Grab your comfiest blanket, brew up a steaming cup of hot cocoa, and gear up for 2023 to be filled with the best cozy games on Nintendo Switch and Steam.
But that’s not all!
As a bonus, you can get your hands on my FREE Checklist that’s just perfect for keeping track of your cozy gaming journey. Read on to find out more.
Cozy Gaming Dilemma: Choosing Between Nintendo Switch and PC – What’s Your Pick?
The Nintendo Switch is the most popular gaming console for cozy gamers.
The success of Animal Crossing New Horizons ignited a strong demand for more relaxing games on Nintendo Switch.
Female players aged 25-34 more than doubled on Switch from 9.4% to 20.4% in the US in 2020. This remarkable statistic firmly solidifies the cozy games trend and affirms the growing appeal among this specific demographic. And it shows no signs of slowing down.
I asked my cozy gaming community, “What is your main gaming platform?” and the Nintendo Switch came out on top with 61% of the votes. PC (Steam) came in second with 17%.
Personally, I am obsessed with my Switch Lite. It’s feather-light and incredibly portable, saving my wrists from any lingering discomfort after prolonged hours of gameplay. And just to throw a spanner in the works… I also love my Steam Deck.
I’ve put together this cozy games checklist covering the best cozy games as voted for by my community. And, I’ve sprinkled in some of my own personal favorites too!
This guide covers 25 popular cozy games by genre to get you started, plus:
- 125 cozy games on Nintendo Switch and Steam, listed alphabetically
- Frequently asked cozy gaming questions
- And a free cozy games checklist printable!
Looking for ways to become a cozy gamer? Check out these posts!
- Complete Beginner’s Guide to Becoming a Cozy Gamer
- 22 Tips for Starting A Cozy Gaming YouTube Channel
- 8 Secrets to Creating the Ultimate Cozy Gaming Room!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure for more information.
Why Are Cozy Games So Popular?
Cozy games create a relaxing vibe that promotes healthy boundaries, self-care and self-expression.
With the majority of these types of games being indie games, they tend to be on the shorter side. Many cozy games have around 6-10 hours of gameplay, with the exception of life sims which don’t really have a fixed ending.
So you can enjoy them without eating into your busy day!
125+ BEST Cozy Games on Switch and Steam
| GAME | PLATFORM |
|---|---|
| ABZU | eShop US / UK |
| Alba: A Wildlife Adventure | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| A Little to the Left | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Animal Crossing New Horizons | Amazon US / UK |
| Animal Shelter Simulator | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Arise: A Simple Story | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Assemble With Care | STEAM |
| A Short Hike | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| A Space for the Unbound | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Bear and Breakfast | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Beacon Pines | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Behind the Frame | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Beyond Blue | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Blanc | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Botany Manor | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Bred & Fred | Coming soon |
| Bugsnax | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Bunny Park | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Calico | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Cat Cafe Manager | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Cats Organized Neatly | STEAM |
| Child of Light | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Cloud Gardens | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Coffee Talk | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Coffee Talk Ep.2 | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Cooking Simulator | eShop US / UK / STEAM |
| Coral Island | STEAM |
| Cozy Grove | Amazon US / eShop UK |
| Cult of the Lamb | STEAM |
| Degrees of Separation | Amazon US / UK |
| Disney Dreamlight Valley | eShop US / UK |
| Disney Illusion Island | eShop US / UK |
| Disney Magical World 2 | Amazon US / UK |
| Disney Speedstorm | eShop US / UK |
| Dogs Organized Neatly | STEAM |
| Donut County | STEAM |
| Dorfromantik | eShop US / UK |
| Endling | eShop US / UK |
| Equinoxe | STEAM |
| Fae Farm | STEAM |
| Farming Simulator | STEAM |
| Feather | eShop US / UK |
| Flower | STEAM |
| Graveyard Keeper | eShop US / UK |
| GRIS | eShop US / UK |
| Growbot | STEAM |
| Haven Park | eShop US / UK |
| Harvest Moon: One World | STEAM |
