If you didn’t get a chance to make it out to PAX West this year, never fear! I’ve created a comprehensive round-up of all the cozy games I spotted at the convention.
Many of them aren’t released yet, so be sure to wishlist your faves!
1. The Star Named EOS
A storytelling puzzle adventure game created by Silver Lining Studio. Take, collect, and repair photographs as Dei, a young man seeking to uncover the mystery of his mother’s disappearance. The beautiful, hand-drawn style will fit right in with your cozy game collection.
They have a free demo available! There is no release date on their Steam page yet so stay tuned for more news.
2. Despelote
A soccer game told from the perspective of an eight year old boy named Julián. Kick around a soccer ball, talk to compelling characters, and watch the energy change around town as
Ecuador nears the qualifications for the World Cup.
As of writing this, their Steam page has no release date listed.
3. Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To
A narrative-driven, action-puzzle game with a cast of witchy demons. Match 3, cast spells, and prepare for the biggest concert of the year. Super colorful, full of attitude, and a ton of fun.
Spirit Swap has a planned release date of later 2023, but for now you can play a free demo.
4. Let’s School
A “city builder” game, except you are building a school! Play as an anime-esc headmaster trying to revive his floundering facility. Build classrooms, recruit students, and train teachers to breathe life back into a school on the brink of collapse.
You can buy Let’s School on Steam right now. As of writing this, it is sitting at a Very Positive review score.
5. Everdream Valley
A relaxed sandbox adventure where you play as a young boy on summer break at his grandparents’ farm. Plant vegetables, raise animals, meet the locals, and pet your dog (good boy!).
Everdream Valley is available on both Steam and Nintendo Switch right now. As of writing this, it is sitting at a Mostly Positive review score on Steam.
6. Quilts & Cats of Calico
A digital board game for 1-4 players. Pet cats, sew quilts, and compete with your friends. Based on the award-winning board game of the same name.
With a planned release for some time 2023, you can add this game to your Steam wishlist while you wait.
7. Nour: Play with Your Food
A self-proclaimed “experimental food art game” that lets you create dishes, take pictures, and interact with tantalizing food art in a variety of ways.
Releases September 12, 2023 on Steam. They have a free demo available now.
8. Cuisineer
A cute, roguelite, dungeon-crawler that has you play as Pom, a spatula-wielding restaurant owner who scours the world in search of the best ingredients for her dishes.
This game releases on Steam on November 9, 2023.
9. Fashion Dreamer
A fashion sim-life game for Nintendo Switch. Design outfits, impress the Muses, build your brand, customize items, and swap styles with players from around the world.
You can preorder the game for Nintendo Switch (release date November 3, 2023).
10. Rune Factory 4: Special
The Rune Factory you know and love with upgraded HD graphics, a new “Newlywed Mode,” and additional cut-scenes. A perfect entry-point for those new to the franchise but wanting to try it out!
You can buy it on Steam or Nintendo Switch right now.
11. Botany Manor
An exploration puzzle game that follows the narrative of a retired botanist, Arabella Greene, as she tends to her house and garden with a 19th century England backdrop. Learn the mysteries of each plant by collecting research materials and unlocking clues.
With a TBD release date, you can keep track of it by adding it to your Steam wishlist.
12. Magical Delicacy
A wholesome pixel art platformer that lets you collect ingredients via exploration and then cook magical dishes in your shop. You play as Flora, a young witch and cook, who uses her skills in the kitchen to make friends and win hearts.
Magical Delicacy has a release date set for some time in 2024, so toss it on to your Steam wishlist if you want to keep tabs on it.
13. Olliefrog Toad Skater
An amphibian-based skateboarding game with adorable, pastel graphics (and you know we love that here). The game offers split screen PvP so bring a friend!
Planned release date for sometime in 2024! As always, pop that smol froggy boi on your Steam wishlist if you want to know when it drops. You can also try the free demo.
14. Wild Country
A cozy, competitive card game with city-building elements. It will release on Steam and Nintendo Switch and, yes!, it’s cross-platform-compatible for online multiplayer.
Their Steam page just says “Coming Soon,” so wishlist it if you want to try it out as badly as I do.
15. RoboCo
A silly sandbox game about designing robots to help humans with different tasks. Point, click, and drag to add robo parts, customize appearances, and tackle each challenge imaginatively.
RoboCo is available now in early access.
16. Garden Story
A wholesome action-adventure pixel game where you play as a grape trying to save its hometown. Forage for resources, restore the community, and battle enemies in quirky, single-player romp.
Garden Story is available now!
Honorable Mentions
Cozy… adjacent?
Animal Well
The jury is out on how cozy this one is going to end up being but the pixel art style, beautiful landscapes, and rich exploration opportunities really appealed to me. I thought you might feel the same!
Release date currently unclear so wishlist it if you want it!
Floppy Knights
I don’t usually include tactical RPGs on my lists but this one has addictive deck building, cute graphics, and silly characters. Use floppy disks to summon critters to fight for you in colorful turn-based battles.
Floppy Knights is available for purchase now! You can also buy it in a discounted bundle with Garden Story and The World Next Door (+ each game’s soundtrack).
Those were my favorite cozy games from PAX West 2023. I hope you found some new favorites to buy or wishlist.
Stay cozy, gamers!