5 Best Games Like Disney’s Dreamlight Valley

Disney's Dreamlight Valley has been turning quite a few heads over the last few weeks or so, primarily due to its ever-evolving sandbox world that, at the time of writing, has only revealed a slither of what's to come next year when the game gets its full release. And you can bet we've poured a few dozen hours into scraping its alpha model of all its content, too, no thanks to it already fostering a generous selection of playable Realms and what have you.

Anyway, the good news is, contrary to popular belief, Dreamlight Valley is not the only game to blend action-adventure with the ol' life simulation formula. Matter of fact, there's an abundance of such games, and fans of the genre are, in all honesty, spoilt for choice when it boils down to it. So, if you're looking to bide your time while waiting for more Realms to be added to the beloved Dream Castle, then why not spend a little time with these five distant cousins?

5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

At this point, it's hard to picture anyone with a Nintendo Switch who doesn't own a copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. In fact, it's basically hardwired to the device itself, and it undoubtedly serves as one of the few poster children of the device — a status which it has proudly held onto for a solid two years now.

New Horizons puts you, the weary traveler, on a vacant island, a place in which you must establish the roots of a soon-to-be bustling town. With a shovel, a fishing rod, and a hammer, you will have to lay the foundations for what will eventually become a beacon of pride for a living, breathing community. But how you go about making it happen, on the other hand, is entirely up to you. With that, you can build, fish, and prosper in an ever-evolving sandbox, a place in which your creativity truly is your only caveat.

4. My Time At Portia

My Time At Portia is a kind-hearted life simulation game that hosts all the best qualities in a family-friendly tapestry of creativity and imagination. As such, you are invited to Portia, a booming farm town that is in dire need of a fresh set of eyes to spark a second wave of life into its community. To do so, you will need to onboard contracts and revive the capital, one chunk at a time.

My Time At Portia is as much of a sandbox game as it is a life simulation one. While you can set out and make lifelong friends and virtual families, you can also collect resources and blueprints to build innovative ideas. By taking on a variation of village assignments, you can breathe life into its nooks and crannies, using your breadth of knowledge to make a newly refurbished bastion of pride for all to call their own. And like any other game of its kind, it's your say what puts the cogs in motion.

3. Grow: Song of the Evertree

Of all the life simulation games that get shamefully overlooked in this day and age, Grow: Song of the Evertree definitely hits the hardest. Because not only does it host some of the most enchanting visuals in gaming, period — but also a nifty collection of story arcs and sandbox elements, a lot of which closely resemble those featured in Disney's Dreamlight Valley.

Grow: Song of the Evertree puts you in a colorful world that lacks any form of vigor or purpose. Fortunately for its budding townsfolk, though, you bear the rights to nurture it and bring it back to life. Besides having the tools to revamp the Viva Piñata-like village, you also have the job of playing your part in the community. That means taking on your share of quests and learning to make a difference in a world that evidently needs a leader to carry it through the storm. To see sunlight, though, you had best believe that there'll be more than a hard day's work ahead of you. Chop chop!

2. Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town

It goes like this: Olive Town is in dire need of a repair, and you, the grandchild who has suddenly inherited the starved allotment, are in charge of revitalizing it however you see fit. It's life simulation 101, and admittedly Story of Seasons doesn't do a great deal to deviate from the formula we've seen several times before. But, as the saying goes: if it ain't broke — don't fix it.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a cutesy chapter that pulls you in through its whimsy style and easy-to-follow gameplay structure. Like before, you can build friendships, develop buildings and landmarks, and farm to your heart's content. Think Disney's Dreamlight Valley, but without the dreaded Night Thorns and a tenacious cartoon mouse forever wanting you to catch fish. There's your Olive Town, right there.

1. No Place Like Home

No Place Like Home is very much a farming simulator at heart, with perhaps a pocketful of life simulation elements that make an appearance much later down the line. To begin with, though, the story asks that you take over the reins of a farmyard and return it to its former glory. And with that, of course, comes a whole lot of manual labor which, when applied correctly, can bring some pretty awesome rewards.

If you've spent some time in Olive Town, then the duties that revolve around this post-apocalyptic yard will probably feel like second nature to you by now. By this, you can expect plenty of tidying up, resource gathering, and devising new ways to breathe life into a barren world. Question is, can you handle the duties while being left to your own devices, knowing full well that your family and friends have since left earth? Questions, questions.

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our top five? Are there any games you'd recommend? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.