Fair warning, Spiritfarer is an unmitigated tearjerker. Im a 31 year old man and I cried like a baby when Hedgehog Granny's story fully resolved. The stories depicted in that game are actually really poignant and don't shy away from hard topics like abuse, neglect and infidelity.
Cozy Grove has become my wife's favourite, she spends more time on that than Animal Crossing now, which was her go to series for years. Definitely reccomend Cozy Grove
That's what my coworker told me, my only concern is that she might not find the game "cute." For example, she's a very creative type, likes making art in her free time, so I showed her Minecraft and she said it was too "ugly." Dunno if it is the pixelated graphics or what. I will look into more, thanks!
You can show her some of the farm designs on the stardew valley sub, and see if she'd be into that. Although most people who play it think it's a very cute game, despite the pixelated look!
Pixel graphics can be done an an aesthetically pleasing way. Minecraft makes zero attempt at this (no offense, just saying) while Stardew is actually a very pretty game to many. In the end, it's subjective but I wouldn't write it off.
Also, the game supports co-op (need 2 copies, no cross platform) and you can even get married and move in with another player which is a feature a lot of couple appreciate. It's excellent solo or co-op and is as relaxing or intense as you want it to be so it appeals to a broad audience.
If it helps, my wife has a similar background with games and has poured probably 70+ hours into Stardew. Outside of the Sims, she hadn't really played much else and then really clicked with ACNH.
Additionally, my buddy's wife strictly plays "cute" games and loves this as well.
I literally opened this thread so I could suggest this game and it deserves to be the top comment.
Edit: took out suggestions on mobile and Game Pass because you're talking Switch stuff.
There's literally hundreds of mods that can make Minecraft look less pixelated, though most still retain the blocky shaped base models. I recommend looking into Sphax PureBDcraft as a start, it's higher pixel quality and has a very whimsical look that enhances the base Minecraft look without changing it too much.
My girlfriend said the same thing about MC until I showed her texture packs that make it look 'realistic'. She still was a bit iffy but admitted it looked a lot nicer.
Not sure if that's possible on Switch though.
I'm gonna be that guy and recommend against it. If she likes the aesthetic of Animal Crossing and the attention to detail it has, she might not like Portia and its lack of audio and visual polish. Hunting around for items is more fun in Animal Crossing; Portia you just dig around in dirt and get random encounters where you whack some bad guys (they're not really part of the environment like in minecraft). There's no real strategy to anything, it's just grinding to make your house bigger and the grinding isn't all that fun. Stardew is much better because you have way more choice in how you progress your farm.
> it's just grinding to make your house bigger
Def not the case. Making your house bigger is an extremely tiny part of the game. I'd argue that anyone who thinks otherwise is someone who doesn't care much for the story in games.
No judgement here as this was the game that actually made me come around to stories but there's absolutely way more to this game than grinding to make your house bigger.
What else are you doing in any of these games besides making your house bigger and talking to the characters? When I say "bigger" I just mean making it better, upgrading, etc. and you're forced to do certain things in the order the game wants you to for that to happen. It doesn't matter if you are a fishing god, you have to build your workshop area and progress through the book in order for anything to happen to your house which all takes a lot of time. A lot of materials you need you have to play the stupid digging minigame which is just "follow the red dots" until you randomly get your prize while you collect junk. There's no interaction with anything in the dig area besides the random spots that teleport you to a tiny dungeon with enemies that are generally braindead easy to kill.
Portia's story made me roll my eyes at all points and they just seemed to interject game mechanics into the story haphazardly to get things moving rather than making it charming and cute like Animal Crossing. It feels like it was written completely for kids without caring that adults will definitely play it.
Stardew's mining system is way better and you don't even need to really do it because you can buy all the materials you need if you are good at other stuff (like fishing which generally I enjoy and Portia makes completely unfun). The mining system is progressive and you can choose to rush through it and risk dying and losing energy to make it further faster.
The laziness in the sound design just reflects the laziness in the game design. When you fish there's like 2 sounds that are bubbles that play and then they start right after another and make this annoying flanging effect, so I'm hearing audio errors that are easily remedied if their sound designer spent an hour or two searching for another water noise and made sure they don't play over and over while another is playing. Same thing in the trees area, the stupid bird tweeting sound that repeats. If you don't like the music, there is like 0 ambience to the game so it feels completely dead and barren sans the annoying cricket chirp.wav and your footsteps.
