Who would have thought that The Sims series would be turning eighteen years old this year, as it only seems like yesterday that I was coming home from school to waste my nights away playing one of the greatest franchises of all time, The Sims. While it’s a feat of its own to still be such a successful franchise after 18 years of development, what is even more impressive though is the fact that the simple life simulator game has sold over 200 million copies worldwide since the game first launched in the year 2000.

With constant content still being released on a day to day basis – whether it is officially created or fan created – it is no wonder that you still see the game popping up on the list of best-selling games, as fans continue to crave the release of the next game expansion, game pack, or even stuff pack.

However, with new content releasing so frequently, it is easy to understand why players quickly get so overwhelmed when skipping through the game, as many players often overlook the fact that many of their games are filled with hidden features such as secrets, skills, traits, items, locations, and even Sims.

Thankfully though, we here at TheGamer have you covered and have created a list that details 10 secrets that you most likely didn’t know about The Sims and 10 cheats to give you that little bit of an extra helping hand.

20 Secret: Get Down In The Brindleton Bay Lighthouse

via simvip.com

Let your Sims run wild as they partake in some rather inappropriate activities at the Brindleton Bay Lighthouse. Just remember to knock first though, as the long-awaited public Woohoo has finally been implemented into The Sims 4.

This, however, isn’t exactly the first time that the rather private activity has made a public appearance, as it was often a required task for completing specific Whims throughout other installments of the series.

Before you get too excited though, you should be warned that getting down and dirty in the lighthouse isn’t exactly very private. So, you better hope that your Sims aren’t embarrassed very easily, as your “alone” time is being showcased for your entire neighborhood to witness.

19 Cheat: Gain Full Control Over Your Pets

via pcinvasion.com

When The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs was first announced, fans were beyond excited – however – that excitement was short lived when it was revealed that the expansion pack would not feature controllable pets – which was arguably one of the expansions most loved features in previous installments.

Thankfully though, a player by the name of AOM has created a mod that allows players to gain full control over their pets - allowing them to perform all normally expected interactions. However, AOM has stated that the mod is still very heavily underdeveloped, but believes that more features and interactions should be made available at a later date.

Despite the fact that the mod does come with quite a few hiccups, I think it is fair to say that what the mod does offer definitely outweighs its slight flaws and is well worth downloading if you wish to be able to control your pets.

18 Secret: Help Influence The Gender Of Your Sim Baby

via: forums.thesims.com

Surprisingly though, another feature that is particularly unknown by most players is the fact that you can actually influence the gender of your baby while pregnant. This should come as a surprise to most people – especially for those that are hoping for a specific gender – as the game doesn’t really specify exactly what players need to do in order to influence their babies gender.

While this is different for every game in the series, players in The Sims 4 can influence the chance of having a baby boy by eating carrots and listening to alternative music while pregnant. However, to influence your chance of having a little girl, simply listen to pop music and indulge in some strawberries.

17 Cheat: Shower Your Neighborhood With Rain & Snow

via Youtube.com (Oska)

Sick and tired of spending money on those costly expansions? Well now you don’t have to as one clever member of the community has created a mod that replicates some of the features that you would have otherwise seen in a Seasons expansion pack.

Complete with animated falling rain and falling snowflakes, the creator – Snowhaze, who was growing tired of the eternal summers – wanted to create a mod that would give players a bit more variety in weather. This will ultimately also benefit those that enjoy creating short films and even detailed photos.

While there is nothing yet announced – apart from some very subtle clues – you won’t be seeing the true effects of a Seasons expansion pack anytime soon, making this particular mod a rather perfect substitute while you wait.

16 Secret: Play Detective & Uncover The Mystery Of Bella Goth

via Youtube.com (Remi Maroceli)

Arguably one of the biggest mysteries to have ever been featured in The Sims series is the mysterious disappearance of one of The Sims most famous characters, Bella Goth. That’s right, the very same Bella Goth that was featured as a pre-made character in the original Sims game.

Bella’s disappearance first began after the release of The Sims 2, where she was prominently missing from the game. It is believed that at some point during the 25 years period between The Sims and The Sims 2, Bella disappeared after last being seen at Don Lothario’s home.

