Pixel art RPGs hold a nostalgic place in the hearts of many gamers, featuring simple art and animation styles that bring many of us back to our very first gaming experiences on now-obsolete consoles.
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With their nostalgic aesthetics and charming sprites, pixel art RPGs offer classic gaming experiences that you just can’t find anywhere else; these games prove that you don’t need cutting-edge graphics or hyper-realistic environments to hold your audience’s attention.
Whether they’re spiritual successors to 16-bit classics or modern takes on retro arcade games, these pixel art RPGs deliver experiences that feel every bit as immersive as their high-budget, realistically animated counterparts.
10Secrets Of Grindea
Very Grindy, But Very Good
Secrets of Grindea
If you’re a fan of the old-school, grindy, afternoon-wasters of your childhood, then Secrets of Grindea is a must-play.
Inspired bySNES-era games, this pixel art RPG aims to appeal to the nostalgia in all of us through retro aesthetics, familiar storylines, and even an arcade-style roguelite mode that lets you experience the game as it would’ve been in the 90s.
In Secrets of Grindea, you play as an opportunistic adventurer who lives in a world where heroes reign supreme, and the ultimate career path is battling monsters for loot.
Though it borrows many features from the games of our childhoods, it doesn’t face the same limitations that they did; this game has over 300+ unique characters, in-depth customization options, two different game modes, and even 4-player co-op support.
This game will blast you back to summer break so fast you’ll swear you’re able to still hear the hum of your parents' old CRT TV and the ice cream truck’s overplayed jingle ringing in your ears.
9Crypt Of The NecroDancer
The OG Rhythm RPG
Crypt of the NecroDancer
Rhythm and roguelike mechanics might not seem like the most obvious combo, but Crypt of the NecroDancer manages to pull it off flawlessly. In fact, this RPG was what really launchedthe rhythm shooter genreinto the spotlight!
This RPG is a classic, pixelated dungeon crawler in every aspect—except, of course, for its killer soundtrack.
This game challenges its players to move and attack to the beat of its music, navigating intense dungeons by soundtrack alone. You can use any of the game’s preloaded, iconic songs by Danny Baranowsky, or you can upload any of your own songs for a more personalized experience.
Mastering the rhythm-based movement might take a little practice, but once you do, you’ll never go back; taking down enemies to the beat of your own epic soundtrack is probably the closest you’re ever going to get to gaming enlightenment.
8Spirittea
Spooky, Relaxing, AND Refreshing
Spirittea might be one of the bestcozy, slightly spooky RPGsof all time. This game honestly feels like the adorable lovechild between Stardew Valley and Studio Ghibli.
Spirittea is a relaxing life-sim about running a bathhouse for wayward spirits. In this game, you play as a young entrepreneur who has been tasked with bringing the local bathhouse back to life (no pun intended) in an effort to calm the local, trouble-making spirits.
You’ll need to manage every aspect of the bathhouse, from the baths themselves to the food and tea that is served to the customers. Each spirit has its own individual preferences, so copying and pasting the same routine over and over again isn’t going to cut it.
You’ll need to manage the water temperature, the refreshments, the towels, and even the bath’s seating arrangements for the ultimate bathing experience. As it turns out, spirits can be pretty picky customers. That being said, nothing in this game ever feels like a chore.
This game makes the daily grind of a bathhouse manager feel like a relaxing, 5-star experience. Who knew that running a spa for ghosts could be so cozy?
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7Back To The Dawn
Shawshank Redemption But With Furries
Back to the Dawn
If you’ve ever wondered what Shawshank Redemption would have looked like if it was made by the producers of the Cats musical, then this is your chance to find out.
This gritty, yet oddly charming prison break RPG puts you in the well-groomed paws of a wrongly incarcerated fox, dead-set on finding a way out of his life sentence. Formerly a reporter, this bushy-tailed go-getter stuck his fuzzy, whiskered nose somewhere it didn’t belong—namely, right in the middle of a gruesome conspiracy.
Framed, trapped, and left with no other options, the only choice you have is to somehow clear your name and break out of prison at the same time. No pressure.
With the help of your attorney friend on the outside, you’ll have to use your detective brain to solve the real mystery, all while plotting an escape route out of a maximum security prison. It’s not as easy as you might think, but it’s every bit as fun as you’d hope; every single second of this game will have you on the edge of your seat.
From self-aware humor to insane plot twists, this game will have you glued to your screen from the second you load it up.
6Fields Of Mistria
Aesthetically Pleasing Stardew Valley
Fields of Mistria
Fields of Mistria is like the fantasy RPG that we all desperately wanted as kids but never got. It feels like Stardew Valley’s younger, more imaginative sister.
Set in a charming village overflowing with magic, this pixel art RPG crams farming, town-building, exploring, and even romancing into one tightly-packed, cozy package. You’ll play the part of a newcomer to the community, and, in true life-sim fashion, you’ll have to prove your worth by cozying up to the residents and helping out the town.
Your job is to help restore the town back to its former glory in the wake of a devastating earthquake that damaged it a while back. Along with the earthquake, the community has also been dealing with a strange new magic running through the land, which is another obstacle you’ll have to work around if you’re going to save Mistria.
Whether you’re exploring ancient ruins, learning essential farming magic, or justdecorating your homestead, Fields of Mistria is the kind of game that pulls you in for “just one more day” until you realize the sun’s coming up in real life.
