Best Cozy Games On Switch

Unpacking (Switch eShop)

The multi-award-winning Unpacking sounds simple: take stuff out of boxes, put it in the house you just moved into.

However, the interactions with the items you own and the rooms you're unpacking into are surprisingly — forgive the pun — moving. It's a charming little experience that's perfect for winding down after a long day.

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A Short Hike (Switch eShop)

A Short Hike has a lot of the hallmarks of a great cozy indie game: talking animals, a message about stopping to smell the roses, and the kind of soundtrack that you want to listen to in the bath. It's just downright lovely.

For a game that's nominally about a "short hike" up a mountain (to get reception on your phone), A Short Hike becomes about a lot more quite quickly, whether that's finding secrets, helping people out, or just exploring the world on your way up (and down, and back up again).

There's plenty of joyful, wonderful moments to be discovered in A Short Hike, but the best one of all is when you realise that the journey is sometimes more important than the destination.

Untitled Goose Game (Switch eShop)

What do you think of when we say the word "cozy"? Is it a little family of pigs, wearing knitted jumpers? Perhaps it's an anthropomorphic fox drinking tea? Well, you're all wrong. The most cozy thing is a horrible goose terrorising a village with a chaotic accompanying classical piano soundtrack.

You already know Untitled Goose Game, most likely, since it went very viral when it came out, but in case you haven't already played it, it's all about a naughty goose who loves stealing things and honking loudly. It's daft, silly fun, with a lot of wonderful moments that emerge out of the goose's antics, like making a man fall down by stealing his chair, or trapping a child in a phone box.

Honestly, Untitled Goose Game's humour is what sets it apart: it's the kind of game that's all about gentle pranks and being very, very annoying, but no one really gets hurt or becomes the real butt of the joke.

Yoku's Island Express (Switch eShop)

Bugs in pinball might sound more like a job for the vacuum cleaner than a video game, but hear us out: Yoku's Island Express is one of the most hidden-est gems on the Nintendo Switch. You're a lil beetle, and you need to deliver post; what better way to do it than to fling yourself around the map in a pinball-puzzle-platformer game?

Along the way, you'll learn about the inhabitants of the island, their various secrets, and best of all, you'll find that size is no limit when you're heart's big enough for the task.

No bugs were harmed in the making of this game.

A Little To The Left (Switch eShop)

Similar to Unpacking, but with its own twist, A Little To The Left is all about rearranging objects in your house just so.

This means stacking papers in size order, books in height order, and lining up game cartridges perfectly. It's satisfying to make things look nice and organised, and ALTTL nails that feeling.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch)

At a very specifically not-cozy time in our lives — the beginning of a global pandemic — Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out, and soothed a lot of our worries away with its candy-coloured, animal-befriending holiday island.

Sure, you can play ACNH in a number of different ways, a lot of which are stressful — like trying to collect all the pieces of furniture, terraforming your village, or visiting deserted island after deserted island to try and find Marshal because you NEED him on your island... but at the end of the day, it's a game all about relaxation, making friends, decorating houses, and placing flowers in a cute little garden that you designed.

With the co-op features, it gets even cozier, as you can welcome people to your island in order to trade, show off your designs, or just hang out in the lovely Museum. If only life were this simple.

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure (Switch eShop)

From the makers of Monument Valley comes Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, a charming little bird-watching, animal-identifying, squirrel-washing game that's all about saving the wildlife in a cute little pastel town.

The titular Alba is partaking in an "island cleanup initiative", which involves rescuing critters, picking up trash, and literally cleaning up puddles of toxic goop. There are plenty of townspeople to talk to as well, including your grandparents, who you'll be staying with. Alba can also take photos of the animals she sees, so just like real life, your phone will be stuffed with pics of tiny, round birbs.

Developer UsTwo Games call Alba a "chillectathon", and that's what you can expect: despite its rather ominous environmental message, it's a very calm and relaxing game.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Switch)

We're not trying to sound smug or anything, but we liked Toads way before it was cool. Years of being teased for picking the lil mushroom guy in Mario Kart 64, and we never stopped believing. Now that the best Toad of all — Captain Toad — has his own game, we feel vindicated.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a neat little puzzle game that's just unnecessarily pretty, with 3D vignettes that you can rotate around to find secrets and solutions. On the Nintendo Switch, there are even more puzzles to muddle your way through, plus multiplayer Toad mayhem, if you fancy it.

