Editor’s Note: We are in the process of updating this list! Stay tuned for many more games by mid-October 2026.
When video games embrace coziness, they invite players into a gentler version of the world. Cozy games create a reality that dramatically reduces stress without losing joy or delight. In a time where “the real world” is increasingly full of pain and suffering, it makes sense that we seek a more hopeful version in our stories. Cozy games feel good, plain and simple! So, here are our favorite ways to bundle up in games.
– Amanda Tien, Editor
The 25 Best Cozy Video Games
Looking for a warm game to enjoy when the weather gets cold? Or something cool to relax with inside when it’s too hot? Well, regardless of the weather and your mood, our team has assembled a list of our favorite cozy video games. To help you find what you’re looking for, we’ve organized the list into types of cozy games.
Or, if you just want to read all that we suggest, keep scrolling to see every game in alphabetical order!
Cozy Puzzle Games
These games invite players to quietly solve unhurried and beautiful puzzles.
Cozy Visual Novels
These games feel like reading a beloved book in a comfortable armchair, but with the interactivity of a video game.
- Best Served Cold
- Cateau
- Coffee Talk and Coffee Talk Episode 2
- The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood
- Regency Love
- Venba
Cozy Farming Games
These games embrace the quiet joy of tending to crops; some with a twist!
Cozy Adventure Games
These games invite players to go on colorful journeys, both big and small.
- AER: Memories of Old
- Lil Gator Game
- Mail Time
- Mineko’s Night Market
- New Pokémon Snap
- Smushi Come Home
- Spiritfarer
Cozy Shop Simulator Games and City Builders
These games heavily feature resource management and repetition as part of their cozy formula.
A Little to the Left
Sorting papers on a desk before a cat swipes the envelope away. Organizing pasta by twirliest shape. Tilting picture frames. These are some of the sweet-and-simple activities of A Little to the Left, an indie game out last fall from Max Inferno. It can be hard to get a puzzle game right, and I think A Little to the Left showcases what excellence looks like.
The art and color palette is charming. The music is delightful and soothing. The game wants you to enjoy solving the puzzle—this isn’t one of those BS 1,000-piece puzzles with no picture on the cover—and features multiple thoughtful UI elements. The controller will vibrate gently when you’ve got a puzzle piece in the right spot while a bell quietly dings. There’s also a help page for each level where you can scratch away a hint and stop as soon as you think you see it. And perhaps, most gentle of all, is an option to, at any level, “Let It Be,” and move on to the next one.
The Guardian calls it “a supremely rewarding ode to neatness.” With dozens of levels along with a daily challenge, A Little to the Left is a lovely, quietly satisfying game to add to your regular rotation for a casual bedtime puzzle or a big cozy binge.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch
AER: Memories of Old
There are few games that fail to look timeless with a low-polygon style, and AER: Memories of Old is certainly not one of them. You play as a shapeshifting Pilgrim, one of the few able to navigate the myriad of sky islands dotting the land. Along your journey, you’ll meet the denizens of the islands, explore old ruins, and discover the secrets of the gods of old.
AER was described in a negative review as “too chill,” and it’s honestly not wrong. You play as the floatiest young woman on the planet, skipping your way through temples and across platforms at a pace that’s perfect for the vibes of the world. While you are investigating a literal apocalypse, there’s no rush or sense of urgency. No gigantic monsters to smash or little ones to duel. You just fly around.
That’s not figurative; you can actually turn into a bird. The hawk controls are also just floaty enough to be enjoyable. You move slowly and slower vertically, but you can ride the waves of wind to get a quick boost. This leads to a very natural cycle of movement that makes the bird’s sequences super enjoyable. You don’t get to transform as often as you might think, but that doesn’t change the fun of free-flowing flight.
This is an inexpensive, short experience that is totally worth trying out. Especially if you’ve been having a hard weekend and just need a place to explore and vibe with for three or four hours, AER: Memories of Old will take you to the sky and let you spread your wings.
– Written by Jason Toro
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
In my more than 100 hours of Animal Crossing: New Horizons in 2020, I fully populated a museum with fish, bugs, and artifacts, for no other reason than I believed it would benefit the community. I created multiple outdoor seating areas so I had more places to relax and appreciate the world around me. I allowed myself to be the center of attention in a lot of ways, but never at the expense of anyone else; the other villagers were always happy to see me, even complimenting me on my new outfits. The joy didn’t even end there, as I returned to the game last year when I watched my wife get into it for the first time.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a fake, virtual world where nothing bad happens and everyone’s just happy to be there. While it may seem thematically simplistic and childish, its emphasis on how to look out for your community and yourself really struck a chord with me. It’s a game full of joy that reminds me to be kind to both myself and others.
