6 cozy games that fit the Christmas theme

The Christmas season beckons a session of warm, cozy games that you can enjoy alone or alongside friends and family. Thankfully, many such titles that fit the bill are available on the market, from brand-new releases to indie classics that fit the holiday theme.

Check out our compilation of six distinct cozy games for this Christmas season. Here are the details.

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Best cozy games to play during Christmas

1) Winter Burrow

The hand-drawn art style is perhaps the highlight of this cozy game (Image via Noodlecake)

Released recently for PC and Nintendo Switch, Winter Burro is a cozy game about a mouse traversing a wintry forest in search of his aunt. With their burrow in ruins after coming back from the city, you must also restore it to its former glory by collecting resources around the sandbox world.

This is a survival crafting game after all, so genre staples like creating items and equipment, managing stats, overcoming environmental hazards like cold, and defeating hostile foes. Despite a stable level of challenge on display, the cute aesthetic and cozy vibe make it the top go-to cozy game on this list.

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2) Night in the Woods

Discover an imperfect world through the eyes of an angsty teen (Image via Finji)

One of the best indie games of the past decade, Night In The Woods is a memorable adventure that is a must-play for those looking to enjoy a cozy narrative for Christmas. Set in a world full of anthropomorphic animals, control protagonist Mae as she returns to her town of Possum Heights.

What ensues is a sandbox adventure with a surprisingly human narrative as she meets her friends and finds herself entangled in a mystery haunting the town. The 2D visuals also hold up to this day, and since the game is on most major platforms, including PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and iOS, it is a must-play for everyone.

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3) Little Inferno

It doesn't get any cozier than watching things burn in a fireplace (Image via Tomorrow Corporation)

Tomorrow Corporation's Little Inferno is one of the all-time great indie titles, and for good reason. Christmas time isn't complete without a fiery hearth, and this simple title is all about collecting items to burn them in the fireplace and earn coins to buy even more objects to set ablaze.

This addictive loop is the foundation of the game and what made it such a hit ever since its 2012 launch. It also boasts a dark narrative background eventually revealed over the course of the game, yet despite that, the slow paced gameplay is the definition of cozy games.

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4) Roki

Roki's narrative can get a lot darker and mature than its colorful visuals suggest (Image via United Label)

Available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch, Roki is a charming puzzle adventure inspired by Scandinavian folklore. After her sister is kidnapped by a mysterious monster, Tove finds herself traversing a land of magic and wonder in search of a way to get him back. To do this, she must befriend the mythical creatures and legends that roam this land and find a way back home.

The game presents an engaging narrative to spice up this journey alongside its cel-shaded aesthetic reminiscent of children's storybook tales. Gameplay deploys a point-and-click adventure formula for its puzzle-solving sections, which, paired with the lack of urgency, should make for a cozy adventure from start to finish.

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5) Spirit of the North

Become a cuddly fox and discover a magical adventure in this cozy game (Image via Silver Lining Interactive)

Set in the wintry Arctic tundra, Spirit of the North is a non-verbal narrative adventure game from Infuse Studio in the vein of classics like Journey and Abzu. Control a dfox empowered by the Fox Spirit and embark on a journey to uncover the truth behind a lost civilization.

This serene journey is devoid of combat and sees players traverse cold and magical environments, solving light puzzles and engaging in platforming sections. The game's short length should also make for a quick adventure that doesn't overstay its welcome. It is on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms.

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6) Cthulhu Saves Christmas

A whimsical holiday journey filled with crude jokes and engaging combat awaits (Image via Zeboyd Digital Entertainment)

Developed by Zeboyd Digital Entertainment, this is a little-known indie game that is a prequel to Cthulhu Saves The World. Aesthetically, it is inspired by classic Super NES era JRPGs like Final Fantasy VI and sees players control the titular Eldritch horror and his band of misfits to retrieve his lost powers from Santa Claus.

Throughout this holiday-themed journey, you will fight a variety of Christmas-specific monsters, such as Krampus. The game also oozes self-aware humor and charm at every turn that should make this bite-sized JRPG adventure a fun popcorn session, if nothing else. Cthulhu Saves Christmas is available to purchase on PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.