These are the best video games for reducing stress, according to a new report

A new report has unveiled the best video games for reducing stress

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The study, commissioned by The Northerner, saw experts pull together a shortlist of popular cosy video games “compiled through a variety of reputable articles and reviews”. A “percentrank formula” was then used to calculate each title’s “cosy score”, with the results used to create a top twenty best games for reducing stress list.

Topping the list is farming life simulation game Stardew Valley with a cosy score of 9.4, while Animal Crossing: New Horizons came in second with a score of 9.2.

Mario Party Superstars, Disney Dreamlight Valley and New Pokémon Snap also featured on the list of best video games for reducing stress. Check out the top 20 below.

1. 1. Stardew Valley
   2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
   3. A Short Hike
   4. Lil Gator Game
   5. Strange Horticulture
   6. Night In The Woods
   7. Dorfromantik
   8. Coral Island
   9. Unpacking
   10. Mario Party Superstars
   11. Loop Hero
   12. Disney Dreamlight Valley
   13. Love, Ghostie
   14. New Pokémon Snap
   15. Coffee Talk
   16. A Little To The Left
   17. Tavern Talk
   18. Story Of Seasons: A Wonderful Life
   19. Donut Country
   20. Cozy Grove

Back in August, the findings of a two-year survey confirmed that playing video games can relieve stress as well as improve mental health but only if use is limited.

“Our natural experiment showed that video gaming positively impacted mental wellbeing, but gaming for over three hours had decreasing psychological benefits,” the authors wrote in the Nature Human Behaviour peer-reviewed journal

According to the data, children, women and less-experienced gamers who played a Nintendo Switch saw the most positive outcomes, while it was adult men and childless households who benefited the most from owning a PS5.

One month later, an academic study conducted by Oxford University found that playing PowerWash Simulator gave a majority of gamers an “uplift” in their mood “comparable with changes seen in other leisure activities such as reading, shopping, or listening to music.”

In other news, Minecraft players can now listen to all their favourite artists thanks to the launch of in-game radio stations.

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