Games That Can Make You Sleepy

Summary

• Discover video games that can help you relax and fall asleep at night, with features like calming music and simplified controls.
• Pokemon Sleep
  relies on a sleep schedule, while Just Sleep offers guided meditation for stress reduction.
• Dr Kawashima’s Brain Age 2: More Training In Minutes A Day
  has a sleep-inducing minigame, and
  Tomodachi Life
  lets players peek into the dreams of their characters before bed.

When most people think of video games, they usually think of the video games with the most action to their names. Even now, some of the most popular video games today, such as Final Fantasy 16 and Fire Emblem Engage are well-known for their action-packed stories and exquisite combat systems.

But amid the action, which is sure to hype up players, a handful of games will help players relax and fall asleep at night. Presenting various tactics to improve one’s sleep schedule, players can count on the following games to help them get some much-needed sleep at night.

Updated December 14, 2024, by Connor Wright: With the creation of new hardware and controller configurations, there are always an ever-expanding number of ways to play. As such, the hybrid play-states and controller layouts of the Nintendo Switch make games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Unpacking make winding down in front of a video game that much easier. Enhance that experience with games centrally focused on inducing a sleep-like state, like Melatonin, and the result is multiple new options for games that players can pick up to help them relax. As such, the following selection of games has been updated with more entries.

1 Palia

A Free-To-Play Farming Sim With A Thriving Multiplayer Experience

Palia can be a great way to relax after a particularly stressful day or just a great way to reduce anxiety and progress towards a restful state of mind. The free-to-play release allows players to join a magical land filled with mystical creatures and other players. They’ll become part of a mystical community and receive their very own plot of land where they can build homes, gardens, and other structures. There are tons of decorations and recipes to unlock and quests for players to take on.

Built to be an online multiplayer release, players will see each other when in the overworld but have their own personal home plots that they can decorate to their liking. That said, players are still able to visit one another’s homes and can even help each other build if given permission. Overall, Palia is a great community-based game that is supremely relaxing and can help players unwind.

2 Spiritfarer

A Cutsey 2D Game Delivering An Emotional Narrative With An Easygoing Ebb And Flow

There are a lot of great games out there that offer a great story and relaxing gameplay elements. Spiritfarer is a prime example of a release that will help players unwind after a long day but still offer them a great overarching storyline. The construction and simulation adventure game has gamers building and creating specialized spaces for a slew of spirits in an attempt to make them comfortable during their journey toward the afterlife.

Spiritfarer is a heartwarming adventure with a robust storyline but still has many moments of “downtime” in which players will simply be building, farming, cooking, and performing many other relaxing tasks. It can be a great game to relax with before bed.

3 Pokemon Sleep

A Wellness App Where Players Strive To Sleep Well And Catch ‘Em All

Compared to the other spin-off games that the Pokemon series has produced, Pokemon Sleep is less demanding and story-centered. Instead, the game takes a stress-free approach to the goal of completing their Sleep Style Dex, a variation of the signature Pokedex. In addition to learning more about Pokemon and their mannerisms, players also have a chance to learn more about the unique sleeping patterns that each Pokemon possesses.

True to the game’s name, Pokemon Sleep relies on the player’s sleep schedules for certain Pokemon to appear. The game even features a log in which to record how many hours players have slept. The more hours players sleep, the more Pokemon that share the same Sleep Type as the player will appear.

4 Just Sleep – Meditate, Focus, And Relax

Focus On Breathing, Meditating, And Relaxing With This Sleep-Aiding App

• Released: 29 June, 2019
• Developed: Ghulam Jewel
• Platform(s): iOS, Android, PC
• Genre(s): Wellness App

Arguably the most hands-off game here, Just Sleep is designed not only for players with insomnia or other sleep-inhibiting conditions but also for players who have other distracting issues such as tinnitus. Needless to say, this game is dedicated solely to reducing stress and helping players improve their mental health and fortitude.

For helping players get to sleep, Just Sleep features a combination of calming environmental noises and soothing imagery, both of which players can customize however they please. But one of the most helpful features this game has to offer is a guided meditation program narrated by renowned mindfulness expert Diana Watson.

5 Miitopia

A Low-Stakes RPG That Puts Your Mii Characters Front & Centre

While Nintendo may have somewhat abandoned the “create-your-own” aspect of Mii characters in the transition from Wii U to Switch hardware, that is not to say that their blank canvases have vanished from Nintendo’s hybrid console. Ported from the 3DS to Switch in 2021, Miitopia is a laid-back interpretation of the various tropes and stylings of the RPG genre.

Channeling the same tongue-in-cheek Nintendo charm as other Mii-focussed titles such as 2013’s Tomodachi Life, Miitopia prompts players to cast the characters in its typical world-saving adventure as their friends, family, or anyone else who may come to mind. With a solid turn-based combat system and a plethora of life simulation elements, Miitopia is an inherently entertaining title and a low-stakes romp that positions its pick-up-and-play nature parallel to the Switch’s hybrid functionality.

6 Dr Kawashima’s Brain Age 2: More Training In Minutes A Day!

A ‘Touch Generations!’ Title Tasking Players With Daily Brain Exercises

• Released: 20 August, 2007
• Developed: Nintendo SPD
• Platform(s): Nintendo DS
• Genre(s): Mindfulness, Puzzle

The second installment in the Brain Age series, Brain Age 2 vastly improves upon its predecessor by adding brand new minigames and a new mode solely for sudoku puzzles. Otherwise, the goal of testing the player’s brain age through logic and mathematical puzzles as well as a daily Brain Age Check remains the same.

While this may seem like a taxing game, it is in Brain Age 2’s Virus Buster minigame where players may genuinely unwind. Virus Buster is a Tetris-esque minigame in which the player must match as many same-colored viruses together while listening to a sleep-inducing cover of some classic Nintendo songs.

7 Tomodachi Life

A Relaxing, And Often Silly, Title Focusing On The Secret Lives Of Your Miis

Though it is not as popular as other lifestyle simulators like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, Tomodachi Life is still worth playing due to its simple premise and relaxing atmosphere. The premise of the game is straightforward: look after the Miis in the apartment complex and create a thriving community on a deserted island.

Though the game has many things to do during the day, things truly start to wind down at nighttime. With few activities taking place at night and most of their Miis falling asleep around this time, players can unwind as well by peeking into the odd but soothing dreams of their Miis, allowing them to drift to sleep on a humorous note.

8 Sheep Sleep – A Hardcore Game

A Minimalist Gamification Of A Common Turn Of Phrase

• Released: 21 June, 2015
• Developed: Superpea Ltd.
• Platform(s): iOS, Android
• Genre(s): Wellness, Puzzle

If there was ever a physical adaptation of the counting sheep expression, then Sheep Sleep would be the closest thing to it. Though the game is described as “a hardcore game,” which is somewhat supported by the first few minutes of gameplay, there is also a Sleep Mode that is far more casual and may help players go to sleep.

The premise of Sheep Sleep is to help the in-game child go to sleep by counting as many sheep as fast as they can before time runs out. While the sheep usually come at extremely fast speeds, the game’s Sleep Mode drastically lowers the speed to lull the most likely exhausted player into falling asleep.

9 Harmony: Relaxing Music Puzzle

A Puzzle Game Centered On Decreasing Stress And Tension

• Released: 19 November, 2018
• Developed: Infininty Games
• Platform(s): iOS, Android
• Genre(s): Wellness, Puzzle

Due to centering around a variety of puzzles, Harmony may seem to be fast-paced and tedious, much like the typical gameplay from Sheep Sleep. But unlike Sheep Sleep, Harmony is inherently relaxing, acting as a means to combat sleep deprivation and anxiety.

In Harmony, players must engage in a test of symmetry; puzzles are completed by finding each glowing tile’s opposite. With no restrictions on how fast these puzzles must be completed, players can finish as many puzzles at their own pace while enjoying the soothing classical music the game offers.

10 Animal Crossing: New Horizons

An Easygoing Life-Sim That Can Be Played However Is Most Comfortable

Animal Crossing, before the relatively recent formation of the ‘cozy game’ genre, has always provided gamers with a laid-back, no-pressure gaming environment. Especially considering the hybrid nature of the Nintendo Switch allowing gamers to take the 2020 experience wherever they’re most comfortable, New Horizons is one of the quintessential cozy games of the generation.

The mellow, garbled speech of the player’s anthropomorphic islanders, the checklist of simple daily tasks, and the game’s easy-listening hourly soundtrack make Animal Crossing: New Horizons a title almost custom-designed for late-night wind-down play.

11 Unpacking

A Low-Stakes Lo-Fi Puzzler With Flexible Difficulty

The gameplay of Unpacking is exactly as its name implies – players take their time, unloading boxes of belongings into an ever-expanding number of rooms.

Despite having some puzzle elements as to which locations certain objects must be placed, these elements can be turned off and the game skewed into a title solely focussed on ASMR-like organization. Critics seemingly adored Unpacking, as it earned the 2022 Gaming BAFTA for best narrative, and has been made widely accessible due to its place on Game Pass.

12 Sun Haven

An RPG Adventure With Easygoing Farming Sim Elements

Following in the footsteps of Stardew Valley, Sun Haven sees the player constructing their ideal farm within the local community, which is Sun Haven. However, not everything is what it seems in this community, as the player is immediately tasked with protecting Sun Haven from dark forces threatening to corrupt it.

When not fighting dragons and monsters, however, players may partake in activities typical of any farming simulator, such as tending to their crops, cooking delicious meals, and even making their own jewelry! Players may also interact and bond with the locals of Sun Haven and learn about their interests, making this game a surefire way to decompress.

13 ASMR Slicing

A Fun, Therapeutic Distraction With Multiple Branded Collaborations

• Released: 31 January, 2020
• Developed: Crazy Labs Ltd.
• Platform(s): iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch
• Genre(s): Wellness, Puzzle

It should come as no surprise that a game with ASMR in the title would be relaxing due to the relaxing nature of ASMR itself. But true to its name, ASMR Slicing provides a satisfying experience with its simple but rewarding gameplay, pleasant visual presentation, and utterly gratifying sound design.

For each level, players are required to slice a different item in a certain way. Some cases may require the player to slice the object into several pieces, while others require them to reach a certain weight. Players are also given a selection of blades, including the iconic Star Wars lightsaber and the Buster Sword from Final Fantasy 7.

14 Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer

All The Cute Anthromorphic Fun Of Animal Crossing With A DIY Focus

Despite the incredible success of Nintendo’s Animal Crossing life-sim franchise, the series has arguably not been as well-endowed with a selection of spin-off titles as some of Nintendo’s other higher-performing IPs. However, by removing certain aspects of typical Animal Crossing gameplay and hyper-focusing on others, 2015’s 3DS title Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer bolsters the creativity and inclusivity the franchise is known for.

Positioning players in the role of a home designer at Nook Homes, this core tenet of Happy Home Designer changes up the series’ core focus of player creativity and customization by reframing it within the confines of customizing homesteads for others. While the original title was released to relative commercial and critical positivity on the Nintendo 3DS, the philosophy and gameplay of the title have been repurposed into the Happy Home Paradise DLC content for 2020’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

15 Melatonin

A Snoozy Pseudo-RPG Tasking Players With Low-Stakes Rhythm Gaming

There are so many games that incorporate a low-stress, quietly rhythmic aesthetic. However, there are still so few that directly push the boat out to involve sleep directly.

Melatonin is a hand-drawn rhythm game with a purposefully curated experience – from its UI to audio design – that is designed to relax the player. Being awarded a selection of indie-game awards, and a physical release of its low-stakes soundtrack, critics and consumers seemingly both agree that it is something worth looking into.

16 Dream Hopper

A Relaxing Pseudo-Pyschadelic Rhythm Game

• Released: 18 April, 2022
• Developed: Protostar
• Platform(s): iOS, Android
• Genre(s): Wellness

Much like Harmony, Dream Hopper may seem tedious due to how the game is supposed to be played. Players are tasked to jump from shape to shape and reveal various colorful images. But the ambiance brought on by the game is assured to have players nodding off during their technicolor dream experiences.

In essence, Dream Hopper functions as a typical rhythm game due to players having to sync their actions to the beat of the soothing music available. But easily the game’s biggest selling point is the various images unlocked during gameplay, which boast a magnificent array of colors that can best be described as a rainbow at night.

17 SpinTree – Tap Tap Tree

A Free Pick-Up-And-Play Title With Lo-Fi Tunes And Subdued Visuals

• Released: 10 November, 2016
• Developed: Storica Inc.
• Platform(s): iOS, Android
• Genre(s): Wellness, Puzzle

Available as a free-to-play game on the Apple Store, SpinTree – Tap Tap Tree boasts some colorful and vibrant graphics that one might see in any popular video game title. Upon closer inspection, however, these colorful graphics are very simple, which greatly contributes to the game’s purpose of helping players relax.

As the game’s name suggests, the objective of SpinTree is to grow as many trees as they can by spinning them, which can be done by simply tapping the screen. The easy-to-learn gameplay coupled with the soothing soundtrack and relaxing noises are sure to have players falling asleep in a matter of minutes.

18 New Pokemon Snap

The 21st Century Revival Of An On-Rails Pokemon Adventure

Reinvigorating the on-rail Pokemon photography premise over 20 years after 1999’s inaugural Pokemon Snap title, the aptly named New Pokemon Snap places players in a low-stakes environment with the only goal of taking aesthetically interesting pictures of the franchise’s pocket monsters. By limiting player movement, and setting the on-rails gameplay in a variety of natural environments, New Pokemon Snap creates an atmosphere that is seemingly custom-tailored to create a sense of ease.

Critically and commercially lauded, the visuals and pseudo-puzzle gameplay of New Pokemon Snap are arguably some of the best on the Nintendo Switch. As such, the approachable interactive world of Pokemon is bolstered to create a unique and relaxing experience.

19 Coffee Talk

An Easygoing Visual Novel With Pixel Art Visuals & A Lo-Fi OST

Despite its caffeine-imparting namesake, the lo-fi OST and low-stakes gameplay of 2020’s visual novel Coffee Talk contributes to arguably one of the industry’s most well-known relaxing experiences. Set in a 1990s-esque high-fantasy-inspired Seattle, Coffee Talk weaves its narrative with the use of multiple multi-layered characters and relatively minimal gameplay.

Although players will be tasked with interacting with Coffee Talk‘s puzzle-esque mechanics to fulfill the beverage orders of the establishment’s orc, human, and elvish customers, the title’s focus is clearly on its story. While this leaves a fair amount to be desired for those who may wish for a more active experience, Coffee Talk‘s low stakes and low tension usually create the perfect conditions for players to relax and become invested in the title’s slowly unfolding narrative.

20 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

A Delicate Balance Between World-Saving Adventure & Melancholic Worldbuilding

Although the journey players are tasked with at the onset of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild‘s 50-hour-long story may be grand, the seemingly endless land of Hyrule helps to set players at ease. From its music and visuals to its core gameplay, Breath of the Wild is a title that does everything it can to create an easygoing atmosphere for its players.

Although the plot of 2017’s Zelda title may have world-ending ramifications, the game world of Breath of the Wild rewards lighthearted exploration of the people and places in Hyrule. Beyond that, with Breath of the Wild‘s conscious efforts to subdue its usually bombastic soundtrack to a more minimalist and dynamic OST that would “be able to match that sense of inspiration the player already finds in that world,” long horse rides or treks through the Hylian wilderness provide a sense of peace to the player.