The Sims 4 has been around for quite a while now but even though I’ve been playing and loving the game since its launch seven years ago, I still find new details almost every time I play that enhance my enjoyment of the game. The Sims 4’s attention to detail is something I never cease to be amazed and impressed by.
Here are just some of my favourite small details in The Sims 4 that aren’t necessarily game changers but definitely add a lot of charm and enjoyment to my playing experience.
Von Haunt Estate Plaques
You’ve probably noticed these decorative plaques all over the Von Haunt Estate if you’ve ever paid a visit to this historic site in Windenburg but did you know they aren’t purely decorative? You can read the plaques! Each one gives you a bit of history about the lives of the couple who once lived there. The next time you visit, make sure you stop and read all of the plaques to learn about the tragic love story of Lord and Lady Shallot.
San Myshuno Adverts
Have you ever noticed these standing adverts all around San Myshuno? If you’ve paid close attention, you might have noticed that the adverts change periodically but did you also notice that you can read them? Click on an advert to read the ad! The ads are full of funny easter eggs and inside jokes to amuse diehard Simmers. Many of the ads are also for movies featured in the Movie Hangout Stuff packs!
Myshuno Meadows’ Disaster Memorial
Did you know there was once a terrible disaster that nearly brought the city of San Myshuno to ruin? If you take a stroll to the gardens just outside Myshuno Meadows park, you can read all about it at this disaster memorial. There are a few other monuments like this one scattered around the area and they all give you a bit of history about the city. Take a walk around the park and see if you can find them all!
Emily the Sea Monster
If you visit The Bluffs in Windenburg, keep an eye out for a sea monster named Emily in the distant waters. Emily’s guaranteed to come and say hello on your first visit to The Bluffs but afterwards, she only has a 2% chance of appearing. Fun Fact: Emily is named after one of The Sims 4’s developers!
Spooky Paintings
The Sims 4 Spooky Stuff pack comes with some innocent-looking Victorian paintings to decorate your walls with but watch out! These paintings aren’t what they seem. When your back is turned, the picture in the frame just might change to something more sinister. These paintings periodically phase between their normal and spooky states, giving players quite a fright. The paintings from The Sims 4 Paranormal Stuff also have normal and spooky states but the spooky versions are triggered by paranormal activity in the home. They don’t phase back and forth continuously like the Spooky Stuff paintings do.
Faeries in the Glade
If you’ve ever felt like you’re being watched while visiting the secret Sylvan Glade lot in Willow Creek… you’re right. If you pay close attention, you can hear the giggling of mysterious voices in the background and a magical tinkling sound. Pairs of eyes peak out at you occasionally from the edges of the clearing and shimmering lights dance around the area. While it’s never been confirmed that the Sylvan Glade is home to a group of faeries, it’s not a far stretch to make. The word sylvan traditionally means “being that inhabits the woods” and has carried a supernatural connotation in folklore.
Faces in the Crystal Ball
The crystal ball that comes with The Sims 4 Paranormal Stuff is nothing more than a pretty clutter object to decorate your shelves… unless you place it on a séance table, that is. If you have a crystal ball in the centre of your séance table and begin a ritual, this seemingly innocuous decoration comes to life. Not only will it glow pretty colours but if you look closely, you can make out tormented faces in the orb that seem to scream for freedom from their glass prison. Spooky!
The Secret of the Tragic Clown
You’ve probably seen this Tragic Clown painting in Build/Buy before but did you know this painting has a secret to share? All you have to do is place this painting in your home and view it to meet your very own Tragic Clown in person! Don’t expect him to entertain at your kid’s next birthday party, though. This Tragic Clown is, well… tragic. He incites tears rather than laughter. Players old enough to have played The Sims 1 will remember this mopey clown fondly.
Hidden Grilled Cheese Aspiration
No, we aren’t talking about The Sims 2. The Sims 4 has its own hidden Grilled Cheese aspiration. This throwback to the early 2000’s makes a return in The Sims 4. To unlock this hidden aspiration, all your Sim has to do is eat 3 grilled cheese sandwiches in a row. Go ahead and get your gouda on.
Sulani’s Mysterious Treasure
Have you ever made a trip to the shipwreck lot in Sulani? This old ship-turned-home has a treasure chest hidden behind the back wall of the lower deck but good luck opening it. Clicking on the chest only brings up a tooltip informing you that the ancient lock is so rusted that it wouldn’t open even with the proper key, which has likely been lost in the ocean. If there is a way to open the chest, I haven’t figured it out, yet. Maybe that’s one more thing for me to learn about The Sims 4 or maybe it’s meant to remain an unsolvable mystery.
What’s your favourite small detail of The Sims 4? Let us know in the comments or come chat with us on social media!
Thanks for the good article. Some things I’ve known before, some are new for me.
I’m looking for the key since months.