What top mods is your game missing?
The Sims 4 is one of those games you sit down intending to just play for a few hours and when you look up three days have passed, your cat has furiously ripped up every piece of furniture you own, and you’re uncomfortably aware of your own funk.
Unfortunately, after the intensity wears off you realize the game gets pretty repetitive after a while, and though you’re not quite ready to stop you feel like it’s missing that spark it had when you first got drawn in. Well, you’re in luck – we’ve compiled 25 of the best Sims 4 mods from talented modders who know exactly where the game needs a little extra punch to get the magic flowing again.
25. Explore
It's okay if you're terrible at the activity as long as you're having fun.
You’ve just played what feels like your 500th game of chess trying to make your sims smart enough to be a scientist, and things are starting to feel a little dull. There’s just not enough for a sim to do! The Explore mod adds a new pie menu that lets you send your sims on adventures and have them return with increased skills, new buffs, or even a new relationship.
- Add “gambler” trait and “gambling” skill to give your sims a brand-new vice.
- Take classes to increase your sims skills.
- Send your sims on a 1-day vacation to Jurassic Park!
Get the mod here.
24. Simda Dating App
If you're lucky, a blind date can turn into a whirlwind romance!
It’s 2019 and many of us are finding love on dating apps. Now your sims can too! Whether you’re looking for a quick hookup or hoping for true love, Simda is the app your sim has been waiting for.
- Shop from eligible suitors to find your sim the love story they’ve always wanted.
- Go on a blind date and leave the outcome up to fate.
- Toggle hookup calls on or off for the sim who isn’t on board with the whole ‘relationship’ thing.
Get the mod here.
23. First Love
There's nothing like cloud-gazing with a crush to put butterflies in young sim's stomach.
This mod is the definition of wholesome content. Kids don’t get much in the way of storylines in The Sims 4, but now you can explore your sim’s first love from the youthful crush until the inevitable heartbreak (or the romantic endgame – if that’s your thing).
- Child sims can have and confess to having crushes on other child sims.
- Asking to be boyfriend/girlfriend will turn their “first crush” into their “first love”.
- Relationship will increase with interactions and can continue into teen years and beyond.
Get the mod here.
22. Possessed Child (18+)
Jonathan will follow you into your nightmares.
If the heartwarming content isn’t quite your cup of tea, don’t worry, you can add some child-based gameplay too. This mod adds the tombstone of Jonathan, an angry child spirit, that your sim can interact with. Depending on how they choose your sim may successfully brace themselves against the ghostly presence, or they may unleash a true evil that will doom every sim it encounters.
- Become possessed by Jonathan’s spirit or let it free to rampage the neighborhood.
- Add four different murder interactions.
- Try to banish the spirit before everyone dies.
Get the mod here. 18+ warning for gore.
21. Get to College
You know they wanted to convey this woman was smart because they immortalized her holding a book.
All the buzz right now is about the release of the Discover University expansion pack. If you don’t feel like waiting, or if you don’t have an extra $40 to drop this holiday season, this may be the mod for you.
- Build your own functional university (or download one from the gallery).
- Choose from three different majors and hit your goals to keep your GPA high enough to graduate.
- Earn a diploma – and even a simoleon bonus, if you work hard enough!
Get the mod here. Get to Work expansion required.
20. Road to Fame
You have arrived!
Speaking of existing expansion packs, are you underwhelmed by the fame system in the Get Famous expansion pack, or just don’t feel like spending the money to get it? Road to Fame offers all the crazy fame perks, custom careers, and unintended chaos that we hoped for but didn’t quite receive from the official expansion.
- New skills including “modeling” and “professional singer”.
- Level up your attractiveness by increasing your “attractiveness heat”.
- Hire your very own assistant!
Get the mod here.
19. Become a Sorcerer
The glowing and the hovering is probably...fine. I wouldn't worry about it too much.
