After a long day at work, you might not fancy sweating through a stressfulCounter-Strikematch or juggling a dozen objectives in your favorite MMO. Sometimes, all you want to do is relax before bed. So here are 15 cozy games that run on Linux, natively or via Proton.
1Stardew Valley
You just can’t createa list of relaxing gameswithout includingStardew Valley. This is the king of cozy,chill gamesfor a reason. You can grow your farm and embark on quests at your own pace without any sense of urgency, and ultimately create your own little virtual haven where you can escape from everyday worries and just chill out a bit. We’ve gota handy collection ofStardew Valleytips to get you started, too.
2Tabletop Club
Tabletop Clubis similar toTabletop Simulator, a sandbox game where you may play some of yourfavorite board gamesat your own pacesoloor with friends, or just build a tower of cards or the world’s longest domino run. It’s totally up to you. The game’s free, so nothing prevents you from checking it out.
3American Truck Simulator&Euro Truck Simulator 2
Thinking about life’s great mysteries while hauling cargo across idyllic landscapes is the essence of theTruck Simulatorgames. BothAmerican Truck SimulatorandEuro Truck Simulator 2have native Linux versions, so the only thing you have to decide is whether you want to drive across the US or Europe.
4Quadrapassel
Quadrapasselis a tiny, free Tetris game for Linux that doesn’t attempt to reinvent a classic. Instead, it gives you tetrominoes, an empty board, a score, the number of lines you’ve cleared, and that’s about it. It’s pureTetris, it’s free, and it works on mostLinux distros.
5Roots of Pacha
Stardey Valleyis great, but it’s also super popular, so chances are you’ve already played it.Stardewveterans searching for their next farming sim obsession to play after a stressful day at work should check outRoots of Pachainstead, a relaxing stone-age farming sim where you may grow your village solo or with friends.
6Unpacking
I loveUnpacking; it’s one of the bestcozy gamesI’ve played and a perfect way to relax after a long day. The game allows you to arrange your earthly possessions any way you want, and while it’s technically a puzzle game, the puzzles in it are anything but challenging.
The most challenging thing here is setting stuff up just the way you want while adhering to the game’s slightly limiting tile-based isometric level structure. The game has anative Linux versionthat works great.
7Lil Gator Game
Lil Gator Gameis a wholesome game about finding new friends and creating the biggest fort ever. Just likeA Short Hike. the game oozes charm and personality (and I think I like it better than its inspiration). The only thing that might be an issue is that once you start making friends, it’s hard to put the game down because it all gets super addictive.
I finished the game in one day and didn’t stop until I found every character hiding on the island. You’ve been warned.
8Warble
WarbleisWordle, but for Linux. You can install the game on your machine and take a break whenever you feel like it without having to worry that you’ll break your streak. It’s free, has three difficulty options and includes almost 5,000 levels.Warbleis far from the onlyWordle-like, but it’s free and pretty fun.
9Dorfromantik
Dorfromantikhas been my go-to relaxing game for years. I’ve amassed more than 50 hours on Steam just placing tiles without worrying about high scores, unlocking quests, or how the final map will end up looking. A perfect cozy strategy in which you don’t have to worry about anything; relax, play some good music, and create the countryside of your dreams.
10PowerWash Simulator
This is the king of “zone out” games.PowerWash Simulatoris all about menial power washing tasks across a variety of levels, but there’s something immensely satisfying in washing away the muck until each level is sparkling clean while listening to your favorite podcast. A must-play relaxing game thatworks great on Linux via Proton.
