10 Popular Games like Studio Ghibli Movies for Cozy Gamers
You know that feeling when you’re watching a Studio Ghibli movie and think, “I’d quite like to live there actually”? You and me both! Until someone builds a real-life Kiki’s bakery, I’ll happily make do with these cozy games that capture all those Ghibli vibes.
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I grew up on Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle, so I’ve got a soft spot for anything even slightly Miyazaki-inspired. I mean, you can still catch me watching My Neighbor Totoro at 7am on a Sunday morning pretending I’m not a 40+ adult. But let’s keep that between you and me okay?
Is there a word for Ghibli adults? Like Disney adults, but for Ghibli fans. I bet we’d be hated less ha!
There’s just something about the stories that feel more other-worldly compared to anything Disney. Maybe it’s the Japanese cultural elements or the cozy food scenes, perhaps the fantastical characters who forever take up rent in my head. But thinking about it, what it truly comes down to is that Hayao Miyazaki is a master world builder.
Take the now-famous Howls Moving Castle bedroom scene, for example. The attention to detail is so captivating it feels like you’re looking at a hidden-object puzzle game. The scene gives you an insight into the life of Howl and how his home is his sanctuary. Like how he uses his collection of trinkets and gizmos dodging conflict and responsibility like it’s an art form.
Too deep? Nah, it’s totally relatable.
These days, I find that same feeling in certain cozy anime-style games. You know the ones I mean: peaceful little adventures where you potter about helping villagers, sipping tea by candlelight or wandering through forests that practically glow. They’re games that feel like a Ghibli movie, just magical!
Today I want to share with you some of my favourite Ghibli-inspired games. So if it’s fantasy games you’re searching for or just games like Studio Ghibli I’ve got you covered.
What makes a game feel like a Ghibli movie?
I took to Reddit to see what actually makes a game feel like a Studio Ghibli movie… because in my opinion, it’s more than an aesthetic. After reading through a lot of comments, and threads by Ghibli superfans, this is what people keep coming back to:
- A sense of genuine wonder – It’s not enough for a game to just to look pretty. To feel Ghibli-like you need that mix of adventure + curiosity: wide, gorgeous worlds, a little mystery, nature that feels alive. Spaces that invite you to wander and feel in awe. Think Breath of the Wild.
- A balance of realism & fantasy – Gamers want a world where every day things matter as much as the supernatural. Like cooking over a fire, chatting with friends, noticing how water moves or how the wind rustles through the leaves — all alongside witches, spirits, or magical creatures. That contrast between normal life and magic gives Ghibli its charm.
- Immersion and emotional depth – Gamers want a cinematic experience, with storytelling that leans into nostalgic or almost bittersweet. Games that don’t avoid darker topics or are too superficial. Audio can heighten a games experience, and with ghibli-like games they build atmosphere and believability.
With this in mind let me share with you some cozy games with Studio Ghibli vibes that I feel hit these three qualities. I’ve done my best to find a mixture of Steam, Nintendo Switch and other platforms, so there’s something for everyone.
Like Howl’s colour-changing door, each of these games opens to a different world. So, let’s turn the dial and take a look at the cozy, Ghibli-inspired games waiting on the other side.
My Top 10 Cozy Games like Studio Ghibli Films
1
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a JRPG with animated cut-scenes produced by Studio Ghibli. So, you know you’re getting them nostalgic vibes with this game.
Journey back to the other world in Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch™ Remastered. Join Oliver as he embarks on an adventure through a world inhabited by new friends and ferocious foes alike in the hopes of bringing back his mother after a tragic incident.
I’d call it Ghibli-core rather than cozy — magical, emotional and heartfelt, but with more adventure and tension than your usual cozy game. Perfect for someone who loves Ghibli’s warmth but doesn’t mind a few battles along the way.
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is available on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox.
2
Forgotton Anne
Forgotton Anne is an adventure game with puzzle-platforming elements. It’s hand-animated scenes and its fantasy world, where lost objects come to life, reminds me very much of Spirited Away. It explores the boundary between the human world and a hidden realm where forgotten or neglected things take on new life.
Imagine a place where everything that is lost and forgotten goes; old toys, letters, single socks. The Forgotten Lands is a magical world inhabited by Forgotlings; creatures composed of mislaid objects longing to be remembered again.
You play as Anne, the enforcer who keeps order in the Forgotten Lands, as she sets out to squash a rebellion that might prevent her master, Bonku, and herself from returning to the human world.
Forgotton Anne is available on Steam, Nintendo switch, PlayStation, Xbox, iOS and Android
3
Neva
Neva is an atmospheric, action-adventure platformer by the team behind the critically acclaimed GRIS. Neva chronicles the story of Alba, a young woman bound to a curious wolf cub following a traumatic encounter with dark forces. Together they embark on a perilous journey through a once-beautiful world as it slowly decays around them.
Neva shares a lot of the same soul as Princess Mononoke. Both tell stories about a world touched by decay, where nature and spirit blur together. There’s a quiet sadness running through it with fading forests, and corrupted creatures, yet it’s still achingly beautiful. Like San and her wolves, you travel with a loyal wolf companion, facing the darkness together.
