I always feel so weird writing about Wholesome Games Direct because, like, all of the content is relevant to cozy gamers—go watch the presentation and check out all the expertly curated posts and Steam lists! You don’t need me for that!
But it’s also a key event in my niche so I feel obligated to participate in some way. That being said, I think I found my angle (sorry for getting all meta): So, here are all the games showcased in Wholesome Direct 2024 that you can play right now!
Full Games Out Now
The full release of these games are all available for purchase right now! Some were even surprise releases for the show. Wooo!
1. Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge – Frog-centric farming sim
Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge is a cozy farming simulation game where players create a sanctuary for frogs by restoring wetlands. Players can collect, breed, and photograph over 500 types of frogs, plant crops, and decorate the habitat to attract more frogs and visitors. The game involves various mini-games and customization options, and aims to preserve nature while creating a thriving frog habitat.
2. The Palace on the Hill – Casual RPG life sim
The Palace on the Hill is a narrative-driven adventure RPG set in 1990s rural India. Players explore ancient palace ruins, manage a garden, cook Indian cuisine, run errands, and interact with a diverse cast of characters. The game features hand-painted watercolor graphics and an open-world environment. It tells a story of ambition, struggle, and friendship from a young boy’s perspective, celebrating Indian art and history.
3. Tracks of Thought – Cute, story rich card-battler
Tracks of Thought is a narrative RPG where players, as a lost ladybug, navigate a mysterious train journey. Passengers, affected by forgetfulness, seek to uncover the train’s destination. The game features a card-based conflict resolution system to solve disputes and find common ground. Players interact with diverse characters, each with unique personalities, and make choices that define the ladybug’s traits.
4. POOOOL – Physics-based billiards game
POOOOL is a casual, physics-based puzzler where players combine pool balls of matching size and color to create larger ones, aiming for high scores while managing table space. The game is controlled entirely with the mouse, focusing on angle and power adjustments for each shot. It features customizable backgrounds, charming visuals, and score-sharing options. Developed by Noah King and published by digimoss, POOOOL emphasizes simple yet engaging gameplay and endless replayability.
5. Rolling Hills: Make Sushi, Make Friends
Rolling Hills: Make Sushi, Make Friends is a life simulation and restaurant management game where players, as a robot chef, run a sushi restaurant in a cozy village. Players gather ingredients, create sushi recipes, and build relationships with town residents, enhancing both the restaurant and the community. The game emphasizes customization, social interaction, and culinary creativity.
6. Moonstone Island (update) – Creature collection + card-battler
Moonstone Island is a creature-collecting life-simulation game set in an open world with 100 islands to explore. Players complete their Alchemy training by making friends, brewing potions, and collecting spirits. The game features card-based combat, dungeon exploration, farming, crafting, and home customization. Players can interact with NPCs, form relationships, and uncover secrets across various biomes. It combines elements of RPG and simulation genres.
Moonstone Island has been out since last year but their presence in the showcase was to announce their Nintendo Switch launch, coming June 19th 2024!
Read my full Moonstone Island review!
7. Minami Lane (update) – Cute, relaxing life sim
Minami Lane is a cozy, casual management sim where players build and manage their own street inspired by Japanese aesthetics. Players create homes, manage shops, and ensure villager happiness by beautifying the environment and strategically operating various businesses like ramen shops and cafes. The game offers 2-4 hours of gameplay with objectives and a sandbox mode for creativity. It features charming hand-drawn visuals, tanukis, and cats, and emphasizes a relaxing, wholesome experience.
This one has been out since February but announced 6 new language options for the game, dropped as of now!
8. Usagi Shima: Bunny Paradise (update)
Usagi Shima is a relaxing, bunny-collecting idle game where you transform an abandoned island into a cozy haven for adorable bunnies. Players decorate the island with toys, plants, and buildings, and befriend bunnies by feeding, brushing, and playing with them. The game features over 30 unique bunnies and 100+ items for decoration.
This game has been out for a while but just updated with new “Bunny Paradise” content, including 5 new bunnies plus new buildings, hats, and toys.
Free Demos Out Now
Here are an assortment of cozy games that have free demos available to play right now. I’ve spotlighted 5 that really stood out to me but there is a whole list to pick through below!
⭐Undusted: Letters from the Past
Undusted: Letters from the Past is a casual game where players clean and restore neglected items in a house, revealing their stories. The protagonist, Adora, returns home after her mother’s passing and uncovers memories and hidden stories through the items she cleans. The game features ASMR-like audio, a touching narrative, and a charming pixelated art style, offering a relaxing, failure-free gameplay experience.
⭐Broken Lens
Broken Lens is a relaxing puzzle game where players uncover the story of a small robot by spotting differences between two scenes. Inspired by classic “spot the differences” games, it includes an exploration system that allows players to move and zoom to find differences. The game features a cute, rich universe with various worlds to explore, providing a wholesome, stress-free experience.
⭐The Star Named EOS
The Star Named EOS is a story-rich puzzle adventure focused on photography. Players explore a hand-drawn world as the young photographer Dei, recreating old photos to uncover a family mystery. The game combines engaging puzzles with a fully-voiced narrative, emphasizing themes of reminiscence and discovery. Developed by Silver Lining Studio and published by PLAYISM, it features detailed panoramic scenery and a heartfelt storyline.
⭐Into the Emberlands
Into the Emberlands is a fantasy-themed action-adventure game where players explore a mystical world filled with dangers and mysteries. Set in a beautiful hand-drawn art style, the game offers challenging combat, puzzle-solving, and exploration elements. Players can uncover the secrets of the Emberlands while facing various enemies and bosses, all while progressing through a compelling narrative.
⭐Sally
Sally is a life-simulation game centered around community and belonging. Players embark on a journey aboard a magical flying ship, interacting with a diverse crew of characters. The game involves crafting, cooking, farming, building, and exploring floating islands. Players can develop relationships, perform tasks to gain experience, and customize their character.
Additional Free Cozy Demos
I’ve wishlisted these already, have you?
- Spilled: Clean up ocean waste in this relaxing & satisfying cozy game.
- Monterona: Build and decorate cute little streets from your Italian grandma’s stories.
- On Your Tail: Sleuthy story-driven 3D life sim of relaxation, investigation, and card collecting.
- Pine: A Story of Loss: Story-rich emotional 2D tale about love and loss.
- Pup Champs: A tiny tactical puzzle game about leading a football team of cute dogs.
- EbiTapes: Save the Annual City Festival from the threats of the Shushinator.
- Tiny Bookshop: Open a tiny bookshop by the sea in this cozy narrative management game.
- Fruitbus: Forage for fresh ingredients to create your own menu then feed patrons.
- Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo: Gather clues and evidence to help the residents of Limbo move on.
- Wax Heads: Cozy-punk slice-of-life narrative sim about managing a struggling record store.
- Hirocato – The Delivery Hero: Adventure-platformer game where you control a cat and deliver food.
- Lost and Found Co.: A hidden object adventure in a cozy and immersive world.
- FREERIDE: An oddball RPG where you make friends, use telekinesis, and find secrets.
- Mythmatch: Community-building sim set in Greek Mythology; rebuild Ithaca and defy the gods.
- Caravan SandWitch: A captivating narrative-driven exploration adventure.
- The August Before: Meditative narrative 3D puzzle about packing up your life to move on.
- Kitsune Tails: Run, jump, and dash across a land inspired by Japanese mythology.
- Times and Galaxy: Interplanetary adventure as the first robo reporter for the Times & Galaxy.
- Ringo’s Roundup: Solve grid-based puzzles in this cute pathfinding isometric game.
- Crab God: atmospheric underwater strategy game where you defend the egg of the next Crab God.
- Tidy Cauldron: Arrange uniquely shaped mystical ingredients through 100 handcrafted puzzles.
- Dungeons of Hinterberg: Explore the village of Hinterberg armed with a sword and a tourist guide.
- Building Relationships: Roll, jump, and wave-dash as a house on a date in this silly adventure game.
- While Waiting: Clear the game by doing nothing; discover the power of acceptance and patience.
- Afterlove EP: Slice-of-life adventure set in modern Jakarta about love, loss and finding your way.
- Dawnfolk: Charmingly dark minimalist survival city-builder where you return light to the world.
- Albatroz: Backpacking adventure RPG through majestic landscapes in search of a lost sibling.
- ILA – A Frosty Glide: A whimsical small open world as ILA, a spirited young witch-in-training.
Sign Off
Don’t forget to check out my Summer Games’ Fest coverage, too: Here’s Every Cozy Game from Summer Game Fest 2024.
Stay cozy, gamers!