Worth exploring
Worth exploring: three gentle games to wander
Three inviting games with room to explore at your own pace, each with a different balance of goals and challenges.
Not every game is about winning. These three are about pottering, noticing things and enjoying a quiet hour.
Stardew Valley
You inherit an overgrown farm and a small town full of neighbors. Grow crops, go fishing, make friends, or simply tidy up. Each in-game day is short, so it's easy to stop whenever you like. It plays on computers, every current console, and phones and tablets.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
You move to a quiet island and slowly make it your own: decorating, collecting, and chatting with its residents. Time in the game follows the real clock, so cherry blossom arrives in spring and snow in winter. It's on Nintendo Switch.
A Short Hike
A small, warm game about climbing to the top of a mountain on a summer holiday. It takes an afternoon or two, which makes it a perfect first trip. It plays on computers and consoles.
All three have plenty of guides and friendly players online, and our community is a good place to ask if you get stuck.