It’s not as epic in scale, but it carries that same Ghibli heart: wild, emotional, and full of reverence for nature.
Neva is available on Steam, Nintendo Switch, Playstation and Xbox
4
Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town
Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town is a single-player adventure / cozy simulation game. The game follows the mischievous Shinnosuke “Shin chan” Nohara as he visits a rural mining town with his family. Soon after arriving, he discovers a mysterious black coal mine and meets strange creatures and townspeople hiding secrets connected to it.
The game’s director, Kaz Ayabe is known for weaving Studio Ghibli-style storytelling into everyday slice-of-life gameplay. Shiro and the Coal Town feels very much like a love letter to those films in both tone and world-building.
Like Totoro, it captures the gentle rhythm of rural summer life, the slow days, and childlike wonder, while mixing in fantasy elements and nostalgic charm. And like Spirited Away, it introduces mysterious spirits, a secretive industrial setting (the coal mine), and themes of curiosity, friendship, and environmental balance.
Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town is available on Steam, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android
5
Hotel Galactic
Hotel Galactic is a cozy management game where you transform a rundown intergalactic hotel into a thriving tourist destination. Blending wholesome nostalgia with modern fairytale magic, Hotel Galactic invites you into a lovingly crafted world inspired by classic anime pictures, brought to life with stunning hand-painted visuals and beautifully animated details.
Inspired by Spirited Away, this cozy colony sim wants you to run your own hotel. But first you have to build it. The early access was riddled with bugs but I can safely say it is now playable!
Whether you’re in for uncovering heartfelt stories or diving into its rich sandbox gameplay, Hotel Galactic offers a magical journey that continues to grow long after the tale is told.
Hotel Galactic is available on Steam
6
Witchbrook
Discover magic and mystery in Witchbrook, a spellbinding witch life-sim for up to 4-players. Start your life as the newest resident witch in the bustling seaside city of Mossport. Make friends, find love, and discover a world filled with wonder and charm on the road to graduation and beyond!
The developers took inspiration mainly from Studio Ghibli’s rendition of Kiki’s Delivery Service.
As you progress through the academic year, so too does life around Mossport. Watch the cityfolk shed their mittens as the Winter snowfall melts away, allowing for the gradual bloom of colourful Spring flowers and donning of sun hats. As the seasons change, so do the rhythms of the city and its community.
Witchbrook is available on Steam soon
7
Last Time I Saw You
Step into rural ’80s Japan as 12-year-old Ayumi, whose dreams are haunted by a mysterious girl. When a devastating typhoon strikes, Ayumi’s life is forever changed, sending him on a heartfelt journey through forbidden woods, curses, yokai, and even talking cats. With its Ghibli-esque art style, magical realism, and coming-of-age narrative, this is a cozy and emotional adventure perfect for fans of narrative-driven indie games.
Last Time I Saw You is available on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox
Leave home for the first time to collect memories before a mysterious cataclysm washes everything away. Ride, record, meet people, and unravel the strange world around you in this third-person meditative exploration game.
Season: A Letter to the Future wasn’t inspired by Ghibli directly, but the sensory moments are exactly what Ghibli does so well — letting you linger on scenes and feel, not just see.
Season: A Letter to the Future is available on Steam
Spiritfarer is a cozy management game about dying. As ferrymaster to the deceased, build a boat to explore the world, care for your spirit friends, and release them into the afterlife. The Spiritfarer Farewell Edition includes the heartwarming base game and three major content updates.
In Spiritfarer, you spend your days caring for spirits, hearing their stories, and helping them find peace before you guide them on. According to the developers Spiritfarer drew heavily from Ghibli movies like Spirited Away.
Spiritfarer is available on Nintendo switch, Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS and Android
10
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Tears of the Kingdom is an open-world action-adventure game where you play as Link. In this sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, embark on a perilous quest to unravel the truth behind a cataclysmic event that has sent the kingdom into turmoil.
Tears of the Kingdom feels very much like Castle in the Sky by Studio Ghibli. Both feature floating islands and ancient technology reclaimed by nature.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available on Nintendo switch
Honorable Mentions: More Cozy Ghibli-Inspired Games to Try
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits: For fans of Princess Mononoke, but be prepared for difficult battles. I recommend lowering the difficulty level for a cozier playthrough.
- Europa: Almost made the list because of its Ghibli-esque appearance but it lacked the same emotional depth. Play this if you want to explore through a beautiful world for a few hours.
- Yokai Inn: Still in early development. Inspired by Princess Mononoke and Whisper of the Heart, run and manage an inn for spirits in this Japanese-inspired life-sim game.
- Tekoha: a Tale Among the Stars: A narrative-driven light RPG following two Indigenous Brazilian sisters trying to reunite after a tragic event reshapes their homeland. Coming soon.
- Tales of Seikyu: A cozy adventure filled with warmth, nature, and magic! Farm, decorate and find love in this charming and mystical fantasy farming sim.
Each game offers unique elements that cater to different preferences, ensuring there’s something for everyone seeking calm and joy.
More Cozy Games:
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