Sign in to your ScreenRant account
Custom image by Katarina Cimbaljevic
2024 saw a string of cozy game releases on Nintendo Switch. With a variety of different types of cozy games to choose from, including life sims, farming sims, visual novels, and RPGs, there was a release for every type of cozy gamer. However, there were some game releases last year that truly were the cream of the crop, making waves among the cozy gaming community due to their unique features, art styles, and overall cozy vibes. Now that it is 2025, there are many games from 2024 that are still worth trying this year.
What makes a cozy game good are a variety of factors. These include the art style for the game, where some players gravitate more towards a 2D pixel-art style similar to the likes of Stardew Valley, and others prefer a 3D open-world animation style like Infinity Nikki. How relaxing a cozy game is matters, too, as the goal of the perfect cozy game is that a player can pick it up at any time, no matter where they are or what they've been doing, and be able to completely take it easy and escape the stress of day-to-day life in a good video gaming session. This list features 10 game releases from 2024 that feature the most relaxing and cozy vibes and beautiful art styles that are worth trying in 2025.
10 Botany Manor
Released In April 2024
Released in April 2024 on PC and console, Botany Manor was one of the most aesthetically beautiful cozy games to launch last year. In the game, players can experience setting foot in a 19th-century English manor where they will play the main protagonist, Arabella, who is a retired botanist.
Puzzle
Immersive Sim
Exploration
OpenCritic
Top Critic Rating:
83/100
Critics Recommend:
92%
Released April 9, 2024
Developer(s) Balloon Studios
Publisher(s) Whitethorn Games
Engine Unity
ESRB E For Everyone
How Long To Beat 3.5 hours
The cozy puzzle game focuses on players being able to explore the manor while stumbling across a variety of clues which describe exactly how to look after the range of plants that are growing in the manor's gardens. The relaxing narrative and gardening-focused gameplay features make Botany Manor an incredible cozy game to cuddle up with.
9 Snufkin: Melody Of Moominvalley
Released In March 2024
Based on the beloved Moomin stories written by Tove Jansson, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley was a popular game last year after its release in March 2024. What makes this game particularly unique is its focus on revolving around music and various musical mechanics, which make Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley a game that one won't forget after picking it up.
Your changes have been saved
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley
Adventure
Indie Games
RPG
Systems
OpenCritic
Top Critic Rating:
82/100
Critics Recommend:
90%
Released March 7, 2024
Developer Hyper Games
Publisher(s) Raw Fury
Engine Unity
ESRB E for Everyone
The hand-drawn art style provides an overall whimsical look in the game, and the immersive soundtrack truly sets the atmosphere. With the primary goal of the game being accompanying Snufkin while restoring harmony to Moominvalley, this game is a perfectly cozy game with an engaging story.
8 Bandle Tale
Released In February 2024
Bandle Tale is a whimsical life simulator game from the League of Legends universe that made waves in 2024. One of the charms of this game is that a player does not need to have any knowledge or interest in League of Legends in order to enjoy Bandle Tale, being able to simply pick up the game and enjoy it.
Set in the League of Legends universe, Bandle Tale is an adventure simulation game where players will help rebuild their home in Bandle City. Players will engage in an adventure as they craft, cook, farm, and more as they strive to stitch together their community and build a cozy home to help their residents thrive.
Systems
OpenCritic
Top Critic Rating:
72/100
Critics Recommend:
56%
Released February 22, 2024
Developer Lazy Bear Games
Publisher Riot Forge
Bandle Tale combines the usual farming sim activities like crafting and farming, but boasts a severe focus on the adorable hobby of knitting. Featuring lots of opportunities for exploration, the game also offers quite a rich and engaging storyline, while giving off a uniquely cozy aesthetic.
7 Little Kitty, Big City
Released In May 2024
One of the more wacky releases of 2024, Little Kitty, Big City is an exploration game where players can play as a cute stray cat. Offering the opportunity to escape day-to-day stress and envelop oneself in the game's unique, cartoon-like visuals, Little Kitty, Big City is a very lighthearted game with many humorous twists within its storyline.
