Studio Ghibli Meets Animal Crossing In Cosy Steam Freebie

If you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli and Animal Crossing, then you’ll want to check out this Steam game that you can play for free right now.

Studio Ghibli has been around since 1985 and has inspired many animated movies over the years, whether it’s in Japan or in the West.

Sure, many of the movies may be heartbreaking, resulting in countless tears being shed, but in their own way, the stunning animated Studio Ghibli movies are about as cosy as it gets. Just be prepared to be taken on a rollercoaster of emotions.

However, it’s not just the world of cinema that Studio Ghibli inspires, because its influence also extends to video games and beyond. One such game, with a strong dose of the beloved Nintendo franchise, Animal Crossing, is called Ooble Gardens.

“Step into Ooble Gardens, a cosy world where you play as an Ooble gardener, tending to a giant garden pot in a quiet backyard,” reads the synopsis of the game on Steam.

“Care for the playful Oobles by crafting their dream fairy garden. Using the offerings they give you, merge and combine to discover an endless variety of cosy furniture to decorate the garden with!”

As for the Animal Crossing series, this has been one of Nintendo’s most popular properties since its inception on the GameCube in 2001. For years, fans have not only enjoyed creating their own paradise island but also sharing it with the ever-vibrant community.

Sadly, it’s been a good few years since the release of a new Animal Crossing game, so hopefully, its next entry will arrive on the Nintendo Switch 2 sooner rather than later.

Developed and published by the indie team at Nova Games, Ooble Gardens looks like it could be a lot of fun, especially if you enjoy being immersed in charming farming games, such as Stardew Valley.

“I'm in love with these little guys now,” said KDawgwiththebeats in a comments section of a YouTube Shorts video.

“Tiny little guys!!!” yelled Joltz.

“I'm going to hunt and then stuff Ooble’s to create Ooble plushes,” declared 8bittortel839.

Ooble Gardens does not have a release date at the time of writing, but that doesn't mean that you can't get a taste of the game right now, because you can download its demo on Steam today.

Hopefully, Ooble Gardens plays as good as it looks in the trailers. Finally, be sure to wishlist the game on Steam to be notified of its release date.