PeaPodGirl Game Awards 🏆 My Favourite Games Played in 2025
I’ve played a lot of games this year, some cozy, some challenging, and some so wonderfully weird they stole hours of my life and I loved every second. There were games that had me lost in clever puzzles, others where I wanted to open a little shop and live inside their world forever, and a few that pulled me completely outside my usual genres in the best possible way.
These are the games that stuck with me, the ones that made me laugh, made me think, and reminded me exactly why I love gaming. They’re the experiences that kept me coming back for just one more level, one more run, or just a little more time in a world that felt entirely my own. From quiet, reflective moments to adrenaline fuelled chaos, each of these games left its mark, and some even surprised me in ways I didn’t see coming.
All of these games get PeaPodGirl’s highest honour of ✨ Golden Peas! ✨
Here’s my personal roundup of the games I loved, the demos that got me excited, and the unexpected gems that made 2025 a year to remember 💕
Best Puzzle Game 🏆
Developer Image: Dogubomb
Blue Prince
Blue Prince completely hooked me this year. The mix of puzzle and roguelike elements was a fab combination and a real unique way to play. Each run through its shifting rooms felt fresh, and the puzzles were challenging enough to make me pause and think without ever feeling punishing (although some were frustrating in the best possible way!). I spent hours experimenting with different strategies, and reaching Room 46 was a huge endorphin booster. Its eerie yet cozy atmosphere and addictive progression make it one of my standout puzzle experiences of 2025.
Related: Looking for more puzzle games to play?
Check out my full list of the BEST cozy puzzle games
Best Casual Adventure Game 🏆
Developer Image: uvula LLC
To a T
To a T is delightfully bizarre and completely charming. Playing as a teenager stuck in a permanent T-pose, navigating school, chores, and a quirky seaside town with your dog is endlessly funny and surprisingly heartfelt. The minigames had me laughing at how delightfully awkward the controls were, but I never felt frustrated, just had fun. The world’s pastel-drenched visuals, offbeat characters, and catchy tunes made exploring each chapter a joy, and I kept coming back to see what small absurdity I’d uncover next. Even though it’s short, those four hours were packed with personality and heart, and it’s exactly the kind of adventure I couldn’t stop thinking about (or singing the songs!) after finishing.
Related: Looking for a new casual adventure game?
Here are my top picks for cozy casual adventures
Best Management Simulation Game 🏆
Developer Image: Neoludic Games
Tiny Bookshop
Tiny Bookshop completely charmed me this year. Setting up my little van each day, chatting with locals, and recommending books felt quietly addictive, and I loved seeing customers return and build trust based on my choices. Decorating the shop, experimenting with stock, and discovering the town’s seasonal events all made the world feel alive without ever being stressful. It’s cozy, thoughtful, and perfectly paced, a management sim that rewards patience and curiosity, and one I happily lost hours to without even noticing.
Related: Love management sims but not sure what to play next?
Check out my full list of the best management sims you’ll love
Best Life Simulation Game 🏆
Developer Image: Sunny Side Up
Little Witch in the Woods
Little Witch in the Woods made me want to spend hours just living in its world. Brewing potions, collecting ingredients, helping villagers, and decorating my home all felt satisfying and calming. The routines became a small, meditative joy, and the forest and village felt alive in little ways that kept me exploring. Every day brought new surprises, and I kept returning to see what I could discover next.
Related: Ready for a new life simulation game but not sure where to start?
Here’s my full list of TOP cozy life simulation games
Best Emotional Story/Impact Game 🏆
Developer Image: Ivy Road
Wanderstop
Wanderstop quietly got under my skin this year. Running a tea shop in a peaceful forest, tending plants, brewing tea, and chatting with guests made me slow down and notice small, meaningful moments. The game’s gentle pacing and thoughtful storytelling made me reflect on rest, burnout, and the value of doing less, with a few moments that genuinely made me tear up. It’s a cozy game that’s also quietly profound, and took the cozy gaming genre into a clever direction focussing on what you might be trying to escape from in cozy gaming.
Related: Looking for more games with a thoughful storyline?
Check out my full list of emotional cozy games
Best Action Game 🏆
Developer Image: Supergiant Games
Hades II
Hades II completely took over my gaming time this year when I got the Nintendo Switch 2. Every run felt slick, fast, and deeply satisfying, whether experimenting with a new weapon, chasing a specific boon, or telling myself I’d do “one more run” (and then doing five). Melinoë is a brilliant protagonist, the combat feels even more refined than the original, and the added variety in routes and progression kept things feeling fresh long after I should’ve burned out. It’s intense, stylish, and endlessly replayable, but what surprised me most was how comforting its rhythm became, dropping back into the Underworld, chatting with characters between runs, and slowly getting better without ever feeling punished.
