For the past 20-odd years, I have loved easy, open-world gaming. Ever since getting my first Game Boy Color, to my beloved (and heavily used) Nintendo DS Lite, and to my current handheld console, a limited edition Animal Crossing-themed Nintendo Switch, I have always opted for fun, simple games with open-ended goals and low-stakes progression.
Enter the 2020s term 'cozy gaming' — which is essentially just that — low commitment games that ooze aesthetic visual appeal, satisfying mechanics (like fishing, foraging and in some cases, flying), and hours upon hours of stress-free entertainment.
Some of my favourite cozy games are ones I've continued to play in short bursts for years at this point — namely, Animal Crossing and Disney Dreamlight Valley — but I've also dabbled in newer entries over the past few months, including my current obsession, Tiny Bookshop. The name pretty much gives away the synopsis — you own a cutesy bookshop caravan in a seaside town, and you can customise almost everything about it.
If you're anything like me, you might be after a cozy game to try out. Whether it's to reinvigorate your love for gaming or you want a stress-free hobby to plug into every night, these 12 Amazon finds will provide that and more. Better yet, most of these games are available for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 or PlayStation consoles. So if you're after a new cozy game, scroll on to find my top-rated picks below.
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