[Top 20] The Sims 4 Best Mods For Realistic Gameplay

Updated:

23 Apr 2024

Playing the Sims is a great way to get creative. To create lives and families, generations even. But sometimes playing with just the expansion packs isn't enough to expand the lives of your sims. So if you are looking for mods to make your Sims come to life then here are the top 20 gameplay mods for the Sims 4.

1. MC Command Center

If you don't have this mod, then who are you and do you even sim.

Starting off strong with the most popular download, the MC command center. This helps you control and modify your sim along with the sims around you. This mod helps you create bigger households, allows who can get pregnant or married, and helps change the appearance of not only your sim, but the sims around you.

Not every family has only 8 members, and some might have multiple families living with them. You also don’t get pregnant the first try every time, or may get pregnant by accident. When wanting life in the sims to throw you curveballs that happen in everyday life, this is a great mod to get you started.

This mod also allows you to utilize their other mods like MC woohoo.

MCCC command center key features:

Allows customization of every sim in game, including traits, clothing style, and marriages.
Allows minors to be adopted when they are taken away from their family.
Easy setting changes while in gameplay.
Allows changes like who can get married, and larger households.
Easy access to cheats through the mod menu on the sims computer.
Allows access to MC woohoo mod

Link: https://deaderpool-mccc.com/downloads.html

2. MC Woohoo

Woohoo.

From the same creator of MC command center, MC woohoo allows for changes when it comes to pregnancy and woohoo actions. Some people like to keep it fully clothed, while some stay in their birthday suit longer than they should. Want to have an accidental baby? Maybe you want to explore the frustrations of not being able to get pregnant.Using this mod can help you create more realistic relations between your sims and create more chaos like in the real world.

MC woohoo key features:

Allows different ages for woohoo and pregnancy, like teens and elders.
Also allows you to change who can get pregnant, like males or others from occults.
Allows random pregnancy through regular woohoo
Change the percentage for the rate that the sim can get pregnant through woohoo actions or try for baby actions.

Link: https://deaderpool-mccc.com/downloads.html

3. Basemental Drugs

What are you going to spend this money on? Drugs?

Want something more on the edge of life? With this mod you have the added gameplay of smoking, drinking and other drugs allowing you to have more depth to gameplay or story lines. It includes addiction and recovery, and even hangovers. No one ever starts their lives out thinking that they are going to be addicted to drugs, or living a life with someone who is high every other day. This mod also includes brewing alcohol, which can also be a hobby that a lot of others enjoy, and could even expand into making your own brewery (selling the alcohol you’ve brewed).

This mod does not encourage drug use, but adds a realistic edge to the game, and the creator even notes “The harsh realities of drug use”.

Basemental drugs key features:

Adds other gameplay that includes drug activities, traits and interactions.
Adds more animations, walkstyles and moods.
Also allows hangovers and rehabilitation after drug use.
Brewing alcohol as a craft.
Adds more traits that can be acquired through the lifestyle category.

Link: https://basementalcc.com/adult_mods/basemental-drugs/

4. Baby Drama

Pay me what you owe me.

Tired of having your baby daddy (or mama) living with you, but you also want them to help support your child? Do you also want to complain to or about your baby daddy? Thankfully there is a mod for this so you don’t have to experience it in the real world. Not everyone lives with their child's parents, but often they receive child support (whether the child lives with the mom or dad). A small that adds the right amount of realism when it comes to having a child.

Baby Drama key features:

Adds a baby daddy or baby mama buff
You can request child support
New social options to complain to or about the other parent

Link: https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/mods/baby-drama

5. Dating app

Dating on demand.

One of my favorite features of Sims 3 was online dating. It brought dating into the modern times and in how we meet others. We typically don’t just go to random gyms, libraries, or bars by ourselves to meet other people so why would we have our sims do that? Give them the realistic option of dating from their phone with this mod!

Dating app key features:

Adds a dating app to the sims mobile.
You can do on a specific date with a sims
Option for a blind date
Option for a one night stand.

Link: https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/mods/simda-dating-app

8. Live in Business

Work where you sleep.