– Written by Sam Martinelli
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch
Editor’s Note: Check out our Animal Crossing: New Horizons Five-Star Island Guide and How to Get Back Into Animal Crossing Guide.
Best Served Cold
You wouldn’t think that a game about catching a murderer during a war-torn 1920s fictional town in eastern Europe would be cozy, but it is! Best Served Cold is an impressively charming visual novel in which players run a speakeasy underneath a bookshop. In order to keep their illegal business open, the bartender agrees to help a local detective catch criminals by listening carefully to what guests say as they get a little tipsy.
The game is beautifully art-directed with an excellent original soundtrack. Belgian-based studio Rogueside did an excellent job creating a sense of atmosphere and interesting characters. As I reflect, what makes this game unexpectedly cozy is the setting: an alternate universe version of the 1920s. There are computer-like devices here, little to no homophobia, economic freedom for women, and everything happens in a made-up country. This fictional reality creates a space of play within the impeccable vibes of jazz, cocktails, and long cigarettes. Best Served Cold was one of my favorite indie games of 2025, and I bet it will be one of yours too. (Plus, there’s a sequel!)
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch
Cateau
Cateau is a wholesome visual novel all about meeting cats and forming relationships in the beautiful city of Paris. In the game, you live with your roommate Roselle, a close friend and college student who you’ve noticed has become more shut-in and quietly depressed than ever before. As you head out to work, you come across the first of three cats in this game. The street cat inspires you to take a photo to reinvigorate Roselle’s love for life through her consistent love for cats.
This game has captured my heart because of the way it illustrates both building relationships and mental illness. The main gameplay element involves making choices as to how to interact with each of the three cats you find on the streets of Paris. To best interact with each cat, you’ll have to read into their environments, their body language, and all previous interactions you’ve had with them to understand their likes and dislikes. It really reinforces the importance of paying attention to those you want to build relationships with instead of just acting as you please. Likewise, rather than blindly telling Roselle things will be okay, you help her come out of isolation by sharing things she loves with her.
Cateau represents everything you really need to know about friendship in an adorable, cat-shaped package. Its cutesy, choose-your-action gameplay teaches you to understand the thoughts and feelings of others before you say or do something. While a single gameplay session lasts about two hours depending on the choices you make and how quickly you read, it’s one of the few games I find myself being able to play over and over again, with the same joy I felt during my first playthrough.
– Written by Krista McCay
Platforms: PC, Android
Coffee Talk and Coffee Talk Episode 2
If coffee shops are one of your happy places, you absolutely must try the Coffee Talk series. The games nail the cozy coffee shop aesthetic (always rainy, clinking sounds of dishware, vibey jazz) weaving a thoughtful meta plot over the course of a few weeks. Both take place in a fantastical version of Seattle where the coffee is always ready. The barista of this all-night spot serves lattes to struggling writers, designs custom drinks for werewolves, and makes tea to ease fights within inter-creature relationships.
The first game made my 2020 Game of the Year List, and I reviewed Coffee Talk Episode 2 in 2023. Both games welcome you in like a warm hug as a regular. Any indie game is a labor of love, much less one made through such difficult times. Coffee Talk and Coffee Talk: Episode 2 are love letters to friendship and third places. Toge Productions also made a third game set in Tokyo, which I haven’t tried yet, but the vibes look good!
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood
In my glowing review, I shared that I believe that The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood has given players a new standard for cozy video games — relaxing, but challenging. The game explains everything you need to know about tarot and provides a safe space to explore your curiosity. Characters will ask questions about their life or seek advice, and protagonist Fortuna will choose cards from her deck for each query. You’ll consider multiple interpretations of the card and choose the message you wish to share.
As you continue to play, The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood only gets better. Deck-building becomes more and more enticing, and the stakes of the story heighten. New mechanics are introduced. There’s never a boring moment when you’re playing as a fortune-telling, space-faring, queer, immortal, formerly banished witch trying to save her commune from total destruction.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Playing Disney Dreamlight Valley is immediately comforting, like a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of tomato soup, or what I imagine a big hug from Baymax feels like. It’s another farming/village simulator, but it comes with all the star power of your favorite Disney franchises.