| Hindsight | eShop US / UK |
| Hokko Life | STEAM |
| House Flipper | STEAM |
| How to Say Goodbye | STEAM |
| If Found | eShop US / UK |
| It Takes Two | Amazon US / UK |
| Jivana | STEAM |
| Journey | STEAM |
| Kind Words | STEAM |
| Kinoko | STEAM |
| Kirby and the Forgotten Land | Amazon US / UK |
| Kirby’s Dream Buffet™ | eShop US / UK |
| Kirby’s Return to Dream Land™ Deluxe | Amazon US / UK |
| Kitori Academy | STEAM |
| Lake | STEAM |
| Lemon Cake | Amazon US / UK |
| Letters: A Written Adventure | eShop |
| Lil Gator Game | STEAM |
| Little Witch in the Woods | STEAM |
| Lost Words: Beyond the Page | eShop US / UK |
| Luigu’s Mansion 3 | Amazon US / UK |
| Mail Time | STEAM |
| Manitas Kitchen | STEAM |
| Melatonin | STEAM |
| Minabo – A walk through life | STEAM |
| Minecraft | Amazon US / UK |
| Mineko’s Night Market | eShop US / UK |
| My Dream Setup | STEAM |
| Mythic Ocean | eShop US / UK |
| Night in the Woods | eShop US / UK |
| Inbento | STEAM |
| Ooblets | eShop US / UK |
| Park Beyond | STEAM |
| Planet Zoo | STEAM |
| Plate Up! | STEAM |
| Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator | STEAM |
| Potion Permit | STEAM |
| Powerwash Simulator | STEAM / eShop |
| Puff Pals: Island Skies | eShop US / UK |
| SEASON: A Letter to the Future | STEAM |
| Sky: Children of the Light | STEAM / eShop US / UK |
| Skye Tales | eShop US / UK |
| Slime Rancher 2 | STEAM |
| Songs of Glimmerwick | STEAM |
| South of the Circle | STEAM / eShop US / UK |
| Spiritfarer | STEAM / Amazon US / UK |
| Stardew Valley | STEAM / Amazon US / UK |
| STORY OF SEASONS: Pioneers of Olive Town | STEAM / eShop US / UK |
| Stray | STEAM |
| Sun Haven | STEAM |
| Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury | Amazon US / UK |
| Super Mario Odyssey | Amazon US / UK |
| Teacup | STEAM / eShop US / UK |
| The Good Life | STEAM / eShop US / UK |
| The Last Campfire | STEAM / eShop US / UK |
| The Sims 4 | STEAM |
| The Wandering Village | STEAM |
| Tiny Glade | STEAM |
| TOEM | STEAM / eShop US / UK |
| Two Point Campus | Amazon US / UK |
| Unpacking | Amazon US / UK |
| Untitled Goose Game | STEAM / eShop US / UK |
| Virtual Cottage | STEAM |
| Wavetale | STEAM / eShop US / UK |
| When the Past Was Around | STEAM / eShop US / UK |
| Wind Peaks | STEAM / eShop US / UK |
| Wind Peaks 2 | STEAM |
| Witch of Fern Island | STEAM |
| Witchy Life Story | STEAM |
| Wobbledogs | STEAM / eShop US / UK |
| Wylde Flowers | eShop US / UK |
| Wytchwood | eShop US / UK |
| Yonder | STEAM |
| Yoshi’s Crafted World™ | eShop US / UK |
| Youropa | eShop US / UK |
| Yum Yum Cookstar | eShop US / UK |
| Zelda: Breath of the Wild | Amazon US / UK |
| Zodiacats | STEAM |
The Best Cozy Games: 25 Cozy Games Rated the MOST Popular By Genre
It’s time to discover the best cozy games by genre as voted for by my cozy gaming community (Cozy Millennial Gamers).
Where games have multiple genres I have listed them under the category they lean into the heaviest. To read the entire list, just keep scrolling down!
Best Cozy Couch Co-ops
Overcooked 2
- Hilarious chaos
- 8-10 hours of gameplay
Overcooked 2 is a chaotic couch co-op for up to 4 players (online play also available) you’ll dash, chop and serve your way to success as you try to navigate tricky restaurants and fussy customers.
It Takes Two
- Innovative
- 3D platformer
- 13-15 hours of gameplay
Winner of Game of the Year 2021, It Takes Two is a heartfelt game about teamwork. You follow May and Cody, a soon-to-be-divorced couple, and their daughter, Rose.
DISCOVER MORE: The BEST Cozy Co-ops on Nintendo Switch
Best Cozy Adventures
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure
- Educational & adorable
- 2-3 hours of gameplay
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure is a feel-good game about running around and doing good deeds. From the studio behind Monument Valley and Assemble with Care, Alba will melt your heart as you explore a Mediterranean island just like you did on vacation break when you were a kid.
Potion Permit
- Beautiful Pixel Art
- Charming crafting-adventure
- 30-40 hours of gameplay
Become a small-town chemist and heal townsfolk in this cozy RPG adventure. If you’re looking for a nice, slow-paced RPG to play for a couple of hours Potion Permit could be your next wholesome binge play. One to play if you’re a fan of old-school JRPG graphics, fighting monsters, mini-games, and wholesome non-playable characters.
Wytchwood
- Wicked humor
- Soothing ambiance
- 10-12 hours of gameplay
Wytchwood is a cozy crafting adventure game set in a land of gothic fables and fairytales. As an old witch, you explore the strange countryside and collect magical ingredients to brew spells.
