Island Living is the latest expansion pack for The Sims 4 and it’s packed with detail. Rather than focusing on one big feature, it explores all the tiny elements which make up everyday island life.
Based on the Polynesian culture, Sulani is a world packed with new ways to earn a living, as well as new ways to build and new activities to enjoy. While the expansion contains many obvious features, such as mermaids and ocean swimming, it also consists of numerous extra interactions, activities, and areas for you to explore. These small details are what helps bring the island culture to life, so you don’t want to miss out.
Here are 10 tiny details from The Sims 4: Island Living which you may have missed.
10 Sulani Has Some Beautiful Areas To Explore
While the neighborhoods aren’t entirely open, requiring a loading screen to visit new lots, they are a reasonable size. Each one has quite a large amount of explorable land, especially around the islands themselves. There are also little touches like a festival square, cave, waterfall, volcano, and even a spot to get married.
You can also sail right round Sulani, discovering new areas to dive in and explore, as well as coves, waterfalls, huts, and beaches. We recommend taking a trip around the neighborhood!
9 There Are Several Different Neighborhood Events
Most days in Sulani come with an event of some kind. However, there are mostly no notifications for these, so you need to explore the islands to find them.
The festival square is host to several gatherings, from a large scale arts festival to a small gathering around a fire pit. You can also find events on the beaches, from swing sets to BBQ’s.
The only event which gives you notice is the baby turtle hatching event. You will be notified of this, and it takes place on Mua Pel’Am after the island is restored to full health.
8 You Can Stomp On Sandcastles
Your sims can not only build beautiful sand sculptures, but they can also “monster stomp” on them afterward, reducing them to a pile of sand. There are no special requirements to build either, just simply sit on the sand and get to work.
The sand sculptures themselves are varied, with one of several designs being assigned each time you build. The activity includes Sims of all ages, who can build alone or join together to make—and stomp on—these beautiful sand creations.
7 You Don’t Need To Own An Outrigger To Sail
Outriggers are available to purchase, as well as being a reward for the conservationist career. However, you don’t have to spend your hard-earned simoleons to join in with the sailing fun.
Several of the bodies of water around the island contain outriggers which you can just jump into and sail. You won’t be able to move them outside of the neighborhood, but you can freely use them in the area you find them.
Outriggers also help you with your needs, as you can sail, nap, and relax onboard the boats.
6 You Can Dance With Fire
A new interaction from the bonfire allows you to dance with fire. This adds a new dimension of danger to festivals and events, especially if you don’t have the dancing skill.
Your sims can take the chance of getting singed to pull off some neat tricks with fire. The better your dancing skill, the better—and safer—your performance will be. Watch out for other sims also taking to the bonfires to entertain you with their own moves.
5 You Need To Work At Keeping The Island Beautiful
Once you’ve reached peak island health, you do need to keep an eye on things to ensure it doesn’t deteriorate. Beachcombing for trash, clearing up any litter you see, and confronting troublemakers on Mua Pel’Am will help keep things under control.
You don’t have to constantly maintain things but little actions help keep things looking good. You’ll even find that some sims will do this autonomously, especially if they have the child of the island or ocean traits.
4 There’s A Hidden Aqua Zip Skill
If you begin to ride the Aqua Zips, either by purchasing one or using one of the ones around the neighborhood a hidden skill will kick in. As you ride around, you will unlock different tricks which you can do on the aqua zip.
For those who purchase an Aqua zip, you can also customize it so you look even more unique as you zoom around the island performing tricks with your new skills.
3 The Neighbors Are Very Friendly
In Sulani, your neighbors are very friendly and have a few little quirks which really give the place a community feel. Not only do people gather for the mini-events, but they will also frequently drop by.
You can expect neighbors to cook too much food and bring you the leftovers. They will also come and help you out in case of a fire. Finally, if you host a party, don’t worry too much about how many sims are in your phone directory, as you can expect at least 3 guests you didn’t invite to call over and join in.
2 There’s More Than One Type Of Volcanic Eruption
If you live on Mua Pel’Am then your home may have the volcanic eruption trait. If it does, then you can expect a couple of different events to happen.
Sometimes you will get a small tremor. This could be a shaking, reminiscent of the earthquake trait, often accompanied by small fissures opening up on the ground. Other times the quake will be larger, sending volcanic rocks onto your lot. Just don't touch them when they're hot!
1 There Are Moana Tributes
Sulani is based on Polynesian culture, giving it echoes of Disney’s Moana, which features characters of Polynesian descent.
There are a couple of references to Moana in the pack. The most obvious one is the male and female drawings on the front of the new bathrooms, which look distinctly like Moana and Maui. However, there’s also a more subtle note.
For those who beachcomb and dive for treasures, you can also find the heart of sulani, which bears a resemblance to the “Heart of Te Fiti” from Moana.