I positively reviewed Disney Dreamlight Valley (DDV) during Early Access, though the longer I’ve played it, the more frustrated I’ve become with it. Not all character storylines feel equally well-written. You often build cool items for a specific character that then vanish once the quest is over. There are micro-transactions, and the game falls into some pitfalls of the “fast-fashionization” of the genre.
All of that being said, I still played 112+ hours of DDV in 2023 because it’s just so damn comforting. Nothing is that difficult in DDV. Nothing’s shocking. Nothing’s a rush, and nothing’s too far off. Mickey Mouse asks how your day is. Wall-E helps you plant corn. Moana wants to take you fishing. Look, it’s just really nice. And sometimes life just really sucks, and it’s nice to have something nice.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, iOS
Fields of Mistria
Fields of Mistria is a farming sim that comes with a magical twist! You’re still a farmer taking over an old plot of land, still growing crops and keeping animals, still getting to know the villagers and struggling to remember their birthdays — but you’re also communing with an old dragon statue and using magic to water your plants.
I started playing Fields of Mistria mostly because of how gorgeous the art on the Steam page was. I’d been curious about the farming sim genre for a while, but none of the games had ever really appealed to me — there just weren’t enough dragons, I suppose. I ended up downloading the game in early access on little more than a whim, but it quickly became one of my favorites.
There are obvious things that make a game “good” — engaging visuals, smooth gameplay, well-written storylines and so on. While Fields of Mistria has all of the above, what really won me over were the little details that give the game its soul. Every Friday night at the local inn, NPCs will gather to play “Dragons & Drama” (wink wink). The time and love put into these little scenes make them such a joy to read, and fit the cozy-fantasy vibes perfectly. In the caves, there are whirlpools that transport you to different sections, just to make exploring a bit more magical! There are also a few items to give your home that comfy yet mystical feeling, like a crystal ball that predicts the next day’s weather.
Fields of Mistria is such a lovely example of what a cozy game should be. It boasts an impressive amount of content for a very reasonably priced title. While I don’t play it non-stop, I do come back to it often and always have a good time (the game was officially released in August by developer NPC Studio but it was in early access for a few years). So, if you’d like to add a little fantasy to your farming, I’d definitely recommend giving it a try!
– Written by Darcy Maunder
Platforms: PC
Lil Gator Game
The best thing I can say about Lil Gator Game is that I absolutely could not put it down. I downloaded it as a way to pass the time during a weekend of particularly bad winter weather this past February, and as my wife and I nestled into the couch to give the game a try (talk about cozy), I quickly found myself fully engrossed in its beautiful story, adorable characters, and just plain fun gameplay.
You play as, you guessed it, a lil’ gator, but instead of basking in the sunlight all day barely moving, there’s no shortage of things to do in this world. The setup is simple, yet charming, and oh so relatable for those of us with older siblings: Your sister is home from college and you want to play pretend with her like you used to. Unfortunately, Big Sis has homework and responsibilities now and no time for games. You quickly devise a plan to get your friends (all manner of animals) to give you heroic quests to complete to hopefully draw your sis back into the action.
In a not-so-subtle nod to Zelda, you must first prove yourself as a hero by earning your sword, shield, and pointy hat! Once you’ve shown you have what it takes, you’re off collecting bugs, besting bullies, and traversing the colorful island for goodies. Oh, and you’ll also encounter my favorite quest: searching every corner of the map for a mysterious figure selling bracelets that level up your exploration ability. The game is never particularly challenging, but quests vary in their goals and achievements and I found myself stuck in the “just one more” phase throughout my entire six-or-so-hour journey.
When it comes to cozy games, I’m definitely a sucker for cute animals building forts, weapons, and accessories out of cardboard. But even more so than the cartoony visual style, warm upbeat music, and goofy dialogue, it was the story of Lil Gator Game that drew me in and warmed my heart. By the end, I found myself holding back tears as Big Sis finally put down her laptop and joined the adventure. There’s so much joy here that begs to be discovered; for anyone who wishes they still had time to run around and make up silly games with their friends, Lil Gator Game says go play!
– Written by Zack Gulinello
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch
Mail Time
Mail Time is a sublimely pastel and gorgeously orchestrated indie game about delivering mail to forest creatures. Calling it “cozy” is an understatement. The world of Mail Time is welcoming, funny, and encouraging.
