Sometimes, you just want to stretch out your legs, lay back on the fluffiest pillow you can find, and indulge in a little virtual farming. The farming sim is a beloved genre because of the immaculately chill vibes it brings and our need to micromanage garden plot placements. Best of both worlds.
While you can find farming sims on almost anything that plays video games, there’s something undeniably attractive about farming sims on the Nintendo Switch. Maybe it’s become the console itself radiates comfort - or perhaps because everyone just loves being able to bring their little farm anywhere they go.
Updated August 11, 2023, by Branden Lizardi: They say that farming ain't much, but it's honest work. Well, they're half-right. There's a LOT of farming to do, especially on the Nintendo Switch. More and more games offer some form of crop cultivation, some more in-depth than others. In our continued search for the best farming games on Switch, we've found more worth mentioning and have updated this list accordingly.
1 Stardew Valley
Well, of course. Not since Harvest Moon has a farming sim loomed so large - though it’s fair to say Stardew Valley has eclipsed its inspiration at this point. Welcome to Pelican Town, a sleepy little village tucked away from the big city and the corporate rat race you’re desperate to escape. Your grandfather left you his old farm - while it has seen better days, you can make this work.
Stardew Valley doesn’t force you to farm - you can mine, fish, forage, or indulge in combat. There are even different farm layouts that emphasize these particular play styles, making every new farm a singular experience. From its pixel art aesthetic to the ease with which you can just pick up and play, Stardew Valley excels on the Switch.
2 Harvestella
Blending JRPG elements with farming sim goodness, Harvestella lives between genres. The apocalypse is coming faster than anyone would like to admit, and you, a person with no memories, might be the only person who can stop it. Well, you and your party, of course.
In between combat missions and general end-of-the-world problems, you will be able to tend to your crops. Surely the apocalypse can wait while you water your thirsty vegetables, right?
3 My Time At Portia
Don’t worry about the apocalypse - it’s already happened. My Time at Portia is not about creating the best, most perfect farm that can be - it’s about rebuilding and creating a better world. Sure, you want to be the best there is at the thing, but that’s not where the fulfillment comes from - building bonds with the folks around you and creating a brighter future.
Your crops, animals, and gathering skills serve that singular focus. This is a small town, and people are relying on you to help them - so don’t keep them waiting. Who needs glory when you have simple satisfaction?
4 Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Is the purpose of Animal Crossing to farm? Not exactly. But can you farm? Absolutely. Animal Crossing: New Horizons didn’t ship with the ability to create sprawling vegetable gardens initially - you could make a fruit tree orchard, sure, but that didn’t feel like the true farm experience. Luckily, the game was updated to include pumpkins in time for Halloween 2020, and subsequently, we were all blessed with more vegetables to meticulously place.
Everyone’s island is a little different, and some people’s “farms” will be messier than others. Still, Animal Crossing scratches that itch, allowing you to build your perfect vegetable patch - the only drawback, compared to other farming sims, is that you have to wait real-world days to see the fruits of your labor. You know, like a real farm.
5 Cult Of The Lamb
Okay, listen. Cult of the Lamb is not really a farming sim - you’re not out here to keep your people happy; you’re here to build a thriving cult of fanatical followers. Half of the game is focused on rogue-like combat dungeons, with terrifying eldritch monsters waiting at the ends of each one.
But then, you get back to your little, uh, compound, and your people’s faith is waning. You aren’t feeding them properly, and some may have begun to revolt. Don’t worry; you have access to farming plots, which allow you to grow your own food, harvest it, and keep your little cult-that-could happy. Besides, like in most traditional farming sims, you can also fish, mine, and get married, so who is really to say Cult of the Lamb doesn’t belong here?
6 Graveyard Keeper
It may not seem like it, but Graveyard Keeper offers a surprisingly in-depth farming mechanic. Sure, the game centers around keeping a graveyard, so it may not be the most family-friendly experience. But it doesn't stop there. You can grow a decent selection of crops, like wheat, tomatoes, carrot, and more. You can process them further into food ingredients and full meals, which can both benefit your stats and help you progress through important storylines.
This can be augmented further with the various DLC, introducing mechanics like zombie-based automation and opening your own tavern. Before you know it, you'll have a league of zombies working the wheat fields, brewing that into beer, and delivering that to your own tavern for a nice and tidy profit.
7 Story Of Seasons
Harvest Moon is the classic farming sim experience, one that stretches all the way back to the SNES. It has since rebranded to Story of Seasons, with numerous entries on the Switch available for your enjoyment.
If you’ve already given farming sims like Stardew Valley a shot and liked them, then returning to the series that inspired it is not such a bad idea. It has everything you want to see in a farming sim - villagers you can marry, land you can cultivate, and cute little outfits to wear. This series is a classic for a reason.
8 Littlewood
Littlewood is a unique, charming game. There’s no world to save here - you’ve already done all that. Now, it’s time to build a better future, starting with your village. You will farm, mine, and forage as you try to create a better, happier town for your villagers.
They relied on you, once, to be the hero they needed. But, now that things are at peace, you must prove that you’re much more than that. Tend to the people of your town as steadfastly as you tend to your crops, and watch them flourish.
9 Rune Factory 5
Rune Factory 5 doesn’t settle for just farming. Oh no - you get to befriend monsters, too. Like Harvestella, it’s a little looser with its exact genre, blending exploration and combat into its farming sim base seamlessly. After losing your memory (jeez, this keeps happening to you), you are recruited into a ranger group.
You’re tasked with maintaining peace and dealing with monsters for the locals. Of course, that’s not the end of it - you’re also given a piece of land to cultivate while you forge connections with those around you. It’s traditional farming sim fare, but hey, what else could you want?
10 Farm Together
Teamwork makes the dream work. Farm Together is best played, well, together, though you can go solo if you so choose. Whether you want to raise animals, drive tractors, or just chill out, Farm Together has you completely covered. Unlike a lot of other farming sims, which tend to incorporate combat or RPG elements, Farm Together is exactly what it sounds like.
Plus, even without your input, your farm progresses in real-time, so you'll always have something cool to do once you return. Come, hang out, and watch your ambitions bloom.
11 Slime Rancher
Ranching, but in space. Slime Rancher is a little different from a lot of other farming sims in that you play as a character named Beatrix, who has established her slime ranch on a planet far away from Earth. Your task is to raise, care for, and breed slimes until they produce "plorts," which can then be exchanged for money that you will, of course, use to further upgrade your farm.
Other than its first-person perspective and literally out-of-this-world setting, it feels very familiar for anyone who has touched a farming sim before. Besides, the slimes are adorable.