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Hidden beneath the surface of Oasis Springs in The Sims 4 lies an enchanting subterranean refuge filled with magical crystal formations, rare fish, and unique collectibles ripe for the taking. The Forgotten Grotto, one of two base game hidden worlds, is a majestic place for your Sims to uncover and explore, and can be accessed by finding one of the boarded up mine entrances located in two specific lots.
While not as fantastical as the other secret base game lot, the Forgotten Grotto will have you smiling in delight once you step foot inside. Read on, and we'll tell you everything that you need to know about the Forgotten Grotto, including how to build inside it.
Prerequisites For Exploring The Forgotten Grotto
The boarded up mine entrances guarding the passages to the Forgotten Grotto are extremely difficult to dismantle, requiring the expert hands of a Sim who has completely maxed out their Handiness skill to level 10.
The Handiness skill can be leveled up by repairing household items, reading handiness skill books, and performing upgrades to appliances, plumbing, and electronics.
Mine Entrance Locations
The Forgotten Grotto can be accessed from two locations in Oasis Springs: Desert Bloom Park and behind the Affluista Mansion, usually occupied by the Landgraab family.
Both entrances lead to the same place, so choose your preferred route.
When your Sim is standing outside the mine entrance, right-click and select the 'break down' option to destroy the barricades.
Choosing The Right Path
Once your Sim enters the cave, they will embark on a choose-your-own-adventure quest.
Be careful, as there are right and wrong answers; choosing the incorrect choices at any point will force your Sim to leave the cave. If this happens, you'll have to start the attempt over.
If you'd like to avoid the trial and error nature of this part of the adventure, the correct choices are:
- Take the Wide Path
- Climb the Ladder
- Step onto the Ledge
- Travel to Grotto
Resources And Collectibles Inside The Forgotten Grotto
Successfully completing the mini choose-your-own-adventure will put you through a loading sequence before revealing the secret Forgotten Grotto lot.
The Forgotten Grotto holds a lake which, alongside the usual catches, is the only place to reel in the elusive 'batfish' species - an important addition to your Sim's collection.
The rare 'rainbow fish' species can be caught here too, however it's not exclusive to the Forgotten Grotto as you can also catch them in the base game's other secret lot: Sylvan Glade.
If your Sim is an avid collector of frogs, they'll be pleased to discover many spots to catch them on the shores of the lake. There's even an old well full of the little amphibians, too.
How To Enter Build Mode Inside The Forgotten Grotto
While you're normally unable to edit the Forgotten Grotto, build mode can be toggled through the in-game cheat console.
To access cheats, press CTRL + SHIFT + C at the same time on PC. On console, simply press all four shoulder buttons at once.
A text box will appear in the top right corner. Into this, type "testingcheats true" or "testingcheats on" and press enter.
After this, make sure that you're inside the Forgotten Grotto before moving on to the next step. You will know that you've been successful if you see a confirmation message appear in the text box.
Once you're inside, enter the "bb.enablefreebuild" cheat to unlock build mode inside the Forgotten Grotto.
Before losing yourself designing and building your dream hideaway within the Grotto's mystical surroundings, keep in mind that you're unable to enter this location from the world map.
Future visits to the Forgotten Grotto will require using either of the cave entrances in Oasis Springs.