The play-at-your-own-pace style, paired with charming art and relaxing music, is what draws me into cozy games. Just melt into a comfy couch or bed with a blanket (cold weather required) and sink into a world of warmth and calm—paradise.
Cozy games are the perfect counterbalance to intense ones like Helldivers 2 or Apex Legends. They’re the yin to my yang, the chill to the pew-pew. Whenever I need a break from chaos, these games are my go-to.
I’ve played a fair share of cozy games, and I thought it’d be fun to put together a list of my favorites across different consoles. I don’t want to limit anyone by making a list just for Switch or Xbox players—everyone deserves a cozy escape.
Here are my top cozy game picks that are sure to bring you comfort and joy, no matter your gaming setup:
Bear & Breakfast (PS5, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows)
Want to run hotels as a bear? This is one of the cutest management adventure games that I have tried. I really enjoyed the idea of a bear (Hank) interacting with humans and them being okay with it. You start by selling your soul to a corporate inflatable shark – I mean, Fin, from Pawn Voyage, who coaxes you into the idea of building a bed & breakfast. From here on you need to gather materials to build furniture and cook (later in the game). Took, a friendly animal that sells furniture, etc, is just one of the several neighbors you can purchase decorative items from. The way they introduce each character is quite fun, I just wish that traveling from one area to the other wouldn’t take too long. At this point it’s clear that Cozy Grove is quite taxing on the aging switch hardware, and the loading times are proof of that.
You can honestly jump in and out of the game easily, which is something that I have come to enjoy from some games. Want to play it for a full day or to play for a couple of minutes for the next three days? Cool, go ahead.
Little Dragon’s Cafe (Nintendo Switch, PS4, Microsoft Windows)
This is a game that I just fell in love with its art style. Little Dragon’s Cafe is about two siblings running the family’s Café. Follow them in their adventure as they encounter new people and have to take care of a baby dragon at the same time. You choose to play as one of the siblings and go around harvesting herbs, fruit, and meat needed to cook meals for your restaurant. You need to manage daily customer satisfaction: the time it takes to take an order, to serve a plate, the quality of the dish, and the employees that you have.
Finding the balance of managing your staff and restaurant, while gathering ingredients and discovering new areas is difficult at times, but satisfying. Add to that the puzzling mysterious illness that has fallen upon the siblings’ mother. Could the arrival of the dragon be linked to her fate? It is a heartwarming game that deserves more attention than it gets.
Cat Cafe Manager (Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows)
Another managing game, but with cats! You get to decorate and decide the set up of your Café. You can expand your café and hire employees to help out-, you will need it! Not only that, but you get to adopt cats and help find them new homes! You have to lure cats over to the restaurant with food, to get different types. Each cat has a unique personality and you need to make sure that you match them to a potential new owner. The characters and their stories are well thought out, and endearing.
The humor is on point; I frequently caught myself laughing at the dialogue and couldn’t help but show subtle Harry Potter-themed humor to my husband. If I had to criticize something, it would be that when I played it on the Switch, it seemed to lag a bit sometimes when I had to grab an order or when I had to clean a cat toilet. This is a game that you play once and then you’re good, but it is still worth it. I’m pretty excited to hear that they are working on a Cat Café Manager 2!
Witchy Life Story (Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series S and X, Microsoft Windows)
Ever wanted to be a witch, but the laid-back, spell-casting kind instead of the “battle evil forces” kind? Witchy Life Story lets you do just that. You play as a young witch sent to a village to prove your magical abilities by helping the townspeople with potions, spells, and tarot readings. You get to customize how your witch looks, what pointy witch hat they wear, to their shoes. Not only that, but you get a crow!
The interactions with the hand-drawn art style is whimsical, and the characters are full of personality. There’s no pressure—just vibes, self-expression, and a sprinkle of magic. This is a short (but sweet) game though – be warned. It has some simple mechanics for gardening, and though some might not find the stories of the other characters, I found the game very pleasant.
It is not a game that will be life-changing or leave a huge impact, but it is a nice game to relax with.
Yonder The Cloud Catcher Chronicles (PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows)
If Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing had a baby, it’d probably be Yonder. This open-world adventure lets you explore, farm, fish, craft, and complete quests at your own pace—without combat. Instead of fighting enemies, you help bring harmony back to the land by clearing “Murk” using magical sprites.
The world is stunning, and the slow, explorative gameplay makes it a perfect escape when you just want to unwind. I could not get enough of the cute animals you can have on your farms! They are just too cute- I can’t even. I also played this one on the Nintendo Switch and it got a bit clunky and blocky at times. It could also be because I have had my Switch for a while now, but this is what I experienced when playing it.
This is not a short game, but one that you can just play for a couple of minutes a day or just binge hours of it if you want!
Mineko’s Night Market (PS5, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, Mac operating systems)
If you love cats, crafting, and community events, Mineko’s Night Market is a must-try. You play as Mineko, a young girl who moves to a small town inspired by Japanese culture, where you help revive its famous night market while uncovering the mystery of the legendary Sun Cat, Nikko. I gotta admit- a big squishmallow-themed pillow of Nikko would just be ideal.
The game blends resource gathering, crafting, and running a market stall with social interactions and quirky mini-games like cat races and papercrafts. The hand-drawn art style is charming, and the story has a heartwarming message about creativity and friendship.
While the gameplay can feel a bit repetitive at times with the crafting mechanisms, the overall vibe, humor, and adorable cats make it a cozy delight worth experiencing. I did encounter a couple of times where the game would freeze and I had to restart the game (on the XBOX), but I could overlook them. If you enjoy games with a mix of tasks and story-driven progression, this one’s for you!