The best games like Animal Crossing are unhurried affairs prioritizing steady, wholesome progression over big-budget explosions and set pieces.
When the global pandemic broke out, and you prevented thousands of players from leaving their homes due to lockdown and quarantine procedures, Animal Crossing: New Horizons redefined the simulation genre by allowing them to seek refuge in Tom Nook’s world.
Here are the top Animal Crossing alternatives you can use right now, though Animal Crossing unquestionably stands out as unique in its own right.
Fortunately, the cozy game genre has expanded rapidly recently, and fans now have various niche games to choose from.
There is a game out there to hook fans of enjoyable games, no matter what players want—anything from slaying dragons to sailing the open seas to hiking up an adorable mountain.
Let’s discuss some of the best games, like animal crossing, without much ado.
Garden Paws
Animal Crossing significantly influenced Garden Paws’s lovely visuals and captivating slice-of-life gameplay. You are responsible for developing the town to realize the full potential of the farm you inherited from your grandparents.
A wide variety of characters are available for you, including a horse, dog, cat, human, and even a dragon. The world is full of various anthropomorphic characters to befriend. Like in Animal Crossing, you regrettably can’t use a net to swat away anyone you don’t like.
There are a variety of activities to keep you occupied and help you earn the money needed to improve the town in addition to mingling with the locals.
You can manage your shop, complete quests, participate in seasonal events, raise animals, grow crops, mine, fish, hunt for treasure, craft furniture, and much more.
Furthermore, Additional residents, items, and quests will become available as you grow the town. You can let your creative side run wild thanks to the abundance of customization options for your character, home, and town.
Garden Paws offers a calming, leisurely experience in addition to sharing many of Animal Crossing’s gameplay components.
A Short Hike
The mechanics are less similar to Animal Crossing, but the vibe is very similar. This delightful little independent film is about discovering Hawk Peak Provincial Park’s lush surroundings.
Just one little bird making friends, going for a swim and stretching his wings to soar between cliffs—no pressure, no deadline.
It will give you the same cozy feelings that Animal Crossing at its best gives you while requiring very little of your time or effort.
It’s quick and easy and the ideal way to pass some time when the outside world is acting particularly out of control. This is one of the best games, like animal crossing.
Stranded Sails: Explorer Of The Curse Land
In this game, you create a new life on an island similar to Animal Crossing: New Horizons. But the main distinction is that you arrived by shipwreck rather than Dodo Airlines.
You are in charge of building a camp for you and your fellow survivors, cultivating food for everyone. And eventually attempting to construct a ship to escape.
If you cooperate with the other castaways, they’ll give you side quests. The ideal justification for exploring and interacting with the various plants and animals.
Furthermore, Stranded Sails, in contrast to the tranquil setting of Animal Crossing. It is home to some supernatural foes you’ll have to deal with, and the whole “cursed” thing is concerning. At least the tranquil sounds of the waves will help you manage your anxiety.
Forager
Forager is the game for you if gathering resources is your favorite part of playing Animal Crossing. Its adorable aesthetics conceal an addictive loop of puzzles, building, combat, and resource management.
And exploring that will keep you engrossed in its vibrantly colored world for hours, days, or weeks—whatever passes for a time now? The game draws inspiration from Stardew Valley, Terraria, and Zelda, as the developer claims, taking the best elements from each to create something fresh and unique.
Also, you can spend time in the game doing whatever you want, whether dungeon raiding or compulsively building, because it is up to you what you do and when.
My Time At Portia
My Time at Portia offers countless activities, and many Animal Crossing fans will be at home in its cartoonish setting.
Unexpectedly, it takes place in a post-apocalyptic world with many secrets hidden beneath its unassuming charm.
When you move to the town, you take on the builder role and can create any structure or item to satisfy a commission. These commissions are initially your primary source of income.
But you have plenty of freedom to venture out into the vast open world and find artifacts. Go fishing, raise cows and chickens, and farm if you choose.
Furthermore, This game has a stronger narrative, so you can strive to finish the various quests to learn Portia’s secrets. A significant component of the experience is getting to know the locals.
Again, combat is involved, but if you’d prefer, stay out of it. You can order the Civil Corps to gather items so you won’t have to go into potentially hazardous areas.
Overall, it has a slow pace and is a reasonably gentle life simulation. This is one of the best games, like animal crossing.
Spiritfarer
Spiritfarer is a strangely comforting and peaceful adventure for a game in which you take on the role of a ferry master to the afterlife. As Stella, the newest spiritfarer, your job is to grant final wishes to spirits before escorting them to the afterlife.
Your primary mode of transportation is a boat that you can modify and enlarge to suit the requirements of the spirits you are in charge of.
In managing your boat and taking care of spirits, you can also engage in activities like cooking, fishing, mining, harvesting, and gardening.
Furthermore, Spiritfarer heavily emphasizes exploration, and there are many islands to explore and mine for resources.