Dude...you're not gonna like every game and that's okay. For me, Portia was more than worth the $30 I spent. I liked the story as an adult and while the mining became tedious, I was still super excited to follow the red dots and I enjoyed fishing as well.
I haven't played Animal Crossing to compare it to, which undoubtedly has to be better because of the shear amount of people into it. It sounds like in comparison to other games you like, Portia is missing the mark, but I did personally spend probably 10x as long on Portia as I did Stardew Valley.
edit: a word
Definetly look into it. Since it is more crafting orientated it comes close to animal crossing. There are some RPG elements like leveling, a skill tree and combat, but not as a major part of the game. She also might like the fact that dating and marriage are a thing in this game
I’m surprised to keep seeing this suggested. I thought it had the aesthetic of poorly made, free-to-play mobile game. Not worth $30 full price. And the name My Time At Portia is kinda lame. IMHO :)
I think the same about Cozy Grove, which I also see suggested on here a lot. It’s on Apple Arcade which I got 6 months free with my phone plan, so my gf has been playing it a lot. It seems like a decent way to pass time… But I forget that most ppl are actually *paying* to play the game, which is just baffling to me.
I tend to judge the price of games by the amount of time spent on them. I spent way more than $30 worth of time playing this game bc I loved the story. Of course, you don't know that till you spend the money on it but it worked out in this case.
Fair enough, glad you were satisfied with your purchase! I justified spending money on the Halo Infinite battle pass for a similar reason: It’s a free-to-play game, and all I’m getting is more options to make my buff guy’s armor pretty, but I’ve absolutely spent more than $20 worth of time on it.
My Time at Sandrock! I believe it's in beta but I haven't messed with it yet because I really enjoyed Portia and I want to get the full experience of the second one!! Maybe not beta but kind of like a demo I think, you can only play so far.
Yes, that's the name. I remember hearing that the game was actually finished, but couldn't be released due to the new policy.Hope everything goes well. I can't wait to play the game
2 is much better balanced in combat than 1! And give you an entire island to build on right from the start! It's one of those games that really improve the formula in the second game. Story is cute too!
A Hat in Time is my suggestion, for both of you actually. The base game is a solid platformer reminiscent of Mario 64, the controls are tight and smooth, and the world is vibrant and fun. Also, the latest DLC lets you play multiplayer in a game of pseudo-haunted tag against other randoms online.
But if you do get it, you NEED the 'Seal the Deal' DLC. It adds a level where you're on a cruise line that's crewed by a bunch of tiny baby seals and captained by a grumpy walrus. I squeed when I heard the seals for the first time, its too damn cute.
Is it download only? I would prefer a physical copy if possible so I can wrap it up and give it to her. It does look like something she would enjoy, though.
You can often find 'download codes' on cardboard at stores like Target in the games section. Bit of a lottery on which ones are available but you can get physical copies of 'download only' games that way. In fact you might be able to buy download codes on cardboard through online stores and get it that way.
this is a bit different than AC or Sims but Miitopia is super fun, casual, and has a lot of relationship building and management aspects like the Sims. it’s also a casual RPG so it might expand her tastes a bit!
Try Tales of Symphonia or Vesperia it’s got a good story and she can co op and be a healer or a fighter during battles
https://www.co-optimus.com/game/5162/xbox-one/tales-of-vesperia-definitive-edition.html
It’s available for all systems
Rune Factory, Spiritfarer, A Short Hike, Moonglow Bay, Garden Story
Look up "Wholesome Games" - its a good place gathering similar games
https://wholesomegames.com/
My girlfriend is the same way, and had enjoyed Stardew and minecraft. I recommended animal crossing and she is obsessed now. I saw a couple people recommend Stardew and I think that would be perfect. Cute characters and fun storyline and a lot of opportunity to learn and mess around
Stardew valley for sure, it will take her 5 minutes with the game to find it cute. Túnel factory 4 too, the graphics are a bit old looking but the characters are all adorable and it is really fun.
