The Best Feel-Good Game Franchises Ever
Survival, horror, shooters, racers — these genres of gaming are all fun and good, but after too much exposure, sometimes you need a break from the dread and pressure. For many players, it’s nice to have a franchise they can always fall back on. The kind when a new release is in the works, you’re so excited that you want to play it right this moment — a real feel-good franchise.
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They can come in all forms. It can be a fun and colorful platformer centered around lovable mascots, an adventure in a fantastical world you wish you could live in, or even a stress-free simulation or puzzle game. Everyone has their favorites and you’ll find plenty of examples as this list covers the best feel-good video games out there.
There are many feel-good titles to choose from, but this list will only cover franchises that have released more than one video game.
10
The Sims
The Sims 4
Since the beginning of 2000, The Sims has become a world-renowned franchise. Though each entry added something different, from building cities to designing theme parks, they’ve always been about freedom and creativity. In The Sims, players have a sense of control as they design characters — from small pairs to immense families — and oversee the decisions that will make up their lives. Even when things get chaotic, that’s just part of the fun.
The Sims 4 continues that feeling of creation and control as it overhauls the gameplay with a more intuitive building system for new and returning fans. It feels like you can do just about anything you want in this game — turn your characters into a dysfunctional family or make them all into vampires. Do as you please and go nuts.
9
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
Donkey Kong is probably one of the oldest franchises in gaming that continues to this day. From chasing bananas to beating up crooked crocs, good old Donkey Kong has been a barrel of fun for everyone. No matter how challenging his adventures may get, the stories have never been overly complicated as Donkey Kong and friends strive to save the day.
Back in a high-definition adventure, in Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, Donkey and Diddy’s bananas have been stolen by the evil Tikis. Like classic Donkey Kong Country, the gorgeous level design and music are pure engaging fun. Sure, there might be some parts that can get difficult, but never to the point where you stop enjoying it as you’re platforming through danger and riding rocket-powered barrels.
8
Ratchet & Clank
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
It’s a sci-fi adventure. It’s a stunning third-person shooter. It’s a wacky platformer. It’s Ratchet & Clank. What’s not to love about these games? The adventures of an alien mechanic named Ratchet and his trusty companion Clank — saving galaxies from the worst of the universe. It’s the best of science fiction meets comedy.
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Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart brings together everything players love about the games and sprinkles in a compelling, heartfelt story. The return of Dr. Nefarious, exploring parallel dimensions and the introduction of a new protagonist named Rivet. Along with its fluid controls and great gunplay, players get to utilize the new portal feature, which allows them to switch between worlds seamlessly. It’s a stunning experience that’s guaranteed to put a smile on every player’s face.
7
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic Mania Plus
Say what you will about the Sonic the Hedgehog games. Though they’ve had their ups and downs, that’s never stopped the blue hero from becoming a gaming icon. There’s just something about the series that keeps drawing fans in. It could be the fast-paced platforming, the incredible music or maybe it’s just Sonic and his roster of memorable friends and villains. Either way, the Sonic franchise is never lacking in charm.
And you’ll find plenty when enjoying Sonic Mania Plus. Designed for a modern audience, the game pays homage to classic side-scrolling platformers of the Sega Genesis era, featuring stunning animations and perfect pixel art. You won’t just be rolling around at the speed of sound in 2D landscapes as Sonic the Hedgehog either. Players can choose to play as Tails the Fox, Knuckles the Echidna, Mighty the Armadillo or Ray the Flying Squirrel.
6
Minecraft
Minecraft (2011)
The Minecraft franchise has certainly expanded over the years. It’s had books, toys, a movie and tons of gaming spin-offs. Minecraft’s blocky art style and unforgettable roster of mob creatures continue to entertain players of all ages. Of all its releases, however, the first remains the best.
You drop onto a map without an objective and are free to go anywhere and do whatever you want. Sure, getting taken out by a monster you failed to notice still stinks, and it can get nerve-racking at times, mining in the deep catacombs littered with danger, but it’s satisfying to build whatever you want in your own personal world. No rules, no deadlines, only you and your craft. Just keep an eye out for those troublesome creepers.
5
Super Mario
Super Mario 3D World
Of all Nintendo’s franchises, Super Mario is without any doubt their biggest. The famous red plumber has done everything from saving a princess to being a sports athlete, a racer and a doctor. Yet no matter how many comforting adventures he’s thrown into, Mario and his games are always guaranteed to be fun for everyone.
One of the finest examples has to be Super Mario 3D World. Made with some of the most vibrant and relaxing art designs yet, Mario must once again stop Bowser, but this time he’s not alone. Up to four players can join in the fun as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Toad, and all of them have their own unique abilities to make them play differently. Regardless of who you pick, the music, sound effects, varying worlds and power-ups promise hours of entertainment.
4
Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Playing Animal Crossing is like taking a break from reality in the most positive way. You’re given the freedom to customize and design an entire location any way you want. Along the way, your settlement will become populated with quirky villagers to mingle and interact with, like Tom Nook, the crooked tanuki or Isabelle, the best dog in video games and the best assistant a mayor could ask for.
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In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the gameplay is taken to the next level by allowing you to create your ideal island paradise. Without a goal hanging over your head, New Horizons is all about letting your creativity flow as you can design just about everything on your personal island. When you’re not building, you’re exploring and collecting new items and materials to make your island greater for you and your villagers. The only real stress you might experience with Animal Crossing is trying to make everything perfect.
3
Pokémon
Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu/Eevee!
The world of Pokémon requires no introduction as it’s one of the few gaming franchises players wish they could live in. Despite some changes in the graphics, the locations and the types of Pokémon, what makes this franchise so beloved has remained unchanged. You assume the role of a trainer and set out on an adventure with the colorful creatures you encounter and befriend, growing stronger as you progress through the region.
Fans may be divided over which is the best Pokémon or the best game, but many can agree that each has something fun to offer. For example, players return to the Kanto region in Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! Whoever is more to your liking, be it Pikachu or Eevee, once you’re partnered up, you set out in an exciting land populated by classic Pokémon.
2
LEGO
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
The LEGO franchise has always been the gift that keeps on giving. Between the overflow of amazing licenses they carry, from Marvel to Star Wars, there’s never a shortage of things to build, and the same goes for video games. Though the properties may differ, the core gameplay never gets boring. Roaming familiar worlds in LEGO form, building intriguing and clever creations, all while collecting shiny studs and characters to play as.
One of the best examples of what the franchise is capable of would be LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. Packaged with dozens of levels and locations centered around all nine movies, the game offers hours of fun that Star Wars fans and LEGO fans will love. Explore a galaxy with loads of open worlds littered with collectibles and secrets, ship-on-ship space battles and lightsaber duels, and play as over 380 characters you can unlock, which doesn’t even count the ones added in DLCs.
1
Tetris
Tetris Effect: Connected
Sometimes simplicity is all you need. It may seem ridiculous to make Tetris number one, but consider why this franchise is so feel-good. When players think Tetris, they know what’s going to happen. You’re not fighting to save the world and you’re not dealing with complicated controls. It’s just about having fun letting the blocks fall, arranging them in the right order and making them disappear. And if you lose, it’s never frustrating to the point where you want to quit.
It’s why Tetris Effect: Connected is so phenomenal. Considered one of the best stress-relievers out there, though the gameplay remains the same, it’s the presentation that makes it amazing. Each stage possesses a unique design, with gorgeous and almost hypnotic backgrounds, and most importantly, breathtaking music. Best of all, no matter which version you’re playing, Tetris is available for all platforms. Whether at home or on the go, Tetris can be enjoyed anywhere.
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