The Best Cozy Games to Play When You Need to Chill the Heck Out

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Gamers love to go fast. That's why they're always pounding energy drinks, strapping into aerodynamic-looking gaming chairs, and screaming at their screens. But not every gamer acts like the Honeycomb Kid got his hands on some G FUEL. Personally, I need a break in between every 100-plus hour adventure. A guy can walk around so many open worlds before he wishes the map actually had a definitive end. A trillion procedurally generated planets? Please. I have to go to work tomorrow.

Most of the time, I'm not knee-deep in my 40th Yakuza side quest. Sure, I am right now. But, like I said, most of the time I'm actually booting up a cozy game. The best way I can explain what the modern cozy game? You can play these titles while lying down. Plus, cozy games allow you to solve puzzles, complete tasks, and explore virtual worlds with one goal in mind: Pure relaxation. So, if you're looking to take a break from the humdrum and escape for a few hours, we have the perfect titles for you.

PGA Tour 2K23

Want to enjoy the coziness of your local golf course without, you know, putting on uncomfortable clothes and sweating out half your body weight? PGA Tour 2K23 and its lush courses, mellow gameplay, and soothing soundtrack will do the trick.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Obviously, none of us knew that Animal Crossing: New Horizons would debut during the pandemic—but it ended up being the perfect remedy for all of us who were trapped inside. New Horizons gifted gamers a virtual island, where they could start a new life. Your friends could even visit your island from the comfort of their own homes! At the time, we couldn't see my friends in real life, but we could see them every day in Animal Crossing. Seriously, how did we get through pandemic without New Horizons?

Stray

Dog people, turn away, and feline lovers, come hither: Stray is the game that lets you play as a cat. There's plenty of action and adventure involved, sure, but don't you just want to mosey around and do cat stuff? Yeah, you do.

Katamari Damacy

Katamari Damacy is as simple as a video game can possibly be: You roll a big ball around and collect items to make the ball larger. Still, there might not be anything more rewarding than playing with said ball. Trust me. When you start out smaller than a peanut and grow so large that you're picking up entire buildings, it feels as rewarding as winning an Elden Ring boss fight.

Toem

Toem is a game about—wait for it—taking photos on a hike. You play as this cute guy on the left as he meets other hikers, helps them locate lost items, and finds his way to the top of a mountain for some rad views. Plus, Toem only takes about six hours to enjoy everything it has to offer.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Believe it or not, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the first Pokémon game that actually allows you to aim a Poké Ball and catch the creature as it walks around the map. Arceus also (admirably) takes exploration and cataloguing very seriously. If you're looking to play your first Pokémon title, I couldn't recommend anything better than Arceus.

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is the cozy game to end all cozy games. (And while we're at it, the farming simulator to end all farming simulators.) Inherit your (fictional) grandfather's farm and get to work, folks—relaxation awaits.

Microsoft Flight Simulator: 40th Anniversary

Want to cosplay as Tom Cruise's Maverick on a vacation day—just soaring through the skies without a care in the world? Microsoft Flight Simulator—which is so detailed that it teaches you the ins and outs of flight and air traffic control—is your game.

Ooblets

Ooblets combines farming games and collect-a-thons like Pokémon into one seamless experience. Simply put: You grow the monsters yourself. Then, you take them out into the world to compete in dance battles. Sold? Sold.

A Short Hike

A Short Hike is true to its title. Gamers can complete a short hike in under four hours, making the journey one of the simplest, coziest, and most relaxing indie titles of the past decade. Plus, you get to play as a cute little bird.

Mario Party Superstars

If you're a fiercely competitive Mario Party player, I'm sorry: Mario Party Superstars is not the cozy game for you. If you simply enjoy shuffling around the board and laxly playing minigames? It'll help you unwind after a hellish week.

Mini Motorways

Have you ever wished that you could redesign all the roads you hate? Get places faster, move efficiently, etcetera? Well, Mini Motorways is your game. The gameplay is simple: draw a road from cars to buildings—and build the high-functioning city of your dreams.

Chants of Sennaar

Chants of Sennaar is unlike any game we've ever played before. Dropped into a world of confusing symbols and characters speaking gobbledygook, the player must put together phrases and actions to uncover new languages. Once you're using one new language to decipher another, you'll feel like an absolute genius.

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