If you own a Nintendo Switch, then you might have played games like Animal Crossing. It’s one of the hottest games currently out on the Switch at the moment. The game has gone trending on various social media platforms, and people have clocked in hundreds of hours playing it.
It goes without saying that Animal Crossing is a pretty addictive game. So when you don’t have your Switch on you and can’t play Animal Crossing when you’re outside, then an alternative with similar gameplay might suit you. That’s why we’ve compiled some games like Animal Crossing that you can play on your phone.
1. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
If you can’t play Animal Crossing on the Switch, then don’t worry. You can still download its mobile edition, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. It has most of the same features, only on your phone and not on a mobile console.
Instead of a whole island to build a community completely from scratch, Animal Crossing on mobile makes you the owner of a campsite. So instead of a huge island, you’ll be decorating and designing a small, cozy campsite instead. But just because the mobile version is smaller than its Switch counterpart doesn’t mean it’s a worse game.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp allows you to do much of the same things as the Switch version. You can collect more than 1,000 pieces of furniture and can even dress your character up. There are 300 sets of clothing for you to choose from. Additionally, there are over a hundred different animals, complete with their own unique personalities that you can interact with and befriend.
This game is completely free on iOS and Android. However, it does have in-game ads and in-app purchases. You also need to have a stable internet connection to play it. Other than that, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is probably the number one alternative.
Download from Google Play Store
2. Castaway Paradise
Perhaps you want a break from playing Animal Crossing but still want similar games for your phone. Well, among the choices available, Castaway Paradise is one of the best. In fact, its description on the App Store literally indicates that it’s like Animal Crossing.
People who play it called it the closest mobile version of Animal Crossing. But that was before the official Animal Crossing app was released. Like Animal Crossing, you can do villager quests, go fishing, and decorate your house. The community is also much like the Animal Crossing town.
There’s a multitude of quests for you to drown yourself in. The developers update Castaway Paradise pretty frequently, which is really good if you want to keep coming back to it. There are even special events for holidays, which will surely keep you coming back.
If you really want to keep coming back to it, you can purchase the VIP subscription. It’s good for three months and offers you additional in-game items as well as discounts. And on top of that, it also gets you a bigger house, weekly activities, as well as exclusive items.
3. Don’t Starve: Shipwrecked
Don’t Starve is a departure from the cute atmosphere and friendly animals in Animal Crossing. Similar to it, Don’t Starve puts you on an island where you need to craft stuff. But unlike Animal Crossing, you have to do this in order to survive.
You can customize and build your place from the ground up like Animal Crossing, but you’ll be doing it for survival. You’re not alone though, because oftentimes, there’ll be harmful creatures. There are snakes, spiders, boars, and other things that want to take your life. And on top of this, you’ll have to secure a stable source of food and water.
Don’t Starve is an excellent adventure game. You can navigate deserted islands, craft a boat and sail the sea, and collect resources. It offers you multiple gadgets you can craft to fend off creatures and secure a food supply. And whereas Animal Crossing gives you a base home already, Don’t Starve makes you create your home from scratch.
This game is available on Android and iOS. However, it has a price tag, so if you want to play it, you will have to shell out $5. It has glitches from time to time but is completely worth it because of its excellent gameplay and intriguing world.
Download from Google Play Store
4. Happy Street
Much like Animal Crossing, Happy Street gives you the ability to build your own city and interact with villagers. You can also customize your character and explore the village. But unlike Animal Crossing, it’s in 2D.
In the bubbly world of Happy Street, you can make your own farm, go fishing, and craft items. You can gather your resources and make infrastructures like hotels, museums, and train stations. It also allows you to develop technology like jet packs and UFOs. You can even recreate real-world monuments such as the Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty.
Happy Street is an extremely relaxing game with tons of content to go through. And the best part is that you can interact with your friends on social media. Through Facebook, you can visit the worlds of your friends as well as trade with them.
Aside from its occasionally clunky controls and interface, Happy Street is an overall solid mobile game like Animal Crossing. It’s free on both Android and iOS but does have occasional ads and has some in-app purchases available.
Download from Google Play Store
5. Harvest Moon: Seeds Of Memories
One of the biggest competitors of Animal Crossing is Harvest Moon. And both of them have mobile versions. If you want games like Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon is one of your best bets.
The gameplay is remarkably similar to Animal Crossing. You can plant trees and grow a farm, gain adorable pets, and interact with villagers. However, it’s more farming-oriented since you can raise livestock and ride a horse. Harvest Moon is like a life simulator that makes you live like a farmer.
Another thing that differentiates Harvest Moon from Animal Crossing is the fact that it has a story. Befriending villagers and doing tasks for them will unlock seeds of memories, which are essential to the plot.
Harvest Moon also allows you to upgrade your tools to make them into the best quality they could possibly be. You can even marry 10 different people, and each marriage partner has their own quirky personality traits. And on top of all that, you can participate in cooking contests and festivals full of fun events.
There’s a lot more to Harvest Moon than meets the eye. It might not seem like it, but it can be extremely addicting. It’s not free, though. If you want to play it, you’ll have to buy it for $10 on the App Store and Google Play Store.