When starting a business venture, you don’t always have the funds to purchase a brick and mortar building, but you want to start selling at home to build up a revenue. Just like in life, you can’t just go and purchase a building and then start selling what you are making. With this mod you are able to start your business at home,

Live in Business key features:

Sell items from your own home
Open and Close your business with the front doors.
Added a lot of traits like Live in Cafe.
Adds live in Cafe, bar, club, daycare, gym, pet daycare, and more.
You can earn money daily from shop or pull out funds from the computer

Link: https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/mods/live-in-business

7. Ultrasound

They grow into their looks, I promise.

What mom doesn’t have their ultrasound pictures hanging on the wall or fridge? I myself had them all over the house as it was the only pictures of our baby that we had until she was born. If you want this added touch to your gameplay to make pregnancy more realistic then this mod will help with this simple touch.

Ultrasound key features:

Added ultrasound option to phone
Various ultrasound photos of one child, twins or triplets.
Different color frame options.

Link: https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/mods/ultrasound-scan

8. Teen jobs

Put those kids to work.

Some teens work, some don’t. You want your teen in the sims to get a job so you don’t feel bad about yours not wanting to? I would download this mod. Sim teens can already get a job in the sims 4 and can have extra hobbies, but this mod includes 10 more career options for teens expanding the realism of having choices and learning to figure out who they are. Just like in real life, sim teens need to figure out what route to take in life, what skills they want to learn, and how they spend their spare time making money.

Teen jobs key features:

Added 10 more career choices for teens
Includes jobs like Gardner, dog walker, camp counselor and more.

Link: https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/mods/teen-jobs-collection

9. Unlimited Jobs

Why be sane when you can have money.

Have you ever worked multiple jobs at once? Part time, full time and maybe some freelancing? With this mod your sim can also work multiple jobs to work towards burnout. Just like in life, people want to do work on the side, or work two jobs to make ends meet. This mod makes the game one step closer to realism by allowing your sim to do the same.

Unlimited jobs key features:

Allows your sim to work more than one job including freelancing
Selecting a new freelancing trade will add another trade instead of replacing one.
You can work jobs with overlapping times.

Link: https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/mods/unlimited-jobs

10. Height slider

So you can date a short king

This mod is yet another simple one that adds the right amount of touch of realism. Like in life, this mod allows sims to be varying heights. Want to add an in between age like preteen? Make them shorter.

Height slider key features:

Allows height changes in teens and adults
To make them taller, drag their feet. Bigger feet=taller sim

Link: https://modthesims.info/download.php?t=588159

11. Meaningful Stories

You have the emotional range of a teaspoon.

This mod allows you to have more depth when it comes to emotions during gameplay. This mod can vary how long your sim is in a certain mood and make it harder to come out of that mood. It also allows your sims mood to change slowly over time instead of immediately, making the emotions more realistic. If you are a storyteller, or just prefer sims gameplay to be more lifelike, then this mod is perfect.

Meaningful stories key features:

Slower mood changes over time. Progressive instead of abrupt
Has a built-in tutorial in game to help you navigate the mod.
In the game settings menu.
Mood timing varies and takes longer to “cope” with them
Removes happy as the default emotion, adding it as an emotion for events in the sim's lives.

Link: https://roburky.itch.io/sims4-meaningful-stories

12. Color slider

So you can get the exact shade you need.

Something that we all miss from the Sims 3 is the color sliders and swatches to customize clothing and furniture. With this patch, you can change the colors of outfits with a similar slider giving you more creative freedom with your outfit choices.

Color slider key features:

More Color options for clothing, hair, and accessories
Gives you more freedom when creating outfits, giving each sim their own vibe.
Got twins you want to dress the same but different colors? This is perfect for you.

Link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/color-sliders-62823244

13. SimCare

For the tough times.

Sometimes making ends meet can be difficult, especially when you have multiple children and a single parent. This mod makes gameplay more realistic by adding funding that you can apply for like SNAP benefits or disability.

Simcare key features:

Allows you apply for funding like disability or child credit from the sims phone.
Transfer the funds from the benefits account to your household funds.
Allows you to manage the funds from the savings in order to pay the bills and purchase food.
Sims can be denied several times before being accepted.

Link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/simcare-91664292

14. Mental Wellness

It's ok to not be ok.

