Best Farming Games 2024 (PC, Xbox, PlayStation & Switch)

Stardew Valley (2016)

Best Farming Game Overall

Release Date: 28th February 2016
Platforms: Windows, Switch, Android, PS4, & Xbox One
Developer: Concerned Ape

Despite being the oldest title on this list, Stardew Valley still reigns as king of the farming simulators. This is further reinforced by the overwhelmingly positive reviews from its user base. Right after release, Stardew Valley was nominated as the Best Game in the British Academy Games Awards alongside the Best Independent Game in the Game Awards 2016. It also picked up a seriously prestigious Golden Joystick Award for best Breakthrough Game during the same year!

A feat that I am sure Concerned Ape were thrilled about.

If you have dabbled with Harvest Moon in the early 2000s, you will recognise the similarities but with an elevated storyline to accommodate older and hardcore gamers. From the opening cutscene, players will discover what prompted their characters to move to the small rural village of Pelican Town and understand the tasks that come with inheriting a family farm. From there, you’ll plan out the best times to plant specific crops, build relationships with the NPCs, help the Junimos, and prepare for unexpected events during the night. There’s plenty of them!

On top of that, you can also focus on the roleplay part and build a reputation based on your top skills. You can take on different professions and see a massive improvement in certain aspects related to them. For instance, you can choose to become a rancher to get 10% more out of every animal product your farm produces, a botanist to get top-quality foraged items or a geologist to get higher chances of doubling gems.

And the best part? There are more than eight professions to choose from!

If the seasonal and random events in the game are not enough to entertain you, you can find a treasure trove of Stardew Valley mods to improve your in-game experience. Some of the top mods that will help set you up to become the Farm King in no time include the Holiday Sales by Nexusmods, Balanced Mining by oOMrPro, and Tractor by Pathoschild.

Will this pixel classic become your next favourite farming game?

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Farming Simulator 22 (2021)

Best Farming Simulator Game

Release Date: 22nd November 2021
Platforms: Windows, Switch, Android, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, & Google Stadia
Developer: GIANTS Software

Ever dreamed of riding a tractor and managing your own farm? If the answer is a resounding yes, then you should not miss out on the Farming Simulator series. It most likely isn’t a resounding yes but there’s something so intriguing about farm life!

Since its first instalment back in 2008, the Farming Simulator video game series has racked up thousands of users worldwide due to its simple concept: the ability to farm, grow crops, breed livestock, and create a sustainable farm built for all seasons. The most interesting part? The immersion and detail of Farming Sim 22 is epic!

Unlike the previous versions, what sets the Farming Simulator 22 apart is that it has added seasonal factors that can affect your farming cycle. Instead of treating every day as a perfect day for sowing new seeds, gamers are now supposed to track the best crops to plant each session and harvest them on an exact day before they wither. This feature made the game extra challenging as it forces us to think things through carefully and make the most out of every single day.

While Farming Simulator 22 does not have competitive pacing, your main goal is to increase your cash reserves, expand your farm, craft new tools, turn a profit off your crops, and utilize production facilities. It’s kind of like a Sims game; but for farming.

Does all that sound exciting? If so, then be sure to check this farm management sim today and try it out with your available device. Who knows… you might just become the next virtual farming mogul of Elm Creek!

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My Time At Portia (2018)

Best Storyline

Release Date: 26th May 2018
Platforms: Windows, Switch, PS4, PS5, & Xbox
Developer: Pathea

Got a passion for rebuilding communities in a post-apocalyptic world? Restore the glory of the town and work your way to becoming the top builder in My Time At Portia. Boasting charming 3D-like graphics, exploring Portia is a complete delight to explore thanks to its vivid landscapes and NPCs; which look like they came straight out of a fairytale. Due to its colourful yet intriguing world, players of all ages invested countless hours in building their reputations and following through with the engaging storyline.

If you have played Stardew Valley before, you will notice that the premise of My Time At Portia is somewhat similar. Your character is basically invited to take over a family business (in this case, a builder’s shop) and help revive the town by completing quests. Some of the main quests may take time to finish due to the game’s complexity, however, the developers also managed to include side quests or commissions that you can do to earn more Gols (in-game currency) to get through the day.

To ensure that you’ll have enough crafting materials, items to sell, and resources, you can maximise the constantly changing maps by exploring new routes, fending off monsters inside the Hazardous Ruins, and focusing on foraging items growing around your farm. To make progress faster and level up your character’s stats, you should consider growing your own plants and trees so that you won’t ever be low on resources.

My Time At Portia is certainly a breath of fresh air from the classic farming sims, making it an excellent buy for your gaming device. If you want to try out a more advanced instalment of the game, you can also check out My Time At Sandrock, which was just released this year and is also available on most platforms.

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Cloud Gardens (2020)

Most Relaxing Farming Game

Release Date: 9th September 2020
Platforms: Windows, Switch, PS4, PS5, & Xbox
Developer: Noio

Let’s admit it. Most games today are either too complex or just full of gore.

At times, when we need to turn into something more relaxing, farming sims like Cloud Gardens will give you the zen your soul desires. A match made in heaven for serious plant enthusiasts, this indie switch game from Noio will take you by surprise with its relaxing take on gardening. Unlike Stardew Valley, Farming Simulator 22, and My Time At Portia, Cloud Gardens is something you can completely chill out with.

In fact, the focus of the game is simple: Plant your first seed and help it grow to gain even more seeds required to pass each level. The more plants that you have in your garden, the greater the number of valuable objects you can place around your plants.

But of course, a garden isn’t really much of a garden if it only has one type of plant, right? Throughout the stages, you can also unlock new seeds with cool characteristics that will pave the way for you to grow more plants quicker on various surfaces than before! So whether you are starting a vertical garden or looking to grow plants on rock-solid surfaces, there’s a mystical seed out there waiting to be discovered by you.

