The best cozy island games are Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Switch, and Cozy Grove, Coral Island and Lil Gator Game on PC. For one calm evening, play A Short Hike. If you want to sail between islands, try Summer in Mara or Spiritfarer. We checked every game on October 5, 2026.
At a glance
| Game | Best for | Length | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Short Sail | A cozy sail with the island post, fishing and friends | Not shared yet | PC, Mac, Web, Steam Deck |
| Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Anyone with a Switch who wants a slow, happy island life | Varies | Switch, Switch 2 |
| Cozy Grove | Players who want an Animal Crossing mood on PC | Varies | PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One |
| Coral Island | Farming fans who want a big tropical island | Varies | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X |
| Lil Gator Game | Players who want a playful island to run around | Varies | PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox |
| A Short Hike | Anyone who wants one calm island adventure | Varies | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One |
| Summer in Mara | Players who want a home island and a boat to explore with | Varies | PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One |
| Spiritfarer | Players who want a warm story at sea | Varies | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, iOS, Android |
| Moonstone Island | Players who like collecting creatures as well as farming | Varies | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, iOS, Android |
| Fae Farm | Players who want to farm with friends | Varies | PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox |
| Townscaper | Anyone who wants ten quiet minutes | Varies | PC, Switch, iOS, Android |
What makes an island game cozy
A good cozy island game gives you a small, safe place that you can learn by heart: its beaches, its paths and its people. Most of these games add a gentle routine, such as fishing, farming or helping neighbours. Some let you sail to other islands. We sorted them by how they feel, and we marked the ones that have combat.
Quick picks
- Best overall (Switch): Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Closest to Animal Crossing on PC: Cozy Grove
- Biggest island farm: Coral Island
- Best for one calm evening: A Short Hike
- Best for sailing between islands: Summer in Mara
- Most relaxing: Townscaper
- Our own game: A Short Sail (sail between islands, free demo)
The list
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Who it is for: anyone with a Switch who wants a slow, happy island life.
You move to a deserted island and slowly build it into a home. You fish, catch bugs, decorate and make friends with animal neighbours. It runs on real time, so the island changes with the days and the seasons. It is only on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. For PC options, see games like Animal Crossing on PC.
Developer: Nintendo EPD | Year: 2020 | Platforms: Switch, Switch 2
Cozy Grove
Who it is for: players who want an Animal Crossing mood on PC.
You are a Spirit Scout camping on a haunted island. Each day you help the ghost bears who live there, craft, fish and decorate, and color comes back to the island. It runs on real time, with new tasks each day. There is no combat.
Developer: Spry Fox | Year: 2021 | Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One | Steam page
Coral Island
Who it is for: farming fans who want a big tropical island.
You leave the city for a tropical island. You farm, raise animals, dive to clean the reef and visit a kingdom of merfolk. It is large and bright. The mines have creatures to fight.
Developer: Stairway Games | Year: 2023 | Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S | Steam page
Lil Gator Game
Who it is for: players who want a playful island to run around.
You are a little gator who builds a pretend adventure across an island and recruits friends along the way. The “enemies” are cardboard cutouts, so nothing is scary. More like it in games like Little Kitty, Big City.
Developer: MegaWobble | Year: 2022 | Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox | Steam page
A Short Hike
Who it is for: anyone who wants one calm island adventure.
You are a young bird on an island park, climbing to the summit for phone signal. You glide, fish, dig for treasure and help the people you meet. There is no combat.
Developer: adamgryu | Year: 2019 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One | Steam page
Summer in Mara
Who it is for: players who want a home island and a boat to explore with.
You live on a tiny island, grow crops and craft, then sail to nearby islands to trade and help people. It is colorful and gentle. More sailing picks in our cozy sailing games.
Developer: Chibig | Year: 2020 | Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One | Steam page
Spiritfarer
Who it is for: players who want a warm story at sea.
You build a boat into a home for spirits and sail them between islands. You farm, cook and fish on board, and care for each spirit until they are ready to say goodbye. It is gentle but sad.
Developer: Thunder Lotus | Year: 2020 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, iOS, Android | Steam page
Moonstone Island
Who it is for: players who like collecting creatures as well as farming.
You move to a world of 100 small islands in the sky to finish your alchemy training. You farm, brew potions, make friends and tame spirits. Spirits fight in card battles, so it is not combat free.
Developer: Studio Supersoft | Year: 2023 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, iOS, Android | Steam page
Fae Farm
Who it is for: players who want to farm with friends.
You wash up on the island of Azoria and build a magical farm. You can play with up to three friends. The dungeons have creatures to fight, but potions can make you invisible.
Developer: Phoenix Labs | Year: 2023 | Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox | Steam page
Townscaper
Who it is for: anyone who wants ten quiet minutes.
You click on the water and little houses appear and join into an island town. There are no goals and no way to fail. It is more of a toy than a game.
Developer: Oskar Stalberg | Year: 2021 | Platforms: PC, Switch, iOS, Android | Steam page
FAQ
What is the best cozy island game? Animal Crossing: New Horizons, if you have a Switch. On PC, Cozy Grove is the closest in mood, and Coral Island is the biggest island farm life game.
Is there a cozy game where you sail between islands? Yes. Summer in Mara and Spiritfarer both have you sail a boat from island to island, and Sail Forth is a sailing game about a whole sea of islands.
Do cozy island games have combat? Some do. Coral Island and Fae Farm have creatures to fight in caves and dungeons, and Moonstone Island has card battles. Cozy Grove, A Short Hike and Townscaper have none. See our cozy games with no combat.
Our own game
We make A Short Sail, a cozy sailing game where you are a little tabby cat with a little boat. You sail between little islands, deliver mail, fish and make friends, with no combat. Because it is ours, we kept it out of the list. You can play the free demo on itch.io in your browser.
Questions
What is the best cozy island game?
Animal Crossing: New Horizons, if you have a Switch. On PC, Cozy Grove is the closest in mood, and Coral Island is the biggest island farm life game.
Is there a cozy game where you sail between islands?
Yes. Summer in Mara and Spiritfarer both have you sail a boat from island to island, and Sail Forth is a sailing game about a whole sea of islands.
Do cozy island games have combat?
Some do. Coral Island and Fae Farm have creatures to fight in caves and dungeons, and Moonstone Island has card battles. Cozy Grove, A Short Hike and Townscaper have none.
