Animal Crossing: New Horizons couldn’t have come at a much better time, with the game allowing players to interact during a pandemic that had forced people behind closed doors for the longest time. It’s the perfect blend of idyllic scenery, wish fulfillment, and creativity that gives gamers a welcome respite from the state of affairs in the real world. The cute critters that populate the player's deserted island fill the friend-shaped void in their life then, letting them socialize safely.

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Animal Crossing has become one of Nintendo's most popular franchises in recent years, but not every entry has been as successful as others.

A lot of people have jumped on the Animal Crossing hype bandwagon, which can be a huge problem for players who don't own a Switch. If players are unable to experience the joy that this Nintendo classic can bring or have already played this game to kingdom come, then other titles on the PS4 will let players live out the dreams of customizing their paradise.

Updated on January 17, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: While Nintendo's post-launch support for Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been slightly lacking, the game is still one of the best simulation games that players can get their hands on. The vibes of this game are unmatched, letting players relax as they turn their island from a barren, boring mess into a bustling tropical vacation retreat. It's easy to see why this is the most successful Animal Crossing game to date, and fans of this charming title can check out a wealth of recommendations that tick the same boxes as New Horizons in some way or the other.

18 A Short Hike

Explore A Calm, Chill World With Anthropomorphic Animals

Players who want to check out a single-player oriented with Animal Crossing's vibes can't go wrong with A Short Hike. The game also features anthropomorphic animals who help out the player, a bird in need of cellphone reception who needs to ascend a mountain to achieve the same.

This simple plot makes for a calm, low-stakes title where players can acquire feathers to improve how much they can climb and glide. The residents of this world are also pretty welcoming and add to this game's charm.

17 Don't Starve

A Surprisingly Charming Survival Game With More High-Stakes Gameplay Than Animal Crossing

Don't Starve is a game that was one of the earliest survival games players could get their hands on. While there are several notable differences between this game and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, some similarities also exist that veterans of both titles will attest to.

Sure, Don't Starve is more tense and nightmarish, but there are times when players who attain a sense of safety in this game will love how oddly charming the gothic art style is. The gameplay loop of gathering materials to craft shelter, cook food, and forge weapons is something that players can settle into easily if they were avid builders in New Horizons, although the threat of death that looms over their shoulders every second of the way multiplies the pressure quite a bit.

16 Disney Dreamlight Valley

Explore And Help A Valley Develop With Familiar Disney Characters

Disney Dreamlight Valley is an excellent title that makes the most of its IP to make for a game with varied and engaging gameplay loops. The game works in real-time, much like the Animal Crossing games, and allows players to explore the valley and customize it to their heart's content.

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Some people were angered by the fact that this game walked back on its free-to-play promise, but the content here is pretty expansive and will keep players occupied for hours on end. Most people will get their money's worth and more after experiencing everything Disney Dreamlight Valley has to offer.

15 Terraria

A 2D Crafting Game Where Players Can Exercise Their Boundless Creativity

Terraria is one of the best indie video games that fans can check out, featuring a healthy mix of relaxed construction and base-building along with a heaping of combat for players who want the best of both worlds. Many people dismiss this title by calling it 2D Minecraft, which is a huge disservice to Terraria's accomplishments.

The title allows players to engage in a bunch of gameplay loops while enjoying the boundless sense of exploration that this title conveys expertly. It's a truly beautiful game that any fan of quality indie titles owes it to themselves to check, with the post-launch support of this title being legendary and letting people enjoy this title in modern times without too many issues.

14 Doraemon Story Of Seasons

A Farming Simulator With Familiar Doraemon Characters

Story of Seasons is a series that rose from the ashes of the Harvest Moon series, with the games being excellent farming simulators with enough fresh gameplay loops to keep players engaged in the long run. Players who need an excuse to get into this series will love the fact that this franchise has collaborated with Doraemon in a spinoff title that is pretty fun in its own right.

While Doraemon: Story of Seasons isn't anything special, the gameplay loop will feel right at home for Animal Crossing fans who want to check out something new. This game is receiving a sequel called Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom, which makes for a great excuse for players to check this title out for themselves.