Related: Loved Hades and looking for some more action packed adventures?
Here’s my full list of roguelikes for beginners that still feel cozy
Best Unexpected Game 🏆
Developer Image: Kenny Sun and Friends
Ball X Pit
Ball x Pit completely caught me off guard and ended up being one of my most-played games of the year. What started as “I’ll try a few runs and see if I like it” quickly turned into hours of experimenting with characters, chasing ball builds, and slowly upgrading the town between runs. Watching a run come together, balls evolving, fusing, filling the screen with colour, is weirdly calming, even when things get chaotic. I loved how no run ever felt wasted thanks to the constant sense of progression, and how the game gently pushed me to try new characters and playstyles instead of sticking to the characters I was most comfortable with. It’s not the sort of game I’d usually gravitate towards, but its rhythm, variety, and satisfying loop absolutely won me over.
Best Demo of Upcoming Game 🏆
Developer Image: Glowfrog Games
Pieced Together
The Pieced Together demo stuck with me long after I finished it. Sitting with Connie’s scrapbook, slowly placing bus tickets, photos, and birthday invites, felt quietly intimate in a way I didn’t expect from such a short experience. The way the story unfolds through interaction rather than exposition really worked for me, especially moments like the birthday page, where the colour drains away as invitations are declined, then floods back in when Beth says yes. The puzzles are gentle but meaningful, and I loved being able to personalise the pages with stickers, making each one feel a little bit mine. It’s rare for a demo to feel this emotionally complete while still leaving me excited to see more, but Pieced Together managed exactly that and it went straight on my wishlist.
Best Classic Cozy Game I Played for the First Time 🏆
Developer Image: Thunder Lotus Games
Spiritfarer
Even though Spiritfarer didn’t release this year, playing it for the first time in 2025 felt genuinely special. It’s one of those games that slowly works its way under your skin, through quiet routines, gentle management, and relationships that grow naturally over time. I got deeply attached to the spirits on my boat, putting off taking them to the Everdoor for as long as I could, even though I knew it was coming. The mix of resource management, exploration, and character stories creates a rhythm that’s soothing without ever feeling empty, and the emotional moments hit precisely because the game gives you space to sit with them, and most of the time decide when they can happen. Spiritfarer made me slow down, care deeply, and appreciate the time spent with each character, and it’s easily one of the most meaningful games I played all year, if not ever.
Best Retro Game 🏆
Developer Image: Nintendo
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
I decided to broaden my horizons a little this year and play some more games on Nintendo Switch Online (NSO). Playing A Link to the Past made it immediately clear why this game is so beloved. Even decades later, it feels inventive, confident, and full of ideas that still shape the Zelda series today. From the moment the world opens up, Kakariko Village, meaningful item progression, the introduction of heart pieces and the Master Sword, everything feels purposeful and satisfying. The shift between the light and dark worlds was the moment it truly clicked for me, transforming what I thought would be a short, simple adventure into something far more ambitious and surprising. Yes, some dungeons tested my patience, but the mix of frustration, discovery, and eventual triumph is exactly what made it stick. It’s visually striking, beautifully scored, and endlessly influential, a game that not only holds up, but absolutely deserves its legendary status.
Related: Want to read more about early Zelda Games?
Check out my full reviews of the first 4 Legend of Zelda Games on NSO
Most Anticipated Cozy Game of 2026 🏆
Developer Image: Chucklefish, Robotality
Witchbrook
Witchbrook became the game I was looking forward to most this year, with a release set initially for Q4 2025, a delay was called with the game now set to release in 2026. Everything shown so far, the soft pixel art, the magical school setting, the slow routines of studying, socialising, and building a life around witchy rituals looks to be everything I want out of a cozy game. It promises that perfect blend of structure and freedom: learning spells, forming friendships, decorating your space, and existing in a warm, magical world at your own pace. If it delivers on even half of that promise, Witchbrook feels like it could become a long-term comfort game and likely one of the most popular of 2026.
Conclusion
Looking back at this year in games, what stands out most isn’t just the variety, but how many of these experiences genuinely stayed with me. From the slow, thoughtful challenge of Blue Prince to the emotional comfort of Wanderstop, the quiet joy of digging through books in Tiny Bookshop, and the excitement and adrenaline of Hades II, these were the games that made me glad I took the time to play them. Some challenged me, some soothed me, some surprised me completely, but all of them left a mark and are worth celebrating.
I’d love to know what your favourite games played this year were, let me know in the comments! 💕
And here’s to more excellent games in 2026! 🥂
Looking for More Top Games to Play This Year?
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