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 difficulty to your gameplay. This guide provides a streamlined overview; for complete rules, refer to Cute Coffee Gal's comprehensive guide.

Challenge Overview:

The challenge spans from 1890 to 2010 (or 2020, at your discretion), with each two in-game days representing a year. Automatic aging is disabled, and lifespan is adjusted based on historical life expectancy: Sims born before 1950 have shorter lifespans than those born after.

Age Progression:

• All Sims: Baby (1 day/6 months), Toddler (3 days/2 years), Child (8 days/6 years), Teen (14 days/13 years)
• Before 1950: Young Adult (26 days/32 years), Adult (36 days/50 years), Elder (dies around 60 years old)
• After 1950: Young Adult (32 days/35 years), Adult (60 days/65 years), Elder (dies around 90 years old)

Gameplay Rules:

Begin with a single young adult Sim or a married couple. Multi-generational households are permitted. Costumes should reflect the era. World restrictions apply: Strangerville is always off-limits, Del Sol Valley is unavailable before the 1950s, and Sulani is discouraged for realism. Apartments are acceptable for single Sims, but marriage necessitates a house. Technology use is period-appropriate; phones are allowed for essential gameplay functions but not for entertainment or communication until the relevant decade. Job choices should align with the era.

Decade-Specific Rules (Summary):

Each decade presents unique challenges:

• 1890s: Male heirs only; daughters with the Creative trait move out upon marriage; no WooHoo, only "try for baby"; home births; period-appropriate jobs; electricity prohibited; elementary school mandatory, high school optional; university allowed with period-appropriate majors; start a Cow Plant.
• 1900s: Lamps allowed; indoor plumbing, no showers; other 1890s rules apply; phonographs permitted.
• 1910s: WWI draft for male teens, young adults, and adults; Cow Plant cake consumption; dice roll determines further cake consumption or return home; oldest female and her husband become heirs if all males perish; high school mandatory (C average or higher); women can take manual labor jobs; university for men post-war.
• 1920s: Women can be heirs; no Creative trait requirement for daughters; talk radio, movies, and all lighting allowed; alcohol prohibited (Prohibition).
• 1930s: Kegs allowed at university; Great Depression (no business careers; job loss at decade's start, new jobs after one week); one cooked meal daily, others scavenged/grown/caught; Prohibition ends.
• 1940s: WWII draft (same rules as WWI); victory garden (four+ plants); thermostats, washers, dryers allowed; radio required (one Sim listens for an hour daily); no punishment for bad high school grades; teens can have part-time jobs.
• 1950s: Korean War draft (oldest son); showers and cheap TVs allowed; radio listening not required; high school mandatory; phones allowed for calls.
• 1960s: Vietnam War draft (oldest two children); any college major allowed; maternity leave for women; WooHoo allowed.
• 1970s: Vietnam War draft (oldest two children); marriage encouraged, not required; microwaves and dishwashers allowed; lottery tickets and food delivery available.
• 1980s: Gaming allowed; at least one Sim in a business career; science babies allowed; hospital births.
• 1990s: Laptops allowed; unrestricted TV; texting allowed; Y2K shelter (three-day stay).
• 2000s: Unrestricted computers and phones (except Trendi); home or hospital births; all music and TV allowed.
• 2010s: No journalism (print media decline); same-sex marriage allowed; all part-time jobs allowed; meat wall, Trendi, and weather generator allowed.

The Decades Challenge offers a unique and engaging Sims 4 experience. Remember to adjust the challenge to fit your available game packs and preferences. Enjoy your historical adventure!

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