10 Best Cozy Games of the 2020s (So Far)

Cozy games have had a surge in the 2020s, and I couldn't be happier. We're more than halfway through the 2020s, and it's been a great decade for the genre, with plenty more still on the way with My Time at Evershine, Witchbrook, and so many more on the horizon.

The first half of the 2020s has seen some of the best in recent years. We're so lucky to get creative, innovative, and brand-new IPs from indie developers all the time. For such a seemingly limited formula, cozy games have endless iterations, and there's truly something for everyone. Here are some of the top cozy games, and I'm sure you'll find something you'll love.

10 Wanderstop

Take Time to Heal

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There are several things that are great about Wanderstop. The first thing that comes to mind is that it's a tale about healing. Burnout, PTSD, and just the stress of living can become overbearing. And so, when a game comes along and treats a narrative like this with kindness, it hits hard.

Wanderstop is a story about gentle healing. You take on the role of a soldier who's made her way to a roadside tea shop. As you grow plants and learn to brew perfect cups of tea for your guests, the meditative calmness of the ritual and simple connections lead to recovery. We all need a little gentleness in our lives, and Wanderstop gets that down to a T.

9 Coral Island

A Tropical Adventure

For those who were disappointed by The Sims 4: Island Living, Coral Island could be just the thing to fill the island cozy game shaped hole in your life. Coral Island is one of those games that just gets everything right. It has a beautiful art style, is set on a tropical island, and offers a blend of normal everyday farming and homesteading mechanics with just the right amount of magic.

This is a game that goes all in on the island vibes. There's an underwater Merfolk Kingdom to explore where you can befriend merfolk, heal the ocean and reef, and a ton of interesting characters to meet. It doesn't change the formula, but gets every single point just right.

8 Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Just Ten Minutes a Day

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons stands out on this list for several reasons. It stands apart from other cozy games in that it syncs with your timezone and hemisphere, so the days and seasons mirror your own wherever you are. As a person who lives in the often forgotten Southern Hemisphere, I appreciate this touch. It also only lets you play for a short amount of time per day.

This seems like it could be limiting, but it turns Animal Crossing into a daily habit that doesn't take away from the rest of your day. Burnout in cozy games is real, and this approach forces you to avoid that entirely.

7 Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream

More Ant Farm Than Dollhouse

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Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream took the world by storm. It's considered an improvement on its predecessors in every way, and this time miis can have LGBT relationships, making it more inclusive, accessible, and friendly to more people.

The best part of Tomodachi life is the freedom of playing god. Watching over your creations as they interact with each other and build relationships on their own is any storyteller's dream come true. Some have compared Tomodachi Life to an ant farm, and that's a very accurate description. It won't take up much of your day, but the fun of it is its unpredictability and seeing what relationships form on their own.

6 Disney Dreamlight Valley

Bring Back the Magic

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Disney Dreamlight Valley is like if Kingdom Hearts was a cozy game. You create a character to inhabit the world of Dreamlight Valley, a place where Disney's most iconic characters live. You're isekai'd there and are given magical powers to heal and defend the land, but it's ultimately a game that lets you farm crops and decorate while wearing princess dresses that every little girl dreams of.

Disney magic is real, and no matter how cynical I become about its recent movie outputs, the old stuff gets me every single time. I love Disney when it's good, and Dreamlight Valley reminds me of why it has such a special place in my heart. It's fun, it's relaxing, it's pretty, and it lets me meet characters that I feel like I've known my entire life.

5 Roots of Pacha

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Roots of Pacha is the cozy game I reach for when I just don't want to deal with combat. Set in the Stone Age, you're responsible for building a new home for your clan, using the tools and equipment available to the average caveman.

This is a fun game that deviates from the usual farm sim. Because there's no combat, and it's instead focused on building the foundations of civilization. Working with the other members of your clan to build something new in a peaceful way is one of the best ways to unwind, and it makes the game as a whole feel really meaningful beyond optimization and creating the perfect aesthetic.

4 Deer & Boy

An Emotional Journey

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A boy and a fawn meet and help each other survive the world. This is a simple premise but comes with a lot of heart and some gorgeous visuals. Deer & Boy is a sidescrolling puzzle game, but the way it uses its visuals makes the world truly feel alive. It uses everything at its disposal to make it a compelling adventure that you can finish in just a few hours a day over the course of a week.

Deer & Boy's design means that its progression can be meaningfully followed. You acquire different abilities as you progress, and it truly feels as though you've changed from the beginning to the end of the story.

3 Spiritfarer

Saying Goodbye is the Hardest Part

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Spiritfarer hits that spot between deeply emotional with an addictive gameplay loop. For those who love exploration, building, and design in their cozy games, Spiritfarer hits the mark in its everyday game mechanics. The everyday mundane of building and designing a ship that can host a range of spirits is interspersed with some of the most emotional moments in gaming.

Its gorgeous art style, standout characters, and touching story truly make Spiritfarer one of the greats of gaming, even outside the cozy genre. A satisfying gameplay loop is one thing, but finding a story that sticks with you long after you turn off the game is something to be cherished.

2 Fields of Mistria

A Shoujo Pixel Farming Sim

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Fields of Mistria is one of those games that make you feel like you've slipped into a hot bath. It's so warm and comforting, from its visuals and art style to its characters and story.

I'm a big fan of magic in my games, and Fields of Mistria basically turns you into a warlock druid. Magic is intrinsically tied to the land, helping you grow plants, summon rain, and rejuvenate your energy. The characters are genuinely charming, and they comment on any changes in the town or additions to the museum in insightful and hilarious ways. Fields of Mistria doesn't necessarily do anything new in the cozy genre, but it takes an established formula and creates the best version of it.

1 My Time at Sandrock

An Underrated Gem

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My Time at Sandrock is like if Fallout was a cozy game. It has the wasteland, but instead of just coping with it, the aim is to heal it. It has dozens upon dozens of hours of main story here alone. With character quests, building, decorating, mining, and foraging, a single playthrough can run over hundreds of hours.

There's so much to do in My Time at Sandrock, and it's all so good. The residents of Sandrock are a mix of charming, likable, eccentric, and downright devious. What really captured me was taking this town on the brink of collapse, and planting the seeds of hope. I'm not lying when I say it genuinely made me shed tears in places, and made me laugh out loud with its genuinely hilarious dialogue and storytelling. This is a gem and well-worth anyone's time and money, especially if you're waiting for My Time at Evershine.