Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Want to add more newsletters? Every Friday Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them. Every Thursday GTA 6 O'clock Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts. Every Friday Knowledge From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon. Every Thursday The Setup Every Wednesday Switch 2 Spotlight Every Saturday The Watchlist Once a month SFX Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month! Puppy Park is my latest Steam Next Fest obsession, and with good reason – it's a colorful, far more modern take on my ever-beloved childhood favorite, Nintendogs. A whopping 15 years have passed since the last Nintendogs entry dropped on the 3DS, and while I admittedly do still play it, I've itched for something new that carries that same cozy caring-for-animals vibe… and now, I have it. Puppy Park, as it's so aptly named, is a cute indie game that developer TM39 describes as allowing us to run "a tiny dog hotel for pups of every breed and personality" – and that's exactly what it does. Set in the ever-so-peaceful countryside, Puppy Park takes the things I loved most about Nintendogs – taking care of precious puppies and customization – and makes them central to the game. New good boys and girls arrive daily, each with their own unique personalities and needs. As players, we're tasked with pampering the pups with treats, grooming them so they look and feel their best, and taking them on scenic walks. Dogpile is a roguelike deckbuilder with shades of Tetris and Balatro that has me trying to make the biggest dog 90 minutes with Pokemon Pokopia convinced me this could be the biggest cozy game since Animal Crossing I've played Starsand Island for 25 hours, and this is the most invested I've been in a cozy game for years As soon as I saw Puppy Park and its new free demo on Steam, I knew that I couldn't miss it – the little girl still deep within me yearned to re-experience her Nintendogs-filled childhood again, now in her 20s. So, I obliged, and I'm very happy that I did. I'm not only obsessed with the wholesome aesthetic or premise of TM39's game so far, but also the real-time gameplay loop that'll keep me coming back to oversee dogs daily. It reminds me of Nintendogs, once again, and how I'd open my DS religiously every day to try and nail every competition while ensuring my puppies were walked and well looked after. Puppy Park is similar in the sense that I'll probably spend half an hour or so in-game one day, and then rinse and repeat the next. It's the perfect after-work boost, if you ask me – second only to my real-life doggos, of course. There's not a lot of time left now until Puppy Park releases in full, either – it's set to launch next month, on March 9. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have virtual dogs to check on. Hoping to unwind even more after Puppy Park? Browse through our big roundup of the best relaxing games out there available to play right now.