13 Dragon Quest Builders 2

Combines Real-Time Action With Crafting Gameplay

Those looking for some RPG elements sprinkled in with their town-building mechanics should check out Dragon Quest Builders 2. This robust and entertaining title borrows elements and characters from the Dragon Quest franchise and offers up a fairly engaging single-player experience that has players building structures and fighting back against a destructive cult.

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What makes this release even better is that it offers a pretty in-depth multiplayer mode that allows players to enjoy an online experience with up to three other friends (four players at one time). Dragon Quest Builders 2 may not be as "slice of life" as Animal Crossing: New Horizons is, but it still offers a lot of enjoyment and a good town-building experience.

12 Minecraft

The OG Crafting Game That Became A Runaway Hit

Those who enjoy playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons, because they like building and designing an island, may want to consider hopping onto the Minecraft train and building their community from the ground up. The best part about Minecraft is its blockular building system which has players constructing massive towns, buildings, and even islands with Lego-like cubes. The best part of Minecraft is that it also includes combat elements, farming, and even basic contraptions thanks to its Redstone.

Players can even join servers and create their multiplayer worlds to invite friends and family to play along. There's a reason that Minecraft stands as one of the best-selling Indie titles of all time, and its success is the reason it's grown into such a phenomenon over the years.

11 Dreams

Explore The Games That Other Players Have Created Using This Malleable Engine

One of the most engaging things to do on Animal Crossing: New Horizons is to visit other players and take a stroll around their island. There is something so fun and interesting about taking a look at what other players have built, whether it be for inspiration in a player's world or to simply stare in awe at some of the amazing things that players can build with a simple set of tools. Dreams takes this concept to the next level by giving its players an intuitive game engine that lets them build their own completely playable games.

Those who want to see what other players are capable of can load up Dreams and look through all of the interesting and entertaining games available, while also taking a crack at making their own.

10 Stardew Valley

A Charming Indie Title Many People Consider To Be Similar To Animal Crossing

This indie darling from ConcernedApe is a pixel art dream. Players play as a disenfranchised office worker who's tired of the monotonous routine of a 9-5 job and inherits their late grandfather’s farm in the quaint setting of Pelican Town. Much like Animal Crossing, players will come across a variety of residents, each with their quirky qualities.

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By giving them gifts, having a good old chat with them, and helping them out when they need it, players form heartwarming relationships that make Stardew Valley a special game. Whilst the days in Stardew Valley are set to 10 minutes, rather than Animal Crossing’s real-life progression, the game still lets players decide what they want to spend their day doing as well.

9 Stranded Sails: Explorers Of The Cursed Islands

Players Have To Form A Community On A Deserted Island Where Supernatural Things Run Amok

Just like in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Stranded Sails: Explorers of the Cursed Islands is based on a deserted island. Sadly, there’s no furry billionaire philanthropist to guide players on their journey to the latest chic getaway - the player is immediately shipwrecked and faced with supernatural creatures.

Players are in charge of bringing their fellow survivors together and forming a community - feeding them, catering to their requests, and exploring the land they're stuck on. The only REAL difference between these two games is that there’s no friendly Orville and Wilbur to safely bring them to paradise. And the fact the island is cursed. But the sound of the waves crashing against the shore is almost enough to make players forget about that.

8 Forager

As The Name Suggests, Players Must Collect Materials And Craft Useful Items

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the first console Animal Crossing game to introduce the mechanics of crafting. Grinding has always been a key part of the series - farming fruit trees, hunting for the money rock, and catching bugs and fish are necessary to make bells and thrive in their town.

This means that grinding for crafting materials in New Horizons feels natural - as it should. If this is a player's favorite part of the game, Forager is definitely for them. The developers at HopFrog say they took inspiration from Stardew Valley, Terraria, and Zelda, so if players have enjoyed any of those games, it’s another reason to pick up Forager.

7 My Time At Portia

A Cozy Post-Apocalyptic Title With A Gameplay Loop Very Much Like Animal Crossing

The bright colors and charm of My Time at Portia are reminiscent of Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ cartoon-like world. But this cutesy art style hides a dark secret that sets it apart from Animal Crossing (as far as we know) - it’s set after the apocalypse.

