Cozy life sim games are a great way to escape the harsh daily grind and unwind. These offer magnificent worlds imbued with magic all the while keeping life simulation in its core.
Instead of fighting for the highest rank, cozy games put combat into the last spot of importance and focus on creative ways to design and decorate your own charming new home. The possibilities are endless, from rustic farmhouses to cottages and castles in the skies, but we will get to it. The following are some of the best cozy life sim games to play and relax.
10. My Time At Portia
My Time At Portia is a delightful cozy life sim game in which a player takes over their father’s workshop after he goes traveling the world. The game is set in a distant dystopian future and the player’s task is to rebuild society. With a handbook and workbench players will need to gather resources, craft items, and expand the town’s borders.
Portia is not just about work, but relationships as players will be able to build relationships with residents, explore different paths, and uncover the lore behind the town. Released in 2019 it is available on PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Android, and iOS.
9. Palia
Palia is a unique twist to the cozy-sim genre. This free-to-play cozy life sim on PC and Nintendo Switch lets you carve out your homestead near Kilima Valley. The fantastic land imbued with magic is a new home for humanity as humans suddenly arrive in the world of the Majiri. Players will learn new skills, including fishing, crafting furniture, gardening, and even becoming a master chef.
Palia will feel like a world that’s evolving alongside its players as regular updates keep the game fresh.
8. Ooblets
Ooblets whisk you away to the magical island of Oob. The island is brimming with cute creatures similar to Pokemon called Ooblets, but instead of Pokemon battles, pocket monsters will participate in card-based dance challenges to level up and earn new seeds.
Players will start their journey in Badgetown and during the adventure unlock shops and befriend townsfolk. Through quests, you’ll improve your farm and relationships, while choosing to join one of four unique clubs. Initially released in early access for Windows and Xbox One in 2020, Ooblets launched for Nintendo Switch and other platforms in September 2022.
7. Moonstone Island
Moonstone Island throws players into an adventure set across 100 floating islands. As an aspiring alchemist, players will need to follow tradition by selecting one of these sky islands. Here, players will build a life, befriending neighbors, tending crops for potions, and crafting a dream home. Exploration is a key mechanic, and transportation is done with balloons, brooms, and gliders whisking them across diverse biomes to uncover secrets and battle using a card-based system. Players will be able to tame over 70 wild spirits to join the team as they conquer dungeons, reveal the island’s mysteries, and ultimately master the art of alchemy.
6. My Time at Sandrock
My Time at Sandrock is the next in line of the best cozy life sim games. It’s the sequel to My Time at Portia, in which players are thrown into a desert town and their goal is to rebuild it after an apocalypse.
In addition to life-sim, this one blends some RPG elements and hack-and-slash combat. There is a big romance story with 21 characters to woo potentially. The Windows version has co-operative multiplayer, allowing you to team up with friends. After early access in 2022, My Time at Sandrock received a full release in November 2023, with positive reviews praising its world, story, and interesting gameplay loop.
5. Coral Island
Coral Island takes players to tropical paradise. This 2023 game, developed by Stairway Games and published by Humble Games, takes inspiration from Stardew Valley but adds a refreshing island twist. Players will grow crops, tend to animals, and craft various items, while also exploring mines for various resources and some combat.
The game was crowd-funded through Kickstart in 2021 and it entered early access in October 2022. The full release was done on 14 November 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
4. Fae Farm
Fae Farm is a mix of life sim and RPG. After a shipwreck players find themselves in a charming community and are given a farm to tend to. This is the starting base of the adventure as you explore the magical world, completing quests for villagers, tending crops, raising livestock, and crafting magical potions and various enchantments to help the journey.
The game even supports up to four-player co-op and was released in September 2023 for PC and Nintendo Switch.
3. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing is one of the most popular series for Nintendo and New Horizons for the Switch console is a top-rated cozy life sim. It lets players escape to a deserted island and create their own paradise.
From standard resource collecting to home decoration, and furniture crafting, Animal Crossing: New Horizons lets players customize the island layout and befriend animal neighbors.
Moreover, players will plant trees and flowers, catch fish and bugs, and traverse the island for hidden treasures to ultimately transform the village into a thriving community where players will have the option to invite new animal residents and build relationships. Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released in 2020.
2. Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley from 2016 is an indie darling. Developed by Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, Stardew Valley became a critical and commercial darling, praised for its relaxing gameplay and charming characters. You can even build relationships, get married, and have children. All this is in addition to managing a farm a player inherits from the character’s grandfather.
It is one of the top cozy life-sim games and deserves a high spot on our list. Originally released for PC in 2016, it has since been made available for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS4, iOS, and Android.
1. Disney Dreamlight Valley
Disney Dreamlight Valley is a top spot on the list of cozy life-sim games. Released in December 2023, it lets players rebuild the magical valley with the help of iconic Disney and Pixar characters. Players will uncover secrets behind the valley’s decline into darkness as it is stripped away from its magic.
Players will need to gather resources, and craft items, to rebuild the valley to its former glory. On their adventure, players will meet and befriend such characters as Mickey, Elsa, and Moana among others. With many quests to complete, recipes to craft, and new areas to unlock, Disney Dreamlight Valley promises hours of fun. It is available on all major platforms.
These are some of the best cozy life sim games. The genre is rich with many adventures, all unique in their own way, but farming, relationships, and crafting are something that keeps them amazing and fun to play.
