Summary
- Stardew Valley and Story of Seasons are long-time classics to the genre, and no list would be complete without them.
- Paleo Pines lets you raise colorful dinosaurs on your farm, adding a unique twist to the usual farming sim excitement.
- Farming Simulator 23 delivers a realistic farming experience with tractors, harvesters, and intricate tools on the go.
Sometimes, you just want to stretch out your legs, lay back on the fluffiest pillow you can find, and indulge in a little virtual farming. The farming sim is a beloved genre because of the immaculately chill vibes it brings and our need to micromanage garden plot placements. Best of both worlds.
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PostsWhile you can find farming sims on almost anything that plays video games, there’s something undeniably attractive about farming sims on the Nintendo Switch. Maybe it’s become the console itself radiates comfort - or perhaps because everyone just loves being able to bring their little farm anywhere they go.
Since the nature of what makes a farming game so enjoyable is very much up to personal preference and style, we're listing each entry in no particular order. So instead of being a ranking, think of this list as a collection of farming-style games that are all worth looking into.
Updated March 19, 2025, by Branden Lizardi: So, we don't know how we missed it.. It's been around for years and years, but somehow it evaded our radar. Maybe it's because of the title, so we assumed it was something else. No one knows. Regardless, we're fixing that now Standed Sails, Explorers of the Cursed Islands has been added to the list. It's colorful, cute, charming, and an otherwise perfect fit for this article. We especially love the cabin decorating mechanics.
1 Stranded Sails: Explorers Of The Cursed Islands
Adventure Next To The High Seas
CloseStranded Sails: Explorers of the Cursed Islands
Adventure Released October 17, 2019WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALYou wouldn't have guessed it by the title, but Stranded Sails is as much a farming game as most others. You, the child of a pirate captain, find yourself on a topical island (or several), having to establish some roots to survive the otherwise quite lovely elements. The focus is on exploring the different islands and finding the secrets they keep, but you can farm, craft, dungeon delve, and more.
There's even a system for decorating your shipmates' cabins to keep them happy. It's reminiscent of similar systems in games like Animal Crossing and Terraria, where a well-decorated home means more to unlock. Its delightfully charming atmosphere, chill linear storyline, clear goals, and simple but engaging design philosophy make it a great choice for anyone wanting to feel a cozy pirate vibe.
2 Doraemon: Story Of Seasons
An Oddly Beautiful Crossover
CloseDoraemon: Story of Seasons
Simulation RPG Systems Released November 1, 2022WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALIn collaboration with Doraemon (or maybe the other way around), developer Marvelous produced a farming RPG in the world of the Doraemon anime series. It follows Nobi as he temporarily moves onto a rural farm. It offers less complex mechanics while still following the themes that Story of Seasons is known for. Those wanting a sophisticated experience might not find it here, but it's a great choice for anyone looking for a more casual, lighthearted time. It's a great choice for kids, too.
For those unfamiliar, Doraemon is a popular Japanese children's animated show. It follows a young boy named Nobi, who is helped in daily matters by a blue robot cat (with no ears) from the future named Doraemon.
Even more outstanding, however, is how downright beautiful it is. It takes major cues from the anime and combines them with a very watercolor-esque paint style. Throw in the vibrant and glowing dynamic lighting system, and this is the prettiest farming game on the Nintendo Switch we've ever seen.
3 Roots Of Pacha
Just A Bit After The Hunter/Gatherer Era
CloseRoots of Pacha
RPG Simulation Systems Released April 25, 2023WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALRoots of Pacha is one of the more creative takes on the cozy farming sandbox game. While the genre most commonly takes place in the more rustic era of the last generation, Roots of Pacha takes it further, far, far further, into the Stone Age. You do all the same stuff—farm some crops, ranch some animals, go to festivals—but Roots of Pacha puts a greater focus on the sense of community, working together to form the earliest stages of an organized society.
It has all the charm of a cozy farm RPG but with the unique style of the Stone Age. And with multiplayer functionality, it's a game you can share with your friends, which fits the community theme even further. Developing humanity is all about collaboration, after all.
4 Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator
Engaging Tranquility
CloseThere's something beautiful about a well-maintained garden. But when the community garden becomes neglected after its previous caretaker passes away, it falls to you to restore it. Garden Life tasks you with managing this land, weeding, planting, and otherwise reinvigorating the natural landscape.
