Challenges mode is a puzzle mode in which you work with a limited number of resources and a constraint set of blocks to achieve a particular goal. The game currently features 24 Challenge levels.
Challenges[ | ]
01. It's all about water[ | ]
"WATER is an essential resource of any community. WATER can be collected from the ground, rivers or rain, but often needs to be transported long distances to be used. Let's explore the economy of WATER."
Objectives: Produce 250 units of WATER.
Difficulty: Easy
Strategy: This challenge introduces the fundamental dependencies of life in your 'Hood. Everything stems from water, but in this challenge water is only available from Water Towers, which require money to operate. Money, in turn, comes from the Corner Store, which then requires consumers. Consumers require somewhere to live, and their homes will require a comfortable living environment, which means trees... and that means water! In other words, you'll have to sustain a miniature ecosystem in order to complete this challenge, using one resource to produce others in order to fulfill different block requirements. Be careful to balance the production and consumption of different resources; as many blocks will require multiple inputs. For example, you'll find that electricity is used by several blocks, and as your small 'Hood grows you don't want to risk running out of power or, even worse, running out of space for new solar panels. If you find yourself short on space after you've built apartments and a corner store, consider trying to re-use the wasted greywater. It's just sitting there right now, but it might be the key to securing your water supplies if you can't build any more water towers...
02. A knowledge economy[ | ]
"What will happen to our cities without education? KNOWLEDGE drives the market in cities. KNOWLEDGE leads to INNOVATION and INVENTION."
Objectives: Produce 10 units of KNOWLEDGE.
Difficulty: Easy
Strategy: Now that you've established a functioning 'Hood which can support inhabitants, it's time to educate the next generation. In the first stage of this challenge, you'll be required to create an ecosystem capable of sustaining its own needs for water, electricity, fresh air, leisure and money. Then, you'll be able to support the Large Apartment, which allows families to live in your 'Hood. Aside from the usual outputs of consumers, greywater and organic waste which you'd expect from a family apartment, the Large Apt also produces youth. Youth represents the children born to families in your 'Hood, and also represents a vital resource for your 'Hood's future prosperity. When educated in a school, these children are able to produce knowledge, which can be used by more advanced blocks such as the office building. In this challenge, you should already have plenty of money in order to satisfy your 'Hood's requirements while you build up your knowledge; however if you run low on money then an office will provide more. Much more, in fact, than many alternatives (such as a corner store) would.
03. Tycoon[ | ]
"Money is just another resource in BLOCK'HOOD. But certainly an important one.Take out your tycoon suit and create the most profit possible."
Objectives: Produce 500 units of MONEY
Difficulty: Easy
Strategy:
04. Aquaculture[ | ]
"Sometimes 2 blocks can produce SYMBIOSIS. Figure out how to produce FISH and VEGETABLES by making use of the waste from other BLOCKS"
Objectives: Produce 100 units of FISH and 100 units of VEGETABLES
Difficulty: Easy
Strategy:
05. The price of oil[ | ]
"OIL is a great resource to produce energy, but comes at a cost. Figure out what you need to AVOID THE TRADEOFFS."
Objectives: Produce 1000 units of ELECTRICITY with LESS than 100 units of SICKNESS
Difficulty: Intermediate
Strategy:
06. Feed me[ | ]
"Some products cannot be stored for long. Figure out how to sell and MANAGE YOUR STOCK."
Objectives: Produce 200 units of BREAD and while having LESS than 50 units of WHEAT
Difficulty: Intermediate
Strategy:
07. Cheers[ | ]
"Sometimes the lack of space forces you to think vertically,VERTICAL FARMING is an example of this. Try to build a PROFITABLE BREWERY by working with the limited space."
Objectives: Produce 500 units of BEER and 1000 units of MONEY while having LESS than 100 units of ORGANIC MATTER*.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Strategy:
08. Vegas[ | ]
"Some BLOCKS can boost the production of other BLOCKS. Find a way to MAXIMIZE PROFIT by having lots of CUSTOMERS"
Objectives: Produce 1000 CONSUMERS and create 20 RETAIL SHOPS* while having LESS than 100 units of INORGANIC WASTE
Difficulty: Intermediate
Strategy:
09. Dense living[ | ]
"Sometimes there is nowhere else to grow but UP. Find creative ways to provide PUBLIC SPACE and GREEN AREAS despite the limited space you have to develop your building."
Objectives: Create 40 HOUSING UNITS
Difficulty: Intermediate
Strategy:
10. Just passing by[ | ]
"There are ways to make your neighborhood attractive to outsiders. TOURISTS can bring new opportunities to a small community, but they also have consequences."
