The best cozy treasure hunting games are A Short Hike (treasure maps and a shovel on a small island), Stardew Valley (dig spots and a museum to fill) and Cozy Grove (daily dig spots and relic hunts). If you just want to dig, A Game About Digging A Hole does exactly that. We checked every game on October 29, 2026.
At a glance
| Game | Best for | Length | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Short Hike | Anyone who wants a treasure hunt that fits in one evening | About 1.5 hours for the main story, 4.5 hours for everything (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One |
| Stardew Valley | Players who want digging as one part of a full farm life | About 53.5 hours for the main goals (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, mobile |
| Cozy Grove | Players who like a small dig every day | About 73 hours for the main story, spread over many days (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One |
| A Short Sail | Players who want to dig up treasure with maps they find, then sail on | Not shared yet | PC (Windows), Mac, Web, Steam Deck |
| A Game About Digging A Hole | Players who want one simple, satisfying loop | About 2 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Switch, PS5, Xbox |
| Dinkum | Players who want an outback island life with a metal detector | About 31.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Switch |
| Coral Island | Farm sim fans who want treasure on land and under the sea | About 56.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X |
| Sea of Thieves | Groups of friends who want the full pirate treasure hunt | Open-ended | PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X |
What makes treasure hunting cozy
Treasure hunting is one of the oldest joys in games: a map, an X and a shovel. It turns cozy when nothing is chasing you, when you can take your time, and when what you dig up has a home, like a museum shelf or your own house. The best ones give you a small puzzle (where is that spot on the map?) and a small reward (a coin, a fossil, a new hat).
We split this list into small treasure hunts inside cozy games, a game that is only about digging, and bigger life sims where digging is one of many things to do. At the end is one popular pick that is not cozy by default.
Our picks
- Best first pick: A Short Hike
- Best museum to fill: Stardew Valley
- Best daily dig: Cozy Grove
- Best pure digging game: A Game About Digging A Hole
- Best with a metal detector: Dinkum
- Our own game: A Short Sail (treasure maps and beach finds)
Small treasure hunts
A Short Hike
Who it is for: anyone who wants a treasure hunt that fits in one evening.
You are a young bird hiking up a mountain on an island park. Along the way you find treasure maps. Each one shows a place on the island, and you work out where it is and dig with your shovel. Some spots are clever, such as where a shadow falls. Finding them is one of the best parts of the game.
It is short, and there are only a few maps. More like it in games like A Short Hike.
Developer: adamgryu | Year: 2019 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One | Length: about 1.5 hours for the main story, 4.5 hours for everything (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
Cozy Grove
Who it is for: players who like a small dig every day.
You camp on a haunted island and help the ghost bears who live there. A craft bear gives you a shovel, and dig spots across the island give food, old coins and other finds. Later, a dowsing rod leads you to buried relics: follow the signal until you find an X on the ground, and dig.
The shovel wears out and needs repairs. The game runs on real time, so new tasks only come the next day. More like it in games like Cozy Grove.
Developer: Spry Fox | Year: 2021 | Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One | Length: about 73 hours for the main story, spread over many days (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
A Short Sail
Who it is for: players who want to dig up treasure with maps they find, then sail on.
A Short Sail is a cozy sailing game where you are a little tabby cat with a sailboat. You deliver mail, fish and make friends across the islands. You can dig up treasure with the maps you find, and dig up finds on the beaches and bring them to a little museum.
There are no timers. There is no fighting on foot, only gentle sea battles against storms and living waves. You can play alone or online with friends. The full game is coming to Steam and itch.io in Q1 2027, and you can play the free demo at play.ashortsail.com in your browser.
Developer: Yos Riady | Platforms: PC (Windows), Mac, Web, Steam Deck | Length: not shared yet | Free demo at play.ashortsail.com | Play the demo
Only digging
A Game About Digging A Hole
Who it is for: players who want one simple, satisfying loop.
You have a backyard and a shovel. You dig down, find ore and treasure, sell it and buy a better shovel and other upgrades. Then you dig deeper. It is quiet and easy to pick up, and the whole game fits in an afternoon.