Garden Life embodies a very specific combination of traits only found in some farming games: it's complex but peaceful. Tending to the garden takes more than just watering once a day and forgetting. There's pruning, weeding, developing color variants of plants, and other aspects to tend to. But there's no rush. You can do things at your own pace, and there isn't anything that you can't wait until tomorrow. It's a game with depth but not haste. This makes it one of the more relaxing options on this list.
5 Paleo Pines
Raise A Herd Of The Cutest Carnivores You've Ever Seen
ClosePaleo Pines
Indie RPG Simulation Released September 25, 2023WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALYou know what farming has always been missing? Gigantic lizards. That's where Paleo Pines comes in. Establish a farm in the charming, non-violent landscape full of dinosaurs. Tame them, bring them back home, cater to their specific needs, and even give them chores to do. This cute and colorful game is half crop farming, half dinosaur ranching.
Paleo Pines' greatest strength, as you can likely guess, is the dinosaur system. With more than 30 different dino varieties, each with different color variations, you'll have plenty of reptilian mega-fauna to find, tame, and bring home.
Our own review of the game rated it 3.5 stars
6 Stardew Valley
The King Of Cozy Farming Games
CloseStardew Valley
9.4/10 Released February 26, 2016WHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONWell, of course. Not since Harvest Moon has a farming sim loomed so large - though it’s fair to say Stardew Valley has eclipsed its inspiration at this point. Welcome to Pelican Town, a sleepy little village tucked away from the big city and the corporate rat race you’re desperate to escape. Your grandfather left you his old farm - while it has seen better days, you can make this work.
Stardew Valley doesn’t force you to farm - you can mine, fish, forage, or indulge in combat. There are even different farm layouts that emphasize these particular play styles, making every new farm a singular experience. From its pixel art aesthetic to the ease with which you can just pick up and play, Stardew Valley excels on the Switch.
7 Harvestella
Like If Final Fantasy Met Harvest Moon
CloseHarvestella
JRPG Simulation Systems Released November 4, 2022WHERE TO PLAY
PHYSICALBlending JRPG elements with farming sim goodness, Harvestella lives between genres. The apocalypse is coming faster than anyone would like to admit, and you, a person with no memories, might be the only person who can stop it. Well, you and your party, of course.
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PostsIn between combat missions and general end-of-the-world problems, you will be able to tend to your crops. Surely the apocalypse can wait while you water your thirsty vegetables, right?
8 Farming Simulator 23
The MOST Realistic Farming Game
CloseFarming Simulator 23
OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 59/100 Critics Rec: 9% 2.5/5 Powered by Expand CollapseAre these games too cute, casual, and enjoyable? Do you long for the most tedious, confusing, and complicated parts of modern farming, like Lime balance, paying $40,000 for something called a "Roller" that you don't know why you need? Do you need it on the go? Well do we have good news for you! Farming Simulator will satisfy those needs. Farming Simulator focuses on realism, and they deliver it in spades (farming pun!).
In FS23, you use tractors, harvesters, and numerous different farming tools that all exist in the real world to manage your farm. Till the soil with a plow, harvest the wheat, and bale the leftover hay. Learn about subsoilers, silage, and whether a disc harrower is better for your needs than a cultivator. It can be an intimidating game for newcomers. But once you know what your doing, it can be one of the most time-stealing farming games on the Nintendo Switch.
9 My Time At Portia
Make The Most Of Your Time
CloseMy Time at Portia
Action RPG Life Simulation Systems Released January 15, 2019WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALDon’t worry about the apocalypse - it’s already happened. My Time at Portia is not about creating the best, most perfect farm that can be - it’s about rebuilding and creating a better world. Sure, you want to be the best there is at the thing, but that’s not where the fulfillment comes from - building bonds with the folks around you and creating a brighter future.
Your crops, animals, and gathering skills serve that singular focus. This is a small town, and people are relying on you to help them - so don’t keep them waiting. Who needs glory when you have simple satisfaction?
10 My Time At Sandrock
Like Portia, But Better And Sandier
CloseMy Time At Sandrock
RPG Simulation Farming Systems Released November 2, 2023WHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONA sequel to the previous entry, My Time At Sandrock is a direct improvement on Portia. Like before, you accuire your own land, where you build up an empire of resource crafting. Mine, fight, farm, and socialize. When you're in town, you can meet a colorful cast of characters that bring new life to the dry landscape.
It also has some of the rough edges the previous game was known for, such as some technical complications and overly long late-game questing. But these are hardly rough enough to keep you from having a bad time.
