No, they are not connected. A Short Hike is a 2019 game by the solo developer adamgryu, and A Short Sail is a new game by a different solo developer, Yos Riady. They do share a feeling: both are short, cozy, open-ended island games you play at your own pace. The big difference is what you do. In A Short Hike you climb a mountain on foot; in A Short Sail you sail a little boat between islands and carry the island post.
Short answer first: A Short Sail is not made by the people who made A Short Hike, and it is not a sequel. The names are close, and we know that raises the question, so here is a plain, honest comparison.
Who makes each game
A Short Hike is by adamgryu (Adam Robinson-Yu). It came out in 2019 on PC, and later on Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One. It is one of the best-loved small games of its time, with an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam.
A Short Sail is made by Yos Riady, a different solo developer. It is still in development. It comes out on 12 November 2026 on Steam and itch.io, for PC (Windows), Mac, the web and Steam Deck.
The two games share no characters, no world and no code. What they share is a taste for small, gentle games that you can finish.
What is similar
Both are short. A Short Hike takes about 1.5 hours for the main story, according to HowLongToBeat, and about 4.5 hours if you do everything. A Short Sail is a few hours long. Both are made to be finished in a weekend, or a little at a time after work.
Both are cozy. Neither game has combat. A Short Sail has no timers either. You never lose progress because you were slow, and nothing chases you.
Both are about islands. A Short Hike takes place on one island park with a big mountain in the middle. A Short Sail has many little islands spread across a calm sea, with Home Cove as your base.
Both let you explore at your own pace. You can follow the main thread, or wander off and find something odd on a beach. Both games reward you for poking around.
Both have friendly characters. A Short Hike is full of chatty hikers, kids and park rangers. A Short Sail has an islander on every island, such as Ines on Home Cove, Pip the postman and Gus the shipwright.
Both have fishing and a boat. A Short Hike has a fishing rod and, since a 2020 update, a motorboat you can rent for lazy laps around the coast. In A Short Sail, those two things are the heart of the game.
What is different
On foot or by boat. A Short Hike is a climbing and gliding game. You are Claire, a young bird, and you climb, run and glide your way up a mountain. A Short Sail is a sailing game. You are a little tabby cat with a little red boat, and you catch the wind in your cream sail to get from island to island.
One goal or many small errands. In A Short Hike, the big goal is to reach the top of the peak. In A Short Sail, you carry the island post: you pick up letters and parcels, pack them into your hold, and hand them over on the docks. Every island has someone waiting for something.
Fishing by day and by night. A Short Sail has a day and night cycle. Different fish bite in different waters and at different hours, so you light your lantern and try again after dark.
Friends who write to you. In A Short Sail, islanders become friends when you stop for a chat, and each one writes to you on their own letter paper.
A home to fix up. Back at Home Cove, you fix up Grandpa’s old cottage, one plank at a time. You can also dress up your boat with new sails and hulls, and take photos in photo mode.
The look. A Short Hike has a chunky, low-resolution pixel look. A Short Sail is a 3D world with a wide sea, and you sail through sun, night and storms.
Platforms. A Short Hike is on PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4 and Xbox One today. A Short Sail is coming to PC, Mac, the web and Steam Deck. It has no console plans announced.
Side by side
| A Short Hike | A Short Sail | |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | adamgryu | Yos Riady |
| Release | 2019 | 12 November 2026 (in development) |
| You play as | Claire, a young bird | A little tabby cat |
| Main way to get around | Climbing, running and gliding | Sailing a little red boat |
| Main thing you do | Reach the top of the peak | Carry the island post between islands |
| Fishing | Yes | Yes, by day and by night |
| Combat | None | None, and no timers |
| Length | About 1.5 hours (main story) | A few hours |
| Platforms | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One | PC, Mac, Web, Steam Deck |
Who should play which
Play A Short Hike if you want a complete, cozy game in one evening, you like climbing and gliding, and you want a game that is out now on almost every platform. It is a classic for good reason.
Play A Short Sail if you want the sea at the center: a little boat, the wind, a hold full of parcels, and fishing at night with your lantern lit. It is for players who like small daily errands, making friends one island at a time, and fixing up a home.
Play both if you liked one. They are short, and they scratch the same itch in different ways. While you wait for A Short Sail, our list of cozy games like A Short Hike has more short, gentle island games, and our cozy sailing games list has more boats.
Why the name
We called it A Short Sail because that is what it is: a short game about sailing. We also love A Short Hike, and we are happy if the name tells you what kind of game to expect. But to be clear: it is its own game, made by a different developer.
FAQ
Is A Short Sail a sequel to A Short Hike? No. A Short Sail is not a sequel, a spin-off or a remake. It is made by a different developer, and the two games share no characters or world.
Is A Short Sail made by the developer of A Short Hike? No. A Short Hike is by adamgryu. A Short Sail is made by Yos Riady, a different solo developer.
Which is longer, A Short Sail or A Short Hike? A Short Hike takes about 1.5 hours for the main story and about 4.5 hours to do everything, according to HowLongToBeat. A Short Sail is a few hours long; we will share the exact length before release.
Can I play A Short Sail now? Not yet. A Short Sail comes out on 12 November 2026 on Steam and itch.io, and a free browser demo is planned on itch.io.
If I liked A Short Hike, will I like A Short Sail? We hope so. If you liked exploring at your own pace, chatting with odd little characters and fishing off the shore, A Short Sail has a lot of that, with a boat at the center.
Our own game
We make A Short Sail, so this page is not neutral. We tried to be fair to both games. If you have not played A Short Hike yet, you can get it on Steam.
Questions
Is A Short Sail a sequel to A Short Hike?
No. A Short Sail is not a sequel, a spin-off or a remake. It is made by a different developer, and the two games share no characters or world.
Is A Short Sail made by the developer of A Short Hike?
No. A Short Hike is by adamgryu. A Short Sail is made by Yos Riady, a different solo developer.
Which is longer, A Short Sail or A Short Hike?
A Short Hike takes about 1.5 hours for the main story and about 4.5 hours to do everything, according to HowLongToBeat. A Short Sail is a few hours long; we will share the exact length before release.
Can I play A Short Sail now?
Not yet. A Short Sail comes out on 12 November 2026 on Steam and itch.io, and a free browser demo is planned on itch.io.
If I liked A Short Hike, will I like A Short Sail?
We hope so. If you liked exploring at your own pace, chatting with odd little characters and fishing off the shore, A Short Sail has a lot of that, with a boat at the center.