What with Toads being significantly smaller and very much rounder than our usual Mario-shaped hero, everything in Treasure Tracker is at least 200% cuter. What's not to love?

Stardew Valley (Switch eShop)

Who among us hasn't dreamed of sacking it all in and going to work on a farm? Think about it: instead of emails, you get fresh strawberries. Instead of deadlines, it's all about crop rotation. And instead of having to go on some terrible dating app, you just give someone an egg every day until they love you.

Stardew Valley is all about taking life slow, but don't let that fool you into thinking it's easy — there's plenty of depth to be found, including the literal depth of the mines, which are stuffed with hazards, traps, monsters, and TREASURE.

Also, you can get really into making your farm as efficient as possible... or you can just turn it into a pig paradise, if you want. It's up to you!

Littlewood (Switch eShop)

We imagine that actual farmers would probably dispute their livelihood being constantly touted as "cozy", given how much poo, death, and screaming is involved, but Littlewood is yet another game that makes farming look very appealing. It's not just farming in this one, though — it's your standard combo of farm-fight-friendship.

What sets Littlewood apart is its story. Rather than being a dead guy's granddaughter in a cosy little town in the middle of nowhere, you are the hero who saved the world, but you don't remember any of it. Neither does the villain, in fact — but you'll have to revitalise the ruins of your last battle together. What a lovely way to start a tale!

Spiritfarer (Switch eShop)

How fitting, to finish off this list with a game about death. But wait! It's not about the horrifying reality of mortality — Spiritfarer is all about finding peace and comfort before going off to eternal rest.

As the person who ferries spirits to their final destination, you'll also have to let them live on your barge until they're ready to pass on — and that means helping them fulfil their unfinished business. We're talking "I want to tell this person what I really think about them," not "I want to get revenge on the person who murdered me", by the way.

All of the spirits are represented by animals, from snakes to hedgehogs, and best of all, you can hug them. With a gorgeously-animated look, and the ability to upgrade your barge however you please, Spiritfarer is definitely worth a play... if you can handle the weepy parts.

Two Point Campus (Switch)

Two Point Campus is a masterclass management sim game bursting with creative new ideas and a wholly original approach to success. Its wholesome ‘invest in students and they’ll invest in you’ strategy is a beautiful way to put a positive spin on an otherwise NPC-exploitative genre.

Two Point Hospital isn't here because, well, you have people's lives in your hands — that's not cozy now, is it? It's still very good! Just with a bit more danger.

Kitaria Fables (Switch)

Kitaria Fables is another farming 'n' fighting game, with the added twist that A) everyone is an anthropomorphic animal and B) magic is illegal, and you're a magic user. A deep story is woven through the game, which will have you seeking the answers behind the banning of magic, defeating bosses, levelling up your equipment, and grinding. LOTS of grinding.

It's a pretty brilliant RPG, and it has more than a little in common with the cult favourite Level-5 RPG, Fantasy Life — fans of the latter should definitely check it out.

New Pokémon Snap (Switch)

Take some photos and have a nice time in New Pokémon Snap, a game that's all about just enjoying your time with and around Pokémon, instead of catching them and making them fight. If only there were more of this in the Pokémon series!

We're shocked it took this long for a new Pokémon Snap game to come out, honestly. The idea is perfect for kids and families, and it contains all of the joy of photographing nature, just in the comfort of your own home. Bliss.

Rune Factory 4 Special (Switch)

There’s something here for everyone in Rune Factory 4 Special, but its greatest strength is how it ties together everything into one thoroughly enjoyable package. Varied gameplay, strong writing, and an emphasis on progressing at your own pace make this one of the best farm sim games available on the Switch. We’d give this one a high recommendation to anyone looking for an engaging yet undemanding game for their Switch.

On Switch Rune Factory 4 Special proves itself to be a modern classic that melds farming and combat into a beautiful RPG experience.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Switch)

Nothing's cozier than the little pink puffball who just wants to eat cake and have friends, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land is extremely cosy, with beautiful environments, adorable friends (and enemies, sob) and a ton of moments that will warm your frozen hearts. It's not challenging — Kirby games rarely are, and that's okay — but it has a thrilling momentum to it that keeps you coming back for more.

Just stay away from that deep Kirby lore...

