When you visit the App Store, you won’t find a category listed “winter games” and it is also quite an abstract concept.

However, there’s definitely a wintery feeling to certain games, and attributes that people crave when it comes to this time of the year. Some games even have seasonal designs and tweak their games when it comes to this time of the year.

What makes a good winter game?

Well, this varies depending on personal tastes. However, around this time of year a lot of people are looking for a few qualities:

  • A relaxed game. You may not want something too heavy or taxing when playing a mobile game in the cold snap of winter.
  • A cosy design. Charming and cosy vibes tend to be very much in-fashion at this time of the year, as people crave warmth and enjoy the friendlier games out there.
  • Puzzles and strategy games. For some reason, a lot of us associate this time of year with games involving puzzles or strategy, or that replicate some of the most popular board games. Historically, winter has been a time to sit and play board games with the family.

Everyone has a slightly different definition of a great winter game. For some of us, playing the year’s biggest blockbuster games around this time can be the ideal way to play as we were given these types of games as Christmas gifts when we were kids.

Let’s dive into some great wintery games.

Scrabble GO

Scrabble is a game a lot of us have played around the winter period. Picture days inside with a cup of hot chocolate and a couple of friends or family members, competing at the fine, historic game of Scrabble.

Scrabble GO provides a lot of that experience while still being portable and easy to play. You can play against people online and test your brain power.

It isn’t inherently wintery or Christmassy, but this is the exact type of game lots of us associate with this time of year.

Stardew Valley

A lot of people love Stardew Valley as it is so relaxed and straightforward. It is a farming simulator that allows people to build their own farm, which is inherited from a family member. The farming mechanics allow people to keep animals, plough the fields and take care of their crops.

There are tools to buy, and plenty of different people to meet around the area of Stardew Valley. This is where it turns into more of an RPG game, which has a similar vibe and feel to games like Pokémon.

A lot of the warmth and fun of the game comes from the characters within and the fact that players can explore their new “home”. The game does come with a challenge too and those who like simulator games will find that the building, growing and selling mechanics are rewarding.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp

A lot of people know that Animal Crossing is a really fun and cosy mobile game. It has a community feel to it and relatively slow pace of game, plus it has a huge social side to it.

The Pocket Camp edition of the game introduces you to recurring characters, including Isabelle, K.K. Slider and Tom Nook. Whether you have played Animal Crossing before or you are new to the franchise, it can be a lot of fun.

The game involves an element of trading and also allows people to create their own beautiful island space. There are loads of options to customise the avatars and even unlock specific seasonal events, so it can take on a really seasonal feel.

For players who have enjoyed the franchise before and those who love the graphic style of Nintendo games, Animal Crossing is a great option, and Pocket Camp is even more portable than its Switch alternative.

Penguin Isle

Speaking of a cosy, wintery theme, Penguin Isle is a simple city-builder that is really not challenging for the player. As well as having simple visuals, the game can pretty much manage itself, so players don’t need to stress about how they can keep their penguin iceberg happy!

The game has a sense of humour too. Who would have thought that Penguins were such fans of things like bakeries and theatres? There’s even a penguin Ferris wheel that you can create.

Players can continue to develop the island, earn points and plough this back into their penguin island. Plus, as you might expect from a game with a title like this, it has an awesome look to it, and the cartoony graphics are a perfect, seasonal game for the winter season. It may not be the sort of game that people use to challenge themselves, but it is incredibly relaxing.

Winter-themed casino games

There are casino games in pretty much every different style and theme you can possibly imagine, as well as plenty of casino bonuses that reward customers who sign up. Some even allow players to try out the site with a no-deposit bonus.

Winter-themed slots usually have cosy imagery that may focus on the snow and weather conditions or may also have more of a Christmas vibe. The holiday season is very popular for casinos, and people love to play slot games that represent the season and get them in the mood for the big day. Whether the imagery includes wrapped gifts and wintery imagery or has one of the quirkier designs out there, the winter games can be played on mobile and provide a portable way for players to engage.

Conclusion

Whether you’re used to playing word and board games at this time of year, or you’d rather dive into an RPG and a mythical, wintery land, there are many different options on the market. Games can also help you to feel nice and warm and relaxed on a cosy winter’s day by the fire.