There aren’t many farming sims out there, but over the years there have been some great ones. These are the best ones out of all of them.
It may come as a surprise that many gamers would rather spend their free time playing a video game version of the real world, since the gaming industry is full of historical adventures, sci-fi explorations, and fantasy trips. In spite of what might seem odd at first, the life simulation game has captured a lot of players. Some of the most well-known video games are life simulation games, like The Sims, Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and many more.
People love farming games, which are a type of life mimic. Farming video games let players enjoy the thrill of turning a piece of empty land into a thriving, successful farm without having to do any work. If you’re interested in this type of game, here are some of the best farming games you can get.
Fae Farm
Release Date | September 8th, 2023 |
Developer(s) | Phoenix Labs |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch, PC |
As with many other games in this genre, this one has a cutesy, charming art style and a lot of features that make it worth checking out for people who like games like this. Fae Farm mixes farm sim gameplay with RPG elements in a way that doesn’t feel forced. The result is a truly immersive experience where players can get lost.
At the beginning of the game, the player character is shipwrecked and ends up on an island. The friendly mayor takes them in and gives them an empty farm to grow. Players can do more than just grow crops. They can fish, travel the island, fight in the dungeons, craft items, and fall in love with other villagers. Fae Farm is the best farming sim game because it has so much fun stuff.
Story Of Seasons: A Wonderful Life
Release Date | June 27th, 2023 |
Developer(s) | Marvelous Interactive |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X/S |
Story of Seasons is an update of the old Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life game. It brings this game back to life for modern times by adding some new features that will appeal to both new players and fans of the original.
Such as in many other games in this genre, players can spend some time taking care of plants and animals, making friends with or dating other locals, crafting goods and food, and even building facilities in the valley to start a new way of life. A Wonderful Life has a lot of good things about it, so it’s worth watching again or for the first time.
The Stillness Of The Wind
Release Date | February 27th, 2019 |
Developer(s) | Lambic Studios (Coyan Cardenas) |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch, PC |
The gameplay is a lot like Harvest Moon, and the game is very relaxing. It’s possible that many players haven’t heard of it. In this game, players take control of a character named Talma who is getting old but still wants to take care of their farm. Because of this, she moves a little more slowly than some players are used to, but it’s not a big deal.
At its core, this game is a farming simulator, but it also has a touching story. Players learn a bit about Talma through her interactions with the farm and the dreams she has as the seasons change. The Stillness of the Wind is the best choice for players who want a good story to go with their farming.
Coral Island
Release Date | October 11th, 2022 |
Developer(s) | Stairway Games |
Platform(s) | PC |
Coral Island takes place on a beautiful island and challenges players to change and protect the natural beauty around them.
In Coral Island, players can spend their days taking care of their crops, visiting caves, fixing up coral reefs, and even falling in love with people in the town. The game is based on the landscapes and cultures of Southeast Asia and lets players live on a beautiful tropical island.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Release Date | March 20th, 2020 |
Developer(s) | Nintendo EPD |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch |
When Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out for the Nintendo Switch in 2020, it was the game that many people played to escape the stress of real life during the pandemic. That being said, the game will truly become a farming simulator game after its big 2.0 update at the end of 2021.
In the game, players can grow different kinds of plants, like potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, and wheat. To get the most out of these crops, they need to be carefully cared for while they grow. They can also use their crops to make sweet and savory dishes that they can eat or give to their neighbors.
Dinkum
Release Date | July 14th, 2022 |
Developer(s) | James Bendon |
Platform(s) | PC |
Dinkum, which was made by one person and self-published by James Bendon, is a fun mix of Animal Crossing and old gardening games like Harvest Moon. The setting of the game is an island that looks like outback Australia.
Along with typical farming sim tasks like taking care of animals and fields and welcoming new villagers, players will also have to protect themselves from dangerous predators and hunt animals to stay alive.Dinkum offers a great time farming and the chance to make friends with giant wombats.
Kynseed
Release Date | November 8th, 2018 |
Developer(s) | PixelCount Studios |
Platform(s) | PC |
Kynseed is a sandbox-style game that will be out in full at the end of 2022. The game was influenced by Fable and Stardew Valley. It is a farming game with more magical features from fantasy RPGs.
However, Kynseed doesn’t try to be the first game of its kind. It has many classic features from the life simulator side of the farming genre, such as letting players run their own business, interact with neighbors, and, of course, farm on a completely empty landscape.
Littlewood
Release Date | August 4th, 2020 |
Developer(s) | Sean Young |
Platform(s) | PC, Nintendo Switch |
Littlewood stands out because of its amazing art style. The game looks so warm and inviting with all of its bright colors. In Littlewood, the main character has already defeated the bad guy, which is different from most games where the player goes on a journey. But the main character doesn’t remember what happened, and their town needs to be rebuilt right away.
Littlewood lets players try out new hobbies, gather materials, and do chores for the locals so that they can learn about their history.
Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town
Release Date | July 26th, 2022 |
Developer(s) | Marvelous, Three Rings Inc. |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC |
Some games in the Harvest Moon series are getting new names, and Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is one of them. In this game, as in 90% of farming sims, the player starts by getting a farm from their grandfather.
It’s clear that Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a farming game because the main goal of the story is to rebuild a farm from scratch. There is still a lot of life simulation in the game, though, and it has an amazing range of over 200 different events that are all about interacting with the people in the town.
Slime Rancher
Release Date | August 1st, 2017 |
Developer(s) | Monomi Park |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC |
A life model game from Monomi Park called Slime Rancher has an open world. It’s like being Beatrix LeBeau in the game. She has left Earth for a place called the Far Far Range to live a life of slime farming, as the name suggests.