Strange Horticulture (Switch eShop)

Strange Horticulture is set in a bizarro-style English Lake District, where real-life place names nestle amid castles, stone circles and religious cults. The player runs an apothecary dealing in specialist plants with medicinal, mind-altering, magical and even mechanical effects. Each day, a series of customers arrive at your counter in need of horticultural help. By cross-referencing what’s on your plant shelf with what’s in your plant-cyclopaedia, you identify the salves, syrups and embrocations that are needed.

A very cozy one for fans of plants, but be warned... the story might get a bit dark, with cults and poison hidden amongst its leaves.

Lil Gator Game (Switch eShop)

There are few games out there that successfully capture childlike wonder and imagination better than Lil Gator Game. Despite some minor issues with the writing and how directionless the adventure can feel at times, it's easy to forgive small frustrations when a game is as wonderfully charming from start to finish as this.

Lil Gator is adorably cosy fun and comes with a recommendation for anyone remotely interested in feeling like a kid again. It's also getting some DLC in 2025, so what better time to jump in?

Chicory: A Colorful Tale (Switch eShop)

Although the story at the heart of Chicory is one of imposter syndrome, anxiety, and pushing friends away, the story is told so beautifully and personally that you can't help but be won over through your tears.

Pizza — the main character, who is named after your favourite food — is such a wonderful protagonist, and everyone you meet, from the loveable Cardamom to the weirdo Pickle is an instant favourite.

Abzu (Switch eShop)

Oh, how we would love to have more games like Abzu — games that are about swimming in the ocean, surrounded by rainbows of fish and ribbons of seaweed, the sunlight streaming through the surface.

Unfortunately, almost every ocean-exploration game tends to have scary ocean monsters, like Subnautica, that sort of ruin the experience. Admittedly, Abzu has a shark, and that shark can be a bit scary, but most of the game is so beautiful that we can forgive Mr Bitey.

Unravel Two (Switch)

If video games have taught us anything over the years, it’s that adventures are always better when undertaken with a friend. Experiencing a challenging mission for the first time. Overcoming a boss with hard-fought teamwork. Solving a puzzle at the exact same moment. Co-op can often give us some of gaming’s most meaningful moments. That sentiment must have been in the mind of Swedish developer Coldwood Interactive when it began working on the sequel to heartfelt platformer Unravel, because it really shows.

But! You can also play this wonderful woollen puzzle-platformer on your own, and it's just as good.

TOEM (Switch eShop)

Toem is a charming photography game that’s full of great moments, a lot of heart, and clever puzzles. You’ll travel around the black and white world, encountering interesting characters, all set in diorama-style levels that are begging you to explore them. By solving their problems with your trusty camera, you’ll earn stamps to allow you to move on to the next bus stop, ready to see what’s next.

Like a great album you put on at the end of the day to wind down, Toem is an incredibly relaxing experience that you'll wish you could experience all over again once it's finished. It almost makes us want to start capturing photographs of the world around us, but sadly, we don’t have a duck dressed as a lighthouse keeper to show them to. If only.

Night In The Woods (Switch eShop)

Make no mistake about it, Night In The Woods will stay with you. There aren’t very many games out there that manage to leave an imprint on the people who take the time to experience them, but Infinite Fall’s emotional adventure into rural isolationism, palpable Americana and the melancholy of long lost youth does just that. It’s both tongue-in-cheek and deeply tragic, with one eye winking at the audience and another turned inward at the very real growing pains of finding your very own place in the world.

We weren't sure whether to include NITW on this list — it's distinctly heartbreaking and occasionally sinister — but there's something about the familiarity of its story and its autumnal setting that makes it cozy all the same.

Coffee Talk (Switch eShop)

This visual novel, set in a supernatural fantasy version of Seattle, serves up a refreshing brew of angst, introspection and coffee beans. You're the barista for a wide cast of weirdos and caffeine addicts, serving them drinks based on their unspecific requests for things that are "a bit sweet" or "good for a cold". Behind the bar, you'll get to listen to the customers as they chat, and what could be cozier than that?

Coffee Talk should be the talk of the cozy gaming space — it's just lovely, and with a sequel already out and a spin-off on the way, this is the perfect winter warmer.

Minecraft (Switch)

Don't listen to the people who say that Minecraft is about slaying Creepers and going to an almost-literal version of hell. Sure, it can be, but it can also be a relaxing building game. Set the game to Creative Mode and you can build to your heart's content.

Make an aquarium, befriend some polar bears, build yourself an ice mansion — the world is your (blocky) oyster.

