Inexperienced Contestants Once Every Week

This challenge is based on the reality TV cooking show Master Chef. Create five Sims to be contestants and three judges. The judges must have at least a level five Cooking skill. The contestants must begin with no cooking skills and are only allowed to cook on competition days.

On the other days, the contestants are allowed to grow their own herbs to use in their dishes, and they are allowed to improve their Cooking skill through research. Eliminations occur once a week, where the contestant who created the lowest quality dish is eliminated.

11 Asylum Challenge

Place Five Insane Sims In A Home And Let Sims Escape Only After Completing Their Respective Aspirations

This challenge involves pitting Sims against themselves. Create an asylum, then place in it five Sims that all have the Insane trait. Their other traits must be randomized, but they cannot have the Self-Assured trait.

Choose one Sim to control, and try to get them to achieve their Aspiration, which means they can leave the asylum. The challenge is won when the asylum is empty.

10 Legacy Challenge

Live Through Ten Generations With A Family That Starts From The Bottom

The Legacy Challenge is a classic in The Sims community and was one of the first. The rules of the Legacy Challenge are simple: one Sim must be the founder and created in Create-a-Sim. This Sim must be moved into the largest empty lot in the world. No cheats can be used. The founder must have children, who will be the next generation. The challenge ends once the tenth generation is born.

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The Legacy Challenge is often used as the foundation for other challenges, but it also tells the classic rags-to-riches story. Reaching that tenth generation is truly rewarding.

9 Black Widow Challenge

Control A Female Sim Who Marries Rich Male Sims, Uses Their Funds, Cheats On Them, And Then Ends Their Lives

The Black Widow Challenge is all about romance and money. Players make a young adult female Sim and place her in a house. She is not allowed to get a job; all her money must come from her suitors.

The goal of the challenge is to find and marry a male Sim, preferably a rich one. Host a dinner party, find your sim's next paramour, get caught cheating, and murder your husband. Continue the cycle until your sim gets through ten paramours and is fabulously wealthy. As a bonus, your Sim's traits must include materialistic, snob, and romantic, and her aspiration must be Serial Romantic.

8 100 Baby Challenge

The Aim Of The Challenge Is Pretty Obvious And One Of The Most Daunting Tasks Players Can Attempt

The 100 Baby Challenge is another classic. The aim is for a single Sim to have 100 babies. There are multiple variations of this challenge that either make the challenge a bit easier to complete or even more challenging.

Ways to make it more accommodating include stretching the challenge over several generations, with daughters continuing the legacy. Ways to make it more challenging entail not having more than one child per father and, like the Black Widow Challenge, your Sim is not allowed a job.