It’s the perfect time to start playing cozy games. And by cozy games, I mean the opposite of what you might think. For some, video games are about loud noises, intense competition, and cutthroat leaderboards. The best cozy games embody the opposite feeling. They’re mindless but not uninvolved; inviting but not harrying. They’re meant to evoke feelings of warmth, comfort, and peace. In my opinion, they’re best enjoyed solo alongside a cup of tea.
I’ve always loved cozy games, but the colder months are my favorite time to play them. Take a chance and add a few to your gaming library. It’s important to note that “cozy” is relative—if it makes you feel warm and fuzzy, then it’s cozy. These are my favorites.
Updated November 2024: We’ve updated this guide to reflect the new Stardew Valley update on Nintendo Switch, and double-checked pricing and accuracy throughout.
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Note: Xbox Cloud Gaming is not to be confused withXbox Remote Play, which is free and lets you stream Xbox games you own from a console to your phone, PC, or another Xbox over your home network.
This service was only available in Colombia and Ireland, and it enabled up to five friends and family members to share Game Pass Ultimate benefits. It cost €22 per month in Ireland. Unfortunately, this service is no longer available, though this statement from Microsoft gives us some hope that it might launch globally one day:
“On August 15, 2023, the Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family preview program will end as we review what we’ve learned over the past several months and investigate how to build an offer which we can launch worldwide.”
Nintendo Subscriptions
Nintendo Switch Online vs. Expansion Pack
Your options with Nintendo are straightforward. Nintendo is the only console manufacturer that currently offers a family gaming plan.
Switch Online.
Photograph: Walmart
Nintendo’s online multiplayer service costs $4 per month ($8 quarterly or $20 per year) for an individual membership or $35 per year for a family membership. You can play games online with friends, save games in the cloud, use voice chat in supported games, and gain access to a library of more than 100 classic NES and SNES titles. You can also use the Nintendo smartphone app to receive occasional special offers. A family membership covers up to eight separate accounts in your family group and enables you all to play and enjoy membership benefits on multiple Switch consoles simultaneously (an option that is sadly lacking on PlayStation and Xbox).
Courtesy of Nintendo
This newer offering costs $50 per year for an individual membership or $80 per year for a family membership. It gives you everything listed above but adds a library of Nintendo 64 games, Sega Genesis games, and the Happy Home Paradise downloadable content (DLC) for Animal Crossing: New Horizons (you don’t need to subscribe to access the Animal Crossing DLC).
Mobile Subscription Services
Apple Arcade, Google Play Pass, and Netflix Games
Mobile games get a bad rap, but the quality of these titles has slowly begun to change for the better. The services below also strip out ads and in-app payments.
Apple Arcade.
Photograph: Apple
Looking for a library of games for your iPhone or iPad? Step into the Apple Arcade. Boasting more than 200 premium games with no ads or in-app purchases, Apple’s mobile gaming subscription is easy to recommend. The subscription service costs $5 per month or $50 per year, and you can use family sharing to give up to five family members access. Better yet, you can get three months of Apple Arcade for free if you buy a new iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV, or Mac. There are some compelling, exclusive games in Apple Arcade, alongside some premium titles that are available in the App Store. Apple adds a few new titles each month, but sometimes removes games, too. Apple Arcade is also included as part of any Apple One subscription.
Got an Android phone or tablet? Consider Google Play Pass. The service includes close to 1,000 games and apps. It costs $5 per month or $30 per year and can be shared with up to five family members. Just like Apple Arcade, Google’s service is free of ads and in-app purchases, but there are no exclusives here. It simply offers access to some popular games you usually have to pay individually for.
You may be surprised to learn that Netflix includes mobile games as part of any Netflix membership. Don’t get too excited—there are more than 80 titles to choose from, some are exclusives and some of them are pretty fun. Learn how to play Netflix games to find out for yourself.
Game Streaming Services
GeForce Now vs. Amazon Luna
Microsoft and Sony have ways to stream games from the internet to your PC, console, tablet, phone, or laptop, but there are a few dedicated services that focus entirely on this game-streaming business model.
Nvidia’s game streaming service is slightly different. It requires a strong internet connection (at least 50 Mbps for the highest quality) and you have to bring your own games. It can plug into your Steam or Epic library, but not every game is supported. This is one of the easiest ways to play the latest games with the best graphics possible if you don’t have a kitted-out PC (graphics cards are still hard to find). There’s a limited free tier that lets you play on a basic rig for up to an hour, but you can pay $10 per month ($50 per year) for Priority service for a decent setup offering 1080p at 60 frames per second for up to six hours, or $20 per month ($100 for six months) for access to an RTX 4080 graphics card for 4K gaming at 120 fps for up to eight hours.
