If there's anything Facebook has proven in the past decade, it's that people love farming simulation games. While Farmville put the genre in the spotlight, it's been a popular genre since Harvest Moon was first released for the SNES back in 1996. The Team at Olympus Corsair has gathered a few more recent additions to the farming simulator fandom that you can enjoy on different platforms, for hours ... and hours.
Stardew Valley
You can't talk about addictive games without discussing Stardew Valley. Stardew was released in 2016 by ConcernedApe, a developing team consisting of one entire person responsible for the major success. Time moves swiftly in the game, which is why it is impossible to turn the game off. One in-game day passes in less than 13 minutes in real life. Which makes crop growing, building, and animal tending a lot more gratifying. Oh, also it's pretty cheap. You can purchase the game for under five bucks on any console, including iOS and Android.
Stardew Valley: The Board Game
If you're already a fan of Stardew, you might be excited to hear that a new board game version just released this year for 1-4 players. You can pick a profession, grow your farm, and rebuild the community center to smite the Joja overlords (the soul-sucking in-game corporation). And, as always, grandpa is watching over you. Get the lowdown here and keep your eyes out, the first print of the game is already sold out!
Cattails
Consider all those fun things we talked about in Stardew Valley, and then imagine you're a cat. Cattails lets you live the ultimate kitty simulation experience – your choice of breed – who hunts, farms goods, and dates other cats. It's the most addictive game you didn't know you needed, available on the Switch and PC.
Terraria
Terraria is more of a sandbox game, akin to Minecraft, but it leaves a lot of space for farming, building, and home decor. It gives you the freedom to play the game how you want, whether mining or gardening. It is a 2D video game, so it's a bit unique compared to other simulation games out there, but no less addictive. You can play Terraria on any console, PC, or mobile phone.
Harvest Moon: One World
Why mess with a good thing? The Harvest Moon franchise's newest iteration was released in March, giving you more chances to relive everything you loved about the original. One World gives you access to a lot more locations than previously featured, including a sick volcano area. Explore, farm, and don't forget to sleep at some point. Harvest Moon: One World is a Nintendo exclusive title, so you'll have to own a Switch to try it out.
For more fun, check out the Olympus Corsair blog.