In our final installment of “broke millennial can’t afford DLC”, this mod is a great substitute if you haven’t managed to get your hands on Realm of Magic just yet. Use this mod to become a sorcerer, choose your alignment, and decide if you’ll walk the path of darkness or the path of light.
- Adds an impressively fleshed out magic system.
- Compliments expansions without requiring them (ex. You don’t need Get Famous to run this mod, but if you have it spellcasting will impact your reputation).
- If you do have Realm of Magic, this mod is still being updated and is designed to work alongside EA’s sorcery system.
Get the mod here.
18. iBot
Is it a robot, or is it alive?
A mad scientist, obsessed with making the perfect human-robot, spent his life developing the perfect artificial intelligence. They can feel emotions, the can age, they can reproduce. Welcome to the future, where the line has been blurred concerning what defines humanity.
- Add iBot and half-human iBot hybrid sims to your game.
- Increase the programming skill to unlock more iBot systems.
- Fight off viruses and maintain healthy batteries to avoid mechanical side effects.
Get the mod here.
17. Life's Drama
Other people's drama is the best form of entertainment.
NPCs in The Sims 4 have a delightful assortment of autonomous activities including dancing, stealing your sim’s food, and visiting unlocked houses to use stranger’s computers. However, if you’re looking for some juicier background interactions, look no further. The Life’s Drama mod offers 11 NPC situations, and nothing livens up a quiet afternoon in the park like a runaway bride.
- Set dramatic events to happen randomly around your sim, or trigger them manually to add some action to your day.
- Earn rewards for interactions like extinguishing a sim on fire or helping a sim in labor get to the hospital.
- Your households will be safe from the consequences of other sims’ drama.
Get the mod here.
16. Risky Woohoo
You're taking a big risk with how these genetics might combine.
Sims pregnancy isn’t completely without its chance factor, but if you want a baby in The Sims 4 you have to opt-in and “try for baby” as a specific action. Risky Woohoo allows more randomness into the process, whether that means your sim will struggle with fertility or you’ll get to relive that pregnancy scare from your early 20s. For added flavor, you can also have teenage pregnancies and pregnant ghosts.
- Keep your sim on their toes! You never know what the consequences of your actions may be.
- Traits will have an impact on how likely you are to get pregnant/get someone pregnant.
- Intentional pregnancy may become more challenging.
Get the mod here.
15. Pokésims
Pikachu, I choose you!
This mod is still in beta, but it looks promising. Now you can live out your Pokémon trainer dreams in your Sims 4 sandbox – it’s the ultimate crossover! You don’t “catch” Pokémon so much as you transform existing sims, but you can still collect them all! (Five, right now. You can collect five. Hopefully, more to come.)
- Create Pokémon and Pokémon Trainer sims.
- Have Pokémon battle each other as well as other sims.
- Hatch eggs to populate the world with more Pokémon.
Get the mod here.
14. Meaningful Stories
Careful! This mod adds so much realism you may not be able to tell your emotions from your sim's.
The emotion system in The Sims 4 is great in theory, but the algorithm definitely lacks subtlety. You can switch from angry to playful to uncomfortable in the course of a few seconds, which doesn’t feel terribly controlled or realistic. (Well maybe more realistic for some of us than others. Your mileage may vary.) This mod strives to make the emotions your sim experiences feel more balanced, and earned.
- Emotional Inertia feature causes moods to linger and drastic changes in mood to take more work.
- Moods impact gameplay and traits impact moods, creating custom experiences for each sim.
- Environmental mood impacts are more subtle and build up over time.
Get the mod here.
13. Hoe it Up
Make some extra cash by flaunting your best "ass"-ets.
Some days you want some raunchier gameplay. Hoe It Up introduces “pole dancing”, “lap dancing”, and “prostitution” skills for sims who are tired of the 9 to 5 grind. There are more planned updates coming soon, but even as-is this is a great add on for a spicier game.
- Make money honing your special skills.
- Open your own strip club (requires Get to Work).
- Let kids play on the poles for a quick boost to fun.