Luna controller.
Photograph: Amazon
Amazon has a game streaming service much like Google’s ill-fated Stadia. Luna is segmented by channels: The Luna+ channel is $10 per month and includes a wide variety of games in different genres, but the Ubisoft+ Channel is $18 per month for access to dozens of Ubisoft games, like Assassins’ Creed. There’s a party game channel called Jackbox for $5 per month, and if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can play a rotating selection of games for free. It works on Windows PC, Mac, Fire TV, Fire tablets, iPad, Chromebooks, and phones. You can use Luna’s controller to play, an Xbox One or PS4 controller, or a keyboard and mouse.
This is Amazon’s fledgling service, and it’s a bit weird. There certainly isn’t enough here to justify an Amazon Prime subscription ($15 per month or $139 per year), but if you already have one, then it’s worth a look. You can get in-game loot in some popular games, free game downloads, free DLC, and a free Twitch subscription (subscriptions to specific Twitch streamers).
We have an alternative type of membership from Humble, and some game publishers have decided that their catalogs are big enough to be offered up as subscription services (though many of their titles are also available through services we already covered).
Courtesy of Humble Bundle
Unlike the other game subscription services on our list, a Humble Choice membership at $12 per month gives you access to a fresh mix of mainstream and indie PC games every month that are yours to keep forever. You also gain access to the Humble Games Collection (a curated library of interesting indies) and special discounts. And 5 percent of every Humble Choice membership is donated to Humble’s featured charity of the month.
Pay $6 per month or $40 per year and you get access to EA titles like FIFA 23, Madden 23, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, and Titanfall 2 on Xbox, PlayStation, or PC. You can also play select new releases for up to 10 hours before launch, get access to in-game challenges and rewards, and snag a 10 percent discount on game downloads, Season Passes, and DLC. The Pro tier at $17 per month or $120 per year upgrades you to premium game editions. For most folks a Game Pass subscription makes a lot more sense.
Note: EA Play is included at no extra cost as part of Xbox Game Pass PC or Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions.
For $8 per month you can play Ubisoft’s library of around 50 “Classics” on your PC. If you want new releases the day they launch, premium editions, DLC, and in-game rewards you must upgrade to Premium for $18 per month, which also enables you to play selected games on Xbox or via the cloud on Luna. This service feels way too expensive for what you get, so it’s only really for die-hard Ubisoft fans who can’t live without all the premium editions and extras.
Note: You can play more than 50 of Ubisoft’s best games through Sony’s PS Plus Extra and Premium subscription services.
However, as shooter veterans know, playing with a keyboard and mouse provides a considerable advantage in terms of aiming. So if you’re on a console, you can choose to turn off crossplay and stick to players on your own platform. PC players, on the other hand, are stuck with the feature turned on, so just hope you’re better at clicking heads than someone with a control stick.
Arkane Studios, the team behind widely popular games like Dishonored and Prey, introduced Deathloop as a whole new franchise in 2021. In this game, you take on the role of an assassin named Colt who finds himself stuck in a time loop while trying to take out eight different targets. Fail to take out even one, and the loop starts over, but this time you start with more knowledge and experience.
As a bonus, Deathloop also has an invasion system that, in WIRED staff writer Will Bedingfield’s opinion, is the game’s best feature. Invasions let players, well, invade each other’s games. After a certain point, you can play as Colt’s rival, Juliana, and try to prevent other players from succeeding. This feature has some limited crossplay. Xbox players can play with PC players who bought the game via the Microsoft Store, while Steam users can play with Epic users.
In developer miHoYo’s action RPG gacha game Genshin Impact, players can join each others’ adventures to tackle challenges together by sharing a UID code. This works across all the platforms the game supports, including Windows, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Android and iOS. The company has also announced a Switch version but hasn’t announced a release window. When it does arrive, it should also be cross-compatible with all the other platforms.
Sony released the PlayStation 5 well over three years ago, and gamers who initially duked it out to snag an early console may now have their sights set on the PS5 Pro upgrade model, rumored to launch later this year. Whether you have a PS5 or you’re still holding on to that dusty PS4, PlayStation Plus is a worthwhile video game subscription service. Even though longtime PlayStation devotees may have to really dig through the catalog to uncover a delightful surprise, new adoptees will revel in the available choices.
