Cozy games offer relaxed, comforting gameplay where you deal with gentle challenges in a beautifully designed space. While you have nearly endless options of fantastic games, these are some of the best cozy games available on the Nintendo Switch.
The Top Six Cozy Games on the Nintendo Switch (November 2023)
Below you will find a list of some of the coziest games that you can find on the Nintendo Switch. A perfect assortment of games to sink your teeth into this holiday season.
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Disney Dreamlight Valley is a life simulation game where you restore Dreamlight Valley and meet famous Disney and Pixar characters. You start the game in a limited area with few characters that you unlock through more quests. The game offers extensive control over valley design, a feature easily accessible with a few quick menu navigations.
While Disney Dreamlight Valley features many enjoyable, cozy activities like cooking, fishing, and farming, playing on the Nintendo Switch can present challenges. Some users have encountered lag while navigating the menus and game crashes, which were addressed in the July 2023 DreamSnaps patch. Despite these improvements, issues might persist, which is something to remember when playing on the console.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a simulation game where you create a new home on an island. You’ll start with limited access to the island, buildings, and characters, only unlocking more after several real-life game days. Eventually, you’ll be free to extensively customize your island, homes, and buildings. The game also features seasonal changes, offering different unique collectibles and events. Although it’s not receiving further content updates, there’s still plenty to do, making it one of the more notable cozy games on the Nintendo Switch.
Potion Permit
In Potion Permit, you take on the role of a chemist and newcomer to the town of Moonbury. Your journey involves regaining the locals’ trust by serving as their doctor, collecting supplies, and completing quests. Instead of farming, much of your time is spent scavenging for resources in the wilderness, where encounters with enemies add some tension to the otherwise relaxing game.
In addition to resource gatherings, you can spend time befriending the townsfolk. This is started by healing any patients you get by playing the corresponding mini-games. Once you have built trust, you can begin completing specific Friendship quests.
The variety in gameplay mechanics makes this an enjoyable game that can keep you entertained for hours. The storyline is also free enough to stop or start at any point easily.
A Little to the Left
A Little to the Left is a peaceful puzzle game. The gameplay revolves around the simple task of arranging objects in the correct order to progress through puzzles. While lacking a defined narrative, completing the game does treat you with a short animation featuring a cat on a moon, and the credits feature adorable animated pet pictures.
Another notable aspect is the game’s soundtrack, which perfectly lends to the peaceful atmosphere with its stringed instruments and a lo-fi vibe. Moving the puzzle pieces around is also calming, accompanied by sound effects indicating when you’ve correctly placed an item.
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure
In Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, you take control of Alba, a young girl vacationing with her grandparents. The gameplay involves exploring the town and capturing pictures of the diverse wildlife. This shorter game doesn’t involve farming or extensive customization, yet it stands out for its narrative centered around helping animals.
The game utilizes a charming, simple animation style that vividly brings out the beauty of the animals and nature scenes. There are even spots around the island where you can sit and appreciate the relaxing scenery. While sitting, you’ll also better notice the sounds of nature, which are noticeable throughout the game. When not listening to the crashing of the waves, you’ll hear the game’s soundtrack, a wonderful mix of stringed instruments and piano ensembles that perfectly embody the locale.
Stardew Valley
In Stardew Valley, a farming life simulation game, you take control of your late grandfather’s farm. Although farm management and crop planting form the majority of initial gameplay, the game offers an abundance of other activities as you progress. You can build friendships, explore mines, fish, or contribute to rebuilding the community center. As you progress, you’ll unlock even more customization options with new farm buildings and animals. There are also seasonal changes, introducing new crops and items depending on the in-game season.
You can find Stardew Valley on various platforms, including as an app, so it should come as no surprise that it runs fantastically on the Switch. The only notable performance issue is the long load times between the days.
