Cozy Corner – Big dreams take root in an itty-bitty garden – Destructoid

I’ll admit it: I’m a sucker for farming games. I try a new one every month or so, and odds are, I’ll enjoy it. While most follow a similar formula, my latest discovery, Tiny Garden, has some interesting mechanics that I’ve grown to love.

In Tiny Garden, you start in a small, magical toy with just a few plots of land and a couple of seeds. Using these, you’ll grow crops, exchange them for new seeds, and repeat the process until you’ve unlocked everything the game has to offer. Along the way, you’ll even have the chance to unlock stickers, furniture, and other customization options to turn your toy into a miniature living space.

I love this progression system. It reminded me of games like Rusty’s Retirement that require you to invest time and resources into learning more about the crops you unlock, rather than putting everything into a “meta” type to maximize profits. Instead, you have to gradually grow a little bit of everything if you want to achieve 100 percent completion.

There’s more to Tiny Garden than just planting crops, though. Every plant type has a specific tile it prefers. Crops like turnips and carrots like dirt, while a lily pad requires water to grow. It leaves you with two options—treat it like a puzzle to unlock everything as quickly and efficiently as possible, or go with the flow and see what happens as you plant seeds in random spots. You’ll occasionally obtain seeds through a small chest as well, so you don’t have to worry about locking yourself out of progressing.

And then there’s customization. I love sitting down and designing a house, character, or anything else that allows me to experiment with ideas, all while gathering thoughts and opinions from friends. As you discover new crops, you’ll also unlock furniture, stickers, and other design options that you can use to decorate your environment. What was once a simple toy can become a dollhouse-like scene that you can customize to your heart’s content. Since it’s a tiny space, you’re somewhat limited on where you can place items. To me, though, that adds to the appeal.

If you want an adorable farming game that has more than meets the eye, Tiny Garden has you covered. There are no leaderboards, time limits, or obstacles to prevent you from progressing or make things more challenging. As long as you tend to your crops and watch where you plant them, you have complete freedom to plan ahead or take things as they come.

Do you have any cozy, relaxing games you’re considering picking up soon? Are you planning on grabbing some farming games next, or are you more of a life simulator player? Let us know in the comments below!