Railbound (Switch eShop)

Railbound is a cel-shaded puzzle game about trains, and it's super cute. It starts ever so innocently, asking for a little railway line to connect a carriage to its engine, and sings with toots and chuffs as a billow of smoke from the locomotive clears to reveal the next stage.

By the 100th level, however, it becomes a head-scratcher that’ll wear your nails to nubs — but don't worry! There's a hint system. Lucky you.

ISLANDERS Console Edition (Switch eShop)

Casual city-builder Islanders is great for short sessions or long sessions. More Tetris than SimCity, the game is all about slotting in buildings between other buildings to get a good score. You do this by placing serene buildings so that the right kinds of chilled-out things group together.

Houses, for example, benefit from proximity to things like markets and circuses. Unlike in city sims, you don’t lay infrastructure – no tarmac, no cables or pipes, no zoning – and there is randomness determining which structures are available to place at any time. Cozy? Mm, you bet.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch)

Breath of the Wild is the coziest Zelda game, so we're sneaking it onto this list right at the end. Sure, there's nothing "cozy" about an evil megalomaniacal pig-man taking over the world, or about waking up 100 years after most of your friends have died... but don't worry about it!

Just explore the gorgeous world of Hyrule, cook some dishes, discover new things, and, uh... Zelda can just wait for a bit longer, yeah?

Dorfromantik (Switch eShop)

Dorfromantik's peachy-pink peaceful puzzler vibes will soothe your soul.

Imagine a mixture of Carcassonne and watching a child play with blocks, and you're sort of halfway to Dorfromantik's charm. You get a bunch of hex tiles with things on them — houses, railway tracks, forests and so on — and you have to match them up with tiles you've already placed, eventually creating entire countrysides of your own imagination. Sure, you're trying to get "points" — it wouldn't really be compelling without a goal — but the little settlements you build are lovely in their own right, too.

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition (Switch)

Dragon Quest XI is a game designed for people who want to wind down after a long day of work. It's a typical JRPG like Final Fantasy or Xenoblade — save the world, gather friends to create a party, travel from town to town to complete quests — but unlike many other JRPGs, it's so chill.

It's cute, it's low-stakes, and it's pleasant for 10-minute or 5-hour sessions alike. It'll also keep you busy for a veeeery long time, so make sure to have plenty of warm drinks on hand.

Fae Farm (Switch)

A gloriously thoughtful and beautiful farming game that's packed to the brim with details and charm, Fae Farm is unfortunately let down by its lacklustre NPCs and social dynamics. But with the rest of the game being so enticing, we're almost willing to let it slide.

A handful of bugs, a bit of a grind, and a sinfully boring spouse can't take the shine off this wonderful, whimsical world that's full of things to do and discover.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town (Switch)

This remake of the Game Boy Advance game, Friends of Mineral Town, is everything Harvest Moon fans should want. It offers a glossy remake of the visuals, plus a slight reworking of everything else to make it a more pleasant experience.

Tend your farm, raise animals, and get married — or just head into the mines for a week, if you want. This is the best non-Stardew farming you'll find on the Switch.

Windosill (Switch eShop)

Windosill has been out for years, and its gentle, unique aesthetic and surreal puzzles have clearly left a stamp on games like Donut County and Monument Valley since. Now it's on Switch, you can experience this game for yourself.

This is a game that's 100% focused on relaxation, exploration, and fun surprises. It's all about investigating and toying with your surroundings, revelling in how tactile and responsive everything is as you work to find the little cube you need to open a door and trundle your cute toy car into the next room.

Beacon Pines (Switch eShop)

Playing Beacon Pines feels a bit like early winter nights, where you’re surprised by how quick the darkness creeps up – yet comfy and warm under a blanket. It fits snugly in with the Switch’s other cosy offerings.

You play as Luka, a 12-year-old deer who's dealing with the loss of his parents and a Twin Peaks-inspired takeover of his town. The story is told through a literal book, which you help to write by choosing words to fill in the blanks — but your word choice will influence the story itself, leading to a number of different endings. Also, all of the characters are adorable anthropomorphic animals wearing clothes. It's so cute.

Tinykin (Switch eShop)

What if Pikmin was less existentially horrifying, and way cuter? It's possible, because that's what Tinykin is — a sort of Borrowers-meets-Chibi Robo game in which a tiny gaggle of the titular Tinykin follow you around and help you solve puzzles.