Finding Slimes, which are alien creatures, and then breeding and feeding them so they make “plorts” that can be sold for money to buy new buildings for the ranch is what slime ranching is all about. Metacritic gave the game a good score of 81, which means that reviewers liked it.
Garden Paws
Release Date | December 18th, 2018 |
Developer(s) | Bitten Toast Games |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch, PC |
Another game on this list that starts with the player getting a piece of land from their grandparents is Garden Paws. But, unlike a lot of other farming games, all the players are animals and not people.
Garden Paws stands out because it has great multiplayer support, characters that can be changed, and a wide range of levels to explore. Other typical farming tasks are also available. For example, you can harvest crops, fish, and go on villagers’ quests.
Farmer’s Dynasty
Release Date | November 21st, 2019 |
Developer(s) | UMEO Studios |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC |
Believe it or not, Farmer’s Dynasty starts with the player receiving a farm from their grandfather. After that, the game gives players a well-thought-out open world where they can do whatever they want.
Since the game has an open world, it’s likely that farming won’t be the only thing people do there.Farmer’s Dynasty is all about community. Players can talk to other farmers to get to know them, earn social points, and make new friends.
Pure Farming 2018
Release Date | March 12th, 2018 |
Developer(s) | Ice Flames |
Platform(s) | PC, PS4, Xbox One |
Pure Farming 2018 isn’t quite like the other games on this list. It stands out because it tries to give you a real farming experience. Especially with its huge selection of licensed cars.
There are three different game types so that players can find one that they like.
The title of the game says it all: Free Farming lets players set their own rules and play however they please. In My First Farm, there is a long, detailed introduction that is perfect for new players. In Farming Challenges, players are put in tough situations that test their skills.
Farm Together
Release Date | October 11th, 2018 |
Developer(s) | Milkstone Studios |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC |
Farm Together starts out like most farming games do by giving each player their own piece of land that they can farm and spend their time on however they choose.
Farm Together doesn’t leave players alone in their farming, as the name suggests. Players can call friends or even strangers to their farm to help them make improvements or just hang out and look around. In addition to making their farm better, players can do other things like paint, work on their house, and cook meals.
Story Of Seasons: Friends Of Mineral Town
Release Date | July 14th, 2020 |
Developer(s) | Marvelous Interactive |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC |
Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town was first released on the GameBoy in 2003. Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a 3D remake of that game, giving it a new start on life.
Friends of Mineral Town is a great way to relax after a long day, just like Doodle Baseball. It takes a calm, quiet approach to farming, and the graphics are nice. Reviewers liked the game a lot, and it got a solid 77 on Metacritic.
Autonauts
Release Date | October 17th, 2019 |
Developer(s) | Denki |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch, PC |
The sci-fi setting of Autonauts sets it apart from the other games on this list. Players will go to worlds that don’t have any people living on them and have to settle there and make sure they grow over time by automating tasks.
What makes Autonauts interesting is that it can automate things. Players can make an army of robots that will help them build and take care of a healthy colony by programming them in simple ways.
Staxel
Release Date | January 23, 2018 |
Developer(s) | Plukit, Plukit BV |
Platform(s) | PC |
It feels like Staxel was made by mixing Minecraft and Stardew Valley. The game is another one on this list that gives players a broken-down farm and tells them to fix it up in any way they want to make it grow.
It’s not as good as the two games it’s trying to copy. But it’s still a good farming sim that fans of the genre will enjoy. It has all the standard farming game features, like taking care of animals and crops and enjoying the simple pleasures of village life.
Harvest Moon 64
Release Date | December 22nd, 1999 |
Developer(s) | Victor Interactive Software |
Platform(s) | Nintendo 64 |
Harvest Moon 64 is one of the best old farming games. It came out for the Nintendo 64 in 1999. The graphics may not be as good as the games on this list now. But the gameplay is still fun after more than 20 years.
As expected, the main quest is to fix up a farm that the player character’s grandfather left in bad shape. Aside from that, players can also do a lot of side tasks and date any of the five attractive girls in town.
Farming Simulator 22
Release Date | November 22nd, 2022 |
Developer(s) | GIANTS Software |
Platform(s) | PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC |
Farming Simulator was one of the first job models, and it has become very popular over the last ten years. This may be the most widely available game on this list. The 22nd edition is available on most major devices. And the 23rd edition is available on Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.
The game is based on reality, but many players find the series to be rather calming. It has a lot of real farm equipment and lets players grow crops, clear space, and take care of their animals.
My Time At Portia
Release Date | April 16th, 2019 |
Developer(s) | Pathea |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch, Android, PS4, Xbox One, iOS, PC |
In My Time at Portia, players are asked to fix up a world that has been destroyed by the end of the world. This is a very different version of the common “old man leaves a piece of land that is in bad shape.”
Even though the story takes place after the end of the world, My Time at Portia is set in a beautiful world with great non-player characters (NPCs). Along with farming and building relationships, players will also have to show how good they are at fighting, usually in tunnels full of enemies.
Stardew Valley
Release Date | February 16th, 2016 |
Developer(s) | ConcernedApe |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, PS4, Xbox One, PSVita, PC |
People now agree that Stardew Valley, which came out in 2016, is the best farming game ever. Even though it came out first on PC, it has since been made available on most other systems. There isn’t much that makes Stardew Valley stand out on paper. It starts with yet another story about a main character who inherits a piece of land from their grandfather and has to fix it up while also getting to know the people in a close-knit town.
But Stardew Valley doesn’t just use these tropes over and over again. There is a huge amount of content and activities in this game that makes it stand out from others in its genre. Players will quickly become involved in the game’s memorable world, no matter how much they love farming games or how new they are to the genre.