10 Cozy Games Like Animal Crossing to Unwind After a Long Day

There’s something magical about booting up a cozy game after a long, exhausting day. You sink into your favorite chair, controller in hand, ready to escape to a world where the biggest decision is which flowers to plant or what gift to give your favorite villager. If you’ve been living on your Animal Crossing island for years now, you might be wondering what other gentle adventures await you in the world of cozy gaming.

The good news? The cozy game landscape has blossomed beautifully in recent years, offering a garden full of relaxing games that capture that same warm, fuzzy feeling Animal Crossing gave us. Whether you’re craving more farming, decorating, befriending adorable characters, or simply existing in peaceful virtual spaces, these games like Animal Crossing will wrap you in comfort like your softest blanket on a rainy afternoon.

What Makes a Game Feel Like Animal Crossing?

Before we dive into our list, let’s talk about what really makes Animal Crossing special. It’s not just about cute animals or decorating your house (though those help!). The magic lies in a few key ingredients that create that signature cozy feeling.

First, there’s the gentle pace. These games are meant to be enjoyed in short bursts, over the course of a few weeks or months, never rushing you or punishing you for taking your time. Second, there’s the sense of community, whether that’s befriending quirky villagers or helping spirits find peace. And finally, there’s creative freedom: the ability to make a space truly yours, whether that’s a farm, an island, or a tiny bookshop by the sea.

The best cozy switch games and relaxing games 2025 has to offer share these qualities while adding their own unique flavors to the recipe. Some lean heavily into farming, others into storytelling, and a few surprise you with unexpected twists that make them unforgettable.

1. Stardew Valley: The Ultimate Farming Escape

If you haven’t played Stardew Valley yet, stop what you’re doing and fix that immediately. This love letter to the Harvest Moon series shares many aspects with Animal Crossing, including moving to a small town where you must build up your grandfather’s run-down farm.

What makes Stardew Valley so special is how it balances structure with freedom. You can spend your days however you please: tending crops, raising chickens, fishing by the river, or exploring the mysterious mines. The game features a bunch of lovable villagers for you to befriend and even a few you can marry, as well as a fishing system and a museum for you to donate minerals and artifacts to.

Unlike Animal Crossing, there’s a bit of light combat in the mines, but it’s gentle and optional if that’s not your thing. The pixel art aesthetic is absolutely charming, and the soundtrack by ConcernedApe is genuinely one of the most soothing in gaming. This is the game that keeps players up until 3 AM saying “just one more day” because time disappears when you’re this absorbed.

Why You’ll Love It:

Perfect if you want deeper gameplay systems than Animal Crossing offers while maintaining that same relaxing vibe. The modding community is incredible too, adding endless replay value.

2. Cozy Grove: Animal Crossing with Ghostly Friends

Cozy Grove drops you on a haunted island full of ghost bears, hand-drawn charm, and slow-burn storytelling, where you play as a Spirit Scout helping spirits find peace. Don’t let the “haunted” part scare you off. This is possibly the gentlest ghost story ever told.

What sets Cozy Grove apart is its stunning hand-drawn art style and the way color literally blooms across the island as you help spirits heal. The game’s muted color palette just begs to be filled in like a paint-by-numbers page, with every ghost you help coloring in the area around them. It’s like being inside a watercolor painting that comes to life through kindness.

The game operates in real-time like Animal Crossing, making it perfect for 30-60 minute daily sessions. You’ll fish, craft, decorate, and collect badges while uncovering heartwarming (and sometimes tearjerking) stories about life, loss, and moving forward. For those who want a more engaging story than Animal Crossing, Cozy Grove is the way to go, with its mix of relaxed gameplay and ghostly lore being addictive.

Why You’ll Love It:

If you’ve ever wanted Animal Crossing with more narrative depth and emotional resonance, Cozy Grove delivers that in spades. Just keep tissues nearby.

3. Hello Kitty Island Adventure: Sanrio Sweetness

Here’s a game that surprised everyone. Hello Kitty Island Adventure is the closest you’ll get to an Animal Crossing game that isn’t actually Animal Crossing, set on a tropical island where you team up with Sanrio characters to restore an abandoned resort.

Originally an Apple Arcade exclusive, this gem is now available on Steam and consoles as of 2025. The game features a ton of cute animals you can befriend, slowly learning their likes and how to improve relationships with them, plus cabins to decorate and a deserted island to explore. The emphasis on customization, exploration, and gift-giving feels like it was pulled straight from the Animal Crossing playbook but wrapped in adorable Sanrio packaging.

