Animal Crossing is undoubtedly a one-of-a-kind game that is incredibly hard to replicate. There have been a few high-profile titles like Disney Dreamlight Valley and Hello Kitty: Island Adventure, and even a few lesser-known yet still incredibly popular games like Cozy Grove, that aim to deliver an experience a little like Animal Crossing’s immensely cozy gameplay loop, but with plenty of twists to help differentiate themselves. These games are all great and perfect for those of us who love Animal Crossing but have played every entry to death at this point.
However, by now, you’ve probably played the games I’ve already mentioned and are looking for something else that mimics Animal Crossing’s soothing social sim elements. While we wait for the interminably long time before the inevitable next Animal Crossing game is officially announced, players will want something to fill the Tom Nook-sized hole in their hearts. Fortunately, I’ve curated a list of games almost exactly like Animal Crossing that will serve as fun ways to pass the time before Nintendo eventually trumps all the competition with whatever it has been cooking up for over half a decade.
5. Magician’s Quest: Mysterious Times
Image Courtesy of Konami
I wish I could put Magician’s Quest: Mysterious Times significantly higher on this list, as it is ostensibly Animal Crossing meets Harry Potter. I don’t make those comparisons lightly, as in almost every regard, from visuals to animations and gameplay, Magician’s Quest: Mysterious Times (known as Enchanted Folk and the School of Wizardry in Europe) is exactly like Animal Crossing. You attend a magical school, befriend the other students who reside in the town with you, fish, collect bugs, perform spells, decorate your room, and attend classes. If you want a replica of Animal Crossing, albeit with a few new mechanics and a whole new cast of characters, then Magician’s Quest: Mysterious Times is for you.
The only downside is that it is almost impossible to find now. While you can buy a physical copy of the DS title, they’re expensive and in short supply. The series never made it out of Japan after this first entry, either, so you’re stuck with just this game unless you understand Japanese. I’m not entirely sure why this didn’t do well in the West, considering it targets practically everything cozy gamers want nowadays. I strongly suspect that if Konami were to remaster it for a modern Western cozy audience, it would perform outrageously well. Regardless, if you’ve got an abundance of cash lying around and you’re desperate for an Animal Crossing clone, then I cannot recommend Magician’s Quest: Mysterious Times enough.
4. Chill Town
Image Courtesy of Low-Hi Tech
Chill Town is a very relaxed indie version of Animal Crossing that is easy to recommend to those who love the aesthetics of Nintendo’s masterpiece and decorating their home and town. This is advertised as an idle experience, and it can, in many regards, serve as an Animal Crossing-esque animated wallpaper for your PC if you leave it running in the background. That isn’t to say that there are no forms of interaction, as those looking for things to do will certainly find plenty on offer. Rather, Chill Town, as its name suggests, is really just a game about vibes, relaxing, and soaking in the scenery, which is ultimately why it is one of the best cozy games on the market.
While it lacks a handful of core Animal Crossing elements, it does nevertheless feel like the series has been ported to PC. You’ll explore a gorgeous, scenic, sleepy town populated by fun, quirky characters. You can decorate your house however you’d like using an assortment of unlockable furniture, as well as the exterior and surrounding areas. You can fish, farm, tame animals, and amble about at your own pace. There’s a lot to immerse yourself in, which is great for those who enjoyed New Horizon’s more active approach to gameplay.
3. Grow: Song of the Evertree
Image Courtesy of Prideful Sloth
Grow: Song of the Evertree was, for a very long time, my all-time favorite cozy game. It is a visually stunning experience, one punctuated by vibrant colors and alien landscapes, something that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has played the developer’s previous game, Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles. In Grow: Song of the Evertree, you’ll explore the main hub area, build up the small town there, and welcome in new residents who all have their own wants and needs. You can establish shops, decorate the town, and venture across the surrounding areas to gather resources.
Once you’re done there, you’ll head into separate areas that need tending to. Here, you’ll discover rare new materials, tend to fluffy animals, and engage in the more active gameplay loop. It all makes for an immensely involved and ultimately cozy experience that certainly mimics the social sim elements of Animal Crossing while injecting a lot of new and interesting ideas I’ve not seen in any other game in the genre. Grow: Song of the Evertree has so much more going for it that I won’t spoil, all of which culminate in an incredibly heartfelt, warming, and pleasant experience that is ideal for those who love getting lost in Animal Crossing’s towns and islands.
2. Amber Isle
Image Courtesy of Ambertail Games
Amber Isle blends Animal Crossing’s social sim elements with the shopkeeping gameplay loop of titles like Moonlighter. You’ll explore the titular island in search of rare materials to craft goods that you can then sell to your fellow Paleofolk. With the money you earn, you can expand your shop, decorate it how you’d like, and also decorate the island itself. It’s a gameplay loop I’m sure many Animal Crossing and cozy game fans will be familiar with, but it is one that Amber Isle’s developer, Ambertail Games, executes perfectly.
What makes Amber Isle so perfect and an ideal title for Animal Crossing fans to play is its aforementioned Paleofolk. Each islander that you meet in Amber Isle is not only extremely lively in their conversations with you, but feels like a genuine person you’ll want to befriend. It really makes up for Animal Crossing’s recent shortcomings, as that series has begun to prioritize gameplay over the social sim elements that made it so popular in the first place. If you value meaningful interactions with your fellow villagers as much as I do, then you’ll absolutely adore Amber Isle and its memorable cast of friendly dinosaurs.
1. Galactic Getaway
Image Courtesy of Akrew
Galactic Getaway, in my opinion, is the very best game to play while waiting for the next Animal Crossing that I can recommend. While it isn’t a one-to-one replica like Magician’s Quest, it does perfectly encapsulate the feeling you get while playing Animal Crossing, and more than makes up for that series’ shortcomings in the multiplayer department. Galactic Getaway sees you befriend the local wildlife of an alien planet, build your own home, farm crops, and participate in several fun and often a little silly minigames that serve as fun time wasters between all the relaxing you’ll be doing.
With its very New Horizons-inspired visuals, incredible implementation of multiplayer, and social sim elements, Galactic Getaway feels like it could become a true competitor to Nintendo’s iconic series. However, right now it is criminally underrated, having only amassed a handful of reviews on Steam. This game deserves way more love and attention than it is getting, especially considering it is one of the few games that actually offers a very similar experience to Animal Crossing, something I feel like the cozy game community is constantly clamouring for. Do yourself a favor and go play Galactic Getaway. I promise you won’t regret it.
What Animal Crossing clones do you recommend? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