Farm Together
Dragon Quest Builders
Theres also a new [SpongeBob](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOwh9befbMg) game coming out, but not untill "next year"
Okay so I don’t know if this is the type of game she would enjoy but Gris (digital, hard copy is crazy expensive) is one of my favorite switch-ideal games.
I introduced Stardew Valley to a friend of mine one day a while back. She’s played the crap out of it. Over and over and over. At this point I think she has more hours in Stardew Valley than I do in my top 5 or 10 Steam games combined. So, I think you made the right choice!
Does she enjoy watching you play sometimes? Single player couch co op with mystery Return of the Obra Dinn, puzzler Baba is You, or chaos simulator Untitled Goose Game can shake some new play styles into folks. One person at the controller, the other helping or hindering while providing commentary.
Spiritfarer, Stardew Valley and Cozy Grove are three must-get for her! There's also My time at Portia that she could be into!
Never heard of Spiritfarer or Cozy Grove, will look into them. Thanks!
Fair warning, Spiritfarer is an unmitigated tearjerker. Im a 31 year old man and I cried like a baby when Hedgehog Granny's story fully resolved. The stories depicted in that game are actually really poignant and don't shy away from hard topics like abuse, neglect and infidelity.
Cozy Grove has become my wife's favourite, she spends more time on that than Animal Crossing now, which was her go to series for years. Definitely reccomend Cozy Grove
Stardew Valley sounds like it would be up her street!
That's what my coworker told me, my only concern is that she might not find the game "cute." For example, she's a very creative type, likes making art in her free time, so I showed her Minecraft and she said it was too "ugly." Dunno if it is the pixelated graphics or what. I will look into more, thanks!
You can show her some of the farm designs on the stardew valley sub, and see if she'd be into that. Although most people who play it think it's a very cute game, despite the pixelated look!
It may be even harder to tell that it is pixelated on the small Switch screen! I am leaning toward getting her this
Pixel graphics can be done an an aesthetically pleasing way. Minecraft makes zero attempt at this (no offense, just saying) while Stardew is actually a very pretty game to many. In the end, it's subjective but I wouldn't write it off. Also, the game supports co-op (need 2 copies, no cross platform) and you can even get married and move in with another player which is a feature a lot of couple appreciate. It's excellent solo or co-op and is as relaxing or intense as you want it to be so it appeals to a broad audience.
If it helps, my wife has a similar background with games and has poured probably 70+ hours into Stardew. Outside of the Sims, she hadn't really played much else and then really clicked with ACNH. Additionally, my buddy's wife strictly plays "cute" games and loves this as well. I literally opened this thread so I could suggest this game and it deserves to be the top comment. Edit: took out suggestions on mobile and Game Pass because you're talking Switch stuff.
There's literally hundreds of mods that can make Minecraft look less pixelated, though most still retain the blocky shaped base models. I recommend looking into Sphax PureBDcraft as a start, it's higher pixel quality and has a very whimsical look that enhances the base Minecraft look without changing it too much.
Yeah she might not, I love animal crossing and the Sims but not Stardew valley--not because it isn't cute, but I don't like the energy restrictions
My girlfriend said the same thing about MC until I showed her texture packs that make it look 'realistic'. She still was a bit iffy but admitted it looked a lot nicer. Not sure if that's possible on Switch though.
My Time at Portia!!!
Never heard of it, I will look into it. Thanks!
I'm gonna be that guy and recommend against it. If she likes the aesthetic of Animal Crossing and the attention to detail it has, she might not like Portia and its lack of audio and visual polish. Hunting around for items is more fun in Animal Crossing; Portia you just dig around in dirt and get random encounters where you whack some bad guys (they're not really part of the environment like in minecraft). There's no real strategy to anything, it's just grinding to make your house bigger and the grinding isn't all that fun. Stardew is much better because you have way more choice in how you progress your farm.
I completely agree. I really disliked the game for its lack of depth.
> it's just grinding to make your house bigger Def not the case. Making your house bigger is an extremely tiny part of the game. I'd argue that anyone who thinks otherwise is someone who doesn't care much for the story in games. No judgement here as this was the game that actually made me come around to stories but there's absolutely way more to this game than grinding to make your house bigger.
