Cipher methods Symbols
Simlish (The Sims)
Simlish is the fictional language of the Sims franchise (Maxis / Electronic Arts, since 2000), created by Will Wright (game designer) and the Maxis sound team. Originally purely spoken — a gibberish mixing Ukrainian, Navajo and invented onomatopoeia that let Sims “speak” without translating the game into every language — it was later paired with a visual script that appeared on game boxes, manuals, derivative magazines and official Maxis Press books.
The Latin ↔ Simlish glyph mapping was reconstructed by the community from the many in-game appearances of the script (signs, books on shelves, newspapers Sims read). On dCode, the table used is the one most commonly referenced in Sims wikis. 26 Latin letters, no digits.
How does the alphabet work?
The cipher relies on a monoalphabetic substitution: each cleartext letter is replaced by a fixed Simlish glyph. Same mechanic as the Caesar cipher (~50 BC), except the “key” is an image table from a popular video-game universe.
The table holds 26 glyphs for the 26 Latin letters (no digits). The glyphs are deliberately organic and rounded — consistent with the pastel graphic style of the Sims franchise, the opposite of angular alphabets like Klingon or Aurebesh.
Cryptographic strength: low. Monoalphabetic substitution → trivial frequency analysis. The interest is cultural: it’s the best-selling alphabet in video-game history (over 200 million Sims units sold), recognisable to an entire generation of players.
Historical and modern usage
- The Sims franchise (4 main titles, dozens of expansions).
- Sims community — fan art, custom content, fan-con riddles.
- Playful pedagogy — example of a branded alphabet.
- Video-game pop culture — nod to the 2000s generation.
Related variants
- Klingon pIqaD — see our entry, angular fictional alphabet.
- Aurebesh — see our entry, Star Wars alphabet.
- Hylian (Breath of the Wild) — see our entry, Zelda alphabet.
What are the weaknesses?
- Monoalphabetic substitution — frequency analysis is immediate.
- Public table — available on dCode and several Sims wikis.
- No digits — to encode a number, write it out in words.
The 26 glyphs
