PS4 Games Like Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons couldn’t have come at a much better time, with the game allowing players to interact during a pandemic that had forced people behind closed doors for the longest time. It’s the perfect blend of idyllic scenery, wish fulfillment, and creativity that gives gamers a welcome respite from the state of affairs in the real world. The cute critters that populate the player's deserted island fill the friend-shaped void in their life then, letting them socialize safely.

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By  Drew Swanson

A lot of people have jumped on the Animal Crossing hype bandwagon, which can be a huge problem for players who don't own a Switch. If players are unable to experience the joy that this Nintendo classic can bring or have already played this game to kingdom come, then other titles on the PS4 will let players live out the dreams of customizing their paradise.

Updated on January 17, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: While Nintendo's post-launch support for Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been slightly lacking, the game is still one of the best simulation games that players can get their hands on. The vibes of this game are unmatched, letting players relax as they turn their island from a barren, boring mess into a bustling tropical vacation retreat. It's easy to see why this is the most successful Animal Crossing game to date, and fans of this charming title can check out a wealth of recommendations that tick the same boxes as New Horizons in some way or the other.

18 A Short Hike

Explore A Calm, Chill World With Anthropomorphic Animals

Players who want to check out a single-player oriented with Animal Crossing's vibes can't go wrong with A Short Hike. The game also features anthropomorphic animals who help out the player, a bird in need of cellphone reception who needs to ascend a mountain to achieve the same.

This simple plot makes for a calm, low-stakes title where players can acquire feathers to improve how much they can climb and glide. The residents of this world are also pretty welcoming and add to this game's charm.

17 Don't Starve

A Surprisingly Charming Survival Game With More High-Stakes Gameplay Than Animal Crossing

Don't Starve is a game that was one of the earliest survival games players could get their hands on. While there are several notable differences between this game and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, some similarities also exist that veterans of both titles will attest to.

Sure, Don't Starve is more tense and nightmarish, but there are times when players who attain a sense of safety in this game will love how oddly charming the gothic art style is. The gameplay loop of gathering materials to craft shelter, cook food, and forge weapons is something that players can settle into easily if they were avid builders in New Horizons, although the threat of death that looms over their shoulders every second of the way multiplies the pressure quite a bit.

16 Disney Dreamlight Valley

Explore And Help A Valley Develop With Familiar Disney Characters

Disney Dreamlight Valley is an excellent title that makes the most of its IP to make for a game with varied and engaging gameplay loops. The game works in real-time, much like the Animal Crossing games, and allows players to explore the valley and customize it to their heart's content.

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By  Gemma Johnson

Some people were angered by the fact that this game walked back on its free-to-play promise, but the content here is pretty expansive and will keep players occupied for hours on end. Most people will get their money's worth and more after experiencing everything Disney Dreamlight Valley has to offer.

15 Terraria

A 2D Crafting Game Where Players Can Exercise Their Boundless Creativity

Terraria is one of the best indie video games that fans can check out, featuring a healthy mix of relaxed construction and base-building along with a heaping of combat for players who want the best of both worlds. Many people dismiss this title by calling it 2D Minecraft, which is a huge disservice to Terraria's accomplishments.

The title allows players to engage in a bunch of gameplay loops while enjoying the boundless sense of exploration that this title conveys expertly. It's a truly beautiful game that any fan of quality indie titles owes it to themselves to check, with the post-launch support of this title being legendary and letting people enjoy this title in modern times without too many issues.

14 Doraemon Story Of Seasons

A Farming Simulator With Familiar Doraemon Characters

Story of Seasons is a series that rose from the ashes of the Harvest Moon series, with the games being excellent farming simulators with enough fresh gameplay loops to keep players engaged in the long run. Players who need an excuse to get into this series will love the fact that this franchise has collaborated with Doraemon in a spinoff title that is pretty fun in its own right.

While Doraemon: Story of Seasons isn't anything special, the gameplay loop will feel right at home for Animal Crossing fans who want to check out something new. This game is receiving a sequel called Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom, which makes for a great excuse for players to check this title out for themselves.

13 Dragon Quest Builders 2

Combines Real-Time Action With Crafting Gameplay

Those looking for some RPG elements sprinkled in with their town-building mechanics should check out Dragon Quest Builders 2. This robust and entertaining title borrows elements and characters from the Dragon Quest franchise and offers up a fairly engaging single-player experience that has players building structures and fighting back against a destructive cult.

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What makes this release even better is that it offers a pretty in-depth multiplayer mode that allows players to enjoy an online experience with up to three other friends (four players at one time). Dragon Quest Builders 2 may not be as "slice of life" as Animal Crossing: New Horizons is, but it still offers a lot of enjoyment and a good town-building experience.

12 Minecraft

The OG Crafting Game That Became A Runaway Hit

Those who enjoy playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons, because they like building and designing an island, may want to consider hopping onto the Minecraft train and building their community from the ground up. The best part about Minecraft is its blockular building system which has players constructing massive towns, buildings, and even islands with Lego-like cubes. The best part of Minecraft is that it also includes combat elements, farming, and even basic contraptions thanks to its Redstone.

Players can even join servers and create their multiplayer worlds to invite friends and family to play along. There's a reason that Minecraft stands as one of the best-selling Indie titles of all time, and its success is the reason it's grown into such a phenomenon over the years.

11 Dreams

Explore The Games That Other Players Have Created Using This Malleable Engine

One of the most engaging things to do on Animal Crossing: New Horizons is to visit other players and take a stroll around their island. There is something so fun and interesting about taking a look at what other players have built, whether it be for inspiration in a player's world or to simply stare in awe at some of the amazing things that players can build with a simple set of tools. Dreams takes this concept to the next level by giving its players an intuitive game engine that lets them build their own completely playable games.

Those who want to see what other players are capable of can load up Dreams and look through all of the interesting and entertaining games available, while also taking a crack at making their own.

10 Stardew Valley

A Charming Indie Title Many People Consider To Be Similar To Animal Crossing

This indie darling from ConcernedApe is a pixel art dream. Players play as a disenfranchised office worker who's tired of the monotonous routine of a 9-5 job and inherits their late grandfather’s farm in the quaint setting of Pelican Town. Much like Animal Crossing, players will come across a variety of residents, each with their quirky qualities.

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By giving them gifts, having a good old chat with them, and helping them out when they need it, players form heartwarming relationships that make Stardew Valley a special game. Whilst the days in Stardew Valley are set to 10 minutes, rather than Animal Crossing’s real-life progression, the game still lets players decide what they want to spend their day doing as well.

9 Stranded Sails: Explorers Of The Cursed Islands

Players Have To Form A Community On A Deserted Island Where Supernatural Things Run Amok

Just like in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Stranded Sails: Explorers of the Cursed Islands is based on a deserted island. Sadly, there’s no furry billionaire philanthropist to guide players on their journey to the latest chic getaway - the player is immediately shipwrecked and faced with supernatural creatures.

Players are in charge of bringing their fellow survivors together and forming a community - feeding them, catering to their requests, and exploring the land they're stuck on. The only REAL difference between these two games is that there’s no friendly Orville and Wilbur to safely bring them to paradise. And the fact the island is cursed. But the sound of the waves crashing against the shore is almost enough to make players forget about that.