Many believe that after reading several books during The Sims 3, that Bella may have been murder, kidnapped, or even abducted by aliens. With some even believing that nothing ever happened to Bella, but she simply decided to never return home and to live out the rest of her life in SimNation.

Whether or not we will truly solve the mystery of Bella Goth, many have claimed that at some point while playing throughout the series that they have spotted a woman that very closely resembles that of Bella Goth.

15 Cheat: Add Custom Created Content Free Of Charge To Your Game

We all love free content, especially when it is items that have been custom created and would not have previously been introduced into the game – such as unique hairstyles, clothing, jewellery, piercings, and even shoes.

So, you’ll be happy to know that you no longer have to fork out those big dollars to purchase those ever-so-frequent Stuff Packs, as there is a community center – dubbed “The Gallery” - that fans can use to download custom created content. This content includes CAS items such as recolors, new meshes, makeup, outfits, new lots, and even new building items.

Despite fans being able to upload custom content, The Gallery is definitely lacking in freedom and is very limited in what players can alter. However, by doing a simple google search for custom fan content, you’ll find several trusted websites that provide extensive content for almost every single item you can ever think of.

14 Secret: Adventure To Hidden Locations

via Youtube.com (Kat Verse)

Does your Sim live for adventure? Well, this rather unknown secret is perfect for those that love exploring.

Located in Oasis Springs, is a secret lot that many players don’t even know exists as not only is it challenging to get to, but it also requires a maxed-out Handiness level in order to pass through the hidden entrance. Despite its rather challenging entrance, the area does boast a number of useful items such as Onion, Sage, Lily, Potato, and even Mushrooms. However, it is the mineable rocks, frogs, and even the rare Batfish that make this area so unique.

The Forgotten Grotto isn’t the only area that your Sims can visit, as hidden within Foundry Cove, your Sim is able to find a tree that will grant them permission to access – without any requirements -the elusive area of Sylvan Glade.

However, much like the Forgotten Grotto the hidden area of Sylvan Glade also grants the player access to items such as Cherry Trees, Pear Trees, Snapdragons, Lily’s, Bluebell’s, Strawberry’s, Mushroom’s, and even Basil. Plant life isn’t the only thing unique to this area, as wildlife such as frogs and even the exclusive Treefish can be found in this rather stunning secret lot.

13 Cheat: Faster Eating & Showering

via pinguintech.nl

Despite The Sims being very heavily based around time management, there is no denying just how frustrating it is to not only shower, but to also eat at the time that it takes to complete these very simple and straightforward tasks is nearly unbelievable.

With it taking over an hour and a half to shower and over 45 minutes to eat, it is easy to understand just how lengthy this rather simple task can be. Thankfully though, members of the community have helped solve this issue by creating a number of mods that significantly reduce the amount of time that it takes your Sims to eat, drink, and even shower. While the times are still not completely perfect, they have helped to make these everyday tasks much more enjoyable.

These mods have helped reduced the time that it takes to shower to just 7-10 minutes. While eating has also been significantly reduced by minimizing the amount of times that your Sim stops to talk and watch TV, while also taking more consecutive bites without being distracted.

12 Secret: Relive A Viral Video By Letting Your Cat Ride The Robot Vacuum

Let’s be honest, we have all watched those hilarious viral cat videos at some point in our lives. So – if like myself – you simply can’t get enough of animals performing hilarious stunts for your own entertainment, The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs will definitely not disappoint.

Much like all previous Sims expansions, a series of new items are always made available – most notably this time is the Robot Vacuum, which can be used to clean up accidents made by your pets, hairballs, and even messes made by toddlers and children. This isn’t all that this vacuum can be used for, as cats also have the ability to ride around on top of the vacuum – complete with costumes and all.

In what seems to be a current trend in the gaming industry, it should come as no surprise that EA wanted to use this pop-culture phenomenon to their advantage as they took heavy inspiration from one particular viral video that featured a duck chasing a cat that was sitting upon a robot vacuum.

11 Cheat: Unlimited Money

via modthesims

We all understand the struggle of money – whether you’re barely getting by or getting crippled by outstanding debt – The Sims can often be quite the struggle, especially when lacking in much-needed funds to pay bills, or to simply eat.