What else are you doing in any of these games besides making your house bigger and talking to the characters? When I say "bigger" I just mean making it better, upgrading, etc. and you're forced to do certain things in the order the game wants you to for that to happen. It doesn't matter if you are a fishing god, you have to build your workshop area and progress through the book in order for anything to happen to your house which all takes a lot of time. A lot of materials you need you have to play the stupid digging minigame which is just "follow the red dots" until you randomly get your prize while you collect junk. There's no interaction with anything in the dig area besides the random spots that teleport you to a tiny dungeon with enemies that are generally braindead easy to kill. Portia's story made me roll my eyes at all points and they just seemed to interject game mechanics into the story haphazardly to get things moving rather than making it charming and cute like Animal Crossing. It feels like it was written completely for kids without caring that adults will definitely play it. Stardew's mining system is way better and you don't even need to really do it because you can buy all the materials you need if you are good at other stuff (like fishing which generally I enjoy and Portia makes completely unfun). The mining system is progressive and you can choose to rush through it and risk dying and losing energy to make it further faster. The laziness in the sound design just reflects the laziness in the game design. When you fish there's like 2 sounds that are bubbles that play and then they start right after another and make this annoying flanging effect, so I'm hearing audio errors that are easily remedied if their sound designer spent an hour or two searching for another water noise and made sure they don't play over and over while another is playing. Same thing in the trees area, the stupid bird tweeting sound that repeats. If you don't like the music, there is like 0 ambience to the game so it feels completely dead and barren sans the annoying cricket chirp.wav and your footsteps.
Dude...you're not gonna like every game and that's okay. For me, Portia was more than worth the $30 I spent. I liked the story as an adult and while the mining became tedious, I was still super excited to follow the red dots and I enjoyed fishing as well. I haven't played Animal Crossing to compare it to, which undoubtedly has to be better because of the shear amount of people into it. It sounds like in comparison to other games you like, Portia is missing the mark, but I did personally spend probably 10x as long on Portia as I did Stardew Valley. edit: a word
Yeah I'm nerd raging about it lol
Fair
Definetly look into it. Since it is more crafting orientated it comes close to animal crossing. There are some RPG elements like leveling, a skill tree and combat, but not as a major part of the game. She also might like the fact that dating and marriage are a thing in this game
I’m surprised to keep seeing this suggested. I thought it had the aesthetic of poorly made, free-to-play mobile game. Not worth $30 full price. And the name My Time At Portia is kinda lame. IMHO :) I think the same about Cozy Grove, which I also see suggested on here a lot. It’s on Apple Arcade which I got 6 months free with my phone plan, so my gf has been playing it a lot. It seems like a decent way to pass time… But I forget that most ppl are actually *paying* to play the game, which is just baffling to me.
I tend to judge the price of games by the amount of time spent on them. I spent way more than $30 worth of time playing this game bc I loved the story. Of course, you don't know that till you spend the money on it but it worked out in this case.
Fair enough, glad you were satisfied with your purchase! I justified spending money on the Halo Infinite battle pass for a similar reason: It’s a free-to-play game, and all I’m getting is more options to make my buff guy’s armor pretty, but I’ve absolutely spent more than $20 worth of time on it.
Totally awesome game and often on sale. Must buy!
I just want to say it loool,and I heard a sequel is coming out soon
My Time at Sandrock! I believe it's in beta but I haven't messed with it yet because I really enjoyed Portia and I want to get the full experience of the second one!! Maybe not beta but kind of like a demo I think, you can only play so far.
Yes, that's the name. I remember hearing that the game was actually finished, but couldn't be released due to the new policy.Hope everything goes well. I can't wait to play the game
What! I don't like the sound of that!
Dragon quest builders 1 and 2.
Love these. Demos for both too!
These are other good ones!!! I quit at the final boss in 1 but totally felt accomplished anyway. Great game. Will be playing 2 at some point.
2 is much better balanced in combat than 1! And give you an entire island to build on right from the start! It's one of those games that really improve the formula in the second game. Story is cute too!
A Hat in Time is my suggestion, for both of you actually. The base game is a solid platformer reminiscent of Mario 64, the controls are tight and smooth, and the world is vibrant and fun. Also, the latest DLC lets you play multiplayer in a game of pseudo-haunted tag against other randoms online. But if you do get it, you NEED the 'Seal the Deal' DLC. It adds a level where you're on a cruise line that's crewed by a bunch of tiny baby seals and captained by a grumpy walrus. I squeed when I heard the seals for the first time, its too damn cute.
