8 Best Games like Stardew Valley

There are tons of great games like Stardew Valley that can give similar experiences with some big differences, these are the best picks out there.

Stardew Valley is one of the most charming farm sims there is. It’s regularly cited as one of the best indie games on just about any platform, but it can’t last forever. Eventually, even with the constant updates, you might run out of steam with Stardew. In those situations, you might wonder what the best games like Stardew Valley are.

The farming sim is something of a success story in indie gaming. Given its huge popularity and sales for its one-man dev team, there have been plenty of attempts to capture some of the same magic. Some games like Stardew Valley are just as revolutionary by themselves. Stardew spans a wide roster of influences and if you’re looking for similar gaming experiences there are quite a few titles which will fit that bill. Games like Stardew Valley Switch or PC, or any other console are often the very best games available on the platform.

If you want a title to jump into now that you’re moving on from Stardew and its inhabitants, there are plenty of equally fun experiences out there. These are 10 of the best games like Stardew Valley.

Best Games Like Stardew Valley 

1. Story of Seasons/ Harvest Moon

Maybe the most obvious inspiration for Stardew Valley is Story of Seasons. The franchise name might not be immediately recognisable, but this is a series that goes back decades. Most players have probably run into one or more of these titles over the years.

Story of Seasons is the continuation of the Harvest Moon franchise. The Harvest name was originally only the series’ title outside of Japan, and the developers chose to change it after losing the rights. The Story of Seasons games are the definitive farming sims.

This is the series which popularized the genre. The best games like Stardew Valley have to include these, they offer pretty much the same experience as Stardew. Although, it’s a little more simplistic for quite a few of them. More recent instalments have even moved over to 3D. These games are some of the best Stardew Valley like experiences you can get right now. These are some of the highlights from currently available games.

• Story of Seasons Friends of Mineral Town
• Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town
• Doraemon Story of Seasons
• Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life

2. Animal Crossing New Horizons – Best Games Like Stardew Valley Switch

Animal Crossing New Horizons is a big leap forward for the series. The relaxing life sim arrived on Switch in a visual fidelity like nothing the series has seen before. Its elements closer to Stardew Valley have been beefed up too. Your ability to landscape now extends to the entire town, letting you craft the perfect home island to live on.

What’s more, the game even includes some minor farming now. It doesn’t have the economic element of Stardew Valley, but it’s not where the similarities end. For a lot of players, the core grind of Animal Crossing is getting to know the various townsfolk that inhabit your tropical paradise with you. In this regard, AC New Horizons has a lot to offer. The colorful cast of characters might not get as emotional or deep as those from Stardew. However, it’s a game where you can grow quite close to those in your town if you want to.

Animal Crossing New Horizons is the perfect game like Stardew Valley if you’re looking for the community life aspect. This is one of the best games like Stardew Valley Switch has. It’s definitely one of the most popular, even getting lego.

3. Kynseed

Kynseed is one of the top games like Stardew Valley if you want something very similar. It’s a title which combines farming, with RPG elements, and getting to know other residents. Similar to Stardew, it’s a varied experience that lets you choose whatever type of life you want.

The main twist Kynseed has on the dynamic is that you’re progressing through multiple generations of the world. Characters will age and the world will move on. It’s a really interesting twist on this kind of formula.

4. Moonlighter

Moonlighter is another title which shares more than surface level aspects with Stardew Valley. The game is similar in its top-down design, beautiful sprite work, and management benefits. Moonlighter has a bit more combat than Stardew though, and it’s about building a shop rather than establishing a farm!

There isn’t the same detail in building personal relationships as you’ll find in Moonlighter. It’s one of the best games like Stardew Valley in other ways though.

5. Ooblets

Ooblets is a perfect alternative to Stardew Valley if you’re looking for the more relaxing sim aspects. It’s another game where you take charge of a farm. This is a 3D title though, and one with quite a few differences. The world is filled with cute creatures called Ooblets. These add a unique element to the gameplay.

The game also has a nice town to get to know, Badgetown. The visual style is pretty distinctive from all of the 2D games like Stardew Valley. Ooblets is a title which is available across quite a few platforms, so it’s one of the best games like Stardew Valley Switch has along with PC and Xbox. It’s had a long journey to release but there’s a lot to like.

6. Spiritfarer

Not all games like Stardew Valley are relaxing games built around the idyllic country life. Some are relaxing games built around the afterlife.

Spiritfarer tasks you with taking charge of taking the newly dead to the afterlife. There’s a lot more depth than its sea-faring nature would imply. There are management aspects, different personal relationships to build, even some fascinating characters. Getting to know all of the people moving on can be a mixed experience with heavy emotions. It’s a rare game that can touch the heart like some of the better moments in Stardew Valley.

7. Littlewood

Littlewood is a charming town building game that has a lot going for it. It’s an RPG with a major twist, it’s set after your normal gameplay. You’ve defeated the big bad and returned home, but what now? It’s time to rebuild. You’ll have to try and put the town back together in this sim. There’s a lot of backstory and characters to meet too.

While it is an RPG, the game has heavy management aspects. You can farm, you can fish, catch bugs, and do pretty much everything you’d need out of a life sim.

8. Dinkum

Dinkum is a title with lot in common with one of the other best games like Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing. You’re building up a town where you’ll invite different villages to live. You can get to know them and grow closer to them over time. There isn’t the same ability here for players to redesign how their world looks, but it’s got a lot to get stuck into.

This is a game that’s currently in early access. It hasn’t been released yet, but it has got some buzz behind it. Over time we’ll likely see more of this game and it could become the best pick out of the games like Stardew Valley.