As a longtime Simmer, I’ve played countless games of the franchise, from the original to the PS2’s The Sims Bustin’ Out to the Game Boy Advance’s The Sims 2. Yet, the one thing I’ve never been able to do are the various challenges that other players have created over the years, including the ever-popular 100 Baby Challenge featured in almost every live stream. Now, I’ve completed my fair share of achievements before with other games, but I’ve never seen anything like this, given that you have to unleash your inner floozy and Woohoo as many Sims as you can to command your army of children.
With the Infant update and Growing Together pack, reaching 100 babies has become even more difficult as you experience the new early life stage that finally breaks these Sims out of their crib jail cell and into the wonders of a childsafe house. So, since I’m all about challenges with some extra flair, I will finally dip my toes into the water and complete this objective; here’s to hoping I don’t drown in a sea of babies.
Those who don’t know how the 100 Baby Challenge works should note the basic rules: you can’t utilize cheats, custom content, or mods. One of the most important guidelines is to never repeat fathers with your chosen matriarch, as well as refrain from any career tracks. Oh, and making sure to not move anyone inside the household is super important, too. Basically, you’re left for dead to raise these hordes of kids, yet at least you’ll never be alone in a full house.
Once I began creating my matriarch, I let randomized mechanics do my job to produce the name “Leanne Dye,” also known as the all-powerful woman who will help me achieve my glorious crown of 100 babies. My first plan of attack is to find my prey… I mean, baby daddy in the new San Sequoia world through the typical Welcome Wagon neighborhood phase. It was there I encountered the devilishly good-looking Jay Robles, a person who had no idea that they would give my Sim their first child.
By the end of the day, I was able to woo them with my alluring qualities and get pregnant with the first child of many. Fortunately, Jay left instantly afterward to avoid any awkward goodbyes, possibly due to the fact that they’re married (I didn’t realize it until it was too late.) Therefore, not only do I sleep with multiple people, but I also ruin marriages.
My next agenda is to make money and find my second temporary love interest, which turned out to be relatively straightforward with Growing Together’s new visitor system where strangers or close relatives can ask to stay at your house. Thus, when a random man named “Kyle” (who had no previous relationship with my Sim) asked to visit for a few days, I didn’t hesitate to accept this request to begin the following phase of my grand scheme.
I realized this plan would backfire after I had to go back to back with two crying infants, creating an incessantly whiny symphony that caused me to hire a nanny for a day. Still, jokes on me, because I don’t even have enough money to pay my caregiver for their services, and now they are threatening me to give them Simoleons the next time I see them.
The beginning stages were certainly rough, considering that my Sim didn’t have much money from her stay-at-home job or time to replenish their moods. The Infant update’s realistic features also make it even more challenging as you consistently satisfy their endless hunger and depleting hygiene. Luckily, these Sims include Motives, as opposed to newborns, allowing players to view their exact needs without the hassle of figuring out which interactions they require.
Even though it may seem like infants and newborns are alike, they are entirely different since the first stage of life only lasts a few days and doesn’t exhibit any significant Milestones. However, the second phase offers more personality with the various quirks they can develop, whether it be the happy-go-lucky Early Riser or the intractable Free-Air Tinkler. These qualities display the update’s uniqueness as it transforms the monotonous life stage into a diversified world where every Sim has its own individual attributes.
What sets babies apart from toddlers is that they are almost completely helpless without a caregiver, in true fashion of what it means to be a parent. At most, toddlers can relatively take care of themselves as long as they are potty trained and have easy access to food (I used the trick of using the Get To Work’s refrigerated display.) On the other hand, infants are reasonably reliant on your parenting skills and often require you to wake up at odd times in the night to change a dirty diaper or simply want to be held.
With all this in mind, it didn’t necessarily feel like I had the same baby repeatedly because each one would inherit a variety of quirks. While one child wakes up with a bright smile, another will shout angrily when morning comes. In return, players will undoubtedly get the whole experience through the 100 Baby Challenge, in which you can see all the different quirk combinations and Reward traits that determine your parenting skills.
As per the instructions of my niece (in real life), I named my first child after my favorite food. But, unfortunately, Chicken Katsu Dye received the Unhappy Infant attribute, despite taking care of him 24/7 without much sleep (my Sim fainted from sleep deprivation a few times.) Some of it was my fault since I decided to have babies back-to-back, making it feel like I was playing a game of Pong rather than a simulation. Those who want to try this challenge should take it slow, especially with the Infant update, as it can be a bit overwhelming with the high needs of these particular children.
The more time I spent with the challenge, the more I started to get into the groove of things, specifically when family members could begin to help around the house. I also found it extremely helpful to utilize the new upgrading mechanic for the BlandCo Contemporary Crib that can transform it into a toddler bed instead of selling and buying a new one for each life stage.
Although twins or triplets seem like the ideal approach for the 100 Baby Challenge, I initially took off the high fertility On Ley Line lot trait, given that raising multiple screaming infants can make you want to pull out your hair. The only downside I would say overall is the numerous dirty diapers and baby bottles on the floor the Sims leave; I mean, come on, what are those trash cans even for? That said, I found it best to care for one at a time to reduce the messiness factor and achieve outstanding Reward traits, which help them grow into exceptional and responsible Sims.
It’s also pleasing to watch how the household bonds and works with the latest family interactions added from the Infant update, including adorable dialogue options between toddlers and infants. These social prompts can make the experience more accessible to satisfy minor needs, like when someone feels lonely or lacks in the Fun meter. Additionally, the new interactions can help unlock milestones for each infant (and Sims in general), such as the First Bath, Put Toe in Mouth, and First Finger Food, furthering the storytelling the franchise is known for.
As for my family lineage, there are definitely a lot of tales to go around as I gradually increase the size of my household for the 100 Baby Challenge. At first, it can be intimidating to jump into it with the Infant update, yet it becomes way more accessible when you discover the best strategy for you. It’s always a good idea to just have fun with it and watch how it all plays out rather than give in to the stressful cries of newborns, infants, and toddlers. It also helps to construct a bathroom empire to bathe your legion of slovenly babies, as well as give enough room for your older Sims to relieve themselves.
The 100-baby achievement may seem unfeasible at first, but it can be done once you establish a well-balanced system to cater to the needs of everyone in the house, mainly when you purchase higher leveled products. Now that I’ve established a domestic foundation, I have high hopes that I will finish this objective, even with the challenging feats of infants. Ultimately, it won’t be long until my flock of children rule the Sim world as they continue on the matriarch’s expansive legacy.
Published: Mar 20, 2023 09:00 am