Download from Google Play Store
6. Minecraft Pocket Edition
Let’s be real, everyone’s heard of Minecraft. It’s one of the most played games of all time and has garnered over 200 billion views on Twitch. And its mobile version is just as great, having most of the same features as the original.
You might’ve heard of Minecraft but haven’t really played it yet. Minecraft Pocket Edition gives you a randomly generated world to explore. You’ll punch wood, make tools, and delve into deep caves and ravines in search of diamonds. Of course, you’ll also run into creepy creatures of the night like skeletons, zombies, and spiders.
In terms of Animal Crossing-like games, it might not be the perfect fit. Nevertheless, it still has many of the same elements. You can create your home the way you want, trade with villagers, and find secret treasures in temples and sunken ships.
The greatest thing about Minecraft is its unlimited replayability. You can play in peaceful mode, where there are no enemies, and there’s also the usual easy and medium mode. If you want, you can even put yourself to the test in hardcore mode, where there are enemies everywhere and you only get to live once. Or you can spend time creating stuff with endless resources in Creative mode.
Minecraft Pocket Edition is a classic that’s essential for all adventure and building lovers. It’s not free though, as it comes with a price. For $7, you can purchase the game in its entirety. There are even online servers and custom game modes you can play.
Download from Google Play Store
7. Seabeard
Seabeard is another one of those games like Animal Crossing that have been out since before the mobile port was out. In it, you play as captain Seabeard, a pirate exploring vast islands. The game essentially allows you to do whatever you want from there.
In Seabeard, you can talk to and trade with characters, as well as forge a career for yourself. You can become a chef, a warrior, and an archaeologist, among others. And just like Animal Crossing, you can go to different villages as well as conquer dungeons. It also gives you quests to complete.
This game is extremely flexible. You start off as a lone pirate but can build up your pirate crew and set out in search of treasure. You can do things like rescuing shipwrecked people and even fight dangerous monsters. And to top it all off, you can build your own island as a base.
Seabeard is free to play, but there are in-app purchases for extra in-game currency and other microtransactions. You also need a good WiFi connection to play it properly. It’s available on both Android and iOS devices.
Download from Google Play Store
8. Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley isn’t exactly one of those games like Animal Crossing but has a similar atmosphere. In it, you’re a person who moves to the peaceful countryside. From there, you are put in charge of an abandoned farm and have to build it back up. Similar to Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley puts you in the shoes of a farmer.
Watching your farm grow from an overgrown and abandoned field into a fruitful farm is quite satisfying. There’s always a sense of progression in Stardew Valley. Whether you’re raising and breeding animals or finding new crops to plant, it always feels like there’s something new to discover.
Additionally, you can customize and personalize your home, and even start a family. You can also participate in festivals and go fishing. Stardew Valley even allows you to explore mysterious caverns to gain valuable treasure.
Stardew Valley costs $5 but is completely worth the price. It has tons of content to the point where it seems endless. In terms of value, it’s probably one of the best on the list.
Download from Google Play Store
9. Terraria
Some people call Terraria the 2D Minecraft. And although that’s somewhat true, it doesn’t copy Minecraft in its entirety. Terraria has a similar vibe to Animal Crossing in that it allows you to create and customize your own home and interact with characters. But really, that’s where the similarities end.
Like Minecraft, Terraria thrusts you into a completely randomly generated world to explore. There are many places to explore and resources to discover. There are deserts, snowy mountains, and even a beach. You can even mine all the way down to the bottom of the earth and visit the underworld.
In Terraria, you create your home from scratch. You can upgrade it as you go along, and if you don’t like it, you can destroy it and create a new one. The best thing about it is that you can fight powerful bosses and obtain new weapons and cool loot. There’s also always a feeling of progression in it.
Terraria costs $5 on both Google Play and the App Store. Like Stardew Valley and Minecraft, there is so much stuff to do that the content feels endless. There are over 400 enemies and over 500 weapons to obtain.
Download from Google Play Store
10. The Sims Mobile
The Sims is another immensely popular game like Minecraft that most people know about. It’s been around for quite some time, and it feels like it’s going to be here to stay for a while, as well. But if you haven’t tried it for yourself, now might be the best time to do so.
In terms of gameplay, The Sims Mobile isn’t that similar to any games like Animal Crossing. However, it does give you the same vibes and has some of the same aspects. For instance, you can create a whole family and design your home.
The Sims offers you full control over your characters’ appearance, personality traits, and actions. You get to decide their way of life, from their lifestyle to their work. It might not sound exciting, but once you start playing it, the game can get quite addicting.
This game is free on both iOS and Android. However, it does have microtransactions and in-game ads. These can get annoying occasionally, but once you get past it the Sims Mobile is a solid game.
Download from Google Play Store
Final Word
You can’t bring your Nintendo Switch with you everywhere. There are times when you’ll have to leave it at home to charge. However, you can still play games like Animal Crossing on your phone. And now that we’ve listed down games like Animal Crossing, the only thing you have to do is try them out for yourself.
