Relax and Unwind with These Super Chill Games for Nintendo Switch
What are the best relaxing games on Nintendo Switch? The handheld console is a haven for laid-back experiences, from chilled-out puzzle games to life simulators and farming games. We’ve got a list of the best games to play on a rainy day, from relaxing indie games and atmospheric walking simulators to more mainstream titles.
Whether you’re taking a break from the stresses of the real world or getting ready for a big day out, we’ve got the perfect game for you. But be careful – you may find yourself playing until dawn, so make sure you’ve got a portable battery charger to hand.
A Short Hike
Hiking is great, unless your hiking boots are covered in mud and you’ve dropped your water bottle down a ravine. Thankfully, A Short Hike allows you to experience the joy of walking in the great outdoors without any of the real-life consequences. On top of that, you get to meet a variety of cute animals and take in the beautiful scenery as you go.
It’s a short game, with only a handful of locations to visit, but it’s easy to fall in love with the adorable forest friends you meet along the way. Plus, it has a surprisingly charming story about two friends who are no longer close, but are determined to change that.
Shape of the World
A bit like a walking simulator, Shape of the World is a game about walking and very little else. What makes this game so relaxing is the ever-changing landscapes you move through. One moment you can be walking along a sandy beach, the next you’re in the middle of a forest.
Don’t expect any action or danger, just a lot of walking. As you make your way through each location, each step you take causes something to happen – a tree might fall or a new path might appear. It’s a game that encourages you to sit back and just enjoy the scenery, and the soft, ambient music certainly helps.
Cozy Grove
Cozy Grove is a life simulation game that looks and feels a lot like Animal Crossing, but with a slightly spookier twist. Instead of helping villagers with their endless needs, you’ll be assisting ghosts with theirs.
Cozy Grove is all about helping ghosts move on by organizing their belongings and completing other tasks. In terms of gameplay, it’s not unlike Animal Crossing – there’s plenty of room customization and item collection, but instead of catching animals, you’ll be helping ghosts complete tasks or find lost items.
Baba Is You
Baba Is You is a puzzle game that starts out simple, but quickly spirals into a mind-bending experience. Each level is filled with blocks that you can move, rotate, and duplicate in order to get a ball to a specific point. The tricky part is that the rules of the game keep changing – sometimes you’ll be able to move blocks through each other, other times you won’t. Sometimes the ball will move slowly, other times it will zoom across the screen.
It’s not for everyone, but if you enjoy a bit of mental stimulation with your relaxation, this is the perfect game. And if you get frustrated with a level, you can reset it and try again with a different rule set.
Slay the Spire
You may be thinking, “how can a roguelite be relaxing?” But Slay the Spire is a deckbuilding roguelite that you can play at a very comfortable pace. So if you’ve got a long commute, you can whip this up and play it while listening to podcasts or catching up on your favorite shows.
The deckbuilding roguelite has you traveling up a spire while battling enemies along the way. It’s a familiar gameplay formula, but the relaxing atmosphere and gorgeous visuals make it an easy sell for fans of the genre.
Yoshi’s Crafted World
Yoshi’s Crafted World is a return to form for the series after the slightly disappointing Woolly World. It’s a charming, beautifully crafted platformer that feels like a return to the better-known formula of Super Mario Galaxy.
The game is super relaxing, from its cute visuals and music to its mechanics. Each world introduces a new mechanic, like being able to roll up into a ball and squeeze through tight gaps, or being able to craft new paths with stickers. The colorful, charming world is built perfectly for a relaxing platformer, and it’s also very welcoming to younger players.
Spiritfarer
Spiritfarer is a cozy management game about helping lost souls move on from their earthly existence. It’s similar to games like Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, and more, but with a unique twist. Instead of helping humans, you’re helping ghosts move on to the afterlife, and that requires a lot of work.
Managing Spiritfarer is straightforward – instead of farming, you’re doing general chores like cleaning, organizing, and helping ghosts with their unfinished business. It’s a moving and often emotional experience, and a welcome change from other life management games.
New Pokemon Snap
New Pokemon Snap is a photography game that’s as relaxing and replayable as the classic Pokemon Snap. The Nintendo Switch game takes the best parts of Pokemon Let’s Go and refines them into a replayable and stunning photography experience.
As a photographer tasked with capturing the cutest Pokemon in Alola, your job is simple: take pictures of cute Pokemon. But don’t expect an action-packed adventure. New Pokemon Snap is as relaxing as it gets, and the stunning graphics and sound make it a must-have for Pokemon fans.
Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town
Harvest Moon isn’t exactly a series that’s known for its relaxing atmosphere, but its first entry – Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town – is a classic farming and exploration game that has a certain nostalgic feel.
The SNES game is a great starting point for those new to Harvest Moon, with a much more manageable scope than the later entries. It’s also much more straightforward than many of the other games on this list, but that’s not to say it’s not a relaxing experience. The simple controls and beautiful music make this a soothing game to play when you need a break from the real world.
Gris
Gris is a visually stunning adventure game with a calm and emotional storyline. You play as a boy who has lost the ability to speak, and must rely on a new companion, a Shadow Monster, to traverse the world and solve puzzles.
The game’s developer, Nomada Studio, calls Gris an “emotional adventure”, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a story about growing up, letting go, and learning to live with loss. The gorgeous art style adds a dreamy feel to the game, and the atmosphere is heavy with sadness and loss. But Gris is also a story of hope, companionship, and self-discovery.
Firewatch
Firewatch takes you on a relaxing camping trip through a national park. It’s a quiet, meditative experience that’s both compelling and relaxing.
