Games Like Stardew Valley Worth Playing in 2025
Sierra is a retro game preservationist and journalist documenting the lost and overlooked titles of the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s. Her archival project includes rare interviews with developers and deep dives into how gaming history is written and remembered.
If you’ve sunk countless hours into Stardew Valley and are craving more cozy farming sims with heart, this list is for you. These games capture the charm of tending crops, building relationships, and exploring vibrant worlds, all while offering unique twists to keep things fresh. Whether you’re a PC, Switch, or mobile gamer, here are 12 titles—ranging from blockbusters to hidden gems—that’ll scratch that Stardew itch in 2025.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Build Your Island Paradise
Animal Crossing: New Horizons drops you on a deserted island where you craft, decorate, and befriend quirky animal villagers. This life sim emphasizes creativity and community over strict goals, letting you shape your island at your own pace. You’ll fish, catch bugs, plant flowers, and customize everything from your home to the landscape itself.
Key Features:
- Genre: Life simulation
- Art Style: Bright, cartoonish 3D
- Story: Minimal narrative; focus is on building your dream island and bonding with villagers
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
- Gameplay: Real-time gameplay tied to the calendar, with seasonal events, crafting, and social interactions. No combat, but plenty of collecting and decorating.
Why It’s Like Stardew Valley: Like Stardew, New Horizons thrives on its laid-back vibe, community-building, and freedom to play your way. The social aspect—chatting with villagers, attending festivals, and gifting items—mirrors Stardew’s relationship mechanics, though it leans more into decorating than farming. It’s perfect if you love the social and creative side of Pelican Town.
Release Year: 2020
Platform Availability: Nintendo Switch
Coral Island – Farm, Dive, and Save a Tropical Paradise
Coral Island transports you to a vibrant tropical island recovering from an oil spill. You’ll farm, raise animals, and restore coral reefs while befriending (or romancing) a diverse cast of islanders, including merfolk. It’s a love letter to Stardew with an eco-conscious twist and a stunning hand-drawn aesthetic.
Key Features:
- Genre: Farming sim/RPG
- Art Style: Lush 2D pixel art
- Story: Restore the island’s ecosystem and uncover its secrets, including an undersea kingdom
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
- Gameplay: Farming, fishing, mining, and underwater exploration. Includes romance, co-op (coming in 2025), and environmental mechanics like cleaning polluted areas.
Why It’s Like Stardew Valley: Coral Island nails the Stardew formula—farming, foraging, and deep NPC interactions—while adding unique underwater exploration and a focus on conservation. If you love Stardew’s mix of cozy and adventurous, this feels like a natural evolution with a tropical flair.
Release Year: 2023
Platform Availability: PC (Steam), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
Fields of Mistria – A Magical Anime-Inspired Farm Life
Fields of Mistria puts you in a quaint village recovering from an earthquake, where you’ll farm, fish, and wield magic to rebuild. Its retro pixel art and anime-style character portraits give it a nostalgic ‘90s vibe, paired with a whimsical world full of charm and secrets.
Key Features:
- Genre: Farming sim/RPG
- Art Style: Pixel art with anime-inspired portraits
- Story: Rebuild a village using magic and form bonds with over 30 NPCs
- Platforms: PC (Steam)
- Gameplay: Farming, animal care, fishing, mining, and magic-based tasks. Includes romance, festivals, and dungeon exploration.
Why It’s Like Stardew Valley: This game feels like Stardew crossed with a Studio Ghibli film. The farming and social mechanics are spot-on, but the magical elements and expressive NPCs add a fresh layer. It’s a standout for its polish and depth, especially for Stardew fans craving a fantasy twist.
Release Year: 2024 (Early Access)
Platform Availability: PC (Steam)
Sun Haven – Fantasy Farming with Dragons and Elves
Sun Haven blends Stardew’s farming sim roots with a fantasy world where you can play as a human, elf, or even a cat. You’ll grow crops, raise mythical creatures like dragons, and explore a magical land filled with quests and co-op adventures.
Key Features:
- Genre: Farming sim/RPG
- Art Style: Colorful 2D pixel art
- Story: Build a farm in a magical world while uncovering its lore
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
- Gameplay: Farming, crafting, combat, and magic. Supports up to eight-player co-op and includes romance and diverse character creation.
Why It’s Like Stardew Valley: Sun Haven captures Stardew’s farming and community focus but amps up the fantasy with spell-casting and mythical creatures. If you love Stardew’s multiplayer and wish it had more magic, this is your game.
Release Year: 2023
Platform Availability: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch
Harvest Moon: One World – The OG Farming Sim’s Modern Take
Harvest Moon: One World sees you rebuilding a storm-ravaged town by farming, fishing, and befriending locals. As a spiritual predecessor to Stardew, it focuses heavily on agriculture and community, with a global twist as you explore diverse biomes.
Key Features:
- Genre: Farming sim
- Art Style: 3D, cartoonish
- Story: Restore a town and its lighthouse while traveling to unique regions
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC
- Gameplay: Farming, animal husbandry, fishing, and relationship-building. Less emphasis on combat compared to Stardew.
Why It’s Like Stardew Valley: Harvest Moon inspired Stardew, so the core loop of farming and socializing feels familiar. It’s simpler than Stardew but shines for its focus on farming variety and exploration across different environments.
Release Year: 2021
Platform Availability: Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC
My Time at Sandrock – Craft and Rebuild in a Post-Apocalyptic World
My Time at Sandrock puts you in a desert town as a builder, crafting machines and restoring the community. While farming takes a backseat, the game’s focus on crafting, quests, and deep NPC relationships echoes Stardew’s charm in a 3D world.
Key Features:
- Genre: Life sim/RPG
- Art Style: 3D, stylized
- Story: Rebuild a post-apocalyptic town through crafting and quests
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
- Gameplay: Crafting, building, farming, combat, and romance. Includes festivals and a robust social system.
Why It’s Like Stardew Valley: If you love Stardew’s town revitalization and NPC interactions but want a 3D aesthetic and crafting focus, Sandrock delivers. Its quirky characters and relationship-driven gameplay make it a cozy fit.
Release Year: 2023
Platform Availability: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Disney Dreamlight Valley – Farm with Mickey and Friends
Disney Dreamlight Valley blends Stardew’s farming and life sim elements with Disney magic. You’ll restore a valley alongside iconic characters like Mickey Mouse and Moana, growing crops, cooking, and uncovering a magical story.
Key Features:
- Genre: Life sim/adventure
- Art Style: 3D, Disney-inspired
- Story: Restore a valley where Disney characters have lost their memories
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, iOS, Android
- Gameplay: Farming, crafting, cooking, and socializing. Includes light quests and customization.
Why It’s Like Stardew Valley: The farming, foraging, and friendship-building mirror Stardew’s core, but the Disney cast and magical narrative add a unique spin. It’s ideal for players who love Stardew’s cozy vibe with a touch of nostalgia.
Release Year: 2023
Platform Availability: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, iOS, Android
Roots of Pacha – Stone Age Farming with a Tribal Twist
Roots of Pacha is a hidden gem that takes Stardew’s formula back to the Stone Age. You’ll farm, fish, and tame animals like mammoths while contributing to your tribe’s growth and unlocking new technologies.
Key Features:
- Genre: Farming sim/RPG
- Art Style: Warm 2D pixel art
- Story: Build a thriving tribe and uncover ancient mysteries
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5
- Gameplay: Farming, fishing, animal taming, and co-op. Includes romance and tribal progression mechanics.
Why It’s Like Stardew Valley: This under-the-radar title captures Stardew’s farming and community-building but stands out with its prehistoric setting and focus on tribal cooperation. The fishing minigame is also a fan favorite for its simplicity.
Release Year: 2023
Platform Availability: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, PS5
Fae Farm – Magical Farming in a Whimsical World
Fae Farm whisks you to Azoria, where you’ll farm, cast spells, and explore a magical world. It’s a cozy sim with light combat and a focus on customization, perfect for players who want Stardew with a fairy-tale glow.
Key Features:
- Genre: Farming sim/RPG
- Art Style: Soft, colorful 3D
- Story: Restore a magical island while uncovering its secrets
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
- Gameplay: Farming, crafting, spell-casting, and light combat. Supports co-op and includes romance.
Why It’s Like Stardew Valley: Fae Farm blends Stardew’s farming and social elements with a magical aesthetic and streamlined gameplay. It’s great for players who want a less intense but still engaging sim.
Release Year: 2023
Platform Availability: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch
Moonlighter – Shopkeeping by Day, Dungeon-Diving by Night
Moonlighter puts you in the shoes of a shopkeeper who moonlights as a dungeon crawler. By day, you manage your store; by night, you explore roguelike dungeons to gather loot, blending cozy management with thrilling combat.
Key Features:
- Genre: Action RPG/management sim
- Art Style: Pixel art
- Story: Revive a town’s economy through your shop and adventures
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One
- Gameplay: Shop management, dungeon crawling, crafting, and light social elements.
Why It’s Like Stardew Valley: While less focused on farming, Moonlighter captures Stardew’s satisfying loop of daily tasks and exploration. The shopkeeping mirrors Stardew’s farm management, and the pixel art keeps the cozy vibe.
Release Year: 2018
Platform Availability: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One
Grave Seasons – A Spooky Twist on Farming
Grave Seasons is an upcoming spooky farming sim where you grow crops, solve murders, and uncover supernatural mysteries. It’s a bold take on the Stardew formula, blending cozy with creepy in a pixel-art world.
Key Features:
- Genre: Farming sim/RPG with horror elements
- Art Style: Pixel art
- Story: Farm and investigate murders in a supernatural town
- Platforms: PC (expected)
- Gameplay: Farming, fishing, and mystery-solving. Includes romance and social interactions.
Why It’s Like Stardew Valley: This hidden gem keeps Stardew’s farming and social core but adds a dark, mystery-driven twist. If you love Stardew’s community and want something edgier, keep this on your radar.
Release Year: 2026 (expected)
Platform Availability: PC (Steam, expected)
Littlewood – Rebuild a Town as a Retired Hero
Littlewood casts you as a hero who saved the world and now focuses on rebuilding a town. You’ll farm, fish, and design your community while befriending quirky NPCs in a peaceful, pixel-art world.
Key Features:
- Genre: Life sim/RPG
- Art Style: Pixel art
- Story: Rebuild a town post-adventure with a focus on community
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
- Gameplay: Farming, fishing, crafting, and town-building. Includes romance and light puzzles.
Why It’s Like Stardew Valley: Littlewood shares Stardew’s chill pace and focus on building a community from scratch. Its unique town-design mechanics and lack of combat make it a cozy alternative for players who love Stardew’s creative side.
Release Year: 2020
Platform Availability: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch
