Skip to main content

The best games like Stardew Valley

A player fishes in their local pond.
ConcernedApe

Working the farm, forming relationships with the townsfolk, and just enjoying the vibe are what make Stardew Valley such a great game to settle into once you know the basic tips and tricks or a few handy cheats to take the edge off. Easygoing games like this have become incredibly popular — especially for those who don’t typically play games — but it can be hard to find more that offer that same type of experience if you don’t know where to look. The cozy game genre has become a bit bloated as of late with games not quite as polished or fully featured as you would hope. We’ve worked the land and harvested only the ripest games like Stardew Valley to satisfy your desire for more farming-sim goodness.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons
83%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Simulator
Developer
Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 5
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
March 19, 2020
If we’re going to talk about games like Stardew Valley, it would be irresponsible not to bring up Animal Crossing: New Horizons. All the best elements you love from Stardew are present, and likely expanded, here. You have not only your own home and land to decorate and farm but you can even transform your entire island to your liking. The cast of villagers is smaller, but they’re charming and a joy to meet and make friends with.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch Trailer - Nintendo E3 2019
Recommended Videos

Infinity Nikki

Infinity Nikki
80%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Android, iOS, PlayStation 5
Genre
Platform, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
InFold Pte. Ltd.
Publisher
InFold Pte. Ltd.
Release
December 05, 2024
There isn’t so much farming going on in Infinity Nikki, but the chill vibes and friendly nature of the world are just as strong. You will adventure through a wonderful and frictionless world collecting tons of items, solving little puzzles, and expanding your wardrobe with dozens of outfits to dress your character in. Some hold unique powers to help you explore farther and meet more of the game’s amazing cast. If you want a similar style of game that swaps out farming for fashion, you can’t go wrong here.
Infinity Nikki Announcement Trailer–It’s glam time any time!

My Time at Sandrock

My Time at Sandrock
90%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Pathea Games
Publisher
Pathea Games, PM Studios
Release
November 02, 2023
The My Time series has always had a lot of similarities to Stardew, and Sandrock is the latest and most developed version yet. As always, you play as a new Builder who has just arrived on the scene to rebuild and restore an entire town over time. The game divides up its time between gathering resources, upgrading and constructing new buildings, and doing quests and making friends with all the local townspeople. Basically, if you want a deeper, 3D version of Stardew Valley, My Time and Sandrock has you covered.
My Time at Sandrock Announcement Trailer

Disney Dreamlight Valley

Disney Dreamlight Valley
80%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Adventure
Developer
Gameloft
Publisher
Gameloft
Release
December 05, 2023
One of the newer games, although it was in early access for a while, Disney Dreamlight Valley combines the farming and adventuring of Stardew with the world(s) of Disney. Your custom character needs to work with all  your favorite Disney characters to restore the valley back to form. Each character has their own quest and unlocks new items to use, with more Disney franchises being added all the time.
Disney Dreamlight Valley - Announcement Trailer

The Sims 4

The Sims 4
73%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Simulator
Developer
The Sims Studio, Maxis
Publisher
Electronic Arts
Release
September 02, 2014
If it’s more of the life-sim aspects you enjoy rather than the farming, then there’s no better game to visit (or revisit) than The Sims 4. There’s a reason this game has been supported for so many years with almost countless additions and content packs added. It’s basically just the most robust and detailed doll house simulator possible, and we don’t mean that in a bad way. You can lose hundreds of hours living your best Sim life and not regret one second of it.
First Look: The Sims 4 Official Gameplay Trailer

Graveyard Keeper

Graveyard Keeper
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows)
Genre
Strategy, Indie
Release
August 13, 2022
We admit, the name Graveyard Keeper doesn’t exactly sound like a cozy game, but rest assured this fits right beside the likes of Stardew Valley. Just imagine Stardew, but replace your farm with a graveyard and you’re most of the way there. You need to restore a broken-down graveyard, tend to the graves, doing quests for NPCs, and make money with the goal of opening a portal back to your own dimension. Don’t worry, there are also some farming and fishing elements in there too.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town
57%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Strategy
Developer
Three Rings Inc.
Publisher
Marvelous Europe Ltd., XSEED Games, Marvelous
Release
February 25, 2021
The Story of Seasons franchise has picked up where Harvest Moon left off, which itself was the inspiration for Stardew Valley. In Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, your main character abandons the city life for the simpler lifestyle of the country by restoring their family’s old farm. Besides farming, there’s an entire town of NPCs to meet and marry, plus festivals and other events all the time to make the world feel that much more alive.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town – Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase | October 2020

Fae Farm

Fae Farm
77%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Adventure
Developer
Phoenix Labs
Publisher
Phoenix Labs
Release
September 08, 2023
For a game like Stardew with a bit more of a fantastical flavor to it, check out Fae Farm. Set in the realm of Azoria, you will do the usual farming, crafting, and relationship building, but also cast spells and do some light combat. The world is bright and soft with adorable critters to interact with and cool ways to customize your character. This game feels like a response to all the requests people have from other sims all wrapped up in one cute package.
Announcement Trailer | Fae Farm
Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox has been a writer at Digital Trends for over four years and has no plans of stopping. He covers all things…
The best split-screen Switch games
The cast of Super Mario Party Jamboree.

The Nintendo Switch introduced many innovations when it was released, with the most prominent being the ability to play the console as a handheld or docked in a TV. What isn't talked about as often is how amazing the Joy-Con controllers are for enabling split-screen play. Thanks to each one being able to function as a full controller, you can start playing the best Switch games with a friend without investing in more hardware. With such a deep library of games, many of which are multiplayer, you have an overwhelming number of options for the best split-screen games. If you've got a partner ready to play, we'll help you pick the best split-screen games you can play today.

There aren't a ton of upcoming Switch games left, but you should still browse that list for more options while we wait for the Switch 2.

Read more
The best live-service games
Yareli Warframe riding Merulina.

We're currently living in an age where there are so many great games to choose from, and only more upcoming video games to look forward to. The biggest problem is having the time and money to play everything you want. Some games are short, others are long, but the ones that can really get their hooks in you are live-service games.

These titles offer consistent updates of new content to keep you coming back for months or years at a time. They're almost always multiplayer-focused, with cross-platform support so you can not only play almost anywhere but with whoever you want. Being such a massive time investment, joining a live-service game late can feel very overwhelming. That's why we've looked through all the best PS5 games, best PC games, and best Xbox Series X games to find the best live-service games that offer the most fun for the lowest cost.

Read more
The best video game DLCs of all time
A rider approaching a flame golem Shadow of the Erdtree.

There's a certain sadness to finishing one of the best games of all time. While the experience itself was great, seeing it come to an end leaves you looking for the next upcoming game or waiting for its sequel, which could be years away. However, some developers stick with their current game a bit longer and add in DLC down the road, which gives you a new reason to revisit that title. These expansions can add new areas, quests, modes, weapons, stories, characters, and more. Some even act as small sequels themselves to bridge the gap into new games or maybe add backstory and context to the world only hinted at before. There are also DLC packs that only add in some cosmetics, but those aren't the kind that will make this list. These are the best DLC expansions that are arguably even better than the main game.

If you need a place to start before getting into DLC, we also picked out the best PS5 games, best Xbox Series X games, best PC games, and best Switch games.

Read more