Welcome to Cozy Week, where we'll curl up by the glow of our screens to celebrate all that's soft in entertainment. Pour yourself a cup of hot cocoa and sit by us as we coo over the cutest games, cry over the tenderest movie moments, and drift off to the most comforting shows. Because it can be a cold world out there, and we need something to keep us warm.
There's nothing like a cuddly, cozy, cutesy game fest.
Whether you're going head-to-head in a round of Snipperclips or running out the clock with Overcooked!, multiplayer and co-op games provide players with an unparalleled chance to bond. You can share a blanket with your partner, kids, relatives, friends, and/or roommates while you journey to a far off land full of color and fun. There you'll puzzle and platform, win and lose, try on and take off costumes — all from the comfort of your very own couch.
In a time where plenty of us are trying to get outside of ourselves, few things sound better than transporting entertainment designed to make us feel closer. So, without further ado, here are 12 of the coziest comfort games to play with your loved ones right now.
12. Heave Ho!
Hold hands and launch each other into space in this couch co-op designed to make your hands hurt. With adorable animations and standout humor, Heave Ho! harnesses simulated physics to create a surprisingly endearing journey full of teamwork, betrayal, and costume changes. Hurl yourself onto ledges, make human chains, and cling to whatever you can grab. There's only one goal: Don't fall before you reach that flag.
Perfect for: 1-4 players of any age via couch co-op.
Where to play: Heave Ho! is available on Windows and Nintendo Switch.
11. Bee Simulator
Tackle one big journey from a very small vantage point. In Bee Simulator, players are transported to the miniature world of bees where they are tasked with various bee duties. Full of educational facts, beautiful scenery, and amusing challenges, this is a great game to play with science-loving kids. (Fair warning, the controls can be a little wonky so be prepared for some frustration along the way.)
Perfect for: 1-4 players of any age via couch co-op. Competitive play also available.
Where to play: Bee Simulator is available on Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.
10. Kirby Star Allies
There are plenty of cute Nintendo games on this list, but Kirby Star Allies will always hold a special place in my heart. Accompany Kirby and up to three of his pals as they explore levels, turning enemies into allies and combining powers along the way. Super sweet and exceptionally easy, Kirby Star Allies is mindless platform fun for the whole family.
Perfect for: 1-4 players of any age via couch co-op.
Where to play: Kirby Star Allies is available on Nintendo Switch.
9. BoxBoy! + BoxGirl!
Spare and charming, BoxBoy! + BoxGirl! expands the BoxBoy universe into the world of co-operative puzzle madness. Playing as cubes Qbby and Qucy while they shepherd around their tiny Qbabies, adventure through levels and battle against that mysterious mist. With limited moves and over 270 puzzles, this is the perfect pick for twiddling away time. Plus, box costumes!
Perfect for: 1-2 players of any age via couch co-op.
Where to play: BoxBoy! + BoxGirl! is available on Nintendo Switch.
8. Snipperclips
In the vibrant, paper-thin land of Snipperclips, solve intricate puzzles with the magic of [insert fanfare] geometry. Team up with one to three friends as paper characters able to trim each other into the perfect shapes for overcoming obstacles of all types. Travel across levels as companions, or go head-to-head (edge-to-edge?) in Blitz mode for a cutting round of competition.
Perfect for: 1-4 players of any age via couch co-op. Competitive play also available.
Where to play: Snipperclips is available on Nintendo Switch.
7. Wattam
Join forces with other sentient flowers, rocks, foods, poops, and household items as you proceed through the magical land of Wattam. This nonsensical puzzler won't be for everyone — you have to play as poop — but its strange and wonderful "logic" has proven mesmeric for many. You'll swoon over the cutesy animations, be maddened by mysteries, and start making strange, involuntary noises. That's just life now.
Perfect for: 1-2 players of any age via couch co-op.
Where to play: Wattam is available on Windows and PlayStation 4.
