This Cozy Stardew Valley-Like Is Finally Coming to Switch 2, But Its Steam Price Is Hard to Resist
With every passing day, it feels like cozy games are slowly taking over the industry, offering players relaxing gameplay loops that lend to a true escape from the stresses of real life. Since 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, especially, the genre has seen a massive rise in popularity, and it has increased exponentially each year as more developers get on the bandwagon and follow in the footsteps of developers like ConcernedApe, the creator of Stardew Valley. Dinkum, an open-world survival crafting farm sim by James Bendon and KRAFTON, is one such cozy game, which launched in April 2025 and has gained a significant following since.
Like many cozy games, Dinkum is built for handheld play, making the recent announcement of its upcoming arrival on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 some of its best news yet. As more of a Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing hybrid than an echo of one or the other, both of which thrive on portability, Dinkum is the perfect fit for a handheld console like the Switch 2. However, even with its Switch arrival being just around the corner — November 5, 2025, to be exact — Steam Deck owners might prefer to get the game right now, as Steam’s Autumn Sale currently has Dinkum at its lowest price yet.
Dinkum Just Hit Its Lowest Price on Steam
Dinkum Is a Cozy Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing Hybrid Perfect for Handheld Play
Stardew Valley has undoubtedly become something of a standard for cozy games, to the point that what feels like a multitude of games have been inspired by it since its release. Dinkum is certainly one of those, although it doesn’t necessarily commit to Stardew Valley‘s mechanics alone and instead borrows from Animal Crossing as well. On the Stardew Valley spectrum, Dinkum lets players plant crops, raise animals, and manage agricultural systems, just as many farm life sims have in the past. There’s a heavy emphasis on resource (ores, minerals, and artifacts) gathering as well, and players work toward better tools and licenses that let them access more content or do tasks more efficiently.
As far as Dinkum‘s Animal Crossing vibes go, however, players gradually bring new residents to their settlement, build homes, shops, and expand the town’s layout — an iconic aspect of Animal Crossing gameplay. Players can also place crops, design pathways, and decorate their land, in addition to exploring, catching fauna, contributing to collections, and showing off their discoveries. Perhaps the biggest difference between Dinkum and Animal Crossing is its pacing, which is largely in the hands of players instead of it being a rigid cycle.
Dinkum Is Currently 30% Off on Steam
Dinkum was already not very expensive, with an original price tag of only $19.99. Even without a sale, that makes it only $5 more than Stardew Valley, which is nearly ten years old now. Nevertheless, Dinkum has officially hit its lowest price ever on Steam, with a 30% mark down that makes it only $13.99. It’s not a huge gash in the game’s original price, but it’s hard to resist when the Nintendo Switch pre-order price is only 10% off at $17.99. Furthermore, even though Dinkum is arguably better when it’s played on a handheld gaming platform, it runs like a dream on PC, so those without a Steam Deck can still enjoy it all the same.
There’s no telling yet when Dinkum will be on sale again, especially a price like this. Considering the game came out in April and has only just now hit its lowest price, it’ll likely be quite some time before it has another sale. As such, with the Steam Autumn Sale ending on October 6, cozy fans might want to snatch up this deal before it’s gone. Plus, if they’re not sure whether Dinkum will be up their alley, they can download the demo on Steam and give it a try before they commit.
