Best Open-World Games That Make You Happy

Summary

• These open-world picks focus on charm, accessibility and smiles over brutal difficulty.
• Small, vibrant worlds offer laid-back exploration and joy.
• From FF7 Rebirth to Spider-Man and South Park, variety ensures casual players find a happy fit.

There are a lot of intense open-world games out there these days, considering how popular this type of game has become. The genre really took off after the first HD generation, and now there are so many to choose from, across a plethora of consoles. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring are among the first that come to mind. However, they may be too intense for casual audiences who just want to have a good time.

That’s why these open-world games are worth a look and a playthrough. They may not all be as groundbreaking as Breath of the Wild, but what they accomplish will bring a smile to anyone’s face while playing.

Another Crab’s Treasure

A Charming Soulslike

Another Crab’s Story is a Soulslike, and a challenging one at that, but it’s hard to feel discouraged in a bright undersea adventure such as this. Playing the hermit crab Kril, gamers can travel between undersea kingdoms in a small, but populated, open-world adventure.

Different pieces of trash can serve as Kril’s shell, boosting various stats to defend against the infected residents of the deep. While vanquishing foes, it will be hard not to smile and hum “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid, even during some of Another Crab’s Treasure’s most frustrating moments.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist Of Memories & The Envisioned Land

Herbal Up

Like the other Atelier games, this game offers an easy-to-understand gameplay loop. This is a great entry in the series to start with, as the world is bigger than ever and a lot of quality of life features were added.

As an alchemist, players have to go out and fight monsters for materials and EXP. Then, they can go back to their office and craft potions, and create other items to complete quests too. From the charming visuals to the chill atmosphere, this is an easy recommendation that is fun to play, offering happy-go-lucