What games make you happy?

Hello all! I would like to know what games give you that cozy, fuzzy feeling of simple happiness.

I’m currently experiencing this with Tchia, a wholesome game about a girl doing fun stuff on an island.

Weirdly enough I have a similar thing going with Doom (2016) at the moment. Something about the intensity of the levels and the interesting map design make me feel really satisfied and immersed.

Lastly, Super Mario 3D World really has a similar effect to Tchia, we’re I immediately get a happy feeling just by booting it up and looking at the wonderful colors en design.

What is your go-to game for feeling relaxes or happy?

dragoonies,

Dave the Dive was a blast. Definitely has that ocean community vibe of everyone supporting each other and contributing in their own unique way. Super laid back and just relaxing, even though there’s plenty of things to do.

ursakhiin,

My favorite part was the questionable messaging around killing endangered animals. But it was a chill game for sure.

GoOnASteamTrain,

To top up the happy tank, I love playing

  • Katamari games
  • OpenRA (Red Alert)
  • Wrestling games (Smackdown on PS1/2)
  • OpenRCT (Rollercoaster Tycoon)
  • Baldurs Gate 3
  • Mass Effect
  • Frog Detective 1, 2, 3
  • Game Dev Tycoon
TimTheEnchanter,

I just did two playthroughs of BG3, and I think it’s now one of my “happy” games! I can see myself going back to it several more times!

myfavouritename,

Wandersong is a game about happiness that made me really happy while I was playing it. Not all the way through; there are parts that are sad too. But I’m thinking of replaying it because it made me feel really happy when I played it the first time.

petrescatraian, (edited )

@knokelmaat Not sure if it's a certain category, but here are some that really made me so:

  • Stardew Valley
  • Life is Strange (for now I only played the first series)
  • Memoranda
  • Tiny Echo

I'll edit the list when I remember more.

aperson,

Rollercoaster tycoon and openTTD.

ModernRisk,
@ModernRisk@lemmy.dbzer0.com avatar
  • Persona 5 Royal
  • Captain Toad Tracker
  • Mario 3D World
Father_Redbeard,
@Father_Redbeard@lemmy.ml avatar

Halls Of Torment. It’s a simple game on the surface, but has some surprising depth I wasn’t expecting that I like. Plus when you do a completely broken build and your frame rate drops because of all the damage your causing to the entire screen, it makes me laugh.

Plus killing the skeletons makes the most satisfying crunchy sound. Similar satisfaction to Vampire Survivors when you have enough garlic to “pop” enemies by walking into them.

Coelacanth,
@Coelacanth@feddit.nu avatar

Probably Civilization V (with the difficulty set below maximum so you’re not too restricted and don’t have to play so sweaty). I like just seeing whatever the Planet Simulator map spits out, putz around with half my brain turned off, trying out niche civs and basically just playing it like solitaire.

I don’t play it even every week anymore, but when I need some distraction and relaxation that’s a comfort game go-to.

SteposVenzny,

West of Loathing. The RPG stuff is great and the comedy is great but really the main strength is I just enjoy reading its dialogue. The vocabulary and sentence construction have a real sincerity for the setting contrasted against the silliness of the rest of it that makes both parts hit harder.

Similarly, the first three Monkey Island games which achieve that same injection of the heartfelt into the wacky by way of their gorgeous art and music.

But as far as the joy of just doing something it’s hard to beat the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games, to just be dropped into a level and be told “do cool stuff for a while”.

namesaregreat,

I love West of Loathing, one of the best games ever made. Completely second this.

Ultimatenab,

Factorio without bitters. The music of desolance, alone on the planet trying to get efficient so you can leave and go home. I don’t know why it is so relaxing, but it is… just having time to plan and build exactly what you had in mind is bliss.

On the other hand if you want some adrenaline, play bitters in deathworld.

mateoinc,

Factorio has this thing where if I play it while listening to a podcast or audiobook they use up exactly 100% of my focus. No less, I can’t think of anything else. But also no more, I never get tired. It’s a very specific form of relaxation for me; where I feel like I’m existing “just right”.

bloopernova,
@bloopernova@programming.dev avatar

Exactly what I do. I use Angels and Bobs mods for a huge amount of stuff to do, loads of trains (almost 1,000 in my current playthrough!), and loads of stuff to build.

It’s heavenly!

CharlesReed,
@CharlesReed@kbin.social avatar

I always say that the Mad Max video game is my comfort game, and it's very much true. For me there's just something so relaxing and enjoyable about just driving across the wasteland, going from site to site gathering scrap and taking down camps. It always puts me in a better mood.

NateSwift,

I haven’t seen anyone mention Mirror’s Edge yet! The free running (especially in the first game) is such a unique and rewarding experience. A little janky and frustrating sometimes but when it clicks it just feels so good

Kolanaki, (edited )
@Kolanaki@yiffit.net avatar

Heat VR. Not even for the adult content; just staring into the character’s eyes or mussing their hair is incredibly relaxing.

VRChat, too, but since those are all real people you can’t just necessarily go around admiring them up close since it would disrupt their experience. Just as rude IRL, imo.

frog,

It depends what kind of happy I’m looking for.

Townscaper - this is my go-to for just kind of chilling out. Just plonking down buildings and seeing what configurations they make is just so relaxing. There’s no points, no goals, no competition, not even any citizens with needs that must be fulfilled. You just build nice cities.

Slime Rancher - the slimes are cute, and just so happy to be alive. There’s something about a bright pink slime bouncing past, with a massive smile on its face as it cries “wheeeee!” that reminds me there are indeed reasons to live.

Maneater - this is a different kind of happy. A cathartic, violent, murderous happiness, as I pop inflatable unicorns, sink yachts, and launch myself at unsuspecting golfers.

Veraxus,
@Veraxus@kbin.social avatar

Hi-Fi Rush

Pure joy and happiness from start to finish.

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