New Super Lucky's Tale (Switch)
One of the surprise announcements last year alongside a couple of other previously Xbox-exclusive games that have since arrived on Switch, New Super Lucky’s Tale is a great port of an underrated platformer that features a greatly improved camera and channels the spirit of the golden age of 3D platformers. It's a little on the short side and may not provide much of a challenge to more hardened gamers, but it's got an uncanny ability to make us smile.
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Katamari Damacy REROLL (Switch eShop)
Katamari Damacy REROLL is like liquid anti-cynicism. While it's also likely to induce some stress, the game's delightfully quirky and unique personality will dose you up with charm enough to make you forget your tension and troubles. The Switch edition is arguably the best way to play short of digging out your PS2, and with a wonderful HD sheen the Prince of the Cosmos looks better than ever on Nintendo's hybrid console. Lovely.
Untitled Goose Game (Switch eShop)
Nothing like a walk in the country to raise your spirits, hmm? The breakout indie hit of 2019 is a refreshing change for the stealth genre. Gone are the night-vision goggles and dark camo-suits you might expect; here they're replaces by a big white goose with bad social skills. You've probably heard more than enough about Untitled Goose Game since it launched and conquered the internet, but if you're after something light-hearted, give the goose a honk.
Horizon Chase Turbo (Switch eShop)
Want to jump in a colourful car and burn rubber into the sunset? Horizon Chase Turbo harks back to an arcade past when all you needed for a good time was the top down, a sunset on the horizon and an attractive co-pilot with their hair blowing in the breeze. It's more Top Gear on the SNES than Out Run, but it channels that blue sky feeling beautifully and makes for an exhilarating ride on Switch.
Alternatively, there's always Out Run.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (Switch)
With an incredibly mood-lifting soundtrack and 2D gameplay that recalls the classic Donkey Kong Country games, a restorative jaunt through the colourful, bouncy worlds of Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a great way keep the clouds at bay. The original game was a fun nostalgia trip, but Playtonic's sequel polishes everything and delivers a far better experience overall, one which we heartily recommend.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Switch)
And speaking of DKC, having topped our ranking of the best DK games of all time it's unsurprising that we love revisiting Retro's most recent Donkey Kong Country game when we're feeling down. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze isn't just a great platformer, it's one of the great platformers and it will help thaw the iciest of moods. Looking and playing better than the series ever has, veteran DKC composer David Wise returned with this sequel, meaning that the music alone is enough to reduce us to tears of happiness. Tropical Freeze is a total joy, and perfect company if you're feeling glum.
A Short Hike (Switch eShop)
A Short Hike is a fat-free indie experience from top to bottom and feels like the very best bits of multiple game genres, stripped of all padding and bloat, mixed perfectly into a delicious video game stew that only gets richer and richer the more you play. An exploration in every sense of the word, and a perfect tonic if you're feeling down in the dumps, A Short Hike is cute without being twee, challenging without being obnoxious, and emotional without being cloying. A landmark game for all ages. Don't miss this one.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Switch)
It's a triple helping of 3D Mario goodness on Switch — what else is there to say? Super Mario 64 is an absolute genre-defining classic, Super Mario Sunshine, for all its flaws, is one of the brightest, bounciest games on any console ever (the Isle Delfino theme alone is worth the price of admission), and Super Mario Galaxy took the plumber to new heights. This limited-time port might not have added many real bells or whistles, but the underlying quality here is immeasurable.
There are still plenty of these knocking around on store shelves across the globe. Get it before it's gone.
Comments (54)
tropical freeze? that's the only game that have made me want to throw my switch in rage.
if i want a feel-good platformer i'll return to rayman legends: colorful worlds you can complete at your own pace, great art, funny animations, nice music..
Added A Short Hike and 3D All-Stars.
@dartmonkey can you make a game list to help with anxity plz?
@Snatcher We've got a Relaxing Switch Games list which should fit the bill, and yesterday we discussed some of the team's favourite 'comfort food' games, too.
https://www.nintendolife.com/guides/feature-relaxing-switch-games-chill-games-for-nintendo-switch
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/11/talking_point_whats_your_comfort_food_game
@dartmonkey Thanks.
No Yoshi’s Crafted World? Lunacy
Blue Monday the song is fantastic. Blue Monday the day is utter drivel, manufactured so influencers can say they’re ‘like so depressed’ while people who are actually suffering from depression have to deal with it every single day, not just when ‘science’ tells us to.
Ah, tis' a decent list, Mr. Dartmonkey.
@fco I've lately wondered if I should try funky kong mode, or lower difficulty, since I've barely touched Tropical Freeze for the same reason.
There are countless of those! No Kirby?
Alot of great games on this list, and even though Breath of The Wild may not be my favorite Zelda game, there is something so soothing around roaming around the rolling, windy hills in the first area you start in that calms the nerves. It sends you where your inner peace needs to be.
This list basically just feels like a random assortment of games.
I would also give recommendations to Wandersong and Vitamin Connection for best feel good games as well.
I'd also add Pokemon SS, Rayman Legends, Smash Bros, Monster Boy and Mario Kart. Great games for cheering up.
By the way, I really hope there's a sequel for The Touryst. Great idea, visuals and gameplay, but a little too short and limited. I'd like to see a big expansion of that idea.
Not even that Yoshi game developed bt the company actually NAMED Good-Feel, Yoshi's Crafted World. What gives? I mean I know it's no Island or Woolly World but it still gives some darn good feels. Absolute blasphemy.
Am I broken that I find stuff like Mega Man X or Dark Souls/Skyrim more relaxing? It kinda makes sense to me that a "feel good" game is a game that you are very comfortable with, and hence you can relax into, like ninjutsu.
-2021 NINJAS CAN'T RELAX NINJA APPROVED-
@fco 100% agree
@nessisonett
It is totally a marketing gimmick being the furthest possible Monday away from Xmas but still within the new year vibe thing. Or something.
It's a bizarre, thoughtless trivialisation, considering the hardships some go through for Xmas.
Therefore this list is missing Hellblade and Gris.
But seriously, this list is great. I find Botw really soothing, lynels notwithstanding, and SMO is the right side of difficulty and wonderfully upbeat (despite the generic storyline)
I'd add Kirby Star Allies and BoxBoy! + BoxGirl! to the list. Both of these games gave me that "feel good" vibe while providing me a fun experience.
I'd would add Yoshi's Crafted World to the list, but...yuck, that game's vibe was more tiring and monotonous than feel good, in my opinion
I bought A Short Hike over the weekend and I am still amazed by it. Just the act of flying around the island feels relaxing.
I've also been playing Ikenfell on Xbox (which is also on Switch). I find it really charming so far.
Spiritfarer deserved a mention. A beautiful little game.
Kirby and Yoshi don't get a lot of representation on these lists...Star Allies and Crafted World are essentially the definition of "feel good"
Even though I’d played it so many years ago, I felt rare elation recently showing FFX and X2 on switch to my wife. Going from the generally somber, bittersweet at best FFX to the joy of the perfect ending of FFX2 was wonderful.
Agreed on Kirby, MK8D, Yoshi and the criminally under rated Rayman Legends.
Ring fit was the feel good hit of the summer.
Good to see Horizon Chase Turbo get a mention. It's such a fun game.
For years, Super Mario 64 has been my go to game when I just want to be comforted. It means a lot to me to finally have it on Switch.
Glad it wasn't just me... I found DK Tropical Freeze to be extremely frustrating... poor controls, inconsistent jumps, confusing attacks... I have beat just about every Mario game (and Celeste for that matter) and I gave up quickly on DK.
The list is pretty silly... but 3D World and Yoshi should be on it.
The Touryst is kinda just alright, it was fun enough for a few hours but there's much better pickings here (A Short Hike, Animal Crossing, etc.)
I can agree on Tropical Freeze. Its indeed damn hard at times, but the overall vibe just drags you out of lockdown into this happy colorful mess. Really loved that game.
Best feel good games and nothing from Good Feel? I guess they only have one title on the Switch, though.
Yeah, this is a dumb list.
@Snatcher
Here are games I have found really good for anxiety:
~Hades
~Bastion
~Solitaire
I would place Pikmin 3 above these all, it is an underrated jewel in occident. The only stress you get is returning on time to your ship every night, apart from that , the most relaxing game ever.
I would say Senran Kagura reflexions is a great relaxing feel good game
I absolutely love Tropical Freeze. It's the best 2D platformer on the system and has some fantastic music to go with as well. Rayman Legends is a close second though,
@HolyGeez03
Ooof, sounds like you need to.. git gud? No seriously, please give it another try. I give up on games really quickly - but I managed to get everything in the game.
Its just an excuse to post a load of links which the site will profit from if you choose to buy a game through the link.
fine if the content is good, but this is not- just tacky when its so blatant.
Donkey Kong TF is rage inducing for me. Class game but my god if was quite frustrating it surprises me how many people enjoy such a steep challenge. And I grew on original NES and up games and those were brutal too but seemed more fun then.
Same for The Touryst which haa those GAMEBREAKING levels with the stupid blue ball light jumping levels... my god I hate that game for those. I quit after the second appearance of them I wish I never bought it. What horrible game design.
@Mauzuri My comment was made almost a year ago.
And no, I will not sink more time into a game that I don't find enjoyable.
@HolyGeez03
Oops, I did not see that haha. How did that happen? Did they bump this topic or something?
And, ah, that is too bad. It really is a great game.
@Mauzuri
It appears to be a recycled/updated article.
Good list! I have a few to add:
-Mario 3D World (my favorite Mario game, I know my opinion is terrible, but great visuals, great music, great level design, good, clean, multiplayer fun)
-Sonic Colors Ultimate (ONLY because the original soundtrack was patched in, with the wonder and just sheer fun of this game, the original was also one of my first video games, so nostalgia)
-Mario Maker 2 (This game can cause untold amounts of trauma if you play kaizo levels, but if you play popular levels and skip refreshing levels, you’re in for a wholesome ride)
Clubhouse Games and Yoku's are games I recommend to everyone. They both have demos, so please do yourself a favor and try them out. Yoku is often on sale and an amazing concept for thise that enjoy pinball, but maybe not just going for a high score in a pinball sim. It's a whole grand adventure!
In what way is Tropical Freeze a feel-good game?
That's one of the few games that legitimately handed my rear to me and almost made me give up on it. The game's greatness cannot be discussed, though. However, it's only a feel-good game when you can get through without much hassle. Same with Returns.
@JakedaArbok 3D World is great. I have always loved it. I think that people didn't like it because at the time of release, it was just another 3D Land. People were beginning to think that 3D Mario would always be linear.
Now that we have Odyssey, I think that more people appreciate 3D World for its great music and level design and stuff.
Where's the 'feel bad' list for us fine with our depression and want to embrace it? Very feelingist if you ask me...but nobody ever does...
/s
Breath of the Wild frustrates me no end TBH.
Sayonara Wild Hearts is the best feel good game.
@dartmonkey
I can, and shall, obey.
Am I the only one who finds it absolutely hilarious that the article's thumbnail has two Wii U games
Stardew tops the feel good list for me. Read and heard so many amazing personal stories of the game helping people with anxiety and depression, myself included.
The one man developer deserves every cent he gets and then some.
How is Sky: Children of the Light not on this list?
I don't know how Sonic Frontiers will perform on Switch but remember Sonic Origins is also coming!
I'd add in Yoshi's Crafted World. Yoku is a masterpiece. But no game makes me smile like Odyssey!
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