The best games like Palia are Stardew Valley, Coral Island and Roots of Pacha: cozy farm and village life you can share with friends online. For magic and a little adventure, try Fae Farm or Sun Haven; for pure fishing and hanging out, try Webfishing. We checked every game, and how many friends can join, on October 29, 2026.
At a glance
| Game | Best for | Length | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stardew Valley | Anyone who wants the farm life sim most others build on | About 54 hours for the main goals (HowLongToBeat), with no real end | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, iOS, Android |
| Coral Island | Players who want a bright 3D farm town near the sea | Open-ended | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X |
| Roots of Pacha | Groups who want a gentle shared village with no fighting | Open-ended | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox |
| Fae Farm | Players who want spells with their farming | Open-ended | PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox |
| Sun Haven | Bigger groups who want an RPG with their farm | Open-ended | PC, Mac, Switch |
| Dinkum | Players who want to build a whole town from nothing | Open-ended | PC, Switch |
| Webfishing | Players who love Palia's fishing and just want to hang out | Open-ended | PC (Windows) |
| Hello Kitty Island Adventure | Sanrio fans and families | Open-ended | PC, Switch, PS5, Apple Arcade |
| Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Switch players who want friends to visit their island | Open-ended | Switch, Switch 2 |
| A Short Sail | Players who want to fish and make friends, alone or online, without an MMO | Not shared yet | PC (Windows), Mac, Web, Steam Deck |
| Spirit Crossing | Palia players who want a shared online world from the makers of Cozy Grove | Open-ended | PC |
What makes Palia special
Palia (Singularity 6) is a free-to-play fantasy life sim. You farm, fish, cook, gather and hunt, build and decorate a home, and get to know a village of characters (some of whom you can romance). It is online-only, and you share the world with other players, so you can garden, fish or cook side by side with friends. It came to Steam in March 2024 and is also on Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. It makes its money from an optional cosmetic shop.
That mix is hard to copy exactly. So for each pick we say what it shares with Palia (farming, fishing, villagers, friends) and how friends can join. Most games here are paid, and most let you play alone and offline too, which some Palia fans will see as a plus.
Our picks
- Best first pick: Stardew Valley
- Best with a beach and a reef: Coral Island
- Best co-op with no combat: Roots of Pacha
- Best for magic: Fae Farm
- Best for a big group: Sun Haven (up to 8) or Webfishing (up to 12)
- Best to come: Spirit Crossing
- Our own game: A Short Sail (in development, with a free demo)
Farm and village life with friends
Stardew Valley
Who it is for: anyone who wants the farm life sim most others build on.
You inherit a farm, grow crops, raise animals, fish and befriend a town. Friends can join your farm online, each with their own copy. It is huge and kind. It has a day clock that sends you to bed and monsters in the mines, and it is all pixel art, so it looks very different from Palia.
Developer: ConcernedApe | Year: 2016 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, iOS, Android | Length: about 54 hours for the main goals (HowLongToBeat), with no real end | Steam Deck: Verified | Co-op: online | Steam page
Coral Island
Who it is for: players who want a bright 3D farm town near the sea.
You move to a tropical island, farm, fish, dive to clean up the reef and befriend a big cast of townsfolk. It looks closer to Palia than Stardew does. Online co-op lets friends join your island. The mines have creatures to fight, and the game’s many systems can feel like a lot at first.
Developer: Stairway Games | Year: 2023 | Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Verified | Co-op: online | Steam page
Roots of Pacha
Who it is for: groups who want a gentle shared village with no fighting.
You join a Stone Age clan and help it discover ideas: farming, taming animals, pottery and more. You fish, gather, take part in festivals and befriend the villagers. Up to 4 players can play together online, across platforms. Its makers built it as a nonviolent game. The pixel art and slow start may feel plain next to Palia.
Developer: Soda Den | Year: 2023 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Verified | Co-op: online, up to 4 | Steam page
Magic and adventure
Fae Farm
Who it is for: players who want spells with their farming.
You arrive on a magical island, farm, fish, craft, decorate and romance the locals. Magic helps with chores and opens new areas. Up to 4 players can play together online. The dungeons have creatures to fight, and some players find the story thin once the novelty wears off.
Developer: Phoenix Labs | Year: 2023 | Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Verified | Co-op: online, up to 4 | Steam page
Sun Haven
Who it is for: bigger groups who want an RPG with their farm.
You build a farm and friendships in a fantasy town, then level up through skill trees and quest out to fight monsters and dragons. Up to 8 friends can share a farm online. It is busy and has a lot of fighting, so it is less calm than Palia, and Steam lists in-app purchases.
