Happy Hobbit Day to all! Today should be a day of relaxation and a ton of food! Obviously, you could celebrate by cracking open one of the books or putting on a movie marathon on TV. Hell, maybe the more crafty of us might be in the kitchen making Lembas Bread, complete with banana leaf wrapping for authenticity.
All of these options are fantastic ways to celebrate the day, but what about those of us in the gaming mood? What games can we turn to for a certifiably cozy and Hobbit-approved time?
Obviously, the clear answer should be Tales of the Shire, which does make it to the honorable mentions list, but is that really the only game that could get the job done?
I don’t think so, and I’ve taken a few liberties with this list by offering up a homesteading option, the all-important cooking option, and, for the more unsettled fool of a Took, an adventure to the mines!
Certified Cozy Games for Hobbit Day!
Wylde Flowers
You really can’t get a more Hobbity feeling game than one that offers cooking, mining, farming, AND magic with otherworld sentient beings. I mean, it has it all right down to a villain trying to turn the tides of an entire town.
I’m sure you’re sick of me recommending this by now. So, get it already, it’s good for every occasion!
Venba
You’re not surprised by this being added, right? This whole game is surrounded by food and making it. What could be more Hobbity than creating and sharing the food from your childhood? It’s the Hobbit way, and Venba does a wonderful job of letting the player cook in such a bright and cozy environment.
Gemporium
Listen, I haven’t played this game (though I’ve wanted to), and I may have chosen it to make a specific pun. But, come on, guys, Mines of Gemporia? Eh? Eeehhh? I’ll stop.
Live out your Drawven dreams by mining for treasures that you can use to spin a profit! It’s Tolkien-approved!
Honorable Mention
You may be asking yourself why Tales of the Shire wasn’t featured front and center. It’s the obvious choice, and to some, it may seem silly to look any further. However, if it weren’t a literal Lord of the Rings game, I wouldn’t have added it to the list because I don’t like to make these lists with games that have been reviewed at a score lower than 7.
Unfortunately, Tales of the Shire had some issues that were hard to look past, and while it has the capacity to be cozy, there’s a lot working against it that kind of kills the enjoyment. This doesn’t mean that you can’t jump in and enjoy it 1,000%, I just believe that more thought and care could have gone into the game. As it stands, it has Hobbits and it takes place in Bywater, but there’s a disconnect in this game that doesn’t make you feel like you’re genuinely in a Tolkien universe.
And, yeah, maybe that’s being pedantic considering the other games above aren’t specific to the universe, but they weren’t trying to be. They didn’t literally sell themselves on the promise of it. So, that’s my two cents on that.
No matter how you choose to celebrate today or with what, I hope you have the coziest of days with a full belly and maybe even a bit of pipe-weed for those who partake.
While you’re here, go ahead and check out some of our other lists: 4 (Not So) Scary Fall Games To Cozy Up With and 3 cozy cafe games that will have appreciative customers.
Sound off in the comments and let us know which games you’d pick for Hobbit Day!
