BitLife is a text-based life simulation game where every run charts an entire human lifespan from birth to the grave. Developed by Candywriter, the game puts you in charge of hundreds of branching decisions that determine your character's health, happiness, wealth, and social standing. Whether you aim to become a renowned surgeon, a celebrated athlete, or an eccentric criminal mastermind, the sandbox format lets you steer each existence in whichever direction you choose.
What makes the experience compelling is how unpredictable consequences unfold from simple choices. A minor dispute in elementary school can spark a lifelong rivalry, while an impulse lottery ticket or a risky investment might instantly alter your financial trajectory. The quick pace and humorous event descriptions turn every playthrough into a distinct story that can be completed in a few minutes or nurtured over hours.
How to play
Starting a new life assigns your character random starting attributes across four primary meters: Happiness, Health, Smarts, and Looks. You also receive a randomly generated birthplace, parents, and initial financial standing.
To play through your life:
- Advance Time: Click the Age button to progress your life by one year at a time. Each year presents random dilemmas and life milestones.
- Relationships: Interact with parents, siblings, romantic partners, and friends through the Relationships tab to spend time together, give gifts, or resolve conflicts.
- Activities: Open the Activities menu to visit the gym, read books at the library, adopt pets, go on vacations, or take driving lessons.
- Occupation: Apply for part-time gigs as a teenager, pursue higher education, or enter the full-time workforce to earn salaries and build your net worth.
- Assets: Purchase real estate, vehicles, and luxury items with accumulated funds, or manage bank accounts and debt.
Strategies for a long and wealthy life
- Keep Health and Happiness high: Visit the gym annually, take walks, and seek medical attention as soon as symptoms arise to avoid premature death.
- Boost your Smarts early: Study hard every school year and visit the public library regularly to qualify for university scholarships and high-paying professional careers.
- Manage relationships carefully: Spending time with family members and romantic partners prevents relationship decay and keeps your stress levels low.
- Invest in real estate: Purchasing properties and holding them over decades allows property values to appreciate significantly before you sell them in retirement.
Similar games on Tiny Fishing
While Tiny Fishing focuses on timing, gear upgrades, and steady progression, BitLife offers a narrative sandbox driven by decision-making. Players who enjoy incremental progress and resource management will also appreciate games like Pixel Fishing and Fishing Io, which reward patience and strategic upgrading just like climbing the career ladder in a life simulator.
BitLife plays directly in your web browser with simple mouse or touch controls. With no downloads required, you can jump into a quick five-minute lifespan or carefully construct a generational dynasty right from your browser.
Frequently asked questions
How do you age up in BitLife?
Click the large round Plus Age button in the center of the screen. Each click advances your character's life by one full year and triggers new life events.
Can you choose your career in BitLife?
Yes. Once your character finishes school, open the Occupation menu to browse available entry-level jobs, apply for higher education, or pursue military and trade paths.
Does BitLife save your progress?
Your current life progress is saved locally in your web browser cache. You can close the tab and return later to resume the same character run as long as you do not clear your browsing data.
What happens when your character dies?
A death screen appears detailing your final net worth, cause of death, overall karma, and earned ribbons. You can then begin a brand new random life or continue playing as your child.