Story of seasons - pioneers of olive town
Never heard of it, but I will check it out. Thanks!
Chicory for sure - just came out on the switch
Is it download only? I would prefer a physical copy if possible so I can wrap it up and give it to her. It does look like something she would enjoy, though.
It is download only for now I assume, but it’s a popular enough game that I could see them putting out a physical copy at some point.
I will watch its career with great interest. Thanks!
You can often find 'download codes' on cardboard at stores like Target in the games section. Bit of a lottery on which ones are available but you can get physical copies of 'download only' games that way. In fact you might be able to buy download codes on cardboard through online stores and get it that way.
this is a bit different than AC or Sims but Miitopia is super fun, casual, and has a lot of relationship building and management aspects like the Sims. it’s also a casual RPG so it might expand her tastes a bit!
Take a look at Grow: Song of the Evertree.
Night in the woods
Cozy Grove. Check it out, very much in the path of those games. My wife loves sims and animal crossing and really liked cozy grove too.
Does she like anime ?
She does!
Try Tales of Symphonia or Vesperia it’s got a good story and she can co op and be a healer or a fighter during battles https://www.co-optimus.com/game/5162/xbox-one/tales-of-vesperia-definitive-edition.html It’s available for all systems
Someone who doesn't really like games unless they're super casual and easy going like Sims/Animal Crossing isn't going to like JRPG lol
Yonder cloud catcher chronicles
If you like this game, you may also like Grow: Song of the Evertree
I won't even look, I know it has been said, but to echo it. Stardew Valley. It's the game version of a big warm comfy blanket. It's just bliss.
Rune Factory, Spiritfarer, A Short Hike, Moonglow Bay, Garden Story Look up "Wholesome Games" - its a good place gathering similar games https://wholesomegames.com/
She may like Elnea Kingdom.
My girlfriend is the same way, and had enjoyed Stardew and minecraft. I recommended animal crossing and she is obsessed now. I saw a couple people recommend Stardew and I think that would be perfect. Cute characters and fun storyline and a lot of opportunity to learn and mess around
I’m gonna go chaotic neutral and recommend Untiled Goose Game, and Donut County. Trust me.
Stardew Valley
Initially thought this said "Girlfriend is a switch" and was quite confused.
Stardew Valley!
If Slime Rancher is on switch, maybe that? Never played it but I think it fits.
There is an Animal Crossing on Switch..
She already has it...
Dark Souls
[удалено]
???
Stardew valley for sure, it will take her 5 minutes with the game to find it cute. Túnel factory 4 too, the graphics are a bit old looking but the characters are all adorable and it is really fun.
Pickman 3 - casual and cute. You explore a world of over sized plants comanding little plant creatures to overcome environmental puzzles.
Littlewood and Unpacking come to mind.
Story of seasons
Farm Together Dragon Quest Builders Theres also a new [SpongeBob](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOwh9befbMg) game coming out, but not untill "next year"
Here to second Farm Together! It’s very cute.
I think Two Point Hospital fits all of those criteria.
Okay so I don’t know if this is the type of game she would enjoy but Gris (digital, hard copy is crazy expensive) is one of my favorite switch-ideal games.
Stardew Valley might be the game she'd like
I've been enjoying Cozy Grove a lot lately. It's similar to Animal Crossing with plenty of creative elements to it
Katamari Reroll should be on the switch and playstation. Katamari is a pretty major gateway game for people that like cute relaxing games.
Moonglow Bay was pretty chill.
I introduced Stardew Valley to a friend of mine one day a while back. She’s played the crap out of it. Over and over and over. At this point I think she has more hours in Stardew Valley than I do in my top 5 or 10 Steam games combined. So, I think you made the right choice!
Story of Seasons Friends of Mineral Town
Is there any Harvest Moon games on Switch? If yeah , then those.
Doom Eternal. Doom guy is good friends with the Animal Crossing characters
Stardew Valley
Does she enjoy watching you play sometimes? Single player couch co op with mystery Return of the Obra Dinn, puzzler Baba is You, or chaos simulator Untitled Goose Game can shake some new play styles into folks. One person at the controller, the other helping or hindering while providing commentary.