Recommend me your best cosy games — I need something after finishing Stardew Valley AGAIN

CasualGamerKat

2 posts · Joined Feb 2026

Feb 12, 2026 317 views

I have just completed my fourth full playthrough of Stardew Valley. I have married every marriageable NPC across different saves. I have completed the community centre and the Joja route (the Joja route felt genuinely evil and I think that was the point). I have reached floor 100 of the skull cavern. I have made so much artisan wine that my in-game barn resembles a small French chateau.

I need something new. But I also need it to be gentle. No games where things die horribly. No twitchy platformers. No anything where I can lose. Just vibes. Preferably with good music and a nice colour palette.

Things I have already played and loved:
- Stardew Valley (obviously)
- Animal Crossing New Horizons (peak pandemic therapy)
- Spiritfarer (I cried four times and I regret nothing)
- A Short Hike (perfect game, genuinely)
- Unpacking (I unpacked that game three times)

Things I am aware of but haven't played:
- Coral Island
- Sun Haven
- Potion Permit
- Wylde Flowers

Has anyone played any of these? What platform are you on? I have Switch, PS5, and PC so I'm not limited.

Also I am open to games that are not farming games if they have the same energy. Suggestions welcome. Be nice to me I am in post-Stardew withdrawal.

4 Replies

NintendoNerd Feb 13, 2026

Have you played Slime Rancher? First one specifically — the second is good but the first has a magic to it that's hard to explain. You collect slimes. They make sounds. There is no combat that matters. The world is pastel and full of mystery. It has the same quality as Stardew where you sit down for an hour and look up and it's 2am.

Also Kirby games in general. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is one of the most purely joyful games on Switch and it has absolutely zero sharp edges. Nothing bad happens to you in that game. It's like being wrapped in a warm blanket for 15 hours.

IndieSpotlight Feb 13, 2026

Wylde Flowers is absolutely worth your time — it's essentially Stardew with a witchcraft storyline and considerably more narrative focus on the characters. The voice acting is excellent and the LGBTQ+ representation is genuinely warm and well-handled rather than tokenistic.

Also: Coral Island is very good if you want something mechanically similar to Stardew. Deeper ocean diving mechanic, beautiful tropical setting, and the developers have been genuinely excellent with post-launch support.

RetroRaider64 Feb 14, 2026

I know I am the retro person and my suggestion is going to be unexpected but: Harvest Moon 64 on the Nintendo 64. It is the grandfather of everything you love about Stardew Valley and it holds up remarkably well. You can play it on modern hardware through the N64 Switch Online library if you have Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

Also I apologise for recommending something from 1999 in a cosy games thread. It's a condition.

CasualGamerKat ↩ RetroRaider64 Feb 14, 2026

Please never apologise for recommending a classic. I actually had no idea Harvest Moon 64 was on Switch Online. Downloading it tonight. If I disappear from this thread for a week you'll know why.

Going to try Wylde Flowers and Slime Rancher based on these suggestions. The Kirby recommendation is also noted — I keep ignoring Kirby games because they look very pink and extremely not-for-me and I'm told repeatedly that is the wrong attitude.