Tinykin is more than just a wholesome, stress-free 3D platformer or 'Pikmin Lite'; it's a lesson in appreciating the simple things in life, including the help from those around you. Even with a mass of collectables and a free-flowing storyline to follow, Tinykin never feels cluttered or overwhelming. Despite feeling a lot like a certain Nintendo series when you first pick it up, the game has enough of a unique identity to separate itself from the pack, offering a pleasant, pure platforming spin on Pikmin.

Kirby's Dream Buffet (Switch eShop)

Kirby's Dream Buffet is a colourful and chaotic slice of slapstick party game action that serves up a nice range of modes to play either offline, in online ranked matches, and with friends in split-screen or local play modes.

This is an easy, breezy game to jump into, perfect for beginners and young gamers, with plenty of courses, lots of unlockable goodies, and a budget price point to boot, making for one delicious treat that we're gonna be digging into for some time to come.

Cult of the Lamb (Switch eShop)

Yes, Cult of the Lamb is about demonic rituals and satanic practices, but that doesn't mean it can't be cute, too!

Gameplay is one part survival sim and one part action-roguelike, divided neatly between your duties tending to your ‘flock’ and your efforts to fight your way through the forests of heretics. Dungeon runs help you get materials and new followers, and heading back to your base means taking care of your existing followers' faith, needs, and hunger. It can be stressful, but no one said running a cult was easy.

Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation -The Endless Seven-Day Journey- (Switch eShop)

This never-endingly titled game is a mash-up of Shin-chan (an impish five year old who has his own manga and anime series) and My Summer Vacation, a series from the early 2000s about a boy whiling away a month of summer days in the Japanese countryside, exploring, chasing bugs, fishing, having dinner and a bath, and generally letting his imagination find adventure in a place with nothing too thrilling to do.

If childhood summers sound like bliss to you — the warmth of the sun on your scalp as you fish for frogs in the local pond, that kind of thing — then just know that this game nails it. Then head on over to Coal Town for more lovely Shin-chan action.

PowerWash Simulator (Switch eShop)

The concept of power washing in a video game might seem daft (look, we have all sorts of sim games), but when PowerWash Simulator arrived on Switch, we couldn't put it down.

It's so easy to lose yourself in the methodical, relaxing routine of cleaning. It’s wonderful and to be perfectly honest has absolutely no right to be as much fun as it is, whether you're going solo or joining friends online for a co-op squirt session.

Disney Dreamlight Valley (Switch eShop)

Disney Dreamlight Valley might be a Mickey-flavoured take on Animal Crossing, but that doesn't mean it's not well worth a look.

You don't even really have to be a Disney fan to enjoy its flavour of life sim, with plenty of cooking, farming, fishing, and house decorating to charm your Frozen-themed socks off — although if you are a Disney fan, you'll have a great time with all the references to your favourite movies.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (Switch)

Snuggle up with a thick slice of bara brith for Level-5's Welsh-tinged adventure RPG, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, which plays like a Studio Ghibli film with a weird little fairy as your companion and a Pokémon-like battle mechanic.

The environments are lush, the character animation is worthy of its Ghibli comparisons, and the story feels like a real-life fairy tale that's suitable for kids, but gets deep and dark enough for adults, too.

Botany Manor (Switch eShop)

It looks like The Witness and it plays a bit like StreetPass Garden, but Botany Manor blooms into something that's not only entirely its own, but also something quite special.

Don't let its cozy aesthetics fool you — Botany Manor is packed with nicely challenging, well-designed puzzles, and isn't afraid to tackle heavy subjects, too.

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley (Switch eShop)

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley opens with a goodbye. As an outsider, Snufkin doesn’t hibernate with the Moomins and must wander lonelily through the ice. The prospect of a reunion in the spring sets up a bittersweet mood, sews a seed of hope that grows throughout the game, and kicks off a quest to restore everything to its rightful place.

Accomplished gameplay design and magical sounds and visuals make the whole adventure a delight. The Moomins are just about one of the cosiest properties on Earth, and this lovely adventure proves hope triumphs above all else.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure (Switch eShop)

Come on — it's Hello Kitty! This surprise Apple Arcade hit came to Switch in 2025 and delighted us with its blend of Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing. There's a daily routine to get lost in — give gifts, collect materials, speak to the residents, do daily quests. But there's also a whole story to follow.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is just a lovely game to snuggle down with, and with constant events and updates, we'll be comfy with this for a while yet.