What makes it stand out? Light puzzle-solving and platforming elements are interwoven in quests, along with a deep roster of Sanrio characters that lean heavily into cute and cozy vibes. You’ll recognize favorites like My Melody, Keroppi, and of course, Hello Kitty herself, each with their own personalities and stories.

Why You’ll Love It:

Perfect for Sanrio fans and anyone who wants Animal Crossing vibes with a bit more active gameplay. The world is absolutely adorable, and yes, everything is as cute as you’re imagining.

4. Disney Dreamlight Valley: Magic Meets Cozy Living

Imagine if Disney and Pixar characters lived in an Animal Crossing-style world. That’s Disney Dreamlight Valley in a nutshell, and it’s every bit as delightful as it sounds.

This cozy life-sim lets you befriend dozens of memorable characters from Disney and Pixar as you help them gain back their memories after a mysterious event called “the forgetting”. You’ll have your own house to furnish, crops to plant, a town to revamp, and friends to make, from classic characters like Mickey and Goofy to modern favorites like Elsa and Wall-E.

The decorating system is incredibly robust, letting you create themed areas throughout your valley. Want a spooky Halloween section? A Frozen winter wonderland? A tropical paradise? The game gives you the tools to make it happen. Plus, there are regular updates adding new characters and content, keeping the experience fresh.

Why You’ll Love It:

If you’re a Disney fan, this is an absolute must-play. Even if you’re not, the gameplay loop is solid enough to stand on its own, with satisfying progression and genuinely fun character interactions.

5. Fields of Mistria: A Pixelated Love Letter to Farming

Fields of Mistria is a pixelated farming RPG where you move to a cozy village that sits between the sea and a forest, settling into your own homestead and raising a farm. Released in early access in 2024 and still receiving updates, this game has already captured hearts with its charming pixel art and deep gameplay systems.

Beyond farming, you can get to know the locals, fall in love, and engage in activities like fishing, crafting, mining, completing quests, and enjoying seasonal festivals. The character designs are absolutely gorgeous, and the romance options are particularly well-written, giving each potential partner real depth and personality.

The game blends the best elements of classic farming sims with modern quality-of-life improvements. The UI is clean, the controls are responsive, and there’s a genuine sense of progression that keeps you coming back for “just one more day.”

Why You’ll Love It:

If you loved Stardew Valley but want something with a fresh coat of paint and new stories to discover, Fields of Mistria delivers exactly that. The pixel art is stunning, and the gameplay feels polished even in early access.

6. Ooblets: Pokemon Meets Farming with a Cozy Twist

Ooblets combines farming simulation, town management, and Pokemon-style monster collecting, all wrapped up in a cozy and low-stakes story. But instead of battling, your Ooblets compete in adorable dance-offs. Yes, you read that right. Dance-offs.

You’ll grow Ooblets on your farm (they sprout from seeds!), and they’ll help you with farm tasks while also serving as your dance crew. There are plenty of townsfolk to meet and complete quests for, with cute Ooblets everywhere. The art style is colorful and whimsical, with a pastel palette that feels like living inside a children’s picture book.

The humor in Ooblets is genuinely funny without being obnoxious, and the gameplay loop of farming, collecting, and dancing is surprisingly addictive. There’s no pressure, no stress, just you, your weird little creatures, and a world that celebrates being a little bit silly.

Why You’ll Love It:

Perfect if you want something lighter and more playful than traditional farming sims. The dance battles are hilarious, and collecting all the different Ooblet species becomes genuinely compelling.

7. Spiritfarer: A Beautiful Journey Through Life and Loss

Spiritfarer takes the cozy game formula and adds profound emotional depth. You play as a boat farer tasked with helping people go through the gate at the end of their lives, going on adventures, completing quests, making friends, and cooking.

Don’t let the heavy theme scare you away. While Spiritfarer has cozy moments, it’s more narrative-focused and includes hard-hitting emotional moments, constantly making you feel vulnerable by exploring grief and loss through stories about dying and love. It’s like Animal Crossing meets a Studio Ghibli film, with hand-drawn art that’s absolutely breathtaking.

You’ll build and upgrade your boat, tend gardens, cook meals, and most importantly, spend time with your spirit passengers. Each one has a full story arc, and saying goodbye when their time comes is genuinely emotional. It’s a game about death that ultimately celebrates life in the most beautiful way possible.

