Cosy fans may have been playing Cozy Caravan in early access since 2024, but the game officially rolls out today! In Cozy Caravan, you’re the newest adorable critter Guild Rookie, helping the residents of Harvestvale prepare for the Whizz Bang Fair. Developed by Brisbane-based 5 Lives Studio, Cozy Caravan embodies everything I think a cosy game should be — and makes for a lovely start to my 2026.
New Kids on the Block
As the newest Guild Rookie in town, you’re tasked with helping Harvestvale’s residents through fetch quests, farming, and customer service, all to build up your happiness (or love) meter. Fill it up to earn Guild Tokens, which you’ll use to upgrade your caravan — your transport, home, kitchen, and crafting station all rolled into one.
You can choose from a wide range of oh-so-cute animal avatars, including a raccoon, axolotl, beaver, and more. I especially appreciated that outfits come pre-styled, saving you from excessive colour tweaking — though I still spent far too long picking (and later changing) my look. It’s all part of the cosiness.
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Each in-game weekend, you can set up a market at different points of interest to sell in-demand items. Along the way, you may encounter a mysterious fortune teller who tips you off about the week’s hot items. Spend your weekdays prepping, crafting, and cooking so you can maximise that happiness meter come market day.
Smile and Wave
Cozy Caravan offers minimal hand-holding but is easy enough to pick up and play. I recommend using a controller for the best experience — it ran almost seamlessly on Steam Deck, and it feels like a perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch.
Quests are straightforward and often charmingly silly. One resident asked me to make a pile of hay so he could perform an Assassin’s Creed–style leap of faith; another wants to play hide-and-seek; a frog keeps losing bees — you get the picture. Completing these tasks boosts your happiness meter, so they’re worth tackling.
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Also, don’t underestimate the power of a friendly wave to the locals. It’s an easy way to build happiness without committing to another fetch quest. Petting and feeding Rigby — your trusty bee companion who pulls the caravan — helps too. Boosting Rigby’s stamina with food lets you travel faster, which is a godsend when you’re racing against the end of the day.
Testing Your Motor Skills
Cooking and sewing require some button-pressing and thumbstick coordination. At first, I found the repetition a little monotonous, but it soon became almost meditative. I’d definitely recommend prioritising batch-making upgrades so you can save time once things ramp up.
That said, a cancel button would be a welcome addition. After unlocking batch-making, I accidentally crafted far too many items more than once thanks to the multi-toggle feature — so go easy on those button presses. It’d also be great to somehow batch make different colours of the same items, instead of having to go through the motions again. Not a huge issue though, and some could even find it relaxing.
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Fishing, however, is one of the best implementations I’ve seen in a cosy game. It requires close attention to the water to time your reel-in, and I loved that each fishing spot only allows one catch at a time. Sustainable fishing? Very cosy.
A cosy caravan indeed
Cozy Caravan is, at its core, extremely cosy. I found the little nods to Aussie culture adorable — there was even a good “Yeah, nah, yeah” conversation I had with a tradie. Even Catto from Catto’s Post Office made it in, which was a lovely little surprise.
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Cozy Caravan is an easy game to wind down with, and I found myself happily pottering around Harvestvale at my own pace. While its lofi soundtrack and gentle pacing occasionally tipped into drowsy territory, it ultimately delivers exactly what it sets out to be: a calm, comforting, cosy caper.
Quest Daily scores Cozy Caravan:
8/10
Cozy Caravan is out now on Apple Arcade and PC via Steam and retails for around AUD $30. It’s coming to Nintendo Switch on January 16th.
A copy of Cozy Caravan was supplied to Quest Daily for this review.