Best Farming Sims
STARDEW VALLEY
- Pixel graphics
- Very Popular
- Endless hours of gameplay
In Stardew Valley you inherit a run-down farm in a small town called Pelican Town and must restore the farm to its former glory by clearing land, planting and harvesting crops, and crafting various items.
STORY OF SEASONS: Pioneers of Olive Town
- Pet the chickens!
- Create a family
- 40+ hours of gameplay
STORY OF SEASONS: Pioneers of Olive Town combines elements of farming, life simulation, and exploration, you can relax and immerse yourself in a charming world. Experience countless hours of gameplay as you build up your adorable farm and meet potential love matches.
DISCOVER MORE: The BEST Cozy Farming Sims on Nintendo Switch
Best Cozy Life Sims
ANIMAL CROSSING NEW HORIZONS
- The original cozy game!
- Tom Nook
- Endless hours of gameplay
Design your own dream island in Animal Crossing New Horizons. Gaining widespread popularity in 2020 this wholesome game become a staple in cozy gamers’ collections. Develop friendships with villagers, craft items, terraform the land and visit your friend’s islands.
WYLDE FLOWERS
- Fully Voice Acted
- Diverse Characters
- 40+ hours of gameplay
Join Tara on a heartfelt journey to become a witch in Wylde Flowers. Farm by day, and cast spells by night as you craft your cottagecore life and bond with your coven. Come to know and love the fully voice-acted characters of Fairhaven, as you unravel a local mystery.
DISNEY DREAMLIGHT VALLEY
- Iconic characters
- Nostalgic vibes
- Endless hours of gameplay
Disney Dreamlight Valley is a wholesome life simulation where villains and heroes live together in perfect harmony.
Similar in style to Animal Crossing you befriend villagers and help them make a home on your island. Meet classic characters like Ariel, Wall-e, and Stitch, as well as a host of new and cute characters that you unlock as you progress through the story campaign.
Cozy Grove
- Real-time
- Pretty visuals
- 40+ hours of gameplay
In Cozy Grove you play as a sprightly Spirit Scout who’s landed on an island inhabited by ghosts. Set up camp with the help of Flamey, your little campfire, and complete quests to bring light back to your island each day.
Best Cozy Management Sims
Spiritfarer
- Simple platforming
- Moving story
- 25-35 hours of gameplay
Spiritfarer is a game about dying. You play as Stella, a girl who’s been given the responsibility of Spiritfarer, as Cheron who’s the original Ferrymaster, retires.
Along with your companion Daffodil the Cat – an optional cooperative 2-player mode – you travel by boat between the islands discovering stuck spirits that are in need of help moving on.
Two Point Campus
- Hilariously cheesy humor
- Interesting characters
- 40+ hours of gameplay
Two Point Campus is the latest release from Two Point Studios off the back of its successful Two Point Hospital. Trading scalpels for pens in this academic management sim you’ll create your own university.
DISCOVER MORE: The BEST Cozy Management Sims on Nintendo Switch
Best Cozy Sandbox
Minecraft
- Blocky graphics
- Creative and memorable
- Endless hours of gameplay
Build and explore virtual worlds made up of blocks in Minecraft. You start in a vast open-world environment where they can gather resources, craft tools and items, build structures, and take part in activities. The game offers different modes, including Survival mode, where players must gather resources and maintain their health and hunger, and Creative mode, which provides unlimited resources and allows for slower, unrestricted play.
Planet Coaster
- Park construction
- Endless hours of gameplay
Create and manage your own amusement park in Planet Coaster. Build roller coasters, construct buildings and scenery, lay out paths, and manage your park’s operations. Can you meet the needs and desires of your visitors by maintaining high ratings?
The Sims 4
- Nostalgic
- Lots of add-on packs
- Endless hours of gameplay
The Sims is a fun life-simulation game that gives you the power to create and control every aspect of your Sims character. Sleep, cook, go to work, build the home of your dreams, go on holiday, create your very own family, and more!
Its open-ended gameplay, creativity, and storytelling, allow players to shape the lives of their Sims characters and create unique narratives. The long-running series is a popular choice among fans of simulation and sandbox games.
DISCOVER MORE: The BEST Cozy Sandbox Sims on Switch
Best Cozy Platforms
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
- Cute and colorful
- 10-15 hours of gameplay
Travel through a forgotten post-apocalyptic land as Kirby, the adorable pink blob, where you must save his beloved Waddle Dees and his new friend Elfilin. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a cutesy adventure brimming with bright, bold colors and an endearing soundtrack where you can bounce, jump and swallow everyday items. Play solo or in co-op mode!
GRIS
- Walking simulator
- Stunning watercolor art
- 3-4 hours of gameplay
Gris (the Spanish word for grey) is a sorrowful young girl lost in her own world, dealing with grief. Explore a work of art as Gris navigates her emotions as the color slowly returns to her world. Experience gentle puzzles and platforming, and optional skill-based challenges free of danger, frustration, or death.
Super Mario Odyssey
- Inventive gameplay
- Nostalgic nods
- 30-40 hours of gameplay
Mario teams up with Cappy and takes to the air to save Princess Peach from a rather lavish wedding. If you loved The Super Mario Movie you’ll love this game! Collect Power Moons to power up your airship, known as the Odyssey, and set off on an epic 3D platforming adventure.
Yoshi’s Crafted World
- 100% wholesome
- Cute art style
- 8-12 hours of gameplay
In Yoshi’s Crafted World, you will embark on a colorful and whimsical adventure set in a world made entirely of arts and crafts materials. Explore levels with a unique Front Side and mysterious Flip Side as you race against Baby Bowser and Kamek on a grand treasure hunt. Can you find all the poochy pups?
DISCOVER MORE: The BEST Cozy Platformers on Nintendo Switch
Best Puzzle Games
Strange Horticulture
- Witchy victorian setting
- Mystery detective game
- 6-7 hours of gameplay
Strange Horticulture is an occult puzzle game for people who’d rather play with fictional plants than real ones… okay, maybe that’s just me!
You play as the proprietor of a local plant store and it’s your job to identify new plants and serve your customers exactly what they need to aid their ailments. Pet your cat, speak to a coven, or even, join a cult. Unravel Undermere’s dark mysteries.
The Last Campfire
- Story rich
- Smart puzzles
- 6 hours of gameplay
The Last Campfire is an adventure and narrative-driven puzzle game where you play as a lost ember searching for meaning and a way home. Discover a beautiful wilderness filled with lost folk, strange creatures, and mysterious ruins.
UNPACKING
- Slice of life
- Environmental storytelling
- 2-3 hours of gameplay
A Casual, Zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Over the course of eight house moves, you experience a sense of intimacy with a character you never see and a story you’re never told.
Best Cozy Visual Novel
COFFEE TALK
- Soothing lo-fi soundtrack
- Heart-to-heart conversations
- 3-4 hours of gameplay
Based on a fantasy world version of Seattle, alternative human beings, werewolves, and vampires live side by side. You play as the barista and owner of Coffee Talk. The only late-night coffee shop in the city.
DISCOVER MORE: The BEST Cozy Visual Novels on Nintendo Switch
Grab Your FREE Cozy Gaming Checklist!
Never lose track of your game collection again with my simple Cozy Gaming Checklist.
Did you know that writing lists, like physically with a pen, can actually improve your memory?
Better yet, it gives you a sense of accomplishment.
I’ll be honest, I have this bad habit of forgetting what games I’ve started. Being a cozy gaming blogger has its perks, but finishing games isn’t one of them.
So I made this checklist to keep track of what games I had in my collection and on which platform. Since I started using this my head has felt so much clearer.
And I’ve finished 5 games already!
Not to mention I’ve saved money because I can see how many games I’ve still got to complete.
Do you know how you can see how much of a book you have left to read by looking at the bookmark (or the folder page in my case)? Well, you can’t really do that at a glance with a game.
So keeping a checklist to hand stops you from buying more games you don’t need yet.
Become a Cozy Gamer Member
I want to help you become a fully stress-free cozy gamer.
This FREE Checklist is just a small part of my printable collection which you can find on Buy Me A Coffee. Not only that but if you follow me on Buy Me A Coffee you’ll get notified every time I publish a new blog post.
Buy Me A Coffee is a platform for creators to connect with their communities (like Patreon) and where you can show your support.
Grab your FREE Cozy Gaming Checklist today!
Best Cozy Games Checklist Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Cozy Gaming Community?
The cozy gaming community is a wholesome space for gamers to showcase their appreciation for more than just their games. You’ll find content creators on TikTok, Instagrammers sharing their aesthetic setups, laid-back lifestyles bloggers giving tips on how to make the coziest of bedrooms, art lovers, crafters, and so many more! Join my Cozy Millennial Gamers community.
What is The Coziest Game?
With cozy gaming being so subjective and personal it would be difficult to crown just one game as the coziest. However, you can choose from the 25 most popular cozy games, as picked from my community, by reading on.
What Makes a Game Cozy?
Cozy games are a type of gameplay that promotes relaxation, creativity and self-care. They are consciously designed to be enjoyed at a slower pace so you can experience their beauty, storytelling, and ambiance, and truly feel a sense of connectedness.