Conceptually, Mail Time is simple. Players bop around Grumblewood Grove, collecting letters and delivering them to their intended recipients. You know, how the mail works. The protagonist, who you’ll name and customize, will make chipper conversation with the colorful (literally and figuratively) locals.
You’ll have to discover your way around the adorable open world, finding the recipient for your letters. Players time out jumps and glide across daisies, mushrooms, tree stumps, and valleys. Despite its relatively short five-hour runtime, Mail Time doesn’t feel small. It’s a great example of quality over quantity. If you are remotely interested in cute forest animals and/or the mail, you’ll want to add Mail Time to your gaming route.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch
Minami Lane
My only critique of Minami Lane is that it’s not double the length. In this adorable city builder, players are essentially urban developers of a pastel neighborhood. The goal is to design a street that makes all the residents happy — younger residents want a ramen shop with really spicy soup, but elders want a bookshop that sells travel books. Also, pet the neighborhood cats and clean up trash. Everything is lovely.
I first learned about Minami Lane when Allison wrote about it in our “Games for Girlies Getting into Gaming” list. I tried it when I was in need of cozy, and wow did it deliver. One of the ways Minami Lane feels particularly cozy is a thoughtful touch that has nothing to do with actual gameplay. To get insights on how a neighborhood is going, players can click on any resident to see what they thought of their most recent interaction (e.g. Did they think the boba shop was too expensive? Do they think they need another park?). But when you do this, you can also see a recent thought of that NPC. Each person has wholesome little wonderings about their neighborhood, their friendships, their days, and their place in the world. This wholesome choice make the world feel lived in and real without feeling too stressful. It’s not your job to help that resident find their purpose in life, but by building an onsen, you can help them relax after a tough day.
Because the challenges do have some randomized elements (for example, the ideal ramen recipe might vary), I still get plenty of joy out of replaying a level. Indie developers bibloop and Doot did an amazing job with this one in 2024 (developed in just six months!), and I can’t wait for their next game, Milki Delivery.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch.
Mineko’s Night Market
While I was turned off by the silliness of the writing for the first couple hours, I have grown to adore the chaos of Mineko’s Night Market. You play as a young girl named Mineko who moves to a new village and it’s up to her to bring new life into the village’s weekly night market. Through villager fetch quests and foraging new areas, you uncover unique items and recipes to create crafts to sell at the night market on Saturday evenings.
Fair warning — Mineko’s Night Market does get repetitive and grindy as you progress. Just like traditional farming sims, there are four seasons you play through, each with its own unique characteristics. For example, while playing through autumn, I find myself sleeping through weeks as I wait for winter to find the items I need to progress the storyline. Despite the fluctuating rate of progression, the game has a wonderfully wacky dialogue, mini-games, and a beautiful art style.
Mineko’s Night Market was my favorite cozy game addiction of 2023! And, bonus—if you love cats, there are tons in this game!
– Written by Allison McDaniel
Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4,, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch
New Pokémon Snap
You know what Pokémon are. Now, imagine capturing them on film rather than for battle. It’s awesome. The worst thing that happens on these islands is that a cute fire monkey dances at slightly the wrong angle for you to take the perfect picture. New Pokémon Snap (2021) is an adorable, wholesome photography safari, updating a classic for the modern era.
The original Pokémon Snap in 1999 was a best-seller, and just over twenty years later, they cemented the delightful legacy with a new installment. New Pokémon Snap is one of my favorite Pokémon games of all time.
There are some points where I got annoyed with ingratiating dialogue and had to remind myself, “This is a game for children.” On the other hand, there’s elements like a beautiful puzzle of reuniting a lost baby Deerling with its parent across a time-traveling magical forest by throwing light orbs through your camera viewfinder, and you know, that’s pretty cool.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch
Outlanders
Civilization management games are cozy to me because there’s the sense that I can actually assert some sense of control over this little world (as opposed to how I usually feel in my real life), much less affect positive change. I know I’m not the only person who feels this way about this sub-genre.
That said, there’s no cozier civ game than Pomelo Games’ Outlanders. The game’s medieval setting means it never reaches the futuristic panic of Frostpunk nor the global pressures of the Sid Meier’s Civilization games. The towns here are comfortably intimate; each level includes certain goals to meet the needs of the populace. When you’re done, you can keep playing, or move on to the next town.