Additionally, some sections are blocked off until you master the necessary skills to pass them. This is one of the best games, like animal crossing.
Yonder: Cloud Catcher Chronicles
A very appealing and peaceful open-world adventure, Yonder: Cloud Catcher Chronicles takes you on a journey across the island of Yonder in Gemea.
You can travel the world and carry out your desires at your own pace because there are no immediate dangers in your path.
Also, you can get to know the world’s inhabitants and complete their quests to help them learn practical skills and tricks.
You can pursue numerous careers, including running your own small, customizable farm and working as a chef or tailor.
Furthermore, the world comprises various environments and biomes, giving each place a unique appearance and feel.
Also, if you provide the wandering animals with treats, they will become your friends as you explore. The life you lead is entirely up to you, with many ways to achieve goals and many skills to develop.
Yonder is a genuinely endearing and laid-back experience that might appeal to Animal Crossing fans.
Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town
A charming, more extensive installment in the Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town has an Animal Crossing-like atmosphere.
You relocate to a new town struggling to start your farm, channeling Stardew Valley. However, it gives you a great deal of freedom to live out your ideal rural life however you like while also reviving the community and making friends with the locals.
Crop-growing, pet- and livestock-rearing, clothing-making, and cooking are among the activities. And if you like to decorate, you’ll enjoy setting up your farm and house.
Kynseed
Kynseed is a diverse sandbox life simulation game. The spiritual similarities are apparent because the same team developed the game as the Fable series.
You can choose where to go on your journey with Kynseed. Also, you can build a farm, go on adventures, run a business, or practice your social skills.
You must play mini-games to complete many of the tasks in Kynseed. When you cook, you physically cut tomatoes with a knife after spreading them out on a cutting board.
To forge a flawless sword while blacksmithing, you must press your keys or buttons precisely at the right moment.
Although Kynseed will make you take some action, it will be turn-based. So you can take as much time as you need between rounds of combat.
Coral Island
Coral Island, slated for release in the second half of 2022, appears to be a genuine Animal Crossing replacement.
You are dropped into a magical world on Coral Island, where you can live off the land and make friends with more than 50 different locals.
Coral Island takes pride in offering a carefree, chill atmosphere where you are free to be who you want. Similar to Animal Crossing, Coral Island is the ideal place to forget about the real world.
Sun Haven
The game Sun Haven has a medieval fantasy theme. Places you as a newcomer in a bustling trading settlement with the convenient name of Sun Haven.
Sun Haven will be loved by those who enjoy customizing and designing their Animal Crossing islands. With more than 100 original pieces of furniture available in Sun Haven, you can furnish your home however you like.
Furthermore, Sun Haven can satisfy your animal-related Animal Crossing gaming itch. There are many races in Sun Haven, such as Humans, Demons, Elves, Angels, Elementals, nagas, and Amari, an animal race made up of cats, dogs, fish, birds, and reptiles. Each race can make friends and find love.
Castaway Paradise
Castaway Paradise was first available on mobile and PC before arriving on consoles. Has a very similar feel to Animal Crossing and appears to have been inspired by the series in its unique way.
When you get caught in a storm and come ashore on an island, you run into some locals who give you a tent to stay in.
After pitching your tent, you can explore the island, get to know the locals, and work to unlock more of the island’s areas for exploration.
It will feel familiar because some inhabitants are anthropomorphic animals, such as pigs and ducks. In the same way, you helped Punchy, Hamlet, and any other neighbors in New Leaf. You can assist the villagers in Castaway Paradise with their activities and make friends.
Alchemy Story
In Alchemy Story, a young alchemist is tasked with breaking a wicked curse that has turned the entire village’s inhabitants into animals. It’s up to you to break the spell and make things right with a professor’s assistance.
Fans of Animal Crossing will probably enjoy the game’s friendly environment, easygoing gameplay, and adorable graphics.
Alchemy Story places a lot of emphasis on creating potions that can be sold or used to aid in quests and daily activities.
You can manage a farm, care for animals such as sheep, cows, and chickens, and make brews and elixirs. Also, you can get the unusual ingredients you need for particular quests and potions by earning their trust.
Staxel
There are many aspects of the cute blocky sandbox adventure Staxel that you will recognize. You have been tasked with restoring a farm as the village’s newest resident.
A significant aspect of the game is getting to know the locals and making friends, and you can assist the villagers in several ways.
The locals have their distinct personalities and will assist you in settling in. You’ll have your work cut out for your dilapidated home and farm, but there are plenty of customization options to make the place look however you want (like putting floor tiles and picking furniture).
With some effort, you’ll eventually be able to grow and expand your farm.
Core Keeper
The video game Core Keeper bills itself as a “mining sandbox adventure.” You and up to seven friends are forced to mine, build, fight, craft, and farm to survive after entering a mysterious cavern.