The three tiers of PS Plus are Essential, Extra, and Premium. Essential is the cheapest option; for $10 a month you gain access to online multiplayer and can download a couple of curated titles each month. The Extra tier is similar to Xbox Game Pass, and it’s the main focus of this roundup. You receive access to over 100 games for $15 a month with this option. Another $3 elevates you to the Premium tier, which mainly adds streaming access to classic PlayStation games.
For a deeper dive into this subscription service, check out our PS Plus explainer. Searching for even more PlayStation picks? We got you covered with this list of top-tier PS5 games.
There are so many game controllers out there, but not all of them were good enough to make the list above. These are the other controllers we have tested recently.
Nacon Revolution 5 Pro for $200: This highly customizable PS5 controller boasts Hall Effect sticks and triggers, programmable back paddles, and a great D-pad. You can tweak the weight, stick length and grips, and even the trigger actuation. It boasts a 10-hour battery life and you can connect your headset via Bluetooth or plug-in. Unfortunately, it’s expensive and you don’t get the haptic feedback or adaptive triggers that you’ll find in Sony’s excellent DualSense controllers.
Nacon Pro Compact Controller Colorlight for $50: I am a sucker for translucent tech, so this Nacon controller immediately caught my eye. Not only can you see through to the electronic innards, but they also added colored LEDs with lighting effects you can cycle through. As the name suggests, this is a compact controller. The smaller size may suit kids or folks with smaller hands, but I found it slightly uncomfortable after an hour in Minecraft. It is also a wired controller, but you can tweak stick sensitivity and some other bits and pieces in the Nacon app, and it’s not too pricey.
Power-A Fusion Pro 3 for $78: With a detachable faceplate, nicely textured grips, trigger locks for different depths, swappable thumbsticks, and a long detachable cable, this controller has a lot to recommend it. The shoulder buttons and relatively high price are why it misses out on a place above (the GameSir G7 edges it on value). But this is my daughter’s favorite wired controller because she plays with a headset and loves that there is a 3.5mm audio jack with volume and mute controls. She also likes the four mappable back buttons.
Nacon Revolution X Pro for $100: This wired Xbox and PC controller comes with a long (around 10 foot), detachable, braided USB-C cable. Nacon offers an impressive level of customization, including interchangeable thumbsticks, programmable back buttons, and weights to help you get the feel you want. The Profile button lets you cycle through four presets, a switch toggles configurations, and it has a 3.5mm headphone jack. You can tweak everything in the flaky Revolution X app for Xbox or PC. While it works well, I don’t love the cheap feel (even with adjusted weight), and the rear triggers are awkward. At full price, the Revolution X Pro is too expensive for a wired controller, but discounts are frequent.
QRD Spark N5 for $49: This affordable PS4 controller has Hall Effect joysticks and triggers, programmable back paddles, adjustable LED lights, and decent battery life (around 8 hours). It also works with Windows, Steam Deck, Android, or iOS and can be used to play PS4 games on PS5 (but not PS5 games). It can’t compete with our pick above (Scuf) but is a decent alternative at a quarter of the price. Unfortunately, it feels kinda cheap, with the shoulder triggers and D-pad particularly disappointing.
QRD Stellar T5 for $59: I love the idea behind this Nintendo Switch controller. At first glance, it looks like the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller above, but you can take it apart to slide your Switch into the middle. The controller boasts Hall Effect joysticks, mechanical switches, adjustable vibration, and LED lights. It also has a six-axis motion-sensing gyroscope and programmable back buttons. It works with Windows, Android, or iOS, too. Unfortunately, the triggers are mushy.
Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel for $1,000: WIRED editor Parker Hall raved about Logitech’s racing wheel accessory, and racing game fans with deep pockets will love it. It adds a layer of reality to your in-gaming driving with force feedback and vibrations that help you feel every surface. The gear shift paddles have Hall Effect sensors. There is also an OLED display that enables you to tweak settings without opening the app.
Power-A Advantage Wired Controller with Lumectra for $45: This Xbox Series X/S controller is affordable, and a lengthy (10-foot) detachable cable comes in the box. It feels much like a regular Xbox controller, but it’s not very grippy, and I’m not keen on the shoulder triggers. The 3.5mm audio jack is handy, but there are no volume and mute controls (unlike Power-A’s superior Fusion 3). The Lumectra model comes bundled with an RGB light strip, but we found the lights tricky to control, and they often changed unexpectedly. Over time, the detachable USB-C cable got quite loose and occasionally slipped out in the middle of a game.
There are few things as polarizing as PC keyboards. There are message boards and subreddits filled to the brim with opinions dissecting every aspect and component, mechanical vs. membrane, different switch mechanisms, and the plastic used in the key caps.
There’s good reason for that. You probably spend a lot of time on your keyboard, along with a (hopefully) comfortable mouse. You might as well make those hours as pleasant as possible, especially now that so many of us are working from home. Whether you own a great laptop or a game-ready desktop PC, we’ve tested dozens of keyboards up and down the price spectrum. These are our top picks for gaming, office work, and everything in between.
Updated April 2024: Added Logitech Pro X TKL, Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL, Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro, and Corsair K65 Plus. Removed Logitech Pro X, Logitech G413, Das Keyboard MacTigr, and Vulcan 120/121/122 Almo. We also added some new tips.
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Picking the Right Mechanical Switches
If you want to go with a mechanical keyboard, you’ll want to pay attention to your switch choices. There are dozens of kinds, and they all feel a little different. Without touching them yourself, it’s tough to know which is right for you. Manufacturers like Logitech and Razer use their proprietary switches, which further complicates things.
No matter who makes them, switches generally come in one of three varieties:
Clicky switches typically have very little resistance mid-stroke, followed by a sharp click as you press the key all the way down.
Tactile switches behave similarly but have a less pronounced click after that mid-stroke resistance.
Linear switches feel smooth, quick, and sensitive—like hair triggers on a game controller.
Picking a gaming mouse is a very personal endeavor. Everyone’s hands are different, everyone’s preferences and needs are different, and we all play different games. That’s why we’re lucky to live in the golden age of gaming mice, with major manufacturers pouring engineering muscle into one-upping one another. The result is a market loaded with high-quality yet relatively inexpensive mice.
We’ve tested quite a few, and while we can’t tell you precisely which mouse is right for you—you may prefer wired or wireless, more or fewer buttons—we have a variety of recommendations. These are the best gaming mice for every kind of gamer we can think of, plus a couple of mousepads for good measure.
Updated April 2024: We added the Razer Viper V2 Pro, Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless, and Corsair M75 Wireless, and removed the Razer Viper Ultimate and Razer Lancehead.
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Looking for a Great Mouse? Look at Your Palms
One aspect to consider when shopping for a mouse is its size. I used to use Logitech’s G305 until I realized it’s way too small for my palm size—I was forcing myself to grip it a certain way and was straining my wrist in the process. Not good. This also depends on how you hold your mouse. Are you using your whole palm? Just your fingertips? Or are you using it claw-style, with your fingertips and bottom of your palm touching the mouse?
I recommend measuring the distance from the tip of your middle finger to the bottom of your palm, then finding a mouse that’s roughly the same length. You can do this with your hand’s width too to make sure the mouse you’re buying isn’t too wide or too narrow. Rocket Jump Ninja has a nifty tool that lets you input your measurements and spits out mouse recommendations based on your hand size. Razer has a handy guide too, but it only recommends Razer-made mice. By measuring your hand, you can enjoy a much more comfortable gaming experience. That’s how I found out that Logitech’s G604 is the best size for me—my wrist says thank you. —Julian Chokkattu
It’s a shame that two of the best retro gaming consoles in recent years, the NES Classic Mini and the SNES Classic Mini, have been discontinued. Both feature great designs with a miniaturized look that’s true to the originals, silky performance, and strong game lineups of Nintendo’s greatest hits. You can still buy them online (usually from third-party resellers), but prices are seriously inflated. The SNES Classic Mini, for example, was $80 at launch, but a reseller has it for more than $300 on Amazon right now. You might have better luck buying one used.
Nintendo fans keen on some classic gaming action might be better served by snagging a Switch and buying a Nintendo Switch Online membership ($20 for a year) to access more than 100 NES and SNES titles (here’s the full list). Add the Expansion Pack ($50 for a year) and you can get these N64 games too. If you’re craving some old-school pocket-sized Nintendo fun, check out the revived Game & Watch ($50) line. They are limited to a couple of games each, but when those games are Super Mario or Zelda titles, that can be enough for hours of fun.
The Analogue Mega SG ($200) (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is expensive, and it doesn’t come with any games or controllers (they cost $25 apiece). But it can play old Sega Genesis cartridges, so it’s a solid choice if you have a box of them in the basement. Thanks to an FPGA chip, this console runs the original games just as you remember them.
If you have Valve’s Steam Deck, check out the comprehensive EmuDeck to emulate a wide variety of old systems in style.
PC gamers also have an enormous choice of emulators. I like RetroArch because it emulates multiple systems, but if you have a favorite old console and want to get close to that original experience, you can likely find a tailor-made emulator to scratch that itch.
The Panic Playdate ($199) (7/10, WIRED Recommends) isn’t strictly a retro console, but it is fun, creative, and quirky, and it has a distinct retro feel. It even has a crank for an all-new way to interact with games!
The Analogue Duo ($250) (6/10, WIRED Review) makes TurboGrafx-16 and PC Engine games look incredible on any HDMI screen. It boasts HuCARD and CD-ROM functionality, so existing games work regardless of media, region, or other requirements. Sadly, it’s pricey, controllers cost extra, and there’s no openFPGA support.
The Switch is one of Nintendo’s most successful and influential systems ever. There’s something unique about carrying a home-console-quality gaming device everywhere you go. Figuring out what to play, though—that’s getting harder every year, as the roster of first-party and indie games grows deeper and deeper.
Updated April 2024: We’ve added Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Super Mario Party, Mario Party Superstars, and Bayonetta 3, and removed older games.
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Audio quality: It seems like it would go without saying, but we’re saying it anyway: You can’t always tell from a spec sheet how a headset will sound. A well-made stereo headset can sound better than a poorly made 7.1 Dolby Atmos surround sound set. Check reviews to get a sense of how a headset performs in real life.
Surround sound options: Modern headsets have gotten very good at recreating or simulating surround sound in headsets with systems like Dolby Atmos for Headphones or DTS:X. These systems are particularly impactful in games where you want to be able to hear exactly where an enemy is firing at you from. Be sure you can turn the surround sound on or off.
Comfort: This is another subjective category, but if you’re going to wear a headset for hours while you’re gaming, it’s important that it doesn’t hurt. A heavy headset pressing against your temples can give you a headache after a while. Look for headsets that have adjustable, ergonomic designs, plenty of cushioning, and are generally lightweight.
An adjustable boom microphone: If you plan to use your headset for online gaming, a good microphone is important. Many headsets come with boom mics that can be positioned in front of your mouth. Some are removable, while others can simply be rotated or bent away from your mouth when they’re not in use. Make sure you get the kind that’s right for your needs.
Visible mic muting and indicator LEDs: It’s important to know when you’re broadcasting audio so you don’t accidentally share your private conversations with your teammates. Some mics mute automatically when you flip them upward, while others use a dedicated mute button. We particularly like headsets that include red LEDs that indicate when you’re muted, which can be helpful.
Mic monitoring so you can hear your voice: If you want to keep tabs on how you sound to your teammates, and not sound like you’re yelling while playing, mic monitoring is a feature that lets you hear your own audio through your headphones. Optimally, you can adjust its volume. When you listen to a podcast or radio talk show, chances are those folks are using some form of mic monitoring so they can hear themselves, as well as others.
Equalizer (EQ) and customization tools: Games, movies, and TV shows are mixed differently, and when you’re listening, you might want to emphasize different aspects of the audio signal. Custom EQ presets let you set different balances for watching a movie versus playing a game, or even have different balances on a per-game basis.
The Nintendo Switch has incredible staying power for a console that’s now seven years old and has only had a moderate update to its screen and kickstand after all that time. Unlike the homebound PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, the Switch is portable, personal, and packed with exclusive and indie titles. Because you can play the Switch at home or on the road, you might need batteries, protective cases, and other accessories you’re not used to buying for a console.
The Switch OLED is a fine improvement over the original, and the accessories on this list should work with the OLED version unless otherwise noted in the text or buy links, though we have not tested them all on it. Some are suitable for Nintendo’s Switch Lite, the Switch’s mobile-only sibling that cannot dock to a TV. Be sure to check our roundup of the Best Switch Games and our Switch tips and tricks to get the most out of your system.
Updated March 2024: We’ve added the HyperX ChargePlay Quad 2, Monoprice portable battery bank, Joy-Con bundle, and eXtremeRate DIY replacement shell.
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It’s not as hard to buy a new PlayStation 5 as it used to be, but its capabilities are still impressive. The cybernetic clamshell tower of a console is packed to the gills with killer hardware. It can run games in native 4K, hit frame rates in excess of 120 frames per second, and output video at 120 hertz for that ultra-silky-smooth look and feel.
Still, not everything you need comes in the box. A few more add-ons will make your game session that much easier and enjoyable. Sony’s DualShock controller is one of the best game controllers available, and the PS5 is the first console that can really take advantage of a great home theater setup. To that end, we’ve compiled our favorite PS5 accessories, including a few luxury picks for those of you looking to turn your living room into a cathedral for your new PS5.
Updated March 2024: We added the PlayStation Portal, PlayStation 5 Covers, SteelSeries Arctis 7P+, LG C3, WD Black SN770 SSD, WD P4 Gaming Drive, Yamaha ATS-2090 soundbar, and updated links and prices throughout.
