The Coziest Games to Play This Fall

Video games are often acclaimed for their ability to engage players with a variety of challenges. Whether it be intense platforming, sniping enemies from afar, or racing with friends through high-speed highway tracks, this addicting hobby is known to raise the hairs on our necks and force us to break a sweat. 

Thankfully, not all games are stressful. The expansion of several different casual gaming genres such as simulation and puzzle have made this hobby one that is palatable for even the most novice of participants. As the weather gets colder and people are cuddling up with a pillow on their couch, perhaps you also want to play a relaxing title that feels like fall? These are the coziest games to wind down with as the seasons become gloomier. 

Stardew Valley

An affordable and upbeat simulation game that has endured through the last decade is Stardew Valley. Play as a farmer who can shape your daily activities any way you want to and live vicariously through the hardworking rural folks in this pixelated indie experience. This title is an example of how simplicity and relatability make a casual game into something that can convert new fans into lifelong gamers.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

The most recent Animal Crossing title was the antidote to loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic a half-decade ago. As humans were locked in their homes to avoid the deadly virus, the cute little animals of New Horizons became the community that made the sun shine. The characters and sheer amount of content here are still impressive years later. 

Nintendogs

It might be hard to find a copy of Nintendogs all these years later, but it’s surely worth it if you do. This cornerstone title of the Nintendo DS era was a sign of what the company was aiming for during the late 2000s and early 2010s in a quest to dilute the difficulty of gaming for children and adults alike. Taking care of a puppy was just as fun here as in real life, and there wasn’t even any risk of stepping in dog poop or forgetting to feed it!

A Short Hike

Hiking in real life can be exhausting. Hiking in A Short Hike doesn’t require a nice pair of shoes or a long afternoon in the elements. Enjoy all the serenity of nature without the physical requirements of an actual trek up a mountain. Adam Robinson-Yu’s compact simulation adventure will wrap you in warmth and leave you thinking about the grandness of the world around us.

Kirby’s Epic Yarn

Kirby’s Epic Yarn changed the way the pink hero adventured by removing the main platforming mechanics of previous games and introducing a super-relaxed, arts and crafts world in which you can’t die. The end result is the best game in the series and one of the Wii’s defining titles. The yarn and beads transport you to a heavenly world of cozy platforming that redefine what it means to immerse yourself in a virtual utopia. Kirby’s Epic Yarn is like going to grandma’s house and never having to leave. 

Yoshi’s Crafted World

Yoshi’s Crafted World is the second spiritual sequel to Kirby’s Epic Yarn (after Yoshi’s Woolly World which is one of the Wii U games that needs a Switch 2 revival). The game isn’t quite as refined as Kirby’s version, but it’s more accessible today and gives you 90% of the same cuddly vibes and symbolic hugs. 

Unpacking

A brilliant combination of puzzle solving and simulation gaming, Unpacking is an example of the ways video games can make you reminisce about yourself. Each level represents the life of a character as you move their belongings into a new house or apartment. The tasks are always easy enough to solve without causing stress while showing the player unique things about the characters’ backgrounds.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village

The Professor Layton series is a giant in the point-and-click puzzle genre. Solve mysteries as Professor Layton and Luke while working out the solution to over 100 brainteasers in the first game of six in the mainline series. There are larger and deeper titles in Professor Layton’s world, but The Curious Village is where everyone should start. 

Spiritfarer

Spiritfarer is a poignant reminder to savor the experiences of our daily lives and always appreciate the ones we love. Players control Stella as she manages a ship that transports its inhabitants to the world beyond the living. It might sound depressing and existential, but it’s a daring and hopeful game that mixes simulation, action, platforming, farming, and more into one amazing package. 

Is This Seat Taken?

Logic puzzles have been one of my favorite pastimes for years, so I might be a little biased when I say that Is This Seat Taken? is an essential playthrough for anyone even remotely interested in these types of brainteasers. Make sure everyone is happy aboard a bus or in a crowded movie theater as each cute little character has a list of demands before they can feel comfy in public.