Contrary to Animal Crossing, Core Keeper places a lot of emphasis on battles and boss fights. However, if you prefer not to engage in combat, there are lots of non-combat activities available.
The option to select a Background is available when creating a character. If you’re more of a peacemaker, you can choose a background as a chef or fisherman and delegate the fighting to a friend.
Furthermore, you’ll want to establish a base of operations as soon as possible in your Core Keeper career. NPCs will show up as the game progresses.
Terraira
In the 2D sandbox game Terraria, players can explore, build, craft, engage in combat, survive, and mine for resources.
Like the islands in Animal Crossing, the worlds of Terraria are procedurally generated. And just like Tom Nook in Animal Crossing, an NPC named The Guide will welcome you and assist you in getting started as soon as you arrive in the world. Numerous NPCs that offer different services will come into contact with you as you advance through Terraria.
Moreover, if you can handle the game’s emphasis on combat and boss fights, Terraria’s sheer depth offers an Animal Crossing-like experience. This is one of the best games, like animal crossing.
Happy Street
Creating a town with adorable animal neighbors? Anyone looking for something on their smartphone should consider using Happy Street as a great alternative.
You fly down in a hot air balloon to land on the ground and are met by Pepin, the world-traveling ace, as a small fox named Billy (who wears goggles on his head—very important). You set out to create your town and home with Pepin to meet new people.
Furthermore, a new animal will move into the town you are starting to build after gathering resources from the surrounding area and erecting more buildings.
It’s a fun little mobile game that will help quell your desire for additional Animal Crossing Adventures by allowing you to explore new areas, expand your town, and build all kinds of shops and stands while chatting with the locals and completing objectives.
The Sims 4
The timeless life simulation game The Sims has many things to love. Making homes in The Sims 4 takes that to the next level with some very satisfying and straightforward home-building tools if you enjoyed creating the ideal homes for all your favorite animal friends in the Happy Home Paradise DLC or Happy Home Designer.
You have human-like Sims as neighbors as opposed to elephants with teapot-shaped heads or camouflage alligators.
Also, you’re not in debt, to begin with, but if you don’t send your sim to work and refrain from using the traditional money trick (we all do it), you might find yourself in debt. It’s entirely up to you.
Little Dragon Cafe
Another soothing mini-game focused on developing relationships, caring for a dragon, and managing your cafe is called Little Dragon Cafe.
This game, created by the same person who created Harvest Moon, has a strong sense of community. You take on the role of Rin or Ren, two twins forced to manage a cafe after their mother mysteriously develops a sickness. In addition to maintaining the cafe’s smooth operation, you also acquire a dragon egg, which you must nurture and raise.
You must also pursue the mystery surrounding your mother’s disappearance. What a day’s work, I suppose. This is one of the best games, like animal crossing.
Ooblets
You would get ooblets if Animal Crossing and Pokemon interbred. You enter the world of Oob through this creature-collecting adventure, where you can gradually learn more about the town and its residents.
Also, you can engage in dance battles to level up the game’s titular Ooblets and interact with other Ooblet keepers and the delightfully odd creatures.
It’s kind and exquisitely bizarre, and any fan of Animal Crossing will love it. This is one of the best games, like animal crossing.
Cozy Grove
You should check out Cozy Grove if you’re looking for games similar to Animal Crossing: New Horizons and incorporate many of the game’s elements.
It’s a game where you can take on the role of a Spirit Scout and aid the ghosts of Cozy Grove. You’ll do chores, cook, fish, socialize, take care of pets, and more.
It’s the perfect game to incorporate into your daily routine because, like Animal Crossing, there are only so many things you can accomplish each day. It’s also charming.
Rune Factory 4 Special
Originally a spinoff of the well-liked farming sim “Harvest Moon,” “Rune Factory” has evolved into its beloved series.
The most recent game in the series, “Rune Factory 4 Special,” was previously released, which series fans might not be aware of.
Fans can now enjoy the romances in the game, even more, thanks to “Special,” which adds some plotlines that weren’t in the original game.
Furthermore, the success of “Rune Factory 4 Special,” like “Animal Crossing,” depends on managing relationships with an oddball cast.
As they travel through “Special,” unlike “Animal Crossing,” players get to battle monsters and marry suitable bachelors and bachelorettes along the way.
Hokko Life
Hokko Life ticks all the boxes for players looking for a brand new town to design with more anthropomorphic residents, thanks to its serene, cozy vibes and Animal Crossing-like gameplay mechanics.
You arrive in the charming animal-run town of Hokko after passing out on the train and missing your stop. Also, you can experiment with various character customization options, such as changing your eye, skin, hair colors, and hairstyle.
Furthermore, the game shines, though, regarding the house-town design options. You can even decorate your villagers’ homes to create the town of your dreams. You must turn Hokko into a lovely and enjoyable place to live.