Objectives: Creat 30 HOTEL ROOMS while having LESS than 100 units of GREY WATER and LESS than 100 units of ORGANIC WASTE.
Difficulty: Advanced
Strategy:
11. It's only waste if you don't use it[ | ]
"WASTE is just what you don't need. Find creative ways to REUSE the WASTE you generate."
Objectives: Create 30 FACTORIES and 50 units of PLASTIC with LESS than 50 units of ORGANIC WASTE and LESS than 50 units of INORGANIC WASTE.
Difficulty: Advanced
Strategy:
12. Zero footprint[ | ]
Possible solution to challenge 12
"Excess is never good... Create FRESH AIR and keep all other resources low. You need to think how each unit relates to another."
Objectives: Create 500 units of FRESH AIR and have LESS than 80 OF ALL OTHER RESOURCES
Difficulty: Advanced
Strategy: This challenge is currently only achievable due to Wilderness not counting amongst "all other resources". The trick to winning this challenge is to use Blocks that have very few types of outputs, in order to be able to manage each on their own. You should use a kind of plant that does not produce Leisure because that is a resource that is very hard to eliminate. You will start with a fixed amount of Money that has to be reduced to 80 to win. Your Water Towers will reduce this value, but, if after finishing the challenge you still have money left you can use Elevators in combination with Solar Panels.
The best combination of blocks to win would be: Solar Panels, Water Towers, Sprinklers and Bristlecone Pines. Tweak the amounts to keep the resources low.
13. Children of the corn[ | ]
"CORN is a major staple crop with many applications. YOUTH are budding resources of human potential. In this challenge you will learn to foster both."
Objectives: Create 1000 CORN, 500 KNOWLEDGE and 500 YOUTH
Difficulty: Intermediate
Strategy:
14. Locally grown[ | ]
"Connecting with the people who grow the food you eat can be very enriching and profitable."
Objectives: Create 4 FISH STANDS, 4 FRUIT STANDS, and 4 VEGETABLE STANDS. Produce at least 200 MONEY and 200 COMMUNITY.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Strategy:
15. Water to wine[ | ]
"Ancient accountts tell of great individuals capable of transmuting water into wine..."
Objectives: Create 100 WINE out of 100 WATER
Difficulty: Easy
Strategy:
16. Built it, and they will come[ | ]
"The inhabitants of BLOCK'HOOD are a bit tricky, they'll only appear under the right conditions..."
Objectives: Attract 10 CONSUMER INHABITANTS to your neighborhood.
Difficulty: Easy
Strategy:
17. Farm to table[ | ]
"Chefs and diners have recently been getting back in touch with where their food comes from. This new local food culture movement is known as Farm To Table."
Objectives: Produce 200 CULTURE through farm to table restaurants
Difficulty: Advanced
Strategy:
18. Maize runner[ | ]
"Circumstances can force innovation. In this challenge you will be given a strict time limit and specific resources to work with."
Objectives: Produce 1000 ELECTRICITY in 10 minutes.
Difficulty: Corny
Strategy:
19. True cost of fast fashion[ | ]
"Fashion trends weren't always as fast-changing as they are today. In this challenge you will see what it takes to keep up with modern fashion trends."
Objectives: Collect 500 MONEY from fashion industry garment sales. Create at least 4 CLOTHING RETAILERS.
Difficulty: Avant garde
Strategy:
20. Silicon hood[ | ]
"Perhaps the strongest thread that runs through a Hood's past and present is the drive to 'play' with novel technology..."
Objectives: Guide a 'HOOD into the INFORMATION AGE
Difficulty: Startup
Strategy: This challenge requires you to produce 100 youth, 100 knowledge and build 4 schools.
21. Space elevator[ | ]
"Use TECHNOLOGY to take your 'HOOD to heights!"
Objectives: Generate 2001 TECHNOLOGY from a 'HOOD that is 20 ELEVATORS tall.
Difficulty: Daisy
Strategy:
22. A taste of Tokaido[ | ]
"The Tokaido Road was once the most important road in feudal Japan, inspiring art, culture and tourism during the Edo period."
Objectives: Create a 22-block CORRIDOR, 2 ART GALLERIES, 2 SUSHI RESTAURANTS and generate 222 CULTURE
Difficulty: Otoro
Strategy:
23. Caffe nation[ | ]
"The modern business world needs the right fuel to run at its fast pace..."
Objectives: Complete FOUR quick COFFEE related CHALLENGES in succession
Difficulty: Venti
Strategy:
24. Fruit of the loam[ | ]
"Nature provides many resources that can be harvested and used directly for human needs."
Objectives: Generate 100 MONEY, WINE, BREAD and FABRIC
Difficulty: Zen
Strategy: