Once again, a new Animal Crossing game has released to almost universal acclaim. Being able to customize a deserted island and turn it into a home for cute, anthropomorphic animals has captured anyone looking for a therapeutic gaming experience. New Horizons offers the same satisfaction that comes from accomplishing chores without any of the physical activity -- and it's undoubtedly the best feel-good game in some time.
That said, it's far from the only game that'll give players the same feeling. Titles focusing on life simulation and resource management are becoming more and more prominent, especially thanks to indie developers. There are plenty of games both on and off the Nintendo Switch that let players help build their own community. For fans of Animal Crossing looking for their next hook or for those without a Switch, these options are sure to satisfy.
Note: The article was updated on August 8, 2021 by Noelle Corbett to add Spiritfarer and Cozy Grove to the list.
My Time At Portia
Its colorful art style may not look it, but My Time at Portia is a post-apocalyptic game. It follows humans who have long lived underground but resurface to rebuild society. Just like in New Horizons, players begin building from the ground up. Players take the role of Portia's builder, gathering resources from the lost world to craft new supplies and upgrade tools. There's a real sense of progression when working towards the expansion of the workshop and fulfilling tasks for citizens.
My Time at Portia does a great job of making the player feel proud of what they've created. There are also RPG elements mixed in with the day-to-day routines. There are plenty of enemy-infested dungeons to explore and a relationship system that can lead to a spouse who helps around the shop. The game's skill tree and combat are simple, but user-friendly for those just looking for a town to work on.
Castaway Paradise
Castaway Paradise places the player on an island ravaged by a storm and tasks them with helping the animal community rebuild. Players can repair structures, decorate the island and their character, catch bugs and fish, farm crops and go on quests for villagers. It's already so much like Animal Crossing that fans would be hard-pressed to find something they don't like about it. There are even seasonal events.
The game's hook and design make it easy to get lost for hours while customizing the near-desolate island into a perfect little community. The farming aspect and blocky art style set it apart from Animal Crossing, but Castaway Paradise is a game for those that know exactly what they're looking for. It's also a more affordable option for those who don't own a Switch, as it's available on every other platform.
Rune Factory
Rune Factory is a spin-off of another life-simulation series, Harvest Moon, that surpasses the original by implementing exciting new features. Players still own and operate a farm, tending to crops and upgrading equipment. However, there aren't traditional farm animals helping players out. Instead, there are monsters. Players can fight and befriend beasts to lend a hand in accomplishing tasks. The monsters can also aid the player in battle and produce different goods.
The RPG elements in Rune Factory are a bit deeper than those in My Time at Portia, as players must take stamina amount into account for any given activity. It offers a great gateway experience for those looking to branch out to a new genre. Developers Neverland, Co., Ltd. wonderfully balanced action-RPG combat with the gratification that comes from seeing a farm succeed. The series has seen several entries across the Nintendo DS and 3DS, but a special edition of Rune Factory 4 is currently available on Switch, with a fifth entry in a development.
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley quickly shot to the top of every must-play list for life simulation games when it was released in 2016 and it's easy to see why. It begins with the player inheriting a shabby farmhouse from their deceased grandfather. From there, it's really up to the player what happens, as the game offers a ton of variety in progression.
There are different maps to choose from, each of which comes with different mineable resources nearby. Planting different crops and tending to livestock helps to improve the farm's look while simultaneously expanding the land. There are also procedurally generated caves with monsters to fight and resources to collect.
Stardew Valley was impressively designed by one person and is overflowing with activities. It's absolutely packed with charm, from its delightful 16-bit presentation to its lively NPCs. The inclusion of multiplayer also offers another layer, providing a fun, dungeon-crawling experience as players mine for the resources they need.
Dragon Quest Builders
The Dragon Quest series has been a JRPG staple for decades now, but it wasn't until recently that it spun off into something similar to Animal Crossing. While the two Dragon Quest Builders entries are connected to the world of the original games, no prior knowledge of the series is necessary. Both games are on PlayStation 4 and Switch, and they center around building up structures in a desolate land to protect from various monsters and evil forces.
The mechanic of customizing a sandbox landscape is directly tied into an overarching plot, setting it apart from the rest of the list. The games also have the entire catalog of unique monster designs and lore from Dragon Quest at their fingertips, helping to create a more fully-realized world. It's not as blissfully simple as running a farm or terraforming a deserted island, but the enjoyment that comes from managing resources to advance through increasingly powerful tools and weapons while constructing impressive structures is something that's hard to match.
Spiritfarer
Spiritfarer's colorful art and cast of anthropomorphic animals being led by a lone human player character makes the Animal Crossing parallels obvious, but Thunder Lotus' management sim stands out by balancing dark themes and wholesomeness. This is a game about death, dying and grief, but rather than taking a dark approach to these difficult, Spiritfarer provides a warm and cathartic experience that encourages players to think and talk about themes of loss and legacy.
Players control Stella, the new Spiritfarer who is tasked with helping the souls of the departed make their way to the afterlife. Along the way, she'll befriend and assist these Spirits, learning about who they were and helping them deal with unfinished business. While Spiritfarer may be darker than what many Animal Crossing fans are looking for, it's a powerful game with management mechanics and mini-games players will love. There's even a fun reference to Tom Nook that some Animal Crossing players will really appreciate.
Cozy Grove
Another game released post-New Horizons that has earned plenty of comparisons to Nintendo's juggernaut, Cozy Grove is also a life-sim set on a deserted island. Like Animal Crossing, Cozy Grove is played in real time and is meant to be enjoyed for an hour or so each day over the course of several months. In it, players are a Spirit Scout camping on a haunted island, bringing peace to its ghostly inhabitants and restoring color and joy to the island.
Cozy Grove provides the customization and routine of Animal Crossing with more extensive stories and a 40+ hour campaign to complete. There are dozens of characters and spirits to meet and befriend, but unlike Animal Crossing's many same-y villagers, each one has a unique personality and secrets to uncover. Those who previously enjoyed the routine nature of New Horizons but want something different in terms of setting and story should definitely give Cozy Grove a chance.