Gardening is a rewarding, fulfilling hobby, but not everyone can access outdoor space to grow plants. Luckily, there are many gardening games to scratch that itch (virtually, at least). Gardening games tend to have relaxing, low-key gameplay and are the kind of games players want to return to each day. From the ever-popular Stardew Valley to the cute, mobile-friendly Pocket Plants, these games are an excellent way to relax and unwind.
Some of these games are free-to-play: this means players can pick them up on mobile for free, but they may need to wait around to unlock new items and progress in the game. Others (like Pikmin Bloom) require step tracking, which is a great encouragement to get outside and go for a walk.
6 Ooblets
Ooblets is a popular game with quirky characters: think Pokemon and Harvest Moon wrapped up into one adorable package. The player arrives in Badgetown to be presented with a small, run-down farm full of weeds (and potential). As well as clearing the farm, buying seeds, and growing crops to fulfill quests for the locals, the player can befriend Ooblets, a range of little creatures roaming around Badgetown. Once collected, Ooblets can perform tasks on the farm, and take on dance battles to win seeds (which allow the player to grow new Ooblets).
It's an interesting game with a lot of different elements: the card-based battle system is sweet, and there's a lot to do in Badgetown and the surrounding areas. The gardening mechanics are satisfying, too, especially once players assign jobs to Ooblets. To slowly transform a small, weed-covered patch of land into something useful and productive is very satisfying in Ooblets, and the sharp humor balances out the cutesy elements of the game.
5 Viva Pinata/Viva Pinata: Trouble In Paradise
Available on Game Pass at the time of writing, Viva Pinata is a gem from Rare and Xbox Game Studios. Released originally in 2006, this game allows players to cultivate a garden in order to attract colorful pinata animals. Once the player has obtained these creatures, they can breed them and send them off to parties for rewards (don't worry - even after the creatures are sent to be beaten by stick-wielding children, they'll come back again in one piece).
Viva Pinata is a funny and sweet game, and cultivating the perfect garden to attract increasingly demanding (and cool-looking) creatures is a relaxing process. There's a little more drama in Viva Pinata: players will have to fend off predators, as well as deal with the villainous Professor Pester and his minions. It's a fun game, and well worth picking up on Game Pass, and the follow-up game, Trouble in Paradise, is a lot of fun too.
4 Stardew Valley
An obvious choice, Stardew Valley combines pretty pixel art, interesting characters, and moreish gameplay, making it an unputdownable experience. The main character inherits a farm from their Grandpa and eagerly packs up their boring office job to start afresh. Running the farm takes a lot of effort to start with, but it becomes easier as players unlock new equipment.
Stardew Valley is a calming celebration of the seasons: players will need to clear out their farm and start afresh at the beginning of each new season, which adds a little time pressure to the game. As well as growing crops and taking care of animals, players can get to know their neighbors, step in to solve their problems and unlock the secrets of the mysterious Community Center. There's so much to do that it's easy to sink hours into Stardew Valley.
3 The Sims 4: Cottage Living
Released in 2021, The Sims 4: Cottage Living is the expansion pack fans were waiting for. The new neighborhood, Henford-on-Bagley, has the look of a quaint English village, with an interesting backstory (players can learn more about the neighbors by visiting the pub and having a chat with the locals).
This expansion pack unlocks several new animals, including chickens, cows, foxes, and rabbits. As well as managing new animals, Sims can grow crops from seeds. Pumpkins, aubergines, watermelon, mushrooms, and lettuce have the potential to become oversized crops, which can be sold for a decent profit or entered into the Finchwick Fair competition. Players taking on a rags-to-riches challenge will enjoy playing Cottage Living.
2 Pocket Plants
Available on iOS and Android, Pocket Plants is a sweet mobile game, perfect for killing small pockets of time. Players have to grow plants from seeds and combine them to make new plants. Plants generate energy, which is required to unlock new hybrid plants. Players can fulfill orders, unlock rewards, and clear up the land.
It's a fun game with several worlds to explore, each with its own selection of plants. It's fun to experiment to discover new species. It's free to play, but players can buy gems, which removes the need to hang around waiting for plants to grow. Players can also get gems from watching ads and connect the app to their fitness-tracking device to earn rewards for steps. Breeding plants to unlock new species is a vastly superior option to doom scrolling, right?
1 Pikmin Bloom
Pikmin Bloom is a mobile game designed to encourage players to keep moving. Starring the adorable Pikmin, this spin-off game tracks movement and rewards players for the steps they take. It uses augmented reality and tracks players' movements as they spend time outside Players will gain items, which can be used to grow and feed Pikmin.
If players link their Nintendo account, they'll gain more rewards. As Pikmin grow flowers, players can plant them on the map. This becomes more of a collaborative effort during special challenges, when multiple players can plant flowers in certain locations. It can track movement using Apple Health or Google Fit. If players need a little motivation to get outside, it's definitely worth a try.