It's been more than four years since the release of the last Animal Crossing game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons. While some players are still chatting with villagers and decorating their islands, many others have set the game aside. There are plenty of features fans would like to see in the next Animal Crossing, but it's hard to say when the next entry in the franchise will arrive.
While a new Animal Crossing game might not be on the horizon just yet, there are plenty of titles that can fill that niche. When the Animal Crossing series began in 2001, it felt wholly unique, but it's managed to inspire all kinds of games since then, from charming MMOs to ghostly adventures. For those seeking a new life simulation title, these are the best cozy games like Animal Crossing.
10 In Everafter Falls, Reality Isn't Real
Initial release date: June 19, 2023
What if life was just a simulation? That's the question posed in Everafter Falls, a farming adventure with an air of mystery. Players wake up to discover the world they remember was a fake, and the real world is a tiny town called Everafter Falls. While memories of life and friends are gone, it doesn't take long for Everafter Falls to start feeling like home.
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Everafter Falls is a farming sim, but since it's set in a world filled with cute animal characters, it feels closer to Animal Crossing than Stardew Valley. That said, it does have dungeons to explore and enemies to fight. If players need a stat boost, they can collect and eat cards to get a power-up!
9 Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles Is an Open-World Adventure Without Fighting
Initial release date: July 18, 2017
Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles doesn't have the social simulation aspects of Animal Crossing, but it absolutely captures its cozy vibes. This open-world adventure game is set on a vast, beautiful island where players can explore forests, snowy mountains, beaches, and more. Unlike most games of its kind, Yonder has no combat at all. Instead, players can focus on relaxing activities like fishing, crafting, and farming.
While players won't find any talking animals in Yonder, there are critters that they can befriend. Yonder is filled with adorable wildlife, including colorful foxes and flowering pigs. Players can even adopt the creatures that they meet. Not only are these animals cute companions, but they provide the player with all kinds of valuable resources.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 69/100 Critics Rec: 40%
- Released
- July 18, 2017
- ESRB
- e
- Engine
- Unity
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Developer
- Prideful Sloth
- Publisher
- Prideful Sloth
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Life Simulation
- How Long To Beat
- 10 Hours
- Metascore
- 78
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
8 Palia Is the Coziest MMO of All Time
Initial release date: August 10, 2023
Few MMOs are as charming as Animal Crossing, but Palia comes close. Although this community sim includes combat, the main focus is on activities like catching bugs, farming, and foraging. It also tells an intriguing story about a world where humans once mysteriously disappeared and are suddenly starting to return.
Building and expanding a house is a major part of Palia. While players start off with a humble tent, they can eventually build a cottage or even a massive mansion. Houses can also be decorated with a wide variety of craftable furnishings. Players who love working with Tom Nook will definitely want to check this title out.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 78/100 Critics Rec: 67%
- Released
- August 10, 2023
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco
- Developer(s)
- Singularity 6, Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Singularity 6, Inc.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Number of Players
- 1-25
- Early Access Release
- August 10, 2023
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- December 14, 2023
Players work to become a member of the Kilima Village by gathering and crafting materials.
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC
- Genre(s)
- Simulation, MMO
7 Go-Go Town! Is a Town Sim That Can Be Played In All Kinds of Ways
Initial release date: June 18, 2024
Miss being the mayor? Go-Go Town! casts players as the mayor of a rundown village. As the mayor, the goal is to build shops, draw in tourists, and convert visitors into lifetime residents. Go-Go Town! also allows players to terraform and decorate so they can transform the town into the city of their dreams.
One of the best aspects of Go-Go Town! is its flexibility. Players can tackle timed challenges or build the town at their own pace. It can be played solo but also offers online and local co-op. There are also tons of cozy activities, like fishing and beekeeping. Best of all, players can high-five the animals they meet.
6 Hello Kitty Island Adventure Is a Sanrio Paradise
Initial release date: June 28, 2023
Hello Kitty Island Adventure was once a South Park joke, but now it's the real deal. This cute and cozy adventure focuses on restoring an abandoned island to its former glory. Of course, players don't have to do this alone. Sanrio characters like Badtz-maru and Pompompurin are there to help — or send players on fetch quests.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure Blends the Cozy Genre with Breath of the Wild-Style Exploration
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At first glance, it might seem like Animal Crossing with a Hello Kitty skin, but there's more to this game than meets the eye. Hello Kitty Island Adventure features light platforming elements and even a mystery to solve. The player can also dress up, decorate their home, or spend time photographing Gudetama.
- Released
- July 28, 2023
- ESRB
- E For Everyone
- Developer(s)
- Sunblink
- Publisher(s)
- Sunblink
- Engine
- Unity
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Hello Kitty
Stranded on a tropical island, Hello Kitty and her friends must rebuild an abandoned theme park while searching for their missing companions. Players complete tasks like crafting, fishing, and solving puzzles to attract visitors and strengthen friendships with beloved Sanrio characters. Explore the island to unlock new areas and hidden mysteries.