I wrote a few years ago about how playing Outlanders on my phone was the only way I could relax during a hyper stressful period of my life. I still play Outlanders, but now I’m replaying my favorite levels as a bedtime routine to help my brain wind down. The pastel colors, goofy NPCs (with characteristics like, “Thinks he’s a ghost”), and challenging-but-achievable missions makes it the perfect cozy management game. With dozens of levels and achievements, it will provide hours and hours of quietly brilliant city building.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, iOS (via Apple Arcade)
Potion Permit
Potion Permit is an open-ended RPG where you play as a big-city chemist who visits a small town to help the mayor’s ill daughter. However, the civilians of Moonbury Town are not yet ready to accept you in their presence due to a previous catastrophe with another chemist. To gain their trust, you must successfully treat patients and complete quests to help out the townspeople. Just like most traditional farming sims, you can make friends and find love, upgrade your tools, and explore new areas that expand your map.
My favorite part of the game is exploring the outskirts of Moonbury Town in search of materials you’ll need either for fetch quests or for your potions. When making potions, you play a Tetris-like mini-game in which you need to piece together the right type and amount of materials. This mechanic provides the right amount of challenge and is a nice break from the social and foraging elements you might be used to in similar games. If you ever need help, there’s also a wiki site for guidance.
With the right potions in hand, you’ll proceed to help various townspeople, either at home or at the in-town clinic you run. After finishing the main storyline, you may continue completing quests and tending to patients as long as you’d like.
Potion Permit is a farming sim with a twist and a relaxing soundtrack to boot. It’s a fantastic alternative for those who may be burned out from cozy cult classics like Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Stardew Valley (both of which we do feature on this list!).
– Written by Allison McDaniel
Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch
Regency Love
I’ll be honest: I was straight up obsessed with this game for a month and replayed it four times for all of the suitors. Regency Love is an interactive novel game that was made by three young Asian Australian women as a passion project a few years ago. The game echoes many themes and elements of classic Jane Austen novels — a young woman of minor status whose main objectives in life are to become an “accomplished woman” (be good at the piano, do embroidery, ride a horse, etc.) so she can marry well.
Players navigate their character with a lot of freedom: They can choose responses in conversations, decide her social calendar, and allocate how she spends her time off. The mechanics are extremely easy to understand, and with multiple suitor paths and conversation choices, it’s fun to replay. The game also has a DLC expansion that’s worth it, especially since this game is super indie and it’s nice to support people who make games.
It’s an incredibly cozy visual narrative that is a delight for anyone who is a fan of Jane Austen or Bridgerton, and it’s a great game for moms.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: iOS
ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs
I really do not like trying to fix my electronic devices…unless I’m doing it in ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs. In this cozy business simulator, players run a small tech repair shop in 1990s Tokyo. Customers bring in knock-off Nokia cell phones, Tamagotchi toys, and Atari Joysticks. Players must patiently take apart each device, clean the insides, replace broken pieces, and put each back together again. It’s a surprisingly meditative experience that I didn’t think I would enjoy based on its subject matter.
One of my favorite tasks in ReStory was booting up the impeccable recreation of the early internet to buy used devices that I could cannibalize or restore. I spent hours finding comfortable solace in fixing Tetris-inspired gaming devices. I memorized where each and every piece went. There’s a semblance of plot and side quests (such as helping a lonely delivery boy court a beautiful waitress), but developers Mandragora recognize that the joy is in the work. Just don’t ask me to take apart an actual gaming controller. I’m sure I would ruin it forever.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Mac
Smushi Come Home
In a year dominated by big-budget releases, 2023’s Smushi Come Home stood tall (small?) against its contemporaries. This bite-sized title from indie developer SomeHumbleOnion stars a mushroom named Smushi who finds himself lost in a forest, far from home. Thankfully, he’s not alone; the woods teem with good-natured folks who’ll guide Smushi and help him find his way.
Smushi Come Home revels in the small things. Inspired by fellow cozy colleague A Short Hike, the game focuses far less on pomp and far more on charm. Each NPC has an encouraging message or thoughtful moral to share. Every cranny has a cosmetic trinket to find or a fun mini-game to discover. Moments of delight abound. You can even ride a capybara (you read that right).
Smushi Come Home packs a whole lot of charm into a deceptively small title. Don’t let the three- to four-hour runtime fool you; this game has plenty to offer if given the chance. (Did I mention the capybara?)
