Life sims have been well and truly thriving since the first lockdown in 2020. That was around the time Nintendo’s highly anticipated Animal Crossing: New Horizons dropped to be exact. The importance of life sims has since never left, made all the more obvious with the recent release of the popular free-roam Disney Dreamlight Valley experience.
The need for all things to be cozy is no surprise now considering how much support they gave us during and post-lockdown. So, here we are suggesting ten more to add to your Nintendo Switch library to keep you feeling warm and comforted in the impending chilly, harsh months.
Top 10 Best Life Sim Games on Nintendo Switch
Littlewood
Littlewood is a cozy little life sim with a twist in both its narrative and design for the genre as its unique selling points. The game is set after the player character defeats the antagonist but at the cost of their own memories and ruin of the world. Players will need to explore the expansive world of Solemn as more locations unlock and lore-building can be discovered. This also includes more townspeople to meet and settle into your hometown and further customizing of your town to chip away at achievements.
Make use of a plethora of roles all in a day’s work, such as collecting and crafting, exploring, and even as a merchant. As the closest game we have to that of Fantasy Life on the 3DS, Littlewood feels like home in now time.
Stardew Valley
What can I say that has not already been said about Stardew Valley? Everything about the game is wholesome. Consider its very first piece of storytelling as an example, that of taking over managing Stardew Valley’s farm space from your late grandfather. The simple job of tending to it to create a farm to your liking is just one small aspect of what Stardew Valley has to offer.
Get to know the townsfolk, fulfill their requirements and build relationships between the community with you in its center. Fish for every single underwater object available, date all romanceable characters (even marry them all in one playthrough), and create the idealistic farm life you have always envisioned. Stardew Valley is one of the most beloved video games out there, and for good reason.
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town stands as one of the better Harvest Moon experiences to own on modern consoles. Considering that the Story of Seasons series is from the original creators of the beloved Harvest Moon IP, the games are of the same quality we can expect from this darling team.
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a remake of the same named title in the franchise, that of the Game Boy Advance entry from 2003. The remake included updates from the original involving revamped designs of pre-existing characters, and new ones to make the Mineral Town all the more lively and inclusive dating no matter sexual orientation. Not to mention all of the quality-of-life updates, such as brand new and returning festivals, difficulty options and the ability to save whenever.
Spiritfarer
Spiritfarer as a life sim is on the more unusual side when you consider its context revolving around death. Primarily a cozy management game set outside the boundaries of the ordinary and instead on your very own ferry you customize and build, Spiritfarer takes players on an emotional journey. This involves the acceptance of life after death and appreciating the memories that people leave us with.
Spiritfarer involves features one can expect from its life management genre, such as farming, mining, fishing, cooking, and crafting. Do all this and much more as you explore the sea, make friends to remember, and fulfill their needs and wants before bidding them farewell as they pass into the afterlife.
Rune Factory 4
Rune Factory 4 is our pick for the better Rune Factory game on the Nintendo Switch for a number of reasons. Its main storyline is longer, it runs more smoothly, and both its characters and maps are more interesting. Rune Factory 4 will be hard to put down for how many hours you can easily sink into it to maximize bonds and witness all storylines conclude via tricky-to-unlock character events.
Like any and all Rune Factory entries, players can decide on what they want to focus on. Equip yourself with any kind of weapon and go exploring to fight your way through its dungeons. Alternatively, go about tending to your farm work before the shipping box closes to make some coins whilst sharing the love and care by gifting items to the townsfolk.
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin has a rich storyline that is grander than the usual farming sim takeaway of making your mark on its visually striking, Japanese mythology-inspired world. With this being its unique selling point, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin does a lot to play up its genres. For example, Sakuna utilizes her farming tools as weapons and to platform in its side-scrolling combat for one thing.
Harvest to progress in unlocking Sakuna’s true potential as a harvest goddess and craft to make weapons, armor, and even meals to further unlock more options to fulfill a never-ending list of quests and achievements.
Lemon Cake
Lemon Cake is as cozy as the term gets, even if its bakery is haunted. Players put in the work and effort to make their tiny bakery thrive with help from a friendly ghost and unlock more possibilities in giving it a nice coat of paint and more furniture to decorate with. You are able to grow your own ingredients by planting seeds, utilize the beehive for honey from out back, and raise livestock for dairy products.
Resource and time management is the key to success in Lemon Cake, so serve quickly and use your time wisely in tending to both the front of house and your animals and the greenhouse. See more recipes unlock as your bakery becomes all the more successful!
My Time at Portia
My Time at Portia goes back to basics and gives players free rein as soon as it begins. Tasked with building up and restoring your father’s workshop back to its prime, there’s always plenty to do and get done in Portia. Meet the locals and fulfill their requests to become an integral part of its community or sink all your time and resources into creating your own farm to obtain your very own noble stead you can ride around on. Explore, battle, mine, cook, fish, and make up your own cozy home space in this close-knit and sweet, cozy city space.
Graveyard Keeper
Graveyard Keeper is one of the most well-recognized life sims out there for how different it is. Resources are thin within medieval times and running your own cemetery is as uncozy as it sounds. Handle dead bodies, make the most of what you can sell from them, and enjoy its dark comedic, meta-centric dialogue. Do all things you can also expect the game to include, such as foraging, exploring dungeons, and making a living by crafting and selling items. Meet the townsfolk and find yourself slowly but surely growing accustomed to and appreciating the unique charms of Graveyard Keeper.
Cozy Grove
Cozy Grove is another unique take on the life sim for embracing the afterlife instead. Players are a camper who find themselves on a small island that is haunted by animal spirits who are as talkative as they are adorable. Unthread their own storylines by bonding with them by completing quests that involve collecting, fishing and crafting in this cosy afterlife sim.
The game runs in real-time, so its story progression will last months to see it fully completed. Decorate its world with handmade or rewarded objects and put a smile on the faces of those once lost and too weary to find peace. Really make a difference in this charming and sweet cozy sim.