Thankfully though, there is a solution to solving all of your money woes as much like previous installations of the series, The Sims 4 has an unlimited money cheat. This cheat, which can be entered by first pressing CTRL+SHIFT+C and then typing “motherlode” will grant your Sim $50,000 Simoleons.

While this may not seem like a lot at first, simply copy and paste the cheat code several times and you’ll have more than enough money then you’ll ever need.

10 Secret: Say Goodbye No More As You Bring Your Sims & Pets Back To Life

via polygon.com / forums.thesims.com

Losing a much-beloved friend, family member, or even pet is always going to be hard – especially when you have built a strong bond with them. However, not everything has to come to an end as little do most players know, you can actually bring back your loved ones back to life without any cheats at all.

To bring back a family member, you will need to utilize your green thumb as you will need a gardening level of at least 5 in order to graft a Pomegranate to an Orchid – which will, in turn, create a Death Flower. In order to bring your Sim back to life, you will need to give the flower to the Grim Reaper when he appears to take your Sim’s soul – in return, the Grim Reaper will grant your Sim another chance at life.

Don’t threat though, as bringing your pet back to life is as simple as purchasing an Ambrosia treat – which is very similar to the Ambrosia meal for your Sims - from any Vet Clinic for just $2,500 Simoleons. While the asking price for the Ambrosia treat is more than fair, those that have a Veterinary skill level of 10 can save a few thousand dollars by crafting their own treats on a crafting table.

I think it’s fair to say that these nifty little secrets are definitely a live saver.

9 Cheat: Completely Modify Your Sims Relationships

via ign.com

While building relationships in The Sims is rather easy, it is the fact that they are often so time-consuming that quickly become quite the challenge to keep up. So much so, that most of the time you often just give up and continue building relationships with only a few certain Sims.

However, little do most players know, you can actually modify relationships through cheats, which will instantly grant you either a new friendship, romance, or even enemy – with it all depending on what option you decide to choose.

In order to modify a relationship, firstly press CRTL+SHIFT+C and then type the rather lengthy cheat code “modifyrelationship yoursimfirst yoursimlast targetsimfirst targetsimlast x relationshiptype”. In this case, relationshiptype is define by either LTR_Friendship_main or LTR_Romance_Main, with Pets being defined as LTR_SimtoPet_Friendship_Main.

The player will also need to replace “x” with a value that will act as the percentage count that ranges from -100 (indicated by a red bar) to 100 (indicated by a green bar).

8 Secret: Visit The Pet Cemetery And Befriend Some Ghosts

via simscommunity.info

Are you looking to give an abandoned pet a new lease of life by adopting them into your family? Well, little did you know, you can actually visit the pet cemetery - which is hidden amongst the rocky, forested area of Deadgrass Isle – and befriend a stray ghost animal.

It has been said that it is best to visit the cemetery at night, as this is when most of the cemetery residents roam the grounds. Once you have found your future pet, simply befriend them and then select the option to adopt them into your family.

While the idea of adopting a new pet – especially a ghost – may sound daunting at first, I can guarantee that it is not only easier – it actually only takes a ¼ of the time that it would to build a relationship with a Sim – but they also make for terrific pets, especially once you bring them back to life.

7 Cheat: MC Command Center

via mysims4blog.blogspot.com

The MC Command Center is often considered one of the best and most valuable mods for The Sims 4. While that seems like quite the claim, it rightfully earns its title as the powerful mod has the ability to completely alter your in-game experience with a few simple clicks.

Without the MC Command Center mod, Sims outside of your family simply will not progress unless you physically interact with them, whereas with the mod installed, you will quickly see that all Sims within your world will start to live their lives without a single prompt. Not only does it affect the lives of others around you, but the mod also allows you to modify and access cheats much easier than the traditional method.

Enabling the MC Command Center mod definitely adds a whole new lease of life to The Sims and is perfect for those that are looking for a much livelier neighborhood.

6 Secret: Challenges, Challenges, And More Challenges

via Youtube.com (Sofee)

Let’s face it, we have all at some point become bored with The Sims – whether it was from staying in the same location too long or simply overplaying a family. Whatever the reason, I think we can all agree – whether we like it or not – changing up how we play is always needed.