8/10
Your changes have been saved
Little Kitty, Big City
OpenCritic
Top Critic Rating:
77/100
Critics Recommend:
78%
Released May 9, 2024
Developer(s) Double Dagger Studio
Publisher(s) Double Dagger Studio
Engine Unity
ESRB E For Everyone
How Long To Beat 3 Hours
The game features lots of problem-solving opportunities while the protagonist kitty learns to navigate the big city, stumbling across a variety of quirky NPCs and all sorts of side quests which keep the game fun and interesting.
6 Sticky Business
Released In April 2024
Sticky Business is one of the most relaxing and stress-free cozy games to be released in recent times, and it is scarily easy how much time one can sink into the game without realizing it going by. In Sticky Business, players can run their very own sticker shop, designing and printing their own unique stickers. From the sticker design to the packaging, everything in this game is customizable, allowing endless opportunities for player creativity.
The endless sticker design options are what can hook a player in easily, with no real objective in the game other than to be creative.
Players will need to check their customer orders every day and carefully select the appropriate items to fulfill each order, ensuring the success of their store. The art style of Sticky Business was evidently a very important factor in the game, as it presents the most adorable pixel art animation with colors like pink and purple being its primary ones. There is also a sticker design for everyone.
Your changes have been saved
Sticky Business
OpenCritic
Top Critic Rating:
78/100
Developer(s) Spellgarden Games
Publisher(s) Assemble Entertainment
ESRB E for Everyone
OpenCritic Rating Strong
Whether someone would like to create whimsigoth-style stickers with celestial elements, or they would like to make Halloween-themed, spooky stickers, there are so many designs to choose from. The endless sticker design options are what can hook a player in easily, with no real objective in the game other than to be creative.
5 Magical Delicacy
Released In July 2024
There was a lot of hype prior to the release of Magical Delicacy in 2024, as many players in the cozy gaming community look forward to more witchy-themed games akin to the likes of Wylde Flowers and The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood. In Magical Delicacy, players get to play a young witch who sets up a shop in a fantasy town.
Your changes have been saved
Magical Delicacy
OpenCritic
Top Critic Rating:
77/100
Critics Recommend:
50%
Released July 16, 2024
Developer Skaule
Publisher(s) Whitethorn Games
ESRB E For Everyone
OpenCritic Rating Strong
Merging together a unique experience of platforming and cooking mechanics, the pixel-art-styled game allows players to explore, manage resources, and concoct a variety of magical recipes in order to build the community and cement connections with the interesting NPCs in the game.
4 Stardew Valley (1.6 Update)
Released In November 2024
Stardew Valley has become the gold standard of cozy gaming, but dedicated solo developer ConcernedApe released even more content for the beloved farming and life sim in 2024. The 1.6 update brought plenty of new content to the game, including festivals, a farm type, many lines of NPC dialogue, and much, much more.
Stardew Valley is a charming indie farming scene that took the world by storm. After inheriting a run-down farm from their grandfather, the player moves to Stardew Valley to start a new life away from the city. Grow crops, raise animals, befriend the villagers, and discover the secrets the valley has to offer.
Released February 26, 2016
Developer(s) ConcernedApe
Publisher(s) ConcernedApe
ESRB E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
Metascore 89
Split Screen Orientation Vertical or Horizontal
Number of Players 1-4
OpenCritic Rating Mighty
Stardew Valley is a must-play for anyone that enjoys the cozy gaming genre, but even for those who have played it (perhaps many times), the 1.6 update adds enough content to make another playthrough more than worth it. Even though it's a free update, Stardew Valley 1.6 was good enough to qualify as one of Screen Rant's best games of 2024.