- Platform(s)
- iOS, Apple Arcade, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Life Simulation
5 MySims Proves Sims and Animal Crossing Are a Great Combination
Initial release date: September 18, 2007
What would happen if Animal Crossing crossed over with The Sims? That's what players get in MySims, a Sims spinoff focused on redeveloping a town. Players can design a character, collect outfits, build and decorate their village, and encourage new residents to move in.
There are two games in the MySims series: MySims and the fantasy-based MySims Kingdom. Originally released on the Wii and Nintendo DS, these titles were recently rereleased on the Switch as the MySims: Cozy Bundle. Both titles offer a charming mix of creativity and town-building. The titles are still getting updates, so now is a great time for Sims and Animal Crossing fans to check these games out.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 68/100 Critics Rec: 56%
- Released
- November 19, 2024
- ESRB
- Everyone / Mild Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- EA Redwood Shores
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Franchise
- The Sims
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- November 19, 2024
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro
- Genre(s)
- Life Simulation
4 Critter Cove Takes Place After an Apocalypse
Initial release date: September 10, 2024
Critter Cove is like an Animal Crossing game set in a post-apocalyptic world. It takes place in a once-beautiful tourist town that's now littered with dirt and garbage. Players must clean up the village and restore it to its former glory. When not busy decorating, players can search ruins, rescue critters, and even convince them to move in.
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The game has a huge open world that's just waiting to be explored. Since Critter Cove is set after an apocalypse, there are all kinds of secrets to discover, like mysterious shipwrecks or remnants of a long-forgotten civilization. Players can use the items they salvage to craft decorations, restore buildings, or even decorate their homes!
3 Dinkum Brings the Animal Crossing Formula to the Desert
Initial release date: July 14, 2022
Like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Dinkum is set on an island, but it's not a lush tropical paradise. Instead, it's a scorching desert. Inspired by the Australian Outback, Dinkum is about building a thriving town in the remote wilderness. As the town grows, it will attract visitors, and some of them might decide to make the town their new home.
Dinkum is still in Early Access, but it's already impressive, especially considering it was developed by a single person. It even has online co-op, allowing players to work with friends to build the perfect town. When not busy building, players can fish and catch bugs to display in the local museum.
- Released
- April 23, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- James Bendon
- Publisher(s)
- Krafton
- Engine
- Unity
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- No
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC
- Developer
- James Bendon
- Publisher
- James Bendon
- Genre(s)
- Life Simulation, Survival, Crafting, Farming
- How Long To Beat
- 32 Hours
- Release
- 2022-07-14
2 Cozy Grove Is About a Ghostly Camp
Initial release date: March 19, 2021
One of the most interesting features of Animal Crossing is that it's synced to real-time. When players hop on in the evening, they can see starry skies and fireflies. Leaves fall in autumn, it snows in winter, and there's plenty of sunshine in spring and summer. While many life simulation games ignore the real-world clock or avoid time restrictions, Cozy Grove syncs with the clock just like Animal Crossing does.
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Cozy Grove takes place on a haunted island, but it's more charming than spooky. Each day, Cozy Grove offers about 30 to 60 minutes of new content. Once daily quests are completed, players can put the game down and wait for a new day to arrive. While this kind of time-limited gameplay won't appeal to everyone, it's a fantastic option for those with limited time for gaming. Cozy Grove also has a Netflix-games exclusive sequel, Camp Spirit.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 74/100 Critics Rec: 65%
- Released
- April 8, 2021
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ // Comic Mischief, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Spry Fox
- Engine
- Unity
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One
- Publisher
- The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild
- Genre(s)
- Life Simulation
- Release
- 2021-04-08
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
1 Disney Dreamlight Valley Is Practically Animal Crossing In Every Way
Initial release date: September 6, 2022
Disney Dreamlight Valley is so similar to Animal Crossing that it's often described as Animal Crossing with Disney characters. Every day, players can chat with their favorite villagers, visit Scrooge's shop to buy clothes and furniture, and run errands for the locals. Fishing, beachcombing for seashells, and decorating are also part of the experience.
While Dreamlight Valley was clearly inspired by Animal Crossing, there are plenty of mechanics that make it feel unique. The game tells a surprisingly compelling story that includes beloved Disney characters, from Mickey Mouse to Merlin to Mirabel from Encanto. Dreamlight Valley also has two DLCs so that players can continue the story after the credits roll.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 75/100 Critics Rec: 77%
- Released
- December 5, 2023
- ESRB
- Everyone / In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Gameloft
- Publisher(s)
- Gameloft
- Engine
- unity
In Disney Dreamlight Valley, players farm, decorate their homes and complete quests for beloved Disney characters.
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Cross Save
- All platforms (requires purchasing the game separately on each platform)
- Franchise
- Disney
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, iOS
- Genre(s)
- Life Simulation, Casual
- How Long To Beat
- 33 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- yes
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong