The genres to explore would be town-building or life simulation RPGs. There are some notable indie games that scratch the itch, as well as more established franchises in the genre that are readily available.

Updated on January 25th, 2023 by Russ Boswell: There are a ton of great games like Stardew Valley that players can get their hands on in 2023. The Indie darling saw massive success after launching and actually led to quite a few “knock-offs” that saw their own successes. Although Stardew Valley is definitely its own unique adventure, there are a lot of great titles out there that feel similar in both style, tone, and gameplay elements. Players that are looking for games like Stardew Valley can find great experiences across multiple genres. To better outline the best games like Stardew Valley, the following list has been updated and now includes even more entries.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Players looking for something that focuses more on interpersonal relationships than actual farming should check out Animal Crossing: New Horizons. This Nintendo Switch exclusive has players taking over as lead management on an exotic island getaway. Although it’s possible to grow a garden of sorts, Animal Crossing fans will spend more time recruiting villagers to stay at their location, building relationships with them by engaging them in conversation, giving them gifts, and seeing them during specific events.

The community is just as important as the environment in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but those that want to create their own space have the option to organize and decorate their island paradise as they see fit. It’s a very casual release, and quite a bit subdued compared to Stardew Valley, as it doesn’t require players to engage in combat or tend to specific crops.

Moonlighter

Those that enjoy the management aspects of Stardew Valley but want a bit more combat to sink their teeth into should enjoy the top-down Indie adventure, Moonlighter. Combat is one of the main focuses in this shop-building release, which has players diving into dungeons each night in order to collect materials and weapons from powerful monsters, which they can then sell at their inherited shop during the day. Although players won’t spend much time building personal relationships with townsfolk, they’ll find a lot to enjoy about Moonlighter’s simple yet addictive gameplay loop. It can be a bit challenging at times, and players even have the option to upgrade and decorate their shop.

Ooblets

Ooblets is a rather interesting game like Stardew Valley. Although it’s much different graphically, it features a lot of the same elements as the Indie release. Players find themselves taking over a farm, and they’ll spend a lot of time getting to know the different townsfolk that call Badgetown home. When they aren’t socializing, players will need to tend to their farm, which includes creating special creatures called Ooblets. These critters can help with farming tasks and other activities. They can even engage in dance competitions and other games, which will unlock new items.

Ooblets has a very silly aesthetic, and it’s a rather relaxing experience at its core.

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Spiritfarer

Players looking for games like Stardew Valley are likely interested in finding other releases that feature relationship-building mechanics. Although it features no farming, and takes place in a much more fantastical setting, Spiritfarer can be a fantastic experience for those that are craving something that feels more personal and story-driven. In this release, players will take on the important and heart-wrenching job of helping to lead recently deceased souls to the “otherside.”

It’s incredibly easy to fall in love with some of the characters and their stories when playing through Spiritfarer, much like players cultivate relationships with the townsfolk in Stardew Valley.

Disney Dreamlight Valley

Stardew Valley has seen such massive success since its release that it’s even gained the attention of some pretty big-name studios and brands. Disney seems to have taken notice of Stardew Valley’s addictive and charming gameplay elements as they released a casual-yet-in-depth adventure in Disney Dreamlight Valley. This engaging journey has players meeting with all sorts of beloved and recognized Disney characters as they develop their own area, cleaning up the surrounding zones and embarking on a variety of quests while also flexing their creativity in decorating and growing their home.

Minecraft

It would be impossible to talk about games like Stardew Valley without mentioning Minecraft as well. This indie title is the major reason why the survival genre has become so popular in the first place, with the title offering a litany of activities to accomplish where players can do everything from embarking on an adventure to flexing their creative muscles.

It’s the sheer diversity of gameplay present in Minecraft that makes it such a brilliant game. The amazing world is full of creatures that are quite alluring in their own right, with the vast majority of them becoming legendary facets of pop culture. Nights are harrowing yet exciting, while days let people roam around the game and explore the world to their heart’s content… mostly.

Perhaps the biggest reason why Minecraft is so popular is its online community, which is truly incredible. Massive worlds have been created in this server that are simply astounding and show just how dedicated players really are to this amazing game.

Minecraft is available now on PC, Mobile, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch.

Terraria

It’s a huge disservice to call Terraria nothing more than a 2D version of Minecraft, although it does highlight the strengths of this title. After all, Minecraft is a revolutionary game, and it’s not the worst thing in the world for a game to take its concepts and integrate them into a completely different and unique experience.

As is the case with most great survival games, Terraria can keep players busy for hours on end as they craft their own journey in a world that is full to the brim with things to do. Exploration, combat, survival, and crafting are just some of the many ways players can enjoy Terraria to its fullest.

Progressing little by little in this game and populating the world is a highly engaging experience that makes Terraria a must-play for any fan of Stardew Valley.

Terraria is available now on PC, Mobile, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, and Nintendo Switch.

Littlewood

Littlewood is a town-building RPG created by the developer Sean Young. The story of the game is set after the plot of a typical fantasy RPG, in which the player character has defeated the Dark Wizard and comes back to rebuild the town they left behind. The story is lighthearted and contains many references to other franchises like Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger. Players build skills, hobbies, and bring in new characters to their town. There’s fishing, bug catching, mining, farming, and more.

The town is completely customizable, with terraforming and building placement decided by the player. It’s similar to Animal Crossing: New Horizons in how each town is unique to the player. Another feature Littlewood has is that the day’s timer is connected to the player’s energy level, rather than a continuous clock. Players can take their tasks at their own pace. Gamers who love farming sims and fantasy RPGs will find a lot to enjoy in Littlewood.

Littlewood is available now on PC and Nintendo Switch.

My Time At Portia

My Time at Portia is a life sim RPG developed by Pathea Games. The focus of the gameplay is on building and crafting, rather than farming. However, players can eventually buy livestock, raise plants, and even breed fish. The game has quite a lot of content, and players can always pursue new skills at their own pace. Even after in-game years have passed, there is still plenty to do and there is never any pressure to complete every skill path.

Like many other town-building life sim games, My Time at Portia focuses on the player revitalizing a small town and becoming part of the community. The player character inherits a workshop and works on developing it throughout the game. The player takes on commissions from the townspeople and competes with other workshops. Each of the town’s residents have fully-fleshed personalities and backstories, and there are many marriage candidates who can be courted regardless of gender. It’s an easygoing game with a charming art style and a lot of heart.

My Time at Portia is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. A mobile version is in development.

Harvest Moon/Story Of Seasons

This suggestion may seem like a no-brainer considering Stardew Valley itself was influenced by this series, but those who haven’t played any Harvest Moon (now known as Story of Seasons) should give the franchise a try. Each game has adorable animals to raise, villagers to befriend and romance, and plenty of unique oddities.

Before diving into the franchise, there’s a bit of confusion to clear up; in 2014, the original Harvest Moon developers switched publishers, but Natsume kept the rights to the title. So the developers continued the series under the title Story of Seasons, while Natsume took the opportunity to release other games with the original branding. Long-time fans recommend against the post-2014 Natsume Harvest Moon games, as the difference in quality is clear.

The series has been ongoing since the SNES days, but the most recent entry is Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town. It’s a remake of the Game Boy Advance Mineral Town games, with added features and finally including same-sex marriage. It’s available now on the Switch and on PC.

Stardew Valley is out now for Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.

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