Hello all! I would like to know what games give you that cozy, fuzzy feeling of simple happiness.
I’m currently experiencing this with Tchia, a wholesome game about a girl doing fun stuff on an island.
Weirdly enough I have a similar thing going with Doom (2016) at the moment. Something about the intensity of the levels and the interesting map design make me feel really satisfied and immersed.
Lastly, Super Mario 3D World really has a similar effect to Tchia, we’re I immediately get a happy feeling just by booting it up and looking at the wonderful colors en design.
What is your go-to game for feeling relaxes or happy?
Stardew Valley for sure. Sometimes Euro Truck Simulator 2 to chill.
I used to play ets2 to relax, then I discovered truckersmp
As a newbie, I was rushing to figure out all the mechanics fast enough to unlock the greenhouse in year 1. It was a bit of a stressful optimization game trying to max out every single day.
Since I unlocked it, cash is rolling in so fast I don’t even know what to do with it anymore. I just hit Spring in t year 2 and it’s really chill, now. I’m thinking of selling most of my animals since It’s repetitive needing to pet them and make cheese/mayo every day. I might just cheat and get a couple auto-petters to make it even more relaxed…
I love going back and replaying Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy on my PS2; awesome memories there. I really want to try out the OpenGOAL project
A Short Hike, definitely. I just wish it was longer.
Perhaps they’ll make a sequel, A Slightly Longer Hike.
I just do the hikes irl, nothing’s more relaxing than being in the mountains alone or with a good friend.
I do both, because people can do more than one thing. This is called a false dichotomy, and in this case with an unsubtle whiff of moralizing.
Slime rancher and Subnautica for sure.
Toy Story 2 PSX
Super Mario 64
New Super Mario Bros DS
Mario Kart DS, 7, and 8 Deluxe
Citizen Sleeper had many moments that I just breathed in and smiled about. It is a beautiful game with beautiful stories in it
The Last Campfire feels like you’re being read a bedtime story, in the best way. I haven’t quite felt anything like it from gaming.
Dave the Dive was a blast. Definitely has that ocean community vibe of everyone supporting each other and contributing in their own unique way. Super laid back and just relaxing, even though there’s plenty of things to do.
My favorite part was the questionable messaging around killing endangered animals. But it was a chill game for sure.
Minecraft. Make your own to do list and play at your own pace. I will beat the ender dragon one day but for now I work on my next automated farm lol.
If I want relaxation it’s Disney Dreamlight Valley.
To top up the happy tank, I love playing
- Katamari games
- OpenRA (Red Alert)
- Wrestling games (Smackdown on PS1/2)
- OpenRCT (Rollercoaster Tycoon)
- Baldurs Gate 3
- Mass Effect
- Frog Detective 1, 2, 3
- Game Dev Tycoon
I just did two playthroughs of BG3, and I think it’s now one of my “happy” games! I can see myself going back to it several more times!
Wandersong is a game about happiness that made me really happy while I was playing it. Not all the way through; there are parts that are sad too. But I’m thinking of replaying it because it made me feel really happy when I played it the first time.
Forza Horizon 5 is my comfort game, but lately Rocket league is making me all extatic
West of Loathing. The RPG stuff is great and the comedy is great but really the main strength is I just enjoy reading its dialogue. The vocabulary and sentence construction have a real sincerity for the setting contrasted against the silliness of the rest of it that makes both parts hit harder.
Similarly, the first three Monkey Island games which achieve that same injection of the heartfelt into the wacky by way of their gorgeous art and music.
But as far as the joy of just doing something it’s hard to beat the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games, to just be dropped into a level and be told “do cool stuff for a while”.
I love West of Loathing, one of the best games ever made. Completely second this.
Factorio without bitters. The music of desolance, alone on the planet trying to get efficient so you can leave and go home. I don’t know why it is so relaxing, but it is… just having time to plan and build exactly what you had in mind is bliss.
On the other hand if you want some adrenaline, play bitters in deathworld.
Factorio has this thing where if I play it while listening to a podcast or audiobook they use up exactly 100% of my focus. No less, I can’t think of anything else. But also no more, I never get tired. It’s a very specific form of relaxation for me; where I feel like I’m existing “just right”.
Exactly what I do. I use Angels and Bobs mods for a huge amount of stuff to do, loads of trains (almost 1,000 in my current playthrough!), and loads of stuff to build.
It’s heavenly!
I haven’t seen anyone mention Mirror’s Edge yet! The free running (especially in the first game) is such a unique and rewarding experience. A little janky and frustrating sometimes but when it clicks it just feels so good