5Sun Haven
Fantasy Farming Simulator
Sun Haven really does feel like the ultimate fantasy farming sim. Whether you want to focus your efforts on building the perfect farm or leveling up through monster-slaying quests, this game covers all the RPG bases.
This game takes everything we know and love about farming sims—planting crops, raising animals, befriending townsfolk—and throws in a ton of unique fantasy elements, letting you wield magic, breed mythical creatures, and even battle wild monsters.
It’s the perfect blend of fantasy and farming, and it’s a great choice for anyone looking for a unique twist in the overcrowded farming-sim genre.
In Sun Haven, you can perfect your farming technique with 3 different farms, each with its own unique fauna and flora. You can choose to raise conventional crops and livestock like wheat, chickens, and cows, or you can always try your hand at something different, like balloon fruits, tar slimes, and werewolves.
you may choose to stick close to home, or you can choose to explore mysterious underwater cities and elven forests. The possibilities are literally endless in this game; if you find yourself getting bored while playing, then you’re definitely not trying hard enough.
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4Moonstone Island
A Perfectly Blended Life Sim
Moonstone Island
If you’re ever stuck between genres and aren’t sure what to play next, then Moonstone Island should definitely be your first choice. This game perfectly blends popular features and elements from other genres into its gameplay, making it one of the most diverse life sims you’ll ever play.
This game features elements from popular deckbuilders, creature collectors, farming sims, dungeon crawlers, roguelikes, and even dating sims! You definitely won’t be getting bored anytime soon playing this one.
Moonstone Island throws you into the curly-toed shoes of an alchemist-in-training, and to complete said training, you’ve been tasked with starting a new life on one of the many floating islands in the sky.
The worlds above the clouds are much different from the ones down below, however, and you soon find yourself overwhelmed at the number of hostile biomes and strange Spirits that they bombard you with. Finding the perfect one to call home will be challenging, but thankfully, you’ve got dozens of NPCs and tame-able Spirits on your side to help you out.
You can collect different Spirits from each island, explore dangerous dungeons in the sky, test your alchemical strength in card-based battles, or just focus on building a farm and settling down with an eligible villager from another island.
Whatever you decide to do with your playthrough, Moonstone Island is one of those rare RPGs that just keeps pulling you back in more.
3Moonlighter
The Coziest Dungeon Crawler Ever
Moonlighter
Charming pixel art aside, Moonlighter is easilyone of my favorite cozy roguelikes of all time. If you’ve ever wanted to be both the heroandthe NPC shopkeeper of an RPG, then Moonlighter’s got you covered.
This pixel art action RPG throws you into the sleepless life of Will, a humble shopkeeper by day and a daring dungeon crawler by night.
By venturing into randomly generated, danger-filled dungeons, you’ll have to take down interdimensional monsters, gather precious loot, and uncover ancient mysteries, all while managing your shop back in town. It might not seem like it, but setting prices, haggling with customers, and upgrading your storefront are all just as important as perfecting your dodge-rolls and sword swings.
This game strikes the most satisfying balance between fast-paced dungeon-crawler and cozy shopkeeping sim, keeping you on your toes every step of the way.
2Core Keeper
Open World Sandbox Survival
Core Keeper
Core Keeper is like Terraria’s weirdly intense, younger cousin who never went to public school.
In this open-world sandbox RPG, you play the part of an explorer who awakens in an underground cavern filled to the brim with glowing biomes, ancient ruins, and enormous monsters lurking in the shadows, all dead-set on standing between you and your survival.
With your survival hanging in the balance, you’ll have to dig your way through the procedurally generated cavern in search of resources. The deeper you dig, the more you’ll uncover, and the closer you’ll come to learning the truth behind a mysterious relic called the Core.
While digging out a path for yourself, you’ll have to mine for precious ores to upgrade your gear, grow crops to sustain yourself, and construct an impenetrable base to protect you from monsters. But even with all this on your side, survival won’t come easy; even bigger bosses guard the cavern’s depths, and it’s up to you to defeat them, harness their power, and push even further into the unknown.
Whether you’re mining for ores, farming bioluminescent crops, or beating up colossal bosses (or getting beaten up yourself), there’s literally always something to do in this game.
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1Stardew Valley
The OG Farming Sim
Stardew Valley
You can’t have a list of the best pixel art RPGs andNOTincludeStardew Valley. Stardew Valley is one of those games that everyone’s got to try at least once. Even ifyou’re not a big fan of farming games, there’s something in this game for everybody, whether it be romance, cooking, or even cave crawling.
This game’s story feels like every young adult’s ultimate fantasy: you start out as a lowly, nameless grunt working in some office somewhere in a big city, committing to the same meaningless routine day after day. Until one day, however, when you inherit your late grandfather’s old farm, and you get to leave your miserable life behind for a peaceful life in the countryside. Face it, we all wish that could be us.
Once you get there, you realize the old homestead isn’t in the greatest shape, but it sure beats your old life in the city, so fixing it up feels more like a privilege than a chore. You’ll get to grow crops, raise animals, and evencustomize your new home, all while forming close friendships (or romances) with the friendly inhabitants of Pelican Town.
It’s almost impossible to feel stressed out while playing this game. Sure, you’ve got to worry about stuff like spending your energy wisely and maintaining your homestead, but the game is very good about making it all feel like just another part of the magic.
If you’ve ever dreamed of running away from all your problems to start a new life in the middle of nowhere (and who hasn’t?), then you really need to get this game. It might not solve all your problems, but it sure will make you forget about them for a while.
