Stardew Valley (Android, iOS) is simply delightful, and the mobile version is just as fully developed as its PC counterpart. Your tiny pixelated farmer can plant crops, tend to animals, catch fish, make friends, fall in love, and travel to the bottom of a dangerous mine. The gameplay is soothing, and playing for hours at a time on my iPhone 11 never felt too cramped or awkward. If life is feeling a little too intense, Stardew Valley is a salve, and the more you progress, you’ll see better conditions in the virtual town. There’s something really uplifting about seeing those positive changes, especially when real life feels chaotic at best. It’s well worth the $5 it costs (and at some point, a huge update is coming).
