"The Sims," EA Maxis' life-simulation video games, has been so popular that it's already in its fourth installment. One thing that hasn't changed from "The Sims" to "The Sims 4" is that players cut corners, just as people do in real life. And just as in real life, cheating comes with certain risks.

The code "setage (age wanted)," for example, lets you skip high-school awkwardness and college tuition to make your Sim an adult right off the bat. But "exercise caution with this," GameFAQs warns ominously. What exactly might happen if you don't is left up to the imagination.

The list of cheats is long, and the way to use them is straightforward: Hold down the "Ctrl," "Shift" and "C" keys, and a box to type in the magic command will open. What happens next can be helpful, funny or downright silly.

Here are a few examples:

  • You have tried hard to teach your children to love reading and instill in them the need to do one's homework -- to no avail. Thankfully, there is an easy fix, as long as your little ones are virtual. The cheats "Careers.promote Gradeschool" and "Careers.promote Highschool" will raise your child's grade performance, no lecture needed.

  • At parties, do you tend to find yourself in the corner, sipping a drink by your lonesome while carefully avoiding eye contact? If your Sim shares that trait, help is on the way. The command "relationship.introduce_sim_to_all_others" will lead you to make acquaintances with all fellow Sims. What's curious is that it "includes recently deceased Sims," GameFAQs notes.

  • Looking to expand your family? Sometimes, the "good old college try" just won't do. In real life, you might have to visit your doctor; in "The Sims 4," a few keystrokes will do. Type in "sims.add_buff Pregnancy_InLabor" and your Sim will "appear pregnant." That, incidentally, includes Ghosts.