People struggle with mental health everyday. It is a hidden battle that often goes unseen and can make life so much harder for someone. This mod adds this piece of reality to the game by giving sims mental health issues.

Mental wellness key features:

Includes major depression, generalized anxiety, ADHD and more
Can get diagnosis from calling a psychiatrist, or using a cheat.
Request a call from psych from sim's phone.
Once diagnosed you will receive a buff that stays permanently.
Social options to discuss mental health
Gives new item medication that the sim can take to alleviate symptoms.

Link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/mental-wellness-81952594

15. SNB (Sims National Bank)

Gotta make that money, and make sure no one else spends it.

When I saw this mod, the first thing I thought of was having a teen or young adult save up and be able to move out and buy their own home. It is not realistic to have a sim be able to take all of the household funds to move out, and often those who live in the same home have their own set of funds that are available to them. It could also allow you to live with another family and be able to have your expenses separated. You can also give your teen sim allowances or set up savings for your child when they are born.

I think that this is a great mod that really gives you another piece of reality in the game. It brings home the financial side of living life, and how it can be hard to earn money on your own even if you live with others. I have seen youtubers who have a storyline that starts with a teen or young adult who then has to move out, and have used this mod or similar mods to have the sim save up and move out.

SNB key features:

Adds debit cards to gameplay
Account history option to keep track of funds
Funds can be direct deposited into your account and then be allocated.
Options on what type of bank account you want
Multiple sims in the household can have their own account, allowing some to save for moving out.
Shared accounts and estate management included.
Selling objects, writing books, or having rentals can also be allocated to direct deposit.

Link: https://simrealist.itch.io/snbank

16. WonderfulWhims

Bow chika wowow

Not to be mistaken with wicked whims, wonderful whims adds more gameplay and realism when it comes to woohoo actions, pregnancy prevention and even periods. Just like in real life, you have to manage your period and ensure that you don’t get pregnant when you don’t want to.

Wonderful Whims key features:

Adds more detailed attractiveness options
Adds impressions and personalities
Added gameplay with periods, hormonal effects and variable fertility.
Options for birth control pills and condoms
Sims can now be infected with crabs if not careful.
Can donate unborn child to science
More gameplay when it comes to relationships.

Link: https://wonderfulwhims.com/

17. Preschool

Gotta learn them ABC's

Some parents send their children to preschool while they are toddlers. While the sims do not have the age between toddler and child (like kindergarten and first grade), this mod gives it a more realistic feel by allowing your sim's toddler to go to preschool instead of daycare.

Preschool key features:

Sign up for preschool options from the toddler.
Three school options including home school, private and public school.
Private school has the toddler wear formal outfit while public is an everyday outfit.
Private school costs 50 simoleons while public school is free.

Link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/preschool-mod-97872018

18. Educational School

Your child now has no escape from hoemwork.

After 2020, we saw a lot of schools and students accessing their school work from home on laptops or computers. Schools are now implementing virtual learning more often. This mod gives you virtual learning while also adding more depth to the education system as well. The child or teen can now increase their skill levels while attending school or working on their homework, and can also work in a group completing their homework together.

Education key features:

Sims can now learn skills while attending school
More interaction choices
Virtual learning option through a designated school computer
Build skills while completing homework
Sims are able to attend online lectures which helps gain skills.
Can complete home alone, online, or with classmates.

Link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/education-school-97871765

19. Basemental Gambling

A way to lose all of the money you earned owrking 4 jobs.

Playing the sims can be pretty vanilla, while real life is just the opposite. Have you ever seen a group of elders gambling at 9pm? With this mod you can in your sims game instead of having to leave the comfort of your home.

Basemental gambling key features:

Adds a casino venue lot type
Converter chip machine to convert simoleons to chips in order to gamble.
Includes black jack, roulette and slots machine

Link: https://basementalcc.com/mods/basemental-gambling/

20. Talents and Weaknesses

Give your sim a talent and then have them hate that activity.

You might not want to admit it, but you don’t have a talent for everything that you attempt to do in life. Some people have stronger talents or weaknesses than others. With this mod you can do the same for your sim, making it easier or harder for them to learn a skill. This gives them more depth to their personality and character.