Ready to kick back and relax with a cozy game on Switch? Check out these amazing experiences.
The Nintendo Switch offers some of the best cozy gaming you can find on any gaming console. If you like farming sims, visual novels, and just general life simulators, you’ll find lots of games to meet that chill vibe. Our definition of cozy game is one that has minimal combat (Stardew Valley) and a focus on life simulation or narrative story.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the best cozy game experience you can have on Switch. If you try one game from this list, make it Nintendo’s take on a life simulator. New Horizons gives you an entire island to shape and plenty of villagers to hang out with. Most people find themselves getting attached to one or two personalities and building an island around that.
If you enjoy the freedom games like The Sims give you to create homes that match certain personalities, you’ll definitely love Animal Crossing. You can decorate your home, vacation homes for your villagers, and island amenities in the Happy Home Designer DLC.
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley offers a slice of life farming simulator with a decent helping of living in a rural town. It’s a huge game that seems pretty basic at first, but you’ll eventually be farming void chickens and dinosaur eggs in no time. There are relationships to form along the way and the combat only takes place in the mines. It features single-button combat that gets easier as you upgrade your tools.
Littlewood – Cute Cozy Games on Switch
Littlewood tasks players with managing a town after a world-ending chaos has been defeated by the story’s heroes. It’s a management simulator at heart that feels right at home among many of the cozy games available on Switch. You’ll unlock more of the story as you progress and talk to more of the townspeople across the world of Solemn.
Forager
If your type of cozy game involves collecting items to create more items, then Forager should be right up your alley. The developers describe the game as an ‘idle game you want to keep playing’ and that’s an apt description.
You’ll start with a few basic islands with resources that you can gather to create a larger base. As you expand into the late game, you’ll reach a deep automation loop that is satisfying to play. You’ll find plenty of hours of enjoyment in these cozy games on Switch.
Cozy Grove
Cozy Grove is the game that takes the most inspiration from Animal Crossing. If you’re looking for a cozy game that will serve as an ANCH alternative, this may be a great option for you. The game has a 2D hand-drawn aesthetic and sees you managing and island of ghost bears. Their story unfolds over the course of days rather than weeks, so it’s designed to be played like a coffee break game.
Unpacking
Unpacking is a relaxing cozy game about unpacking the various stages of someone’s life. You learn a lot about them as a person as you unpack the various years of their life. How you choose to unpack and explore their items will help you form a deeper connection with a virtual person you’ll never really meet. It’s such a great game for just vegging out with a chill vibe.
My Time at Portia
My Time at Portia feels like it tries to walk the line between a 3D Stardew Valley with other ideas from Harvest Moon. The result is a pretty competent farming game that feels a little rough around the edges on Switch. That’s not to say it’s a bad cozy game, just that the game might be more enjoyed on PC or another console if available.
Summer in Mara
Summer in Mara is another slice of life simulator that takes many ideas from games like Stardew Valley and My Time at Portia. It’s a unique in that it takes place on an island that gives you a boat so you can explore a variety of places, much like Wind Waker.
Cat Cafe Manager – Cozy Switch Games
Cat Cafe Manager is another cute simulation game that puts players in charge of managing a cat cafe. You’ll need to attract stray cats to your establishment and take care of them while serving up customers great coffee and customer service. The game offers a unique take on a fantasy most cozy lovers have – having lots and lots of cats.
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