Casual games are becoming all the rage. In recent times, many people who weren’t gamers have turned to games for an escape.Animal Crossing: New Horizonsis one of thebest-selling Switch games, and since then many charming games have been released that are less about the action and more about the mundane.Virtual Cottageis the latest in this trend of calming games. With no actual gameplay involved,Virtual Cottageasks players to work on a task of their own choosing (be it studying, getting some work done, or chores) and sets a timer for said task. Lo-fi music plays as the cottage changes in real-time to reflect the time of day.
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Garnering overwhelmingly positive reviews,Virtual Cottageis gaining fans, but some would like gameplay added to the relaxing task manager. Players have suggested adding customizable options for the cottage as a reward for completing tasks, from the furniture to the colors of the wallpaper. Whether someone is looking for a quick jolt to get their day started or a cozy commitment to a game for a few hours, there are plenty of games likeVirtual Cottageto choose from.
Updated August 08, 2025 by Erik Petrovich:Virtual Cottageis quiteunlike most games on the market, in fact some are hesitant to call it a video game at all. The game is a relaxing experience that just about anyone can appreciate, especially those who want something relaxing to watch in the background while completing other tasks. Finding games like Virtual Cottage, then, is a little bit of a strange task – does one look for games with similarly cute and detailed aesthetics, or games that instill the same sense of relaxation and “vibes”? The answer is both – fans of Virtual Cottage will still appreciate games that ask for a bit more engagement from the player, though some are harder to play while doing other things.
13The Original Animal Crossing for Gamecube
The originalAnimal Crossingis a far cry from the franchise today. WhileAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsis certainly a fun game in its own way, it inundated the player with things to do, tasks to complete, and people to meet. The original version for the Gamecube, though, was simple, cozy, and didn’t ask too much of the player.
The player’s fellow villagers are a bit noticeably… ruder… in the original version compared to nowadays. Although Resetti yells at the player for not saving their game, the low-polyaesthetics and gentle music, plus its extremely simple gameplay, make it one of the most relaxinggames similar toVirtual Cottageout there – it just might take a bit of effort to track down a copy and for that matter a Gamecube.
12Night in the Woods
Night in the Woodsis a beautiful, anthropomorphic exploration game with a heavy focus on the world’s characters and providing a sense of adventure. It’s a very casual experience, with well-written dialogue and meaningful interactions throughout that make one feel truly a part of its colorful world.
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It’s a game absolutely packed with details, from the intricately detailed backgrounds of each area to the throughlines of the game’s engaging narrative. It’s well worth playing, though it’s a little bit different thanVirtual Cottage.
11Slime Rancher
The colorful, cheerful world ofSlime Rancheris a bit different thanVirtual Cottage,as it has lots of mechanics, things to do, exploration to pursue, and of course slimes to take care of. While it’s not one of thosegames likeVirtual Cottagefor its minimalism, it captures the same sense of aesthetics and vibes that one can’t help but love.
Slime Rancheris receiving a sequel soon after being announced at E3, but that doesn’t mean the original isn’t worth playing. While it’s not a game that one can leave running and enjoysimilar toVirtual Cottage, the Venn Diagram forSlime RancherandVirtual Cottage’s audiences is practically a circle.
10Kind Words
Kind Wordsdeveloped by Popcannibalis a letter-writing simulator. Players write letters to other real people and can trade stickers in a cozy room listening to calming music. New rooms and stickers are added frequently to the game, making collecting all the stamps and experiencing all the different rooms exciting.
Letters range from heartwarming to hilarious requests seeking advice or simply a virtual ear to hear their tales.
9Good Morning!
Need some energy before starting the day?Good Morning!has that covered. A quick and cozy browser experience from Tiffany Wang has players open their eyes, brush their teeth, and clumsily make a cup of tea among other bite-sized mini-games about starting the day.
Good Morning!is one of thoseapps likeVirtual Cottagethat will get players on their feet ready to start the day with its charming illustrations and lovable mini-games.
8Sizeable
From Business Goose Studios and the mind ofSander Ambroos comesSizeable, a fun-sized puzzle and exploration game about finding hidden objects. The miniature dioramas in the game may be small, but they’re full of so much life and energy.
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Players are giving the power to shrink or grow items in each diorama which will help them find the hidden objects. With a beautiful soundtrack and adorable low-poly visuals,Sizeableis a treat for anyone looking for a cozy get-away.
7FurnCap
A mysterious world, a dog with a space helmet, and lots and lots of furniture!FurnCapis a low-poly, open-world exploration game about making furniture inside teeny tiny capsules. Explore a colorful world full of strange structures and locals obsessed with furniture.
If players fulfill the needs of the NPCs, players will be fulfilled as well. Pet the dog, make some furniture, andexplore a world unlike anyplayers have seen before.
6The Library Of Babble
The Library Of Babble, an exploration game from Demi, tasks players with exploration a strange labyrinth inside a computer composed of other players' writing and works. The goal is for players to leave their own stories inspired by theirexperience with the gameor the stories they encounter to inspire other players to write.
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Sadly, the servers were closed last summer, but all stories are archived for players to read and enjoy. Whether players are looking for a warm-up for their long day of writing or looking to read a large collection of short stories and prose,The Library Of Babbleis a game for readers and writers everywhere.
5A Good Snowman Is Hard To Build
Truer words have never been spoken with this title. Players take control of an adorable character attempting to build a new friend inA Good Snowman Is Hard To Build.
This winter wonderland of a puzzle game is full of maze after maze of areas the player can make snowmen in. Rolling a large ball of snow around hasnever been so calmingas in this game from Draknek.
4Cats Organized Neatly
From DU&I, the same developers and publishers ofVirtual Cottage, comes the furry puzzle-solving, feline-organizingCats Organized Neatly. Players must arrange their feline friends (or fiends) into the appropriate tiles in a grid for them all to fit nicely and neatly together.
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Players who love cats, a cozy experience, and a minimal color palette will get loads of fun out ofCats Organized Neatly. Just verify the cats have enough room to nap.
