The Sims 5will hopefully bring back a number of memorable households, and among those contenders is a shout-out to a beloved sitcom. The series is no stranger to references as a whole, from puns based on popular properties to Simlish versions of real-world songs on the radio. However, it’s a bit rarer for a household to be a reference in itself. On the surface, such a home may sound a bit limited, possibly only being good for a few jokes. However,The Sims 5could bring back a household that subverts those expectations in entertaining fashion: the Golden Gals.
There are a whole host offamily dynamics inThe Sims, represented through the myriad of pre-made households that have been offered throughout four installments. Sometimes, some of the most entertaining results can come in the form of homes that don’t feature a nuclear family dynamic. Siblings, roommates, and all other sorts of dynamics have been present throughout the series. One household in particular lets players experience the adventures of a lovable group of old ladies. They may not have a typical family setup, but there is no shortage of stories that they can experience during a player’s time with them.
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The Golden Gals household is an obvious reference to the classic sitcomThe Golden Girls, although it’s not the firstpop culture reference inThe Sims.The Golden Girlsfeatured four elderly women living in an apartment together, whileThe Sims 3’s Golden Gals featured three old women in a similar situation. Although the Golden Gals aren’t exact counterparts of Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Sophia, the inspiration is obvious. One particularly unique aspect of the Golden Gals is that every member of the house is an elder, which is rare among premade households inThe Sims. Of course, theGolden Girlsreference would not have been possible otherwise.
Even though the Golden Gals are in their golden years, there aren’t a lot of restrictions that come with advancedage inThe Sims. Just like the sitcom stars that inspired them, Gennie, Beulah, and Evangeline can get involved in almost everything that sims half their age can get mixed up in. As a result, under the player’s control, these lively senior citizens can be the centerpiece of the neighborhood, with webs of friendships and rivalries forged through various events and encounters. Appropriately enough, a save file played with the Golden Gals can eventually resemble a sitcom, although the same could be said for many games ofThe Sims.
The main thing that may keep some players from playing as the Golden Gals is their age. After all,The Sims' preset lifespansmean that Elder is the last phase of a sim’s life, so it stands to reason that they won’t live as long as most sims. However,The Sims 4featured the ability to change the length of sims' lifespans. With this mechanic, elder sims' lives could become four times longer than the default.The Sims 5would be wise to include this useful feature again. That way, the Golden Gals would be able to stick around for a good, long time.
The Golden Gals are a fun reference with plenty of potential for a fun save. While there could be a lot of dramatichouseholds returning inThe Sims 5, a group of fun old ladies in an apartment could offer a break from that. While setting up stories for sims is a worthwhile pastime, the aim of the game is ultimately to have fun, and the Golden Gals deliver that with aplomb. Featuring three fun sims with little tension, the Golden Gals can delight players similar to their namesake if they make it intoThe Sims 5.
The Sims 5is in development.
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