The 10 Most Relaxing Video Games Perfect for Unwinding, Ranked
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When it comes to video games, a lot of them can be stressful, since they put you in the shoes of a hero who must save the world from some dire threat. Some video games are even difficult by design, meant to challenge the player and/or make them as miserable as possible. But hey, sometimes that's not what everybody wants. Some people live stressful enough lives as it is—the last thing they want is to come home and play a game that's purposefully stressful.
Fortunately, the gaming medium has come a long way, and there's no shortage of video games out there that are meant to lower the heart rate and ease your worries. From a multitude of genres and a variety of different themes, these games have become popular for how they captivate their fans with simple design, low risk, and high reward. These are the best stress-relieving video games of all time.
10 'PowerWash Simulator' (2021)
PowerWash Simulator is exactly what it sounds like. You are assigned a job, typically involving a vehicle or closed environment like a subway station or bathroom, and are asked to clean it using power washing tools. That's it. There are no stakes, and it's literally impossible to lose. Unless you willingly choose the challenge mode that is, but for the standard mode, you have nothing to worry about.
From each job, you earn money, which you can use to upgrade your power washer, buy cleaning materials, or unlock cosmetic items. The game can be played solo or with friends, and is meant to provide players with a deep sense of satisfaction as they seamlessly wash away layer after layer of grime. The game lets you go at your own pace and isn't complicated at all, making it a great choice to unwind with.
9 'Unpacking' (2021)
Unpacking is a game built with relaxation in mind. The premise is that you're a young girl traveling through life, who moves to several different homes as she matures. With each move, you must unpack your belongings out of their cardboard boxes and place them in appropriate locations. Like many of the other games on this list, there are absolutely zero stakes, and you physically cannot lose, even if you tried.
The game doesn't let you do whatever you want—it won't let you finish a level if you place a frying pan on the toilet, for example. Each object must be placed in a location befitting its function. However, the game doesn't penalize you for this; it only lets you know that something isn't quite right. The cozy video game represents the journey of life from childhood to adulthood and turns what is an extremely boring task in real life into a relaxing and nostalgic experience.
8 'Concrete Genie' (2019)
Concrete Genie is a charming little urban fantasy video game exclusive to PlayStation. Set in the fictitious seaside town of Denska, the story follows a bullied boy named Ash. Denska is an oppressive place, cast into perpetual shadow following a catastrophic oil spill which unleashes a primordial force known as the Darkness. Finding a magical paintbrush in the town lighthouse, Ash uses it to bring his creations to life and restore color and light to the town.
This game isn't very combat-heavy until the end, which means it's all about creativity and exploration. The world isn't super open, but there are plenty of walls and structures to paint your creations on. Whatever you paint comes to life. Moreover, you can paint genies, which help you progress through the level. This game is all about making friends, the importance of art, and the power of one. Family-friendly and tons of fun, this is a relaxing game you simply must try.
7 'RollerCoaster Tycoon 3' (2004)
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is the third entry in the beloved simulation franchise. The point of the game is to build the theme park of your dreams, crafting custom rollercoasters, adding thrill rides, and even food stands. You can hire staff to entertain and clean up, set ticket prices, and decorate your park as you see fit. In the Platinum expansion of this game, you can also design your own zoo and waterpark.
There is a campaign mode where you must meet certain financial goals by a certain period of time, but there is also a sandbox mode where the risk is effectively reduced to nothing. Sure, you'll have to manage your virtual finances, but the game really is all about creativity. You can take it as slow as you want and work on elaborate light or firework displays if you want, or you can aim for making the most money as you can. Though most nostalgic gamers prefer the first or second entries in the series, there's something to be said about this third one, too, because it's truly superb.
6 'The Sims 4' (2014)
Honestly, it's kind of amazing that The Sims 4 is as fun as it is, considering it's basically just a simulation of real life. In this game, you create a character and have them get a job, cook meals, and form relationships. Exactly like real life, yet way more entertaining. There's a ton of DLC for this game, meaning you can mix and match things to your heart's content, adding aliens, ghosts, or whatever you really want.
Maybe this game is so fun because you don't have to worry about the social rules of real life, and you don't really have to worry about losing. It's much easier to come back from a bad situation in the game than it is in real life. The game has no real ending, meaning you can play for as long as you want. There's a reason why this game is still so popular 12 years later: it's relaxing and done so, so well.
Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars
Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you'd actually make it out of alive.
💊The Matrix
🔥Mad Max
🌧️Blade Runner
🏜️Dune
🚀Star Wars
01
You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.
02
In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.
03
What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of.
04
How do you deal with authority you don't trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.
05
Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn't just tactical — it's physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.
06
Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.
07
Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they're actually made of.
08
What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.
Your Fate Has Been Calculated You'd Survive In…
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
The Matrix
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You're a systems thinker who can't help but notice the seams in things.
- You're drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
- You'd find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines' worst nightmare.
- You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
- The Matrix built an airtight prison. You'd be the one probing the walls for the door.
Mad Max
The wasteland doesn't reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That's you.
- You don't need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
- You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you're good at all three.
- You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
- In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.
Blade Runner
You'd survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
- You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
- In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
- You're not a hero. But you're not lost, either.
- In Blade Runner's world, that distinction is everything.
Dune
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
- Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they're survival tools.
- You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
- Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You'd learn its logic and earn its respect.
- In time, you wouldn't just survive Arrakis — you'd begin to reshape it.
Star Wars
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn't have it any other way.
- You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
- You'd gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire's grip can be broken.
- You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn't something you're capable of.
- In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
5 'Abzû' (2016)
Some people find the ocean to be deeply terrifying, while others find it to be calming. If you fall into the latter category, Abzû might just be the game for you. This serene experience is short and sweet, and is all about exploring the open sea. Only, you explore from underwater rather than above. This means you get to make friends with aquatic critters and encounter beings that are stranger than fiction.
This game is sort of an art project, meaning it's fun to look at, too. It's a gorgeous canvas for the imagination, with the sounds of the waves above serving as a soothing lullaby. As with many of the other games on this list, the stakes are basically non-existent. There's little to lose, and there's no world to save. It's just you, your oceanic pals, and the sea, in a beautiful and relaxing adventure beneath the surf.
4 'Human: Fall Flat' (2016)
Human: Fall Flat is a physics-based puzzle platformer with no real story to it. You play through a variety of themed levels, trying to find your way from point A to point B. If you fall into the many bottomless pits in the level, you're sent straight back to the last bit of solid ground you were on, with all of your progress still in place. So you can't really die, and you don't have to worry about getting too stuck. This game can be played in co-op or solo.
Though it is difficult at first due to its intentionally wonky controls, you will eventually find yourself laughing at how ridiculously floppy the character is, and you will come to love how wonderfully inventive all the levels are. The game has seen consistent updates and is still adding new levels, too, so you'll never get bored with this one. Combine this with a tranquil piano soundtrack, and you've got the recipe for a highly relaxing and family-friendly game.
3 'LittleBigPlanet' (2008)
LittleBigPlanet is a PlayStation-exclusive 2D platformer that can be played solo or with up to three friends. The game is an exercise in artistry, with stickers to collect, costume pieces to unlock, and levels that look like paintings or scraps of paper and cardboard glued together. There are quite a few levels to play through, many containing exciting minigames like skateboarding.
The best part is that each entry in the series also boasts a level creator, where players can create their own levels and upload them to the database for anyone else to access. Granted, this feature is kind of obsolete, with the game being outdated, but the point still stands. It's an endless fun factory with simplistic gameplay that encourages imagination and socialization. Moreover, its upbeat soundtrack is enough to raise anyone's spirits.
2 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons' (2020)
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a game that came out at exactly the right time. The game was released during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, during a time when lockdowns had confined many to their homes. As uncertainty loomed, Nintendo stepped in with Animal Crossing to remind people that everything was going to be okay.
This game allows players to customize their own personal island, treating it like a small township. They can also share their creations with the internet, allowing other players to visit their islands. This encouraged socialization in this highly isolating time, helping others feel more connected and at ease. You can't fail in this game, and it encourages players to make friends, making it a profoundly calming experience.
1 'Stardew Valley' (2016)
A decade after its release, the buzz surrounding Stardew Valley has barely quieted down. The indie hit is about a young farmer who inherits his grandfather's farmstead, where you can keep the family business running in whatever way you please. It's not just a farming sim, though; it's also partially a life sim. Farming isn't the only thing you can do in this game.
You can also develop relationships with the local villagers, go fishing, raise animals, and do whatever whimsical activities your heart desires. The pixelated aesthetic makes this game a nostalgic treat, one that players continuously return to over and over again. There's no real ending and no way to possibly lose, so there's really nothing to worry about. It's the ultimate game to get lost in and relax to.
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