Why You’ll Love It:

If you’re ready for a cozy game that will make you cry (in a good way), Spiritfarer is unforgettable. It’s proof that cozy games can have emotional depth and still maintain that comforting atmosphere.

8. Dinkum: Animal Crossing Down Under

Imagine if Animal Crossing was set in Australia, and you have Dinkum. This charming indie game lets you explore the Australian outback, complete with unique wildlife, mining opportunities, and that classic Aussie charm.

You’ll start with a tent and gradually build up your homestead while attracting new residents to your budding town. The progression feels rewarding, and there’s something deeply satisfying about transforming the wilderness into a thriving community. You can fish, farm, mine, catch bugs, and even hunt for fossils, all while soaking in the beautiful outback scenery.

The game includes a day-night cycle and seasonal changes that affect what activities you can do, encouraging you to check in regularly. The wildlife is distinctly Australian, from wombats to crocodiles, adding a unique flavor you won’t find in other cozy games.

Why You’ll Love It:

If you want Animal Crossing vibes with a distinct Australian personality and more emphasis on survival elements (still gentle, don’t worry), Dinkum hits the sweet spot.

9. My Time at Portia: Crafting and Community Building

My Time at Portia takes the cozy formula and adds deeper crafting and resource management systems. You inherit your father’s old workshop in the town of Portia and must restore it to its former glory while helping rebuild the town.

The game offers a deep crafting system mixed with farming and questing in a colorful, post-apocalyptic world. The “post-apocalyptic” setting is gentle and optimistic, focusing on rebuilding rather than survival horror. You’ll gather resources, craft items, complete commissions for townsfolk, and slowly watch Portia transform.

The social system is robust, with romance options, festivals, and plenty of characters to befriend. The game rewards exploration and experimentation, with secrets tucked into every corner of the map. It’s slightly more mechanically complex than Animal Crossing, but that depth is what keeps players engaged for hundreds of hours.

Why You’ll Love It:

Perfect for players who want more complex crafting and building systems while maintaining that cozy, community-focused atmosphere. The sequel, My Time at Sandrock, is also excellent.

10. The Garden Path: Mindful Gaming at Its Finest

The Garden Path works similarly to Animal Crossing in that it’s meant to be enjoyed in short bursts over weeks or months, where you find yourself in an overgrown garden with vegetable and animal-shaped villagers waiting to greet you.

This indie gem emphasizes mindfulness and being present in the moment. There are no grand objectives or progress bars pressuring you. Instead, you simply tend your garden, chat with visitors, and watch the seasons change. The art style is gentle and watercolor-like, creating an almost meditative experience.

The game encourages you to slow down and appreciate small moments: the way light filters through leaves, a brief conversation with a passing character, the satisfaction of pulling weeds. It’s gaming as self-care, a digital space designed specifically for decompression and peace.

Why You’ll Love It:

If you’re feeling burnt out by goal-oriented gameplay and just want a peaceful space to exist in, The Garden Path offers exactly that. It’s cozy gaming distilled to its purest essence.

Finding Your Next Cozy Adventure

The beauty of cozy switch games and relaxing games 2025 has blessed us with is that each one offers something slightly different. Maybe you’re craving the farming depth of Stardew Valley, the emotional storytelling of Spiritfarer, or the pure adorableness of Hello Kitty Island Adventure. Perhaps you want to help ghost bears heal in Cozy Grove or dance with weird little creatures in Ooblets.

What all these games share:

• Gentle pacing that respects your time and energy
• Creative freedom to express yourself through decoration and design
• Communities of characters who feel like genuine friends
• No punishing fail states or stressful time limits
• Beautiful art styles that soothe the soul
• Progression systems that feel rewarding, never overwhelming
• The perfect companion for unwinding after those long, draining days

The cozy gaming genre has grown so much since Animal Crossing: New Horizons captured the world’s heart during the pandemic. Now, there’s a whole universe of gentle, heartwarming games waiting to welcome you home. Each one is a soft place to land when the real world feels too sharp, too fast, too much.

Last Post: Why Stardew Valley Is Still the Most Comforting Cozy Game Ever Made

So grab your favorite beverage, settle into your comfiest spot, and pick one of these beautiful games to explore. Your next cozy adventure is waiting, and it promises to be just as magical as your time on that little island with Tom Nook and friends. Maybe even more so.

What cozy game are you playing this week? Tell us in the comments or join the cozy conversation at Shockix.