Let’s face it, we’re living in tough times these days. There’s just so much going on in the world that finding a moment of rest can be daunting. I think that’s part of the reason that cozy sim games like Heartopia are becoming so popular. It’s a game where you just make a cute little character, dress them up, and help them live their adorable little lives. You make your dream home, do some farming, hang out with some virtual pets and chill with friends online.
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More and more, this sort of simplistic, yet enjoyable gaming experience is becoming commonplace among gamers who like to interact with their entertainment, but don’t want to blow anything up. Fortunately, for gamers looking for more experiences like Heartopia, there are a plethora of titles that you can find which offer up a similar routine.
If you’ve been digging deep into Heartopia, these games would all make excellent options to continue your cozy/casual life-sim style adventures.
10
Doraemon: Story Of Seasons
Planting Seeds
Most American fans will know Story of Seasons as Harvest Moon, a classic farming sim series that helped popularize the genre. Add in classic Japanese cartoon character Doraemon and his cast of supporting characters, and you’ve got a game that’s extra cute and cozy. Doraemon: Story of Seasons finds you trapped in the past raising crops, fishing, and decorating your farm as you try to find a way back to your own time.
The game’s plot is a unique twist to the cozy farm formula and helps make it stand out in the crowd. If you grew up with the Harvest Moon series, this game might be a must-play for you, even if you’re not a big Doraemon fan.
9
Ooblets
Growing Goop
The thing that makes Ooblets stand apart from the other farm sims on this list is that you’re actually growing the titular slime creatures. That’s right, instead of food, you’ve got to grow and harvest Ooblets, then make them compete with other Ooblets in card battle style dance-offs. It’s an odd combination of video game genres to say the least.
Beyond being great little jiggle dancers, you can also get Ooblets to help you out around your farm and make it more efficient. The heavy Pokémon influence of Ooblets mixed with its cute and colorful life sim vibes make it a great choice for folks who enjoy Heartopia.
8
Infinity Nikki
Cozy Kawaii
I think what will strike most Infinity Nikki players right away is just how stunningly gorgeous this game is. It’s a beautiful fantasy world filled with breathtaking landscapes around every corner. The game’s characters are made up of mostly elegant, almost porcelain-looking anime characters and cute little animal sidekicks.
Players explore Infinity Nikki’s open world while solving a number of environmental puzzles in search of new items of clothing to make the ultimate outfits. The visual artistry of this game and the fact that this isn’t your everyday fashion sim are two of the many reasons you should give it a try.
7
My Time at Portia
Woodworking
This game probably has the darkest plot out of anything else on this list. My Time at Portia puts players in charge of their father’s old carpentry biz as humanity rebuilds itself after an apocalyptic event. As the game progresses, you not only help the town build itself up by finding and upgrading tool recipes, you also do some dungeon crawling as well.
Sure, My Time at Portia is a bit of an odd duck with a story that just gets weirder as it goes along, but it’s also an enthralling cozy game that you can spend a lot of time getting into. If you’re looking for a game with a little more to offer than decorating and customization, My Time at Portia is a great option.
6
Disney Dreamlight Valley
A Whole New World
If you’ve ever wanted to live in a village with Mickey, Goofy, and all their pals, then Disney Dreamlight Valley is the game for you. The game puts you in charge of building up a village full of some of the House of Mouse’s most popular alumni. You can sort of look at it as your chance to build your own magical kingdom as you use magic to expand and explore your territory.
You could almost think of Disney Dreamlight Valley as a more approachable version of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Sure, that’s not what I’d call a rough game, but in many ways Dreamlight Valley is set up to be more about IP than the island and any sort of challenge.
5
Pokémon Pokopia
Making Poké-Paradise
One of the newest additions to the army of IP-infused cozy games, Pokémon Pokopia isn’t about catching anything. In fact, Pokopia is all about building the perfect habitats for various pocket monsters to come and join your villages. You also play as a Ditto who can take on all sorts of forms to help clear the way for construction or help with exploration.
If you’ve ever wanted a game where you just make friends with Pokémon instead of catching them all, Pokopia is an ideal choice. It’s a game chock-full of cozy, laid-back adventure for fans of the franchise or those new to it.
4
Hello Kitty Island Adventure
One Cool Cat
My love for Hello Kitty knows no bounds. So, when I found out about Hello Kitty Island Adventure, I was pumped! The game is fun from the start as it drops you on the island and has you making friends with a ton of Sanrio characters, including Badtz Maru and Kuromi. As you get to know the island’s inhabitants better and your friendship grows, you’ll unlock new missions and earn new items for customizing your world.
There are a lot of cute, cozy, casual life sims on this list, but none of them reach the same levels of kawaii as Hello Kitty Island Adventure. If you’re looking for an adorable and easy gaming experience, I highly recommend it.
3
Stardew Valley
Digging in the Dirt
There was no way this indie darling wasn’t going to show up on this list. Stardew Valley, in many ways, is the barometer for cozy farm sim games. Taking many cues from Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley has players running a farm they’ve inherited. You grow crops, mine ores, raise animals, and do some fishing while doing your best to grow your farm and get to know Stardew’s villagers.
If you’ve played Stardew Valley, I’m sure you’re used to being asked who you ended up marrying in the game. And if you haven’t played it, and you’re a fan of farm sims, you’ve got one heck of a treat ahead of you.
2
The Sims 4
The Surreal Life
The series that pioneered plopping down imaginary people into a PC world so you could watch them live their lives instead of going outside and living your own, The Sims 4 is in many ways the ultimate cozy life sim. Whether you want to be a little socialite going to parties every night or just want to put one in a room with no doors or toilet and watch them go insane, the Sims series has you covered.
At this point, there’s not much you can’t do in The Sims 4. The franchise has evolved in so many ways from just being a little fishbowl that you’d watch your imaginary family from. It’s one of the most customizable and expansive cozy life-sim games out there.
1
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
A Bell-Based Economy
While cozy games are nothing new, the game that’s probably more responsible for the current surge in cozy, casual gaming, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, is a must-play for fans of the genre. During a time when we were all feeling more isolated than ever, AC:NH had us visiting each other’s islands and socializing digitally from a safe distance. It’s continued to be a popular choice for fans since then and has had several expansions that have helped breathe more life into the game.
While I’m not a fan of Tom Nook as a landlord, creating and customizing my island, catching all the rare fish, and exploring what my friends have done with their own worlds, all help make Animal Crossing: New Horizons a wonderful experience. If you like Heartopia, odds are you’ll enjoy this one.
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