Get the mod here. 18+ for adult content.
12. Private Practice
I for one would much rather get treated by a doctor who actually went to medical school.
Dammit, Jim, I’m a doctor, not a sim – or maybe both? While Get to Work does already have an active doctor career, the “health sciences” and “resident” careers give more of the illusion that your sim has really worked their way through med school. It also gives your sim more control over their health from the patient side of the table, instead of just having the doctor treat your mystery stripe illness.
- Health factors will be impacted by a sim’s traits and will have an impact on their lifespan.
- Illnesses will have stronger effects and new associated moodlets.
- Sims will be prepared for the doctor or veterinarian careers.
Get the mod here.
11. Zombie Apocalypse (18+)
For some reason becoming a zombie has just made this sim look more like a bored teenager.
Nothing like a good old-fashioned zombie apocalypse! For horror fans, no game is complete until a killer infection breaks out and threatens the very survival of humanity. In this mod, you can play as the hero looking to rid the zombie scourge, or as the villain looking to infect your fellow citizens.
- Increasing levels of infection – heal yourself before it’s too late.
- Find or purchase survival items to stay alive.
- Become a zombie and seek to quench your thirst for flesh.
Get the mod here. 18+ for gore and graphic violence.
10. Build/Buy Mode Unlocker
For when you want all the items and you want them now.
This isn’t as flashy as some of the others, but if you’re a builder this mod is a godsend. Some people like the challenge of meeting goals to get rewards – but some of us just want to line our shelves with trophies without going through the hassle of earning them. This mod unlocks all items that are behind an achievement wall, meaning you can give your sim that swanky Executive Guest Chair without having to slog through nine levels of the business career.
- Unlocks all items that are locked by achievements.
- Adds hundreds of new items to decorate your space with.
- Gives your sim a smug feeling of superiority, no effort required.
Get the mod here.
9. More Traits
After making thirty or forty sims the traits the game provides just don't cut it anymore.
One of the best parts of playing The Sims is creating your new sim and imagining a whole life and personality for them. Unfortunately, the traits offered in The Sims 4 are kind of dull. Luckily there are dozens upon dozens of custom traits that modders have come up with to make your sims more diverse and interesting. You can search for them, but I’m linking Kawaiistacie’s trait packs below as a great collection to start with.
- Make sims more unique with less repetitive personalities.
- Varied options to more accurately reflect the sims that you’ve created.
- Get to try new styles of gameplay as impacted by the different traits.
Get the mod here: volume 1; volume 2
8. Extreme Violence (18+)
This a healthy outlet for your feelings. Also, consider therapy.
This is the mod to let out all your frustrations in life. Make a sim that looks like your boss, or your ex, and just go to town. I cannot recommend the chainsaw death highly enough.
- Many new violent interactions for sims, both deadly and non-deadly.
- Option to become part of gang feuds.
- Sims may call the cops on you if they see you being violent – and you can chainsaw the cops too.
Get the mod here. 18+ for gore and graphic violence.
7. Life's Tragedies
Hunt the killer or be the killer: The choice is yours.
Continuing with the bloodshed, sometimes tragedy strikes when your sim is least expecting it. Robbery, car accidents, kidnapping – these things happen. The latest update to this mod now includes serial killers, which should have all the true crime fans out there squealing with questionable glee.
- Includes 5 tragic life events that can happen to both played sims and NPCs.
- Includes 5 unique serial killers with personalized backstories and kill methods.
- Includes 6 murder options so your sim can become the murderer!
Get the mod here. 18+ for gore and graphic violence.
6. Expanded Mermaids
The original mermaids might not have done much, but you can't deny they are gorgeous.
Mermaids in The Sims 4 were highly anticipated, and highly disappointing. If the rollout of the Island Living expansion left you angrily screaming in Youtube comments because for the love of God they don’t even have ability trees, have no fear – the modders have come to the rescue once again.
- In addition to mermaids, sims can now become monstrous kelpies struggling to hide among humans.
