The cozy game continues to broaden the game’s horizon with a focus on relaxation and player expression. However, once the ratio blends in and fatigue begins, cozy game fans looking for a change in pace may want to consider looking at the past.
The truth is that many of the genres that currently fall under the cozy gaming umbrella have existed for decades before they invaded the mainstream. There’s a whole world of retro games out there, some offering more to gamers than modern iterations.
These 10 titles were pioneering when they were released, but they defied age simply because they still stand out, and because their genre is common. Of course, we’re looking for a mechanically deep game with minimal retro Jank, but boldness is the name of the game here.
10
Animal Crossing
You can’t beat the classics
As I live in the world of New Horizons, it’s easy to forget that animal crossings were a niche. However, anyone who has been playing since the GameCube original can tell you that Alist Crossing’s transition to Alist Franchise status has lost some depth.
Unlike New Horizon, OG Animal Crossing drops you into that world almost in direction. Your neighbor may not like you at first and may roast you hard or trick you into one-sided item dealings. I’m looking at you, I’ll splatter the frog.
But once you win their trust, you discover a deeper chore system, smarter dialogue, and a much stronger sense of virtual community than modern animal crossing fans would expect. And hey, it doesn’t hurt that you have less time to stick to the craft menu!
9
Nobby Nobby Boy
Find fun
Designed by Keita Takahashi of Katamari fame, Nobby Nobby Boy is a funky sandbox game starring a little pink creature called a boy, where you can grow and grow into insects when you eat random objects and NPCs. Although there is a technical goal, complete experience only surfaces the dismissal of the perfectionist thinking and rocking the boy’s elastic physics.
Nobby’s Boy became pointless in 2009, but in the gaming landscape, where even the most cozy titles are filled with goals and checklists, its open playground format is a breath of fresh air. Every time I play it, I feel like I’m reconnecting with my inner child.
8
The Legend of the River King 2
It’s become a reel
If you’ve ever enjoyed the fishing mini-game, you can borrow it yourself and check out the River King series. Legend of the River King 2 shoots the simple fishing adventure concept of the first game, set in an incredibly open world filled with dangerous wildlife, collectable bugs and fully exploreable oceans.
Far from the mandatory tack-on-fishing found in many modern cozy titles, River King dismisses expectations with a fishing system robust enough to carry the entire RPG. A wide variety of rods and lures keep things different, but you won’t feel stressed.
7
Harvest Moon: Return to nature
It’s not very
Before the Stardew Valley was the Harvest Moon. Released in 1999, Harvest Moon: Back to Nature is a typical retro farming sim with all the crops, mining and cute animals that gamers can expect.
Returning to nature, it was cutting edge at the time, but once revisited it acts like a return to quaint form. If you can live without the characteristics of modern quality of life, the retro farming sims offers a more relaxed pace that forces closer engagement with the gaming system.
And yes, the frequent upgrades and mini rewards are good. But when I return to nature, I unlocked the random character’s fondue recipe, so I’ll cheer them on. I think that’s beautiful.
6
Tomodachi Life
Meme, me, and me
Originally a DS game exclusively for Japan, Tomodachi Life is the intersection of Sims and Animal Crossing, where you will be living on the island with MII characters modeled after friends and celebrities, playing stupid soap opera scenarios. There are few comedies from 2013, but under the current scrutiny of a sarcastic existence, but Tomodachi Life’s strange sight gags and dialogue somehow separate it. Even today, the possibility of memes is off the charts. If the 3DS had better connectivity options, it is possible that social media was dominated by Dr. Homer Simpson’s clips.
5
Kirby’s magnificent thread
Craftsman-created platform
The Kirby series for beginners justly dominates the conversation about cozy platformers, but Kirby’s epic thread from 2010 takes the cake. When did you play a 2D platformer with no health bar, no game over screen, no zero punishment after falling off the shelf?
Beyond accessibility, the epic thread is notable for its ageless craft-themed visuals. Despite debuting on the standard definition console, the crochet platform and simple linework characters look animated yesterday.
4
The endless sea
Amazingly deep diving
For years I have considered the endless sea as the ultimate bargain bin game, a relic of Wii-era’s casual fluff. However, when a friend finally bought it for me as a joke, the game surprised me with its diverse mechanics.
Endless Ocean introduced a charming fish catalogue scuba simulator decades before Dave The Diver began to shine faintly indie Hyvemind. This represents the best casual game when alternative games try to get hooked on relaxed gameplay rather than inhaling into addictive feedback loops.
3
Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life
A life worth living
Harvest Moon: Wonderful Life has revamped the series with a new focus on character relationships and the passage of time. As the season passes as you are a resident of your town, your child will grow up and you will finish the game as an old man.
In a genre space that is very persistent in giving players comfort and empowerment, there is something quietly powerful about games that ask for change to embrace. The emotional connection with the world of great life games is strengthened with every loss and birth, and by the time the credits roll, you will be able to get to know the unforgettable village in close proximity, as if you had grown there.
2
Wii Sports Resort
More than a sequel
Perhaps it’s inevitable that iconic games like Wii Sports will overshadow their sequels. However, it’s still a shame as Wii Sports Resort improves all aspects of the original.
The idea of a cozy sports game may sound strange, but Wii Sports Resort has a secret weapon: its setting. There is a wonderful fantasy of continuity when different sports activities take place at different points of interest on Wuhu Island, finding the location of another activity in the middle of a bike race or table tennis match.
In Island Overpass mode, players can freely explore the island with biplanes, completing the fantasy, and elevate it over Nintendo’s more recent sports offering.
1
Sims 2
Devil of Details
After four mainline entries released over a quarter century, why do many fans of the Sim still prefer the second game?
It’s all about attention to detail. Sims 2 had enough development scale that allowed designers to fill life management gameplay with dynamic character animation and complex virtual genetics.
The particularly realistic character chemistry system was surprisingly before the 2004 era, and the neighborhood (and its attractive families from the start) felt narratively rich like a real suburb. Sims 2 has set a benchmark for next-gen designs that many cozy or other modern games still can’t reach.
