Animal Crossing: NewHorizonsbecame an instant, truly loved success. With each small update, and the substantialHappy Home ParadiseDLC, players easily sunk hundreds of hours into their personal islands. But what next?
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Ask anAnimal Crossingplayer if they ran out of steam, and they’ll probably say yes. Not to worry, here’s a list of games that will fill the Nintendo-shaped hole once you’ve moved on. These games share similar traits toNew Horizons -they are all cozy, wholesome games to pick up, and are all available on the Switch! This list could go on and on for a very long time but is condensed to a select few of the very best games to play likeAnimal Crossing New Horizons.
Updated July 12th, 2022 by Russ Boswell: There have been a lot of great, colorful, relaxing, and downright wholesome games released since Animal Crossing: New Horizons first hit store shelves. Although there are many dedicated players that hop into their island retreat each day to keep their locations clean and interact with their villagers, they may also be looking for new and exciting experiences that look and feel like the iconic Nintendo release. There are tons of awesome Indie games out there, as well as some Triple AAA offerings that can be just as relaxing and fulfilling as the island paradise simulator. To better showcase some of thebest games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the following list has been updated with more entries.
13Ooblets
Players that enjoy titles like Pokemon, Harvest Moon, and Animal Crossing will instantly fall in love with Ooblets, an Indie release from a two-person developer that combines premises from all three titles to create one truly engrossing (and relaxing) game. The end result sees players creating their own farm to hatch creatures called Ooblets, which they can then interact with. There is so much content to unlock throughout the title and players will also find a bustling town to engage with, building relationships with the townsfolk as they unlock new Ooblets and reach milestones.
Ooblets is an incredibly colorful release, and there are so many adorable creatures for players to collect.
12Peaceful Days
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is fun and relaxing thanks to its town-building mechanic, paired with a satisfying gameplay loop in which players interact with their villagers on a daily basis and build relationships with them. There is a lot that needs to be done in a player’s Animal Crossing island, and its a great way to unwind after a particularly taxing day. Those looking for a similar experience with a bit of retro flair should check out Peaceful Days, a Stardew Valley-like title with a top-down Legend of Zelda-esque aesthetic.
Players will create their own farm and tend to adorable pixelated animals, while also exploring the areas around them and engaging with a variety of NPCs. There are many mechanics to be found in Peaceful Days and players can enjoy the game at their own pace.
11Costume Quest
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is incredibly relaxing and players won’t really find themselves in much danger. There is no “loss mechanic” present in the release, and players are free to experience the journey at their own pace. Those that are looking for something with “higher stakes” but still just as wholesome should look into the Costume Quest series. These adorable games are crafted to mimic retro RPGs like Final Fantasy and Secret of Mana, but place them into a wholesome Halloween-themed world. Players will collect different costumes (which act as Jobs or Classes) and will battle with colorful enemies as they make their way through each adventure.
The end result is a higher-action wholesome release that’s incredibly colorful and imaginative.
10Cozy Grove
Cozy Groveis arguably one of the gamesclosest toAnimal Crossingfor a few reasons. The biggest of which is that it is designed to be played daily; there is a cap on activities that can be done, encouraging players to be patient and wait until the next day (you may just change the date on the Switch). Other than that, it is another title where players are a human in a world of animals and are relied upon to help them.
For a low-priced indie title, there is a lot of content here. The main story quests take many hours to complete, and then there are the daily tasks too, and optional tasks like catching every fish, and filling out all the collections for the Captain bear.
9Unpacking
The next recommendation has absolutely taken over this writers' life:Unpacking. A short tale that follows a narrative about a girls' life as she grows up. It involves ‘minimal’ gameplay about unpacking items from boxes and sorting them out into their correct places.Unpackingis very zenand has a nice, bouncy soundtrack to accompany the pixellated graphics.
The only downside is the length of the game, but there is replayability, especially with the option to turn off item placement restrictions. Wanna put mugs on the floor? Go for it!
8A Short Hike
A Short Hikefeatures a bird with a very round head, that explores the area around where they’re staying to find a signal to call their mother. Don’t be fooled by the short playtime of this game, there are stillmany things to do and much to see.
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The main character is Claire, and the main objective is to find a way up the mountain to the spot that has a strong signal. This includes finding Golden Feathers to give enough strength to make the journey and encountering puzzles and small quests on the way (like finding a missing headband).A Short Hikeeven has a fishing mini-game, a plus for any relaxing title!
7Spiritfarer
While it may be a little more emotional thanAnimal Crossing,Spiritfareris a wonderful and wholesome game. Players control Stella - the new Spiritfarer, who carries their departing souls to the Everdoor and spends their last moments with them. While doing this, amenities and comfortable spaces will be requested by the residents of the boat to be built.
There is a lot of relaxing exploration inSpiritfarer,along with friendly andamicable animals, and a fishing mini-game! There are still updates coming out for the game, too, adding even more to the calming experience.
6Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town
Something thatAnimal Crossingdoesn’t have is a very heavy emphasis on farming. If that’s the sort of thing you want instead, then tryStory Of SeasonsPioneers of Olive Town.The secondStory of Seasonstitle to release on Switch, it continues the line of spiritualHarvest Moonsuccessors.
The gameplay is a classic farm simulator. Build up the farm, get some crops going and some animals, then rake in the profits and help to improve the town, while making meaningful friendships. That’s cool, but really, the best thing about this game is definitely the round, adorable cows.
5Wytchwood
Wytchwoodpopped up on the indie scene late into 2021 and has since grown a reputation for a relaxing game tinged with some spooky elements. Players control an old witch residing in the woods and are tasked with a to-do list involving collecting souls for a talking goat.
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Relying on the Grimoire to craft potions and lotions to keep the story in motion, the witch sets out on a journey to swamps, forests, and the sea to collect a myriad of items and solve puzzles as to how to get them. This adventure ishighly recommendedfor anyone who prefers the combat-free gaming experience.
4The Wild At Heart
The Wild At Heartis, essentially,Pikminbut from an indie studio. Young boy Wake runs away one night to meet up with his friend and go exploring. However, they find themselves in a mysterious woodland area, populated by humanoid characters and small sprites.
While wandering around the woods, items and drops need to be collected for later crafting, as well as the Spritelings - so they can be tasked to retrieve and break objects. There are minor combat elements in this game, but largely it is a wholesome adventure through an odd forest.