- Mermaids can become magical sea witches and master the “sea sorcery” skill.
- New mermaid interactions such as “fetch fish” and “confess to being a mermaid”. Mermaids can also go on rabbit hole adventures like they do at secret locations.
Get the mod here (Requires Island Living expansion)
5. Basemental Drugs (18+)
Snacks for when the munchies set in are, unfortunately, not included.
Pick your poison. Maybe your sim needs to pop a Xanax to get through the PTA meeting. Maybe you’re a “budding” entrepreneur growing your own supply. Maybe you just like to wind down with your bong at the end of a hard day. Whatever your preference, just make sure the police don’t catch on.
- 9 different drugs with well-thought-out side effects.
- Make money selling drugs or opening your own dispensary (requires Get to Work).
- Battle with addiction if your sim can’t keep their consumption under control.
Get the mod here. 18+ for adult content.
4. Wicked Whims
The logo was the only picture for this one that wouldn't get us into trouble.
What mod list is complete without Wicked Whims in the mix? For x-rated adult content, nothing can compete. This mod does away with the blurry pixel box and the suggestive rocking of the tent and lays everything bare…so to speak. There are tons of custom animations, from vanilla to full-fledged kink, so your sims can explore their sexuality until their curiosity is - *ahem* - satisfied.
- New “naturism” and “exhibitionism” skills.
- Interactions are highly customizable to the user’s preference.
- Introduces polyamory options for relationships.
Get the mod here. 18+ for graphic adult content.
3. Slice of Life
For the simmer who wants to relive all the worst parts of puberty.
Slice of Life is THE mod for realistic gameplay. Want your sims to get drunk, get acne, and have physical reactions to their emotions like tears or blushing? This mod has all that as well as memories, talents, preferences, and a completely revamped cell phone system. It adds a layer of believability that the game is sorely lacking without it.
- 17 new emotions added to flesh out the existing emotion system.
- Turn-ons/Turn-offs will impact relationship building with other sims based on their traits.
- A new memory system to remember important events in your sim’s life.
Get the mod here.
2. UI Extensions
If you're going to cheat, cheat with style.
UI Cheats is one of those mods I can’t play my game without, and that I anxiously wait to update after every big patch. Typing in cheats in The Sims 4 is cumbersome, and I hate having to try to remember (or more realistically, google) every small adjustment I might want to make. With UI Cheats Extension you can execute several simple, incredibly useful cheats just by interacting with the user interface.
- Click on the needs bar to increase or decrease need decay to the point you click.
- Right-click moodlets to get rid of them – no more three days of mourning for an aunt you never met.
- Double click your simoleon count to increase your household funds.
Get the mod here. (Hosted on Patreon, but no donation is required to download the mod.)
1. MC Command Center
This is the mod that requires no introduction.
If you’re only going to get one Sims 4 mod, this is the one to get. MC Command Center is a control panel that lets you customize every aspect of your game in way more detail than you’re going to get from the basic settings menu. Note: MC Woo-hoo can be downloaded separately for settings related to nudity, teen pregnancy, incest, and other levels of raunchiness you may want to control in your game.
- Set population standards to control the percentage of individual age groups, number of homeless sims, empty households, and more.
- Customize settings for the appearance of NPC sims so Eliza Pancakes stops walking around wearing your most mismatched custom content.
- Enable gender preferences, pregnancy settings, and autonomy for marriage and children.
- And so much more!
Get the mod here.
Hopefully, now you’re feeling inspired to jump back into your game and try all these new custom experiences. If there’s a mod you’re dreaming of that doesn’t yet exist, try reaching out to your favorite modders – or hey, maybe you can even take a stab at it yourself!
You may also be interested in:
- The Sims 4 Careers: 10 Highest Paying Jobs
- Top 10 Best ‘The Sims 3’ Mods That Make the Game More Fun!
- 10 Best Moddable Games (With Mods That Make Them Even More Fun To Play)