6. Stardew Valley
Pelican Town is a lovely place to live on your own — and, thanks to a 2019 update, just as delightful with friends. Farm, mine, fish, fight, and socialize together in Stardew Valley multiplayer. Grandpa's farm can support multiple cabins, allowing you and your fellow farmers to grow and harvest crops at a much faster rate. Of course, cooperation presents new challenges...but you'll always have a date to the Flower Dance!
Perfect for: 1-4 players of any age, all with their own copy of the game, connecting via LAN or online for Windows, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
Where to play: Stardew Valley is available on Windows, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and PlayStation Vita.
5. Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
No dating simulator is as darling as Dream Daddy. In this narrative adventure, you and your daughter Amanda move to the town of Maple Bay. There you meet (and try to charm) your neighbors while looking for another hot dad to date. Heartfelt and sweet, Dream Daddy is the perfect game to play and discuss as a team — even if you only get one controller.
Perfect for: 1 teen or adult player (occasional strong language and sexual innuendo) with an unlimited number of viewers/dating gurus.
Where to play: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator is available on Windows, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.
4. Luigi's Mansion 3
In the third (and undeniably best) installment in the Luigi's Mansion franchise, our mustachioed friend must suck up ghosts and find his pals across the 17-level Last Resort Hotel. Full of spooky surprises and gratifying gameplay, Luigi's Mansion 3 is a great journey to take solo — but add friends and it's even better. There are lots of ways to play as Luigi and his gelatinous doppelgänger Gooigi, so try them all out with different numbers of people to find your favorite fright.
Perfect for: 1-2 players of all ages connecting via couch co-op for Story Mode, 1-8 players connecting locally or online for ScreamPark, and 1-8 players connecting locally for Scarescraper.
Where to play: Luigi's Mansion 3 is available on Nintendo Switch.
3. Untitled Goose Game
There's a goose on the loose! A hilarious blend of waterfowl and anarchy, Untitled Goose Game lets you play as a goose intent on making the lives of local villagers into avian hell. Drag away rakes, frighten young children, steal from a shop owner who thinks she's better than you but isn't — all in under two or three hours. There's no multiplayer, but the puzzles are great to solve in groups.
Perfect for: 1 player of any age with unlimited viewers/puzzle co-pilots.
Where to play: Untitled Goose Game is available on Windows, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
2. Overcooked! and Overcooked! 2
There are too many cooks in this kitchen, but that's the appeal of Overcooked! Pick your chef and step up to the counter as you fulfill customer orders in this culinary setup from hell. The more happy guests you can feed, the higher your ranking and the faster the game's narrative will progress. The name of the game is teamwork, so talk often and stay alert. For more fun, check out Overcooked! 2. It's just as enjoyable, but with even more chefs and themes.
Perfect for: 1-4 players of any age via couch co-op. Competitive play also available.
Where to play: Overcooked! is available on Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch; Overcooked! 2 is available on Windows, Mac, PlayStation 4, Linux, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Of course Animal Crossing: New Horizons is on here. Played in real time, this life simulator allows fans to cultivate their own perfect lives on their own perfect islands. Decorate your house, design your town, make friends, fish, frolic, fly, and more as your Animal Crossing journey unfolds. If you're looking to connect with long distance friends, this is the world you need to inhabit.
Perfect for: Unlimited players of any age, connecting locally or online, all with their own copy of the game. Note: Only 8 players can meet up on an island at any given time — but you can have any number of friends!
Where to play: Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available on Nintendo Switch.
Honorable mention: Donut County
At its core, Donut County is a rather on-the-nose metaphor for gentrification that not everyone will describe as "cozy." Still, its stunning style, superb story, and addicting soundtrack make it an excellent gaming experience for the right player. In this simple, but moving narrative, a misguided raccoon devours buildings with a gigantic, corporate-backed hole in the ground that's steadily destroying the entire town. Weird and wonderful, Donut County is a short tale you'll remember for a long time. "Have a garbage day!"
Perfect for: 1 player of any age with unlimited viewers/crater placement experts.
Where to play: Donut County is available on Windows, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS, and Nintendo Switch.
Topics Gaming