Developer: Pixel Sprout Studios | Year: 2023 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Switch | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Playable | Co-op: online, up to 8 | Steam page
Dinkum
Who it is for: players who want to build a whole town from nothing.
You move to an outback inspired by Australia, set up camp and slowly grow a town. You farm, fish, bug hunt and explore wild places with friends online. Some animals can hurt you, and you can hunt, so it is a bit wilder than Palia.
Developer: James Bendon | Year: 2025 (early access from 2022) | Platforms: PC, Switch | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Playable | Co-op: online | Steam page
Hang out and fish
Webfishing
Who it is for: players who love Palia’s fishing and just want to hang out.
You are a little cat or dog at a camp by the water. You fish, sell your catch, buy hats and shirts, and chat in lobbies of up to 12 players. Someone usually plays guitar. There are no villagers, farms or story, and it is on Windows only. Our Webfishing comparison goes deeper.
Developer: lamedeveloper | Year: 2024 | Platforms: PC (Windows) | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Playable | Multiplayer: online, up to 12 | Steam page
Hello Kitty Island Adventure
Who it is for: Sanrio fans and families.
You arrive on an island, befriend Hello Kitty and her friends, give gifts, craft, cook and explore. It started on Apple Arcade and came to Steam in January 2025. One friend can visit your island online, but most quests are made for one player.
Developer: Sunblink | Year: 2023 (2025 on Steam) | Platforms: PC, Switch, PS5, Apple Arcade | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Verified | Co-op: online, 2 players | Steam page
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Who it is for: Switch players who want friends to visit their island.
You build an island home with animal neighbors, fish, catch bugs and decorate. Up to 8 players can visit an island online. It runs on the real clock, and it is only on Nintendo consoles. For PC picks, see games like Animal Crossing on PC.
Developer: Nintendo EPD | Year: 2020 | Platforms: Switch, Switch 2 | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: not on Steam | Multiplayer: online, up to 8 | Official site
A Short Sail
Who it is for: players who want to fish and make friends, alone or online, without an MMO.
It shares some of Palia’s best parts: you fish by day and by night, help the islanders until they become your friends, and you can sail online with friends. You host a lobby or join one by its code or from a list of public lobbies, chat, ride along in a friend’s boat and play flag tag. But it is not an MMO and not a farming game. It is a cozy sailing game where you are a little tabby cat with a sailboat, delivering mail between little islands, and you can play it alone. It is coming to Steam and itch.io in Q1 2027. The free demo plays in your browser now.
Developer: Yos Riady | Platforms: PC (Windows), Mac, Web, Steam Deck | Length: not shared yet | Free demo at play.ashortsail.com | Play the demo
Coming soon
Spirit Crossing
Who it is for: Palia players who want a shared online world from the makers of Cozy Grove.
You build a home on a mountain peak above the clouds, help spirits and meet other players around campfires. It is the closest thing here to Palia’s shared world. Its Steam page lists a planned release on November 16, 2026, and a demo is out now. It will have an upfront price plus an optional monthly membership, so it is not free-to-play like Palia.
Developer: Spry Fox | Year: 2026 (planned) | Platforms: PC | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: not rated yet | Multiplayer: online | Steam page
Our own game
We make A Short Sail.
Related guides
- Cozy multiplayer games: more games to share with friends.
- Games like Stardew Valley: more farm life sims.
- Cozy fishing games: if fishing is your favorite part of Palia.
- Games like Webfishing: more social fishing.
- Cozy games to play with your partner: co-op picks for two.
- Games like Animal Crossing on PC: island life sims on PC.
Questions
What is the closest game to Palia?
Stardew Valley or Coral Island. Both have farming, fishing, cooking, a town of villagers to befriend and online co-op. Neither is free, and neither is a shared online world like Palia: you play on your own farm with up to a few invited friends.
Is Palia an MMO?
Palia is an online-only, free-to-play life sim where you share the world with other players and can play with friends. Many players call it a cozy MMO. You need an internet connection to play it.
What games like Palia can I play offline?
Stardew Valley, Coral Island, Roots of Pacha, Fae Farm, Sun Haven, Dinkum and Hello Kitty Island Adventure all play fully alone and offline. Their co-op is optional.
What game is like Palia but with no combat?
Roots of Pacha. Its makers built it as a nonviolent game: your handaxe is only a tool. Webfishing and Hello Kitty Island Adventure also have no enemies to fight. Stardew Valley, Coral Island, Fae Farm and Sun Haven have monsters in mines or dungeons.
What is a free game like Palia?
Palia itself is the main free one. The others on this list are paid games. Spirit Crossing, from the makers of Cozy Grove, has a free demo on Steam before its planned launch.
