This article is part of a directory: Stardew Valley: A Complete Guide and Walkthrough

Stardew Valley has had great modder support from day one. One-man dev team ConcernedApe makes mod compatibility a point. The game certainly isn't lacking in content, but there's a tremendous amount of fan-made add-ons. Mods range from simple sprite changes to completely new characters. Since Stardew Valley is a popular game that's easy to work with, sifting through mods can be a chore.

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Players will be confused, especially if they're new to the modding scene and have no idea out it works. After all, most people have no idea about the best Stardew Valley mods and how they work. Looking at the number of endorsements on the popular mod site Nexus is a good way to gauge which mods are on top. They're the most recommended mods players can download to ensure their version of Stardew Valley is as unique and tailored to their interests as can be, without going too far and breaking the game. Of course, reading the instructions for these mods is important, since the last thing players need when trying to boot up a spruced-up version of Stardew Valley is for the game to not even boot up.

Updated on August 10, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Stardew Valley continues to be one of the best farming simulators players can get their hands on. Eric Barone poured his heart and soul into a game meant to capture the heart exhibited in games like Harvest Moon, with the combination of zen farming gameplay with social sim mechanics and a wealth of other gameplay loops ensuring that Stardew Valley will occupy a soft spot in the hearts of many. Players who want to enhance the replayability of this title to new heights should make it a point to check out the best Stardew Valley mods they can download to add even more content to a game that is already bursting at the seams in this department.

28 DaisyNiko's Earthy Recolour

Endorsements: 33,661

DaisyNiko's Earthy Recolour mod for Stardew Valley

The visuals of Stardew Valley are a huge reason why players love this charming title, with the pixel art aesthetic being a joy to look at as players engage in the many activities they can perform to spruce up their farm while befriending the townsfolk. The bright colors are as engaging as they come, but players who have spent hundreds of hours in this game may get tired of this art style after a point, which is understandable.

In such an event, the value of a simple reshade shouldn't be overlooked, with DaisyNiko's Earthy Recolour positioning itself as one of the best Stardew Valley mods long-time players can get their hands on. The colors are muted just enough to give the game a rustic vibe without feeling too dull. It's a great way to give players an excuse to clock in more hours in a title known for its immense replayability.

27 Visible Fish

Endorsements: 33,685

Visible Fish mod for Stardew Valley

Fishing is one of the many activities players can engage with in the detailed sandbox of Stardew Valley. It's a great way to load up on food, but players may get frustrated when they try to catch some grub only to fail because they have no idea of the quality and quantity of fish swimming around in a body of water. This issue becomes a thing of the past with one of the simplest and best Stardew Valley mods players can download.

As the name of this mod suggests, players can see fish swimming around in the water to make things easier for themselves. It helps the visual presentation of the game and comes with its share of settings to ensure that players can use it to make the fish as plentiful and translucent as they want. The fact that this mod supports other fan-made locations in the game shows just how much love and effort has been put by Stardew Valley fans to make a single pillar of gameplay feel as fleshed out as ever.

26 Ridgeside Village

Endorsements: 27,203

Ridgeside Village mod for Stardew Valley

One of the most ambitious and best mods for Stardew Valley comes in the form of a brand-new location players can explore if they've clocked in way too many hours in the base game. Ridgeside Village is a beautiful location that has been crafted with great love and adoration, allowing players to freshen up the gameplay if things have become tiring for them.

The attention to detail of this mod is a huge reason why it's become such a massive hit despite being fairly new to Stardew Valley's modding scene. Featuring new festivals, characters, events, items, and everything else along the same lines, it's easy to see why any fan of Stardew Valley owes it to themselves to check out the brilliant Ridgeside Village and everything it brings to the table.

25 Loved Labels

Endorsements: 18,695

Stardew Valley Loved Labels Mod

To get better animal products and therefore get more profit, players will need to increase their friendship level with their animals. This means players have to pet their animals daily to make sure they receive their share of love. With big farms, however, it's easy to lose track of which animal has been interacted with on that day.

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The Loved Labels mod tells players exactly which animal still needs love, and which ones have been petted that day. This Stardew Valley mod even works for the player's farm pet. It's a simple and intuitive way to cut out some of the frustration from this task, especially if it starts getting repetitive.

24 Experience Bars

Endorsements: 30,671

Stardew Valley XP Bars Mod

Gaining experience is the top priority for new players in Stardew Valley. It lets players advance their key skills, unlock recipes, get access to professions, and become more efficient with farming and other activities. However, tracking that experience can be a hassle given the game doesn't have a clear XP tracking bar.

The Experience Bars mod introduces much more accurate and detailed experience tracking bars into the game. Players will be able to see at all times how much they've gained and how much they still need to attain the next level in a set skill. It's an incredibly useful Stardew Valley mod.

23 Better Artisan Good Icons

Endorsements: 34,317

stardew-valley-wine-glitch-name

There are many food items that players can make from different materials in Stardew Valley. However, while their properties may be different, the icon representing them in the game is the same throughout, which can be quite irritating for some players.

This issue becomes a thing of the past with the Better Artisan Good Icons mod. It adds icons of different colors for wines, jelly, honey, pickles, and juice based on the raw material they're made out of, which is helpful for obvious reasons.

22 Canon-Friendly Dialogue Expansion

Endorsements: 39,307

A player marrying Shane in Stardew Valley

There are many amazing characters in Stardew Valley, and players will love interacting with them. Helping these characters out and bonding with them increases their heart level, which can lead to everything from deeper relationships to full-blown romances.

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However, veterans of the game may quickly recognize that some characters are repeating the same line of dialogue over and over. This can be averted with the Canon-Friendly Dialogue Expansion mod, which adds over 2600 lines of dialogue for each major NPC in the game.

21 Better Ranching

Endorsements: 44,379

Stardew Valley Player Inside Barn Mod

Taking care of cows and sheep is a staple part of the game, but it can get infuriating for players trying to shear or milk their farm animals. Sometimes, players will miss the target and do the animation without receiving an item in return.

The Better Ranching mod will tell players exactly when they're in the proper position to perform these activities. No more standing around and trying to shear or milk the air! It's honestly a quality-of-life change that should be in the game by default.

20 Chests Anywhere

Endorsements: 47,001

Stardew Valley Chest Contents Mod

One of the more tedious features of Stardew Valley is the fact that players have to walk around to get to various containers and chests. Thankfully, this Chests Anywhere mod lets players open their chests and other containers like the fridge from just about anywhere.

It's a major time-saver for players, who can even open up any of their containers while adventuring in the mines or fishing on the beach. With the Ginger Island update, this Stardew Valley mod comes especially in handy.

19 Stardew Valley Anime Mod

Endorsements: 57,534

Stardew Valley Anime Portrait Mod

Players tired of seeing the same portrait on Pelican Town's classic characters should try the Stardew Valley Anime Mod. This completely changes the portraits of the characters to a more anime-friendly style, perfect for fans of anime shows.

Even though the change is quite noticeable, each character still retains their classic, easy-to-recognize appearance. So, even with this Stardew Valley mod active, players won't get confused about who they're romancing or speaking to.