It follows Animal Crossing’s laid-back approach to gaming as players are free to spend their days how they like, whether that be fishing, crafting buildings, or getting to know the residents. But if players are not sure about Animal Crossing’s hands-off approach, they’ll be glad to hear there is a bit more of a narrative structure to help them along their way.

6 Moonlighter

Combines Roguelike Dungeon Crawling With Shop Management

Moonlighter is an Action RPG with rogue-like elements. So it may surprise players that it’s on a list of games similar to the laid-back life sim that is Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Whilst this latest installment in the Animal Crossing franchise doesn’t have players work on a part-time basis, long-time fans of the series will know that once upon a time their character worked for Tom Nook to pay off their house loan.

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But that’s not the only reason it’s similar - working in a shop, talking to customers, and stocking shelves creates the same kind of relaxing atmosphere that wandering around the island listening to the waves has. Sure, players might not take on dungeons and smite evil creatures that are lurking in Animal Crossing, but if they've ever had an ugly villager move onto their island, they might wish they could.

5 Yonder: Cloud Catcher Chronicles

A Calming Open-World game Focused On Creating Structures And Befriending Creatures In Unique Areas

This chill open-world adventure takes players on a magical journey across the island of Yonder to find their calling in life. They can be anything they want, from a chef to a farmer. With the addition of terraforming to the Animal Crossing franchise, creative souls across the world have been constructing their cafes, restaurants, and shops on their once-deserted island.

This freedom to create areas with their distinctive style is a hallmark of Yonder, which has its areas separated by different environments. Players can even make friends with the unique creatures who roam the land by feeding them treats, which would also work very well for lazy villagers on the island.

4 Castaway Paradise

A Life Simulator Set On A Tropical Island

Players might have heard of Castaway Paradise as a mobile and PC game before, but this successful life simulator is now on Xbox One and PS4 for all the console gamers out there in need of a holiday.

Described as an "Instant vacation on your tropical island," players can decorate their island, try out the latest fashion trends, catch bugs, grow crops, and become BFFs with their new neighbors. Some of the residents are even animals, so if PS4 players are looking for a tropical island getaway, they'll have all their bases covered with this title.

3 The Sims 4

Another Entry In A Beloved Life Simulation Series Where Players Can Also Construct And Decorate Buildings

If players are looking for a classic life simulator, there are very few games out there that sum up the genre better than The Sims. If interior design is one's jam in Animal Crossing, it stands to reason that they’ll love designing the perfect homes for all their sims in this game too.

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Whilst players probably won’t have robot frogs and horrifying clown sheep move in next door (although, who knows what the next Sims expansion pack will bring), the intuitive home-building and creative freedom put this game on the list. Be warned though, in this game the landlord won’t accept three yellow butterflies as a suitable method of payment.

2 Little Dragons Cafe

A Cozy Title Where Players Manage A Cafe, Exploring The World To Gather Materials For Recipes

Brewster isn’t in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (yet). So players have taken to making their cafe areas on their islands. Little Dragons Cafe is a step up in one's coffee-scented holiday dreams.

Who doesn’t want to fall in love, open a coffee shop, and raise a baby dragon? In this game from the original creator of Harvest Moon, players can do just that. Packed with heart and whimsy, this fantasy game lets players explore the world on the back of their pet dragon and solve the mystery of their mother’s illness.

1 Slime Rancher

Grow Slimes On A Ranch In A Cozy Game

If players enjoy the Stalk Market in Animal Crossing, Slime Rancher is a must-buy. Players run a "Plort" farm, which are blobs that look similar to slimes in Stardew Valley. Each Plort is based on different animals and objects, just like villagers in Animal Crossing. The likening to their villagers should probably end there though.

Players can trade Plorts on the Plort Market, which fluctuates just like the real stock market. Another similarity is that they can create hybrid Plorts, just like hybrid flower patches. But Slime Rancher is a charming, chilled-out experience until players end up having to incinerate Tabby Slimes because they misjudged the market.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Platform(s)

Switch

Released

March 20, 2020

Developer(s)

Nintendo EPD

Genre(s)

Simulation