I spent a lot of time with my Switch during 2023. The combination of being burnt out and finding some really addicting games good for handhelds really had me glued to my Switch. However, I mostly spent my time divided between three games, where one of them was a dear old friend.
Let’s Build a Zoo
Initially I bought this cute Zoo simulator for PC, but after discovering it existed on Switch I swapped to that platform instead. It’s an adorable, not too difficult pixel game where you get your own little zoo and fill it with animals. You can adopt a variety of animals, breed them, unlock various habitats and decorations and more. It’s basically a calmer and not so finicky pixel version of Planet Zoo. It also has the most adorable animations for your animals. When they bounce on the trampolines it’s just the best ;_;
You can find Let’s Build a Zoo on basically any platform, and it costs around 17 euro/20 USD.
Stardew Valley
2023 was the year when I got (un)reasonably obsessed with Stardew Valley again. Sure, I played crazy amounts when it released and a bit here and there afterwards, but this time I didn’t do much else but play this game. When others wanted to play games with me I almost got annoyed that I couldn’t spend the time with my farm instead… I think I made it until year three somewhere, married with kids and all, when I finally moved on. I think Stardew Valley might be one of my absolute favorite games ever. It’s just the epitome of a cosy, wholesome game, and it has everything one needs to get completely obsessed. Add to the fact that the developer ConcernedApe continues to update the game – A game that costs a quarter of what a normal game does these days.
You can find Stardew Valley on basically any platform including mobile, and it costs around 14 euro/15 USD.
Dorfromantik
I surprised myself with getting hooked on a puzzle game this year. I’m way too hyperactive to just enjoy laying puzzle pieces without anything else happening. Even in Stardew Valley I try to do fifteen things at the same time and at the same time have something on in the background. With Dorfromantik I just played the game! What an odd concept!
Anyway, if you’ve played the board game Carcassonne it is like that. Dorfromantik is a strategy puzzle game where you connect pieces to create a gorgeous landscape. You get bonus points if you match land with land, rivers with rivers and so on. There’s a variety of biomes and some tiles have cute little details, some you unlock while playing.
Dorfromantik can be found on PC or Switch and costs about 13 euro/14 USD.
