What should you play after Stardew Valley?
Start with Coral Island or Fields of Mistria. Both give you a farm, a small town, and neighbors to befriend. They are the closest match to Stardew Valley today.
But first, ask what you liked most. Stardew Valley is three games in one. It’s a farm game, a town of people, and a calm daily routine. Some games do the farm better. Some do the people better. The right next game depends on which part you miss.
One note first: you’re on the LifeSim blog, so we’re in this list. LifeSim has no farm. We put ourselves where we fit, and we tell you when another game is the better pick.
What games are most like Stardew Valley?
These games copy the full loop. You plant crops, raise animals, fish, mine, and give gifts to the people in town.
Coral Island: Stardew Valley on a tropical island
Coral Island, from Stairway Games, left early access in November 2023. You farm on an island, and you also dive to clean up a coral reef. The town is large and full of people to meet. It’s on PC and consoles. If you want more of everything, start here.
Fields of Mistria: the closest feel
Fields of Mistria has a 1990s anime look and a small town to rebuild. It spent two years in early access on Steam and had its full release in August 2026. Of the games here, it is the closest to Stardew Valley in size and pace.
Sun Haven: farming with magic
Sun Haven adds fantasy races, magic, and combat to the farm. You can play it with friends. Pick it if the mines were your favorite part.
Are there games like Stardew Valley but with more building?
Some players want to make things more than they want to grow things. These two games put crafting and building first.
My Time at Sandrock
You run a workshop in a desert town. People ask you to build things, and you build them. The town grows because of your work. The people have their own stories, and you can make friends or date. It’s on PC and consoles.
Dinkum
Dinkum puts you in a land inspired by the Australian outback. You start in a tent and help build a town around you. You choose where the shops and houses go. It left early access in 2025.
What if you want something even calmer?
Stardew Valley has a lot to do. Some days feel like a list of chores. If you want less pressure, try one of these.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
An island, a slow calendar, and villagers who write you letters. There are no crops to lose and no energy bar to run out. It’s on Switch. It’s the gentlest game on this list. We wrote more in games like Animal Crossing.
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Village life with Disney and Pixar characters as your neighbors. You farm, cook, and fish, and you do quests for them. It’s a paid game on PC, Mac, and consoles, with an optional premium currency.
Is there a game like Stardew Valley where the townspeople feel more alive?
In Stardew Valley, you learn the town one heart at a time. But each person has a set of lines. After a year, you know them all. Some players want the people to say new things.
LifeSim: the town part, without the farm
In LifeSim, you live one life in a real city on a 3D map of Earth. The people there have a job, a home, friends, and a routine for weekdays and weekends. They follow it whether you watch or not.
You talk to them in your own words, and they answer in theirs. There are no dialogue menus. They remember what you said and keep a journal of past events. They also text you on their own. More on this in how the people in LifeSim work.
Be clear about what it is not. LifeSim has no farm, no crops, no fishing, and no mines. If the farm is what you love, Coral Island or Fields of Mistria is the better pick. LifeSim is for players who liked the people most. It’s free and runs in your browser.
All of them, side by side
| Game | Best for | Runs on | How you pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coral Island | More of everything | PC, consoles | Once |
| Fields of Mistria | The closest feel | PC | Once |
| Sun Haven | Magic and combat | PC | Once |
| My Time at Sandrock | Building things | PC, consoles | Once |
| Dinkum | Building a town | PC | Once |
| Animal Crossing: New Horizons | No pressure | Switch | Once |
| Disney Dreamlight Valley | Familiar faces | PC, Mac, consoles | Once, plus optional currency |
| LifeSim | People who remember you | Browser | Free. No in-app purchases. |
Prices change, so we left them out. Check the store page before you buy.
Questions
What is the closest game to Stardew Valley?
Fields of Mistria for the feel, Coral Island for the size. Both have a farm, a town, and people to befriend.
Is there a free game like Stardew Valley?
Most farm games on this list are paid. LifeSim is free, with no in-app purchases, but it has no farm. It’s about the people in a town.
Is there a game like Stardew Valley but not a farm game?
Yes. My Time at Sandrock is about building, not crops. LifeSim is about living in a real city. For more, read games like The Sims.
What is a life simulator?
A game where you live a life instead of winning one. Stardew Valley is one kind. More on life simulators.