The Cozy genre of games has taken off in recent years, ushering in an entirely new audience of gamer while also entertaining existing gamers looking for a more relaxed pace. I know these days I would happily hang up on the call of duty and lay down my arms if it meant I could farm and fish to my heart’s content… It ain’t much but it’s honest work. Recently a very good friend of mine made the silly mistake of asking me for some cozy game recommendations for his girlfriend to play on Switch, and in true “me” fashion, his phone was lit up like a Christmas tree with my suggestions and synopsis. Now he’s blocked me, I figured this was a great platform to share what I think are the best games on the Nintendo Switch.
Admittedly, I haven’t tried all the cozy games on Switch, so if I miss one feel free to light up the comments below with your favorite cozy games!
Forager
If there was an award for binging a game for an offensive amount of time including but not limited to: Leaving my Switch on overnight, setting 3-hour alarm intervals to check my game, and generally losing my would to a game it would be Forager. Forager was made by Mariano Cavallaro from HopFrog and the story on how it all came to be will emotionally punch you in the heart (which you can unlock by playing the game.) The game itself starts with you manually harvesting and crafting to start small production chains to build materials and machines to further progress you through the game. The further you progress you will upgrade and unlock some cool tech, automating production with collectors, drones, and factories. Eventually, you will have a production empire making the money roll in!
Everdream Valley
I feel like Everdream Valley flew under the radar a bit upon release, so wanted to add this to the list. Everdream Valley sees you step into some smaller shoes as a grandchild visiting your grandparent’s farm for the summer to help them restore their dilapidated farm to its former glory. You can train your dog to sniff out various animals and complete mini-games to saw wood, cook food, and sheer sheep. In a crazy turn of events you can also return home to a “dream,” that sees you become a dog to ward off wolves and protect your chickens, herd your ducklings, and even do goat parkour… yep. When I initially reviewed Everdream Valley in the early days of What’s It Like, I praised it for having a relaxed time frame to complete objectives and its unique premise, while criticising it for its overly aggressive geese and the lack of polish saying it felt more like an early access title. Thankfully, there have been several major updates since then, giving the game some much-deserved shine.
My Time at Sandrock
There’s a review incoming on this one, but My Time at Sandrock has improved in leaps and bounds since its… lackluster launch. My Time at Sandrock follows the formula of My Time at Portia and sees you compete to become the best engineer in town. To do this you will make friends, scavenge wastelands, and even sandfish! It’s a fairly relaxed game in terms of progression so you can try to climb the ranks at whatever pace you feel comfortable with. The game also allows you to make friends, expand your workshop, and build improvements to the town that will unlock new areas! If you’re interested in My Time at Sandrock, stay glued to What’s it Like for the re-review coming soon.
Paleo Pines
If you set Harvest Moon in the prehistoric era you would have Paleo Pines, a super cozy farm them up that allows you to enlist the help of some dinosaur buddies to rebuild your inherited farm. While the story may not venture too far from the tried and true tropes of farming cozy games, the dinosaur aspect certainly makes it interesting by allowing you to plow fields with a Triceratops, or water them with a Gallamimus. It’s a cute and enjoyable farming game that suits all ages and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this one. It also should get bonus points for including the Ankylosaurus… my favorite dinosaur.
Endless Ocean Luminous
The game that has recently divided the internet. Endless Ocean Luminous may not have been the glorious return to the series fans were hoping for, but it’s a relaxing diving adventure regardless. Players can join up to 30 friends to scuba around randomly generated ocean areas to document and scan the local wildlife. The game has no resource management to worry about and simply allows you to dive for an hour to find as many creatures as you can and hopefully find some elusive “legendary” creatures like a lightning shark or a coral-covered giant turtle. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Endless Ocean Luminous, and when I feel like a bit of a brain reset, I put on my scuba gear and float around online.
Fae Farm
A unique cozy game that feels like Animal Crossing with the magic of Harry Potter sprinkled in, Fae Farm puts you in a magical world of farming and house decorating that allows you to tackle dungeons, fish, and farm to your heart’s content, and even explore a mysterious world outside of your own. Fae Farm had a gorgeous art style and fun gameplay mechanics with fishing being a particular stand out, as well as an intricate crafting system that includes potion brewing! If you enjoyed Animal Crossing and Stardew, you can’t go wrong with Fae Farm.
Palia
I’m not really sure why it’s an MMO but Palia is a fantastic free-to-play cozy game set in a big world that’s yours to explore. You craft your own furniture, decorate and improve your home in perhaps the most customisable experience since the sims, and you can cook both simple and complex recipes. The MMO part just sees other players wandering around and they can visit to help you out on your farm but doesn’t really have much else in common with more traditional online games. There’s no combat so to speak, hunting is optional, and the game really strives to accommodate everyone. It’s an amazing game and the free price point means there’s really no harm in downloading Palia to try out.
Moonglow Bay
I really like Moonglow Bay. Sure, my dog was invisible during my playtime while reviewing this title but aside from that, the fishing, cooking, and general wholesomeness of the game is a delight. There are some heavy themes like overcoming grief and letting go of loved ones and it’s quite a beautiful story. The fishing mechanics are great, allowing you to pilot your boat around the varied waters of Moonglow Bay, setting lobster traps, casting nets, and using a variety of traditional fishing rods. The game also mixes it up by allowing you to restore the town using funds you’ve earned from selling your cooked goods via a vending machine. I’m pleased to report the game has already seen a few post-launch patches so hopefully, invisible dogs are a thing of the past!
Animal Crossing
I mean, if you haven’t heard of Animal Crossing you probably don’t have a Switch, or Internet, or paid much attention during the pandemic. Animal Crossing on Switch was like catching lightning in a bottle, released here in Australia mere days before the lockdowns. The game is an amazing escape from reality allowing you to fish, collect bugs, decorate, pretty much anything you want to do. The online features allow you to visit other islands and catch up with friends, as well as linking up with community groups to help you complete that elusive furniture set. Animal Crossing evolved far beyond a game, cementing itself as a cultural phenomenon and incidentally becoming the second best-selling title on the Nintendo Switch.
Stardew Valley
The ultimate cozy game on Switch in my humble opinion. Stardew Valley has something for everyone. You can farm, craft, fish, dungeon dive, make friends, and even marry and settle down with someone you love. Stardew Valley is an amazing game that evolves the more you play it, and with constant content updates, there’s always a reason to revisit the Valley. The new 1.6 Update will be dropping very soon to offer all new items and locations to explore, as well as a plethora of quality-of-life improvements further enhancing the experience. It’s a great-priced title offering hundreds of hours of gameplay that you can play at your own pace. Stardew Valley is an incredible experience and an essential purchase for fans of cozy games.
So there you have it. What are some cozy games I missed? I’m really looking forward to Loftia next year, and I know there’s plenty of amazing games that may have flown under the radar. I hope you enjoyed this list, thank you for watching. Here’s hoping you have a cozy weekend playing games.
