New Cozy Game on Steam is Like Animal Crossing But Set 100% During Winter

As the wait for the next big Animal Crossing game continues, fans will inevitably be searching for alternatives to kill the time. While there are plenty of great cozy games out there that check some of the boxes, like Hello Kitty: Island Adventure, Disney Dreamlight Valley, and Tomadachi Life, a perfect match isn’t easy to come by. For that reason, players simply need to prioritize the aspects of Animal Crossing that matter most to them when seeking alternatives. And if the answer to that question is adorable animal critters, charming NPCs, and daily activities as opposed to customization and island design, then Steam’s Winter Whiskers could be up their alley.

To be clear, Winter Whiskers isn’t a massive game that players will pour hundreds of hours into, like Animal Crossing: New Horizons. There isn’t multiplayer, it doesn’t offer time-gated tasks to keep players hooked, and it doesn’t dangle hundreds of collectible items on a stick. It lacks multiple seasons that change the look of the areas, too, as this Steam game instead hones in on winter to drive both its gameplay and cozy vibe. But for players who need a 3-hour distraction, or just want to kill 15 minutes with a free demo, this relaxing game will surely be worth a look. What it lacks in size, it makes up for with heart, as a team of two developers has crafted a simple-but-adorable experience.

Winter Whiskers Features at a Glance

• MEET adorable animal NPCs while controlling a cute polar bear.
• CLEAR piles of snow to make the town beautiful and reach new areas.
• SOLVE steam puzzles to melt snow and warm up the town.
• COMPLETE tasks for NPCs and celebrate your hard work at a winter festival.

Winter Whiskers Looks Like Animal Crossing But Plays Like Powerwash Simulator

The Animal Crossing DNA within Winter Whiskers is clear as day, and it’s most obviously represented in the art style and character models. One of the critters players interact with is a mole in a mining outfit that has some undeniable Mr. Resetti vibes, and it’s likely that some of the other animals inhabiting the area will resemble Animal Crossing Villagers. Additionally, the main goal of the game — preparing and cleaning up the town for a Winter Festival — is a clear parallel to New Horizons’ main task of creating the ideal island for a KK Slider concert.

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However, while the game may look like Animal Crossing and gives players a similar goal to work toward, Winter Whiskers feels more like a reverse-Splatoon or Powerwash Simulator. The main gameplay mechanic sees players cleaning up snow all throughout the town, removing chunk by chunk in a deliberately satisfying way. There are no time constraints or pressure, but NPCs will give the player specific tasks to clean up specific areas or fix a local steam system. While a snowblower is used for removing snow, players need to put their minds to the test when it comes to fixing pipes and heating up the town. These simple puzzles add just enough variety to the gameplay loop to keep the game fun for its 3-hour runtime.

After cozy game fans have leisurely worked their way toward restoring the town’s beauty and cozy appeal, a winter festival will take place. Like Stardew Valley’s festivals or Animal Crossing’s plaza gatherings, this celebration will bring all the delightful NPCs together to party, allowing players to celebrate with the cute friends they made during their playtime. For anyone seeking a refresher after completing a big RPG that took them dozens of hours to finish, younger players seeking a simple experience to start their gaming journey, or Steam Deck owners wanting a bite-sized adventure for their next trip, Winter Whiskers is a winner. The same goes for Animal Crossing fans desperate to hang out with some sweet little animals again, as the cast of Winter Whiskers seems just as important to its vibe as the relaxing snow-clearing is.