3 Tavern Talk
Released In June 2024
From the makers of the popular cozy game, Coffee Talk, Tavern Talk is a visual novel experience where players can take on the role of a bartender in a fantasy medieval tavern. Players will experience the locals popping in for chats and beverages, all of whom take a unique fantasy creature form.
Your changes have been saved
Tavern Talk
Released June 20, 2024
Developer Gentle Troll Entertainment
Publisher Gentle Troll Entertainment
ESRB Everyone 10+ // Fantasy Violence
OpenCritic Rating Strong
The gameplay's mechanics switch between narrative storytelling as players engage in conversation with their customers and the art of concocting the correct beverages for each of them. What makes this game such a hit is its immersive storytelling, and its drink-making mechanics are therapeutic. Tavern Talk's visuals are also exceptionally beautiful, with a stunning folk soundtrack to match.
2 Minami Lane
Released In February 2024
Initially releasing on PC and releasing later on in 2024 on the Nintendo Switch, Minami Lane is a short but very enjoyable game to try. One of the coziest games on the market right now, Minami Lane sees a series of Japanese-inspired towns that players need to upgrade through problem-solving as they figure out what the local residents would like for their town.
Your changes have been saved
Minami Lane
Released February 28, 2024
Developer(s) Doot , Blibloop
Publisher(s) Doot
ESRB e
How Long To Beat 3 Hours
OpenCritic Rating Strong
From curating the most perfect Boba in the local Boba café to cooking up the perfect Ramen recipe in the town's main restaurant, players will be able to see what the residents of the town like, with the goal being to make them happy. This game is perfect for those who enjoy the likes of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Stardew Valley.
1 Moonstone Island
Released In June 2024
Moonstone Island became prominent after its release in 2024 due to its many innovative gameplay features. The pixelated life sim boasts creature-collecting as its primary feature among others, including collecting spirits, brewing potions, exploring dungeons and temples, and more.
With an art style that is sure to appeal to fans of Stardew Valley and a theme that will likely entice players who enjoy a witchy theme, Moonstone Island is an excellent go-to to try in 2025.
The reason why Moonstone Island is so fun is because of the amount of different types of gameplay content it features, with an engaging storyline and fun minigames. With an art style that is sure to appeal to fans of Stardew Valley and a theme that will likely entice players who enjoy a witchy theme, Moonstone Island is an excellent go-to to try in 2025.
Moonstone Island is a monster-collecting adventure-simulation game from the developers at Studio Supersoft. Players will craft, adventure, and collect unique monsters as they travel across 100+ islands to become an alchemist. Players can meet others, build relationships, and have a cozy life in this comfortable simulation title.
Digital Card Game
Life Simulation
Farming
Systems
Developer(s) Studio Supersoft
Publisher(s) Raw Fury
Engine Construct
ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Mild Fantasy Violence, Use of Alcohol
How Long To Beat 30 Hours
OpenCritic Rating Strong
Each of the cozy games featured in this list offers something different, with a unique gaming experience within all of them. Whether someone is looking for a cozy adventure, a relaxing town management sim, or a game revolving around problem-solving, there is always a cozy game available for everyone.
Related
10 Cozy Games You Should Be Playing Right Now
Plenty of cozy games have the perfect gameplay and vibes to accompany the end-of-year seasons; here’s just 10 games perfect to get comfy with.
One of the brilliant things about each of the games on this list is that not only did they have a successful launch in 2024 and accumulate a devoted fanbase, but they also offer a timeless quality, allowing new players to be able to pick them up at any time to try them out on Nintendo Switch.
Your changes have been saved
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is the successor to 2012’s Wii U console. The Nintendo Switch allows gamers to easily switch between playing on a TV to a handheld console. The first model was released in 2017, followed by the Nintendo Switch Lite, which is strictly a handheld console. In October 2021, Nintendo released an upgraded Switch console with an OLED screen.
Brand Nintendo
Original Release Date March 3, 2017
Original MSRP (USD) $299.99
Weight .71 lbs
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25825874/fortnite_festival_multiplayer.png)
English (US) ·