– Written by David Silbert
Platforms: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch
Spiritfarer
I went back-and-forth on including Spiritfarer on this list because it makes me FEEL SO MANY THINGS that I’m not sure it really counted as “cozy.” As the title suggests, players take on the role of Stella who is the new shepherd for passing souls on the river Styx.
You build up a beautiful house boat (complete with a little farm) as you explore a colorful afterlife to guide anthropomorphic animal-versions of human souls to their final destination. You’ll spend game sessions collecting stardust, fishing, chatting, jumping, building up your vessel, and honestly, probably crying.
To put it simply, Spiritfarer is a game I’ll never forget. I wrote about why it’s the ultimate Avatar: The Last Airbender video game, another piece of content that leads you in with bright colors and delivers heart-wrenching highs.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch iOS, Android
Stardew Valley
I mean, how can we not include it? Stardew Valley is the cozy game GOAT! When Stardew first launched in 2016, I tried it out immediately. I could tell right away that it was inspired by my favorite childhood game, Harvest Moon. I enjoyed all the familiar trappings of the farming simulator, but it was just okay on a laptop.
When ConcernedApe ported Stardew to the Nintendo Switch, that’s when the game really took off. Millions of people have played this cozy farm sim — and still are, especially because ConcernedApe keeps adding new updates. Planting crops, tending to chickens, making friends, falling in love, designing a house, adventuring through a mine, making friends with a sewer gremlin… There’s a lot here! (Even though the horse deserves better.) Now, you can start a co-op version farm with your friends.
Four of us got together to discuss why we think Stardew is so good; I’ve also reflected on how it’s heavily influenced the cozy genre.
If you’ve been thinking about trying a cozy game, why not start with one of the best?
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation Vita, iOS, Android
Editor’s Note: Check out our Stardew Valley Heart Event Guide and our Beginner’s Guide to Achievement Hunting.
Tiny Bookshop
I wrote in my review that I think Tiny Bookshop has perfected the cozy genre, and I stand by it. In this delightful shop sim, players run a small mobile bookstore. You decorate your shop, organize and choose inventory, set up at various locations in town, make book recommendations to customers, and build community. It’s absolutely dreamy.
The game is filled with real book titles, and developers Neoludic Games clearly actually read books, which I love. For example, you can bring in outside knowledge of Agatha Christie or modern fantasy titles to influence what you recommend to someone. There are also gameplay customization options, such as if you want to have as much time as possible to pick a book to recommend.
I beat Tiny Bookshop in about 20 hours, but I stayed there for another 10 because I was just having such a lovely time. And the game lets you do that — like a good bookstore, you can stay as long as you want.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
Unpacking
Much like its namesake, Witch Beam’s 2021 puzzle game Unpacking appears fairly simple and monotonous on a surface level but ends up becoming a more complex, rewarding, and (at times) frustrating experience than you’d envisioned. It starts as a set of mundane tasks that have been gamified yet ends up telling a somewhat in-depth tale of a person’s entire life.
The gameplay is exceedingly simple: You inhabit an unseen femme character packing and unpacking their belongings in a variety of new homes and rooms throughout various stages of their life. You have to put every object in an appropriate place (you can’t put books in the medicine cabinet, for example) in order to move on to the next level, which typically occurs years later in a new domicile.
At first, you’re just moving things from boxes to shelves or drawers. But you start to notice little differences in each move. Toys and children’s books all of a sudden don’t survive every move as the protagonist gets older. When they move in with a significant other, there’s not enough space for all their things. Once they reach an age where they can start a family, you start to see changes in how objects are arranged in a way that’s baby-friendly. Without any words spoken or any background storytelling, Unpacking manages to explain how someone’s whole life story has developed simply through looking at what objects they keep, which ones they don’t, which ones they add, and where they put them.
At their best, cozy games allow players to better understand the significance of the little things in their life by engaging with such little things in a virtual world. Unpacking understands that as well as any cozy game I’ve played.
– Written by Sam Martinelli
Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android.
Venba
Venba is an excellent debut game from Visai Studios where you play a young mother who has recently immigrated from India to Canada, as she tries to cook meals that remind her of home.
Each of the seven levels centers around a meal being made, making for a soothing, centering experience. The art of the characters and locations is lovely, but the design really shines with the food. I got hungry making layers of biryani. I smiled rubbing spice mixes into a fish. I said “Cool!” at the same time as Venba’s son Kavin when she finished making puttu, steam releasing out dramatically from a metal container.