Thankfully, due to such a creative and interactive community, a number of members have created a series of challenges that all involve playing out of our comfort zones. With challenges that involve managing a family with over 100 babies, becoming a Disney Princess, playing a runaway teen, or even becoming homeless, each challenge brings with it a set number of objects that need to be followed in order to successfully complete the challenge.

From challenges that include managing a family of 100 babies to becoming a crazy cat lady, each challenge will not only give The Sims a fresh new twist but will also inspire people to break out of their typical playing style to enjoy something new and completely different.

5 Cheat: Automatically Fulfill You Sims Needs

via Youtube.com (RachybopGaming)

Fulfilling your Sims needs is definitely a challenge, especially when trying to maintain not only a healthy lifestyle but also when balancing a family.

But sometimes when you’re on your last legs and despite it being against everything that you believe in, cheating is sometimes just simply necessary. In order to fulfill all of your Sims needs, simply press Ctrl+Shift+C and type “testingcheats true”, which will allow the ability to shift+click on any of your Sims and fulfill their needs.

For those that wish to avoid cheating, you can also automatically get your Sim to fulfill their needs by simply clicking on the circular needs icon in front of every bar. This method allows your Sims to perform tasks automatically with the best possible option to fulfill the need that was requested.

4 Secret: Increase Your Chances Of Having Multiple Babies

via modthesims.info

There’s no denying that being pregnant is an exciting event, however, I think we can all agree that the waiting time in The Sims is extremely frustrating. So, you’ll be excited to know that if you’re planning on having a large family, you can often significantly reduce your pregnancy time by increasing your chances of having multiple babies at once – without cheating!

That’s right, you can increase your chances of having either twins or triplets in The Sims 4 by simply purchasing the Fertile reward in the Rewards Stores for 3,000 satisfaction points.

However, for those don’t wish to spend their points and are lucky enough to own the Spa Day game pack, players can also receive a Fertility Massage at the Spa. This will, in turn, increase your chances of having multiple babies.

3 Cheat: Instantly Unlock All Perks

via didithesimmer.blogspot.com

While it’s often fun to start from scratch after playing a certain family for a long period of time, however, what isn’t fun is having to regain all of your perks back from the Dine Out and Get To Work game packs as it isn’t just frustrating, but it is also very time consuming.

Thankfully, just like most things within The Sims, there is a cheat code to help you re-obtain all of your retail and restaurant perks. The only downside to having to use cheats to regain your perks is that you must manually enter a code for each and every perk, with many being very lengthy.

To see the complete list of all cheat codes to unlock your Retail and Restaurant perks, you can head on over to Carl’s Sims 4 Guide for more information.

2 Secret: These Hidden Clubs Are Even Better Than The Original

via simscommunity.info

For those that own The Sims 4: Get Together expansion pack, you might be surprised to know that there are actually a number of hidden clubs that aren’t automatically made available. They are, however, made available once Sims start dying off and disbanding the original clubs, in order to make room for these secret clubs as they begin to make their way into the game.

These secret clubs each have their own description, club activities, and even membership requirements – meaning that they are in fact completely real clubs that your Sims can join, should they meet the entry requirement.

These clubs include one that can only be accessed by the rich (those with over $30,000 in their household accounts), a book club for those that wish to share their thoughts on their latest books, a music club, an art club, a mixology club, and even a club for those that enjoy cosplaying.

I think it’s fair to say that some of these clubs are definitely better than some of the original clubs that are currently available.

1 Cheat: UI Cheat Extension

via pinterest.com

Much like the MC Command Center mod, the UI Cheat Extension is another must-have mod should you wish to play with cheats. The mod not only provides the player with much more control and freedom, but it also creates a much more simplified method of enabling cheats within your game.

As mentioned in its name, the UI Cheat Extension allows players to cheat directly by clicking buttons on the UI, as opposed to the traditional method of typing in an actual cheat code.

With the ability to left click on money to gain $1,000, or to be able to right-click on an aspiration goal to fulfill it instantly, this cheat code extension has almost every cheat you could ever need.