TheNintendo Switchand Switch 2 have become the hub for cozy gamers. It’s versatile and portable, making it perfect for curling up in a nook and playing a relaxing game. There are so many cozy titles on Nintendo’s platforms that there’s no shortage of options for those looking for a laid-back gaming experience.
The only problem is the price.Video games aren’t getting any cheaper, and Nintendo is known for not putting its games on sale as often as the other platforms do, so it can be hard to keep up your cozy gaming and stick to a budget when you’re playing on the Nintendo Switch 1 or 2.
Luckily, there are plenty ofaffordable cozy gameson the Nintendo consoles, andsome excellent options are available for under $10.
10Good Pizza, Great Pizza — $9.99
Make Some Good Pizza, Make Some Great Pizza
Good Pizza, Great Pizzafrom TapBlaze is afood-making simulator with a beautiful hand-drawn art style.Unlike many other restaurant sims, which get hectic and require players to move fast to complete orders, this one encourages you to slow down and take your time crafting the perfect pizza for your customers.
Follow strange and quirky orders, some of which will have you scratching your head, and put together delicious-looking pizzas. Turn up the sound for somebonus ASMR goodnesswith every ingredient you add.
9Monument Valley 1 & 2 — $9.99 Each
Explore Beautiful, Impossible Structures
Revisit the MC Escher-esque dreamy landscapes of Ustwo Games' award-winningMonument Valleygames. Lead a silent princess throughtwisting, shifting structuresthat bend the concepts of gravity.
These puzzlers are a feast for the eyes, with gorgeous colors and designs that are a delight to behold. Transform the architecture to grant the protagonist passage throughlabyrinthine levels rooted in optical illusionsfor a cozy experience that’ll tug on your brain.
8A Tiny Sticker Tale — $9.99
Collect Stickers To Explore The World
Guide Flynn the donkey through a puzzling world with the power of his magical sticker book inA Tiny Sticker Talefrom developer Ogre Pixel.
Travel through an interconencted map, collecting stickers and adding them to your trusty sticker book. Then,use your stickers on the world around youto help residents, uncover secrets, and open paths.
Thisbite-sized adventurefeatures adorable art, whimsical characters and locations, and cozy, gentle puzzling, perfect for a relaxing afternoon in.
7inbento — $4.99
Craft Perfect Cube-Shaped Bento Boxes
Inbentoinvites you to play with your food, literally. Developed by Afterburn, this charming puzzle game tasks you withrecreating bento boxes (Japanese lunch boxes)by arranging cubes in the right order to match the reference image.
Abeautiful style and vibrant colorsmake this cozy game a feast for the eyes as well as the mind. Uncover a heartwarming story about a family of cats as you craft over 120 unique lunch boxes in thisTetris-esque game.
6A Short Hike — $7.99
The Journey To Reach The Summit
Young bird Claire has a very important mission: climb, hike, and fly her way to the top of Hawk Peak Provincial Park.A Tiny Hike, a solo-dev project by Adam Gryu, is thewholesome story of Claire’s trek to the summit.
Along the way, you’ll meet the quirky park residents, help them out with their various needs, gather feathers and other collectibles, andexplore every crevice of the mountain. This little pixelated adventure has lots of charm and heartwarming moments, making it a perfect find on the Switch for under $10.
5Islanders — $4.99, and Islanders: New Shores — $9.99
Design The Perfect Island
Islandersis a simple game aboutgrowing settlements on procedurally generated islands,created by the team of three developers at Grizzly Games. Select an island from infinite possibilities, and start building.
As you place buildings, youearn points to unlock more types of structures.Continue to build on the island or move on to the next one until you run out of buildings. Then, simply start over and see how far you can get this time.
Islenaders: New Shoresis the sequel, featuring the same tranquil gameplay as the first but with improved visuals, new features, and evenmore types of buildings and biomes. For a truly zen experience, you may chooseSandbox Mode,which lets you play as long as you want without worrying about points or high scores.
4When the Past was Around — $8.49
A Bittersweet Story About A Girl And An Owl
When the Past Was Aroundis an interactive artwork by developer Mojiken, featuringstunning artworks and a beautiful story. Follow the story of a young woman named Ada, and the owl-headed man who teaches her about love and loss.
Thepoint-and-click adventure gameuseslight puzzling and surreal imageryto tell a heartwarming—and heartbreaking—tale about young love and finding your place in the world. A gorgeous soundtrack accompanies the narrative for an experience that stays with you long after the last note plays.
3Duck Detective: The Secret Salami — $9.99
He Suspects Fowl Play
Self-described by developer Happy Broccoli Games as “Aggretsuko meets Return of the Obra Dinn,“Duck Detective: The Secret Salamiis a delightful little whodunnit. The short game follows a down-on-his-luck duck who gets drawn into asalami-centered web of lies and conspiracy.
Use your powers of de-duck-tionas you try to avoid ruffling the feathers of the quirky cast of characters. Collect clues and fill in the blanks to solve the mystery. Can you uncover the secrets behind the fowl play? Naturally, expect many duck puns.
2Pokémon Friends — $9.99
Solve Puzzles And Make Plushies
Shadow-dropped during thePokémonPresents livestream on July 22,Pokémon Friendsis afree mobile gamethat’s also available on the Nintendo Switch for just under $10.
Solve progressively more difficult puzzles and brain teasers to unravel yarn. Then, use that yarn in a Poké Ball-shaped Build-A-Bear-like machine to create cutePokémonplushies. Decorate your room with your creations, or use them to help folks around town in thisgentle, cozyPokémonpuzzler.
1Teacup — $9.99
A Game About A Shy Frog Trying To Make Tea
Teacup is a short narrative game created by Smarto Club about asweet, shy frog who just wants to drink tea and read books.As she prepares for a tea party at her house, she realizes that she’s completely out of tea, spurring her into action.
In this charming little game, help Teacup navigate around the world of Little Pond, collecting the ingredients she needs to brew tea for her guests.
Speak to whimsical animal characters and explore a landscape of stunning hand-drawn background illustrations that feel like you’re playing inside a children’s book. Players can tackle the adventure in any order they want in this peaceful, cozy game, available under $10 on theNintendo Switch.
