Wholesome Snack 2024 showcased numerous upcoming titles for the Nintendo Switch during The Game Awards, featuring a range of cozy and heartfelt games. The event, held just two days before the awards, presented a 35-minute display highlighting games that emphasize comfort and creative storytelling. Several titles lack specific console confirmations but are anticipated to be available on the Switch or its successor.
Highlights from the Wholesome Snack showcase
Among the featured games is Capy Castaway, which follows a capybara and a crow on a whimsical adventure in their quest to find home. While it is not confirmed for Switch, its captivating premise, inspired by both Spirited Away and Untitled Goose Game, suggests it’s highly likely to cross platforms.
Piece by Piece is set for a 2025 release and invites players to manage a repair shop in a forest, where they help animals fix various gadgets. The gameplay features maintaining the shop, engaging with local stories, and cultivating plants for dyes.
Pine: A Story of Loss, launching on December 13, 2024, explores themes of grief through the eyes of a woodcutter mourning his wife. This short game features beautiful animation that aims to resonate with players who have faced similar experiences.
New downloadable content for Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley will arrive on December 17, bringing players back to Moominvalley for a romantic story involving a character named Fuddler, who seeks help in expressing his feelings.
Little Rocket Lab is another anticipated title for 2025, where players assist protagonist Morgan in building a rocket while managing a vibrant village filled with NPCs. The game combines resource management with charming pixel art aesthetics.
The showcase also revealed Naiad, available now, offering serene gameplay where players float down a river, interacting with nature while avoiding pollution caused by humans.
Sky: Children of the Light will feature an Alice in Wonderland collaboration, launching on December 23, 2024, adding a new party atmosphere to the existing MMO adventure.
Despelote is set in Quito, Ecuador, and places players into the shoes of a young boy deeply immersed in the world of soccer, set against the backdrop of a nation pursuing World Cup qualifications in 2001.
Other titles include Sugardew Island, set for release in March 2025, which combines farming with running a shop, Winter Burrow, a cozy survival game about rebuilding a mouse’s home, and TOEM 2, which follows the beloved black-and-white photography adventure in a new narrative.
Among the eclectic mix is A Waddleful Life, where players guide a mama duck and her ducklings upon their hatch, and Aikyam, featuring turn-based combat in a vibrant fantasy inspired by Bollywood dance.
This year’s Wholesome Snack includes a total of 24 game announcements, showcasing a variety of genres from life simulations to adventure puzzlers. The event continues to demonstrate the growing interest in titles that prioritize narrative depth, artistic charm, and gameplay that evokes warmth and comfort. With several releases scheduled into 2025, gamers have much to look forward to as they prepare for a cozy 2025.
Featured image credit: Eric Mclean/Unsplash