It is short and simple, and the loop does not change much. If you want a world to explore, this is not it.
Developer: DoubleBee | Year: 2025 | Platforms: PC, Switch, PS5, Xbox | Length: about 2 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
Digging in a bigger life sim
Stardew Valley
Who it is for: players who want digging as one part of a full farm life.
You run a farm and get to know a small town. Small wiggling marks in the ground are artifact spots. Dig them with a hoe and you may find old tools, bones and other artifacts. You can donate them to the museum in town, which gives rewards as the shelves fill. Geodes from the mines add minerals to the collection.
It is long, it has a day clock, and the mines have monsters. More in games like Stardew Valley.
Developer: ConcernedApe | Year: 2016 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, mobile | Length: about 53.5 hours for the main goals (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
Dinkum
Who it is for: players who want an outback island life with a metal detector.
You move to an empty island in the Australian outback and build a town from scratch. With the right licences, you can buy a metal detector. It beeps faster as you get close to something buried, and then you dig it up with a shovel. Guides say beaches are the best place to look.
The metal detector costs a lot and comes later. There are dangerous animals, such as crocodiles, and you can fight them. It left Early Access in 2025.
Developer: James Bendon | Year: 2025 (Early Access in 2022) | Platforms: PC, Switch | Length: about 31.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Playable | Steam page
Coral Island
Who it is for: farm sim fans who want treasure on land and under the sea.
You farm on a tropical island and help the town grow. Coffers are little locked chests full of artifacts and gems. You find them when you till sand on the beach and when you clean trash from the reef. Artifacts can go to the museum, which raises your town rank.
It is a long game, and the diving opens only after the first week. Its mines have monsters. For more sea, see cozy ocean games.
Developer: Stairway Games | Year: 2023 | Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S | Length: about 56.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
Not cozy by default
Sea of Thieves
Who it is for: groups of friends who want the full pirate treasure hunt.
You crew a pirate ship, read treasure maps and riddles, sail to islands and dig up chests. It is the most classic treasure hunt on this list, and it is great fun with friends.
But other crews can attack you and steal your loot, and there are skeletons and sea monsters. Safer Seas mode lets you sail with no other crews, with some limits on progress. For gentler picks, see cozy games like Sea of Thieves.
Developer: Rare | Year: 2018 (on Steam in 2020) | Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS5 | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
How we checked
We checked each game’s Steam page for the developer, platforms and Steam Deck status, and HowLongToBeat for the length, on 29 October 2026. For the digging and treasure features, we read guides and reviews. If you love to fill shelves as much as to dig, see cozy collecting games.
Our own game
We make A Short Sail.
Related guides
- Cozy collecting games: museums, journals and full shelves.
- Games like A Short Hike: small, gentle adventures.
- Cozy island games: sunny islands to explore.
- Cozy ocean games: diving, reefs and sea life.
- Short cozy games for a weekend: games you can finish in a day or two.
- Cozy games with no combat on PC: calm games with no fights.
Questions
What are some relaxing digging games?
A Game About Digging A Hole is all about digging, and it takes about 2 hours. Stardew Valley, Cozy Grove and Coral Island have dig spots as part of a longer life sim. Dinkum adds a metal detector.
Does A Short Hike have treasure?
Yes. You find treasure maps and dig up the treasure with a shovel. Each map shows a spot on the island, and finding it is a small puzzle.
How do you find artifacts in Stardew Valley?
Look for small wiggling marks in the ground, called artifact spots, and dig them with a hoe. You can donate what you find to the museum in town.
Is there a metal detector in Dinkum?
Yes. With the right licence, you can buy a metal detector, find buried items and dig them up with a shovel. Guides say beaches are a good place to look.
Is Sea of Thieves good for treasure hunting?
Yes, treasure maps and riddles are at its core. But other crews can attack you, so it is not cozy by default. Safer Seas mode lets you sail with no other crews, with some limits on progress.
