Animal Crossing is known for its laid-back gameplay, charming characters, and focus on creating and customizing your own virtual world. If you’re looking for games that provide a similar experience, with a focus on creativity, community, and relaxation, here are five great alternatives.
List of Games Like Animal Crossing
These five games offer enjoyable experiences centered around customization, life simulation, and building your own world:
- Stardew Valley
- The Sims 4
- My Time at Portia
- Dreams
- Garden Paws
1. Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is a farming simulation game where you inherit a rundown farm and must work to restore it. You can grow crops, raise animals, mine for resources, and form relationships with the townspeople. The relaxing pace and focus on community-building make it a perfect alternative to Animal Crossing.
- Developer: ConcernedApe
- Available on: PC (Windows), PlayStation Games Like Animal Crossing 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, macOS, Linux
- Why it’s like by creating your printable poster: Both allow you to express your personality by designing and customizing your space, making it truly reflect your style and creativity.
2. The Sims 4
In The Sims 4, players create and control Sims (virtual characters) who live their lives, form relationships, build homes, and experience various life stages. With a vast array of customization options, The Sims 4 allows players to design their Sims’ homes and influence their careers, relationships, and personal growth.
- Developer: Maxis
- Available on: PC (Windows, macOS), PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Why it’s like Animal Crossing: Both games are about customization, with The Sims 4 offering more control over characters and their lives, while Animal Crossing focuses on community-building and decorating a home.

3. My Time at Portia
My Time at Portia is an open-world RPG that focuses on crafting, farming, and building relationships. Players take on the role of a workshop builder in a town full of quirky characters. You can grow crops, raise animals, complete quests, and explore dungeons, all while building your own legacy in the town.
- Developer: Pathea Games
- Available on: PC (Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Why it’s like Animal Crossing: The game offers crafting, community interaction, and a peaceful pace, much like Animal Crossing. It’s a more immersive and expansive experience but retains the same emphasis on building and customizing a world.
4. Dreams
Dreams is a unique game that allows players to create, share, and play games and experiences created by other players. It’s a platform for imagination, with endless possibilities for building interactive worlds, much like customizing your town in Animal Crossing.
- Developer: Media Molecule
- Available on: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Why it’s like Animal Crossing: Dreams allows you to create personalized worlds, characters, and experiences, offering a sandbox for creativity similar to the world-building and customization in Animal Crossing.
5. Garden Paws
Garden Paws is a farming simulator where you inherit a farm on an island and are tasked with turning it into a prosperous business. You can grow crops, raise animals, decorate your house, and interact with the local community. It combines farming, exploration, and customization, providing a relaxing and rewarding experience.
- Developer: Bitten Toast Games
- Available on: PC (Windows), macOS
- Why it’s like Animal Crossing: Both games emphasize farming, collecting, and creating a cozy, personalized environment. Garden Paws focuses more on running a business, but the core experience remains similar to Animal Crossing’s laid-back lifestyle.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of Animal Crossing and looking for more games that offer relaxing, creative gameplay, these five alternatives will provide you with hours of enjoyment. Whether you’re farming, customizing, or building relationships with quirky characters, each of these titles shares the same charm and appeal that Animal Crossing is known for.