Out of our top 5 best farming games, Cloud Gardens is the only one that lived up to our expectations of complete relaxation. The gaming experience became more memorable and soothing in a sense, thanks to its ambient sounds. If you are a sucker for hearing water droplets and binaural audio, then this is a must-try game!

Dinkum (2022)

Best Farming Survival Game

Release Date: 14th of July 2022
Platforms: Windows
Developer: James Bendon

Fan of the hit movie, Castaway? Survive as a brand new explorer on this Australian Outback-inspired island in Dinkum. Raking in a perfect 10 out of 10 on Steam, gamers are curious to answer the question: Could this be the next best farming sim? Judging from its amazing graphics, unique storyline, and mechanics, there might be a serious case for that.

In an almost similar vein to Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, you can find the usual activities like designing your own farm, taming new animals, and foraging resources to craft new tools. Another focal point is the idea of forming bonds with other islanders who you can benefit from if you managed to fill their 5-point heart meter.

For instance, you can ask John to live as a permanent resident by doing some of his requests. Once all of those have been successfully completed, he will be automatically encouraged to stay and increase the quality of the items in his shop. Basically, you have to give something to earn one thing!

As your level progresses, your island life becomes more exciting and will give you chances to even have private access to a helicopter to go to and from other parts of the island. But before you rejoice and add the helicopter to your goals, one important aspect that you should focus on is earning Dinks (in-game currency) early in the game.

To fatten your virtual wallet, you can do quests, craft new tools, forage resources, and sell items in the general store.

Ready to cultivate relationships and live off your own island? Dinkum is the best game for those looking for a life and farming sim that is chock-a-block with opportunities.

Best PC Farming Simulators

Topping the list of the best PC farming games is, of course, Stardew Valley, thanks to its option for co-op gaming and mods. Without those features, it would probably dwindle down to around the third or fourth spot because the gameplay and solid graphics of its top contenders are pretty amazing too. But what are great farming games are there to play on PC?

In no particular order, here are the top 10 PC farming games to play right now:

1. Stardew Valley (2016)
2. My Time At Portia (2018)
3. Farming Simulator 22 (2021)
4. Cloud Gardens (2020)
5. Dinkum (2022)
6. Rune Factory 5 (2022)
7. Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town (2021)
8. Hokko Life (2021)
9. Doraemon Story Of Seasons (2019)
10. Sun Haven (2021)

Best PlayStation Farming Games

While playing farming games on PC arguably delivers the widest library, the PlayStation simply also has a great game library with many exclusives too. If you plan to get a more immersive feel while searching for tillable soil, hooking it up on a large screen can literally turn your gaming experience up a notch!

Here are the top 10 best PlayStation farming games to get your hands on today!

1. Stardew Valley (2016)
2. My Time At Portia (2018)
3. Farming Simulator 22 (2021)
4. Harvest Moon: Real World (2021)
5. Grow: Song Of The Evertree (2021)
6. Sakuna: Of Rice And Ruin (2020)
7. Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town (2021)
8. Doraemon Story Of Seasons (2019)
9. Atomicrops (2019)
10. Sun Haven (2021)

Best Switch Farming Simulators

Experimenting with the best crops and strategising when to plant them is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to farming simulators or Switch. It’s almost like the genre was made for the Switch console and we absolutely love kicking our feet back to rally sheep.

Here are the top 10 best Switch farming games to play now:

1. Stardew Valley (2016)
2. My Time At Portia (2018)
3. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020)
4. Cloud Gardens (2020)
5. Rune Factory 5 (2022)
6. Harvest Moon: Real World (2021)
7. Story Of Seasons: Pioneers Of Olive Town (2021)
8. Doraemon Story Of Seasons (2019)
9. Grow: Song Of The Evertree (2021)
10. Sakuna: Of Rice And Ruin (2020)

Best Xbox Farming Games

While there are limited game titles for the farming sim category in the Xbox library, we still managed to find 10 awesome games to play. Channel your inner green thumb to go with that glossy green Xbox logo of yours with these incredible games:

Here are the top 10 best Xbox farming games:

1. Stardew Valley (2016)
2. My Time At Portia (2018)
3. Farming Simulator 22 (2021)
4. Grow: Song Of The Evertree (2021)
5. Farm Manager (2021)
6. Atomicrops (2019)
7. Farm Together (2018)
8. Autonauts (2019)
9. Forager (2019)
10. Slime Rancher (2016)

The Final Word

And there we have our rundown of the best farming simulators across multiple platforms. With plenty of titles yet to be released, we sure are optimistic that this genre will continue to exceed expectations. While not many of us dream of becoming a professional farmer, all of the titles on this list will provide plenty of insight into the world of agriculture. So much so, you might even fancy a career change once you become a virtual pro!

Historically, farming games would be close to bottom on your kids Christmas list. However, with modern farming game releases, each title is now extremely realistic, bags of fun and a guaranteed hoot for hours upon end. As it turns out, millions of gamers (beginners and pros alike) have now found solace in this genre; clocking thousands of hours in the process!

Ready to sow some seeds? Drop a comment below with your most recommended farming games and what makes them the best. Also, if you want to get our thoughts on specific titles, just send the title below, and we’d love to do the review for you.

In the meantime, don’t miss out on our other roundups and reviews! Here’s a list of other posts you might be interested in reading now you’re fully prepped with green thumbs!

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Content Disclaimer: This handpicked shortlist of the best farming games and farming simulators has been independently written. We have not been commissioned by any game developers featured on this list, nor have we received any royalties for this article. This includes financial reimbursement, free advertising or free gifts. In addition, any statistics are estimates based upon publications from publishers.

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