At one point, the characters discuss how a piece of art has the potential to make a stronger impact on an audience than a protest or traditional statement. Well, look no further. Venba rises to this challenge, and then some.
– Written by Amanda Tien
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 (backwards compatible), Nintendo Switch
What Are Your Favorite Cozy Games?
Tell us in the comments!
Further Reading
List Updates
- October 2026 – Reorganized the list to be alphabetical, added new images, created table of content with categories. Removed Lake and Kinder World. Added Best Served Cold, Fields of Mistria, Minami Lane, Outlanders, ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs, Tiny Bookshop, Unpacking.
- September 2026 – Separated the “cozy sections of big games” into its own list. Also, separated original intro into a much longer standalone feature.
- December 2024 – Added Spiritfarer.
- May 2024 – Added A Little to the Left.
- March 2024 – Added New Pokémon Snap.
- February 2024 – Added Mineko’s Night Market, Disney Dreamlight Valley, and Regency Love; created a separate section for cozy sections of big games.
- November 29, 2023 – Original publication.
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Allison has been playing all sorts of games since the late ‘90s. She particularly enjoys life sims, casual games, tactical RPGs, and anything Mario. Her dream jobs are to be a Stardew Valley speed runner and a Mary Tyler Moore historian. As a recent MBA graduate, Allison hopes to use her extra time tackling her backlog and the never-ending list of 2023 releases.
Amanda Tien (she/her or they) loves video games where she can pet dogs, solve mysteries, punch bad guys, play as a cool female character, and/or have a good cry. She began writing with The Punished Backlog in 2020 and became an Editor in Fall 2021. Amanda also does a lot of the site's graphic designs and podcast editing. Amanda's work has been published in Mothership, Unwinnable Monthly, Poets.org, Salt Hill Journal, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA in Fiction from the University of Pittsburgh and a BA in Creative Writing from Columbia University. Learn more about her writing, visual art, teaching, graphic design, and marketing consulting at www.amandatien.com.
Darcy loves anything fantasy, sci-fi, or adventure. Her dream is to finish her degree and write her own fantasy book, hopefully squeezing in a few games as she goes. She’s a big fan of games where she gets to fight with cool swords, befriend cute animals, and get lost in the story.
You can read more of her writing on her website: https://darcymaunder.com/
David is the founder of The Punished Backlog. He has a problem finishing games he starts.
Just beat: Splatoon Raiders.
Working on: GTA V.
Can't wait for: Ocarina of Time (2026), GTA VI.
Follow David on Twitter at @David_Silbert to keep up to date with all things The Punished Backlog.
Jason graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in English and Game Design. For him, video games are not just an art form, but one of the greatest mediums to tell a story.
When not perpetuating the game journalist stereotype of being awful at a game and blaming the game for it, Jason likes writing short fiction novels that never get past chapter two, and playing Dungeons & Dragons.
Krista's love for video games began in the early 2000s with games like Perfect Dark Zero and the Pokémon series. She's a fan of all things Nintendo and Sega, and an avid collector of Sonic the Hedgehog merch. As a recent university graduate, her current focus is to write more about (and play!) video games as much as possible. Twitter: @WhimsyAlraune
Sam has been playing video games since his earliest years and has been writing about them since 2016. He joined The Punished Backlog in 2017 and became an Editor in Fall 2021. He’s a big fan of Nintendo games and complaining about The Last of Us Part II. You either agree wholeheartedly with his opinions or despise them. There is no in between.
A lifelong New Yorker, Sam views gaming as far more than a silly little pastime, and hopes through critical analysis and in-depth reviews to better understand the medium's artistic merit.
Bluesky: @sam-martinelli.bsky.social
Zack has been hooked on games ever since his older brother taught him where to find the secret warp whistles in Mario Bros. 3. He has never felt more joy than when Yoshi congratulated him on getting 120 stars in Mario 64 or more sadness than when he played Kingdom Hearts 3 after waiting 14 years for it. Zack mails a letter to Nintendo every day asking them to bring back Chibi Robo and will gladly tell you all about why it’s one of the greatest games of all time. He was hoping that writing for the site would help him get through his backlog, but it actually just made it worse now that he’s hearing about so many more great hidden gems. Oops…
How did Garden Paws not make this list???
Never heard of Garden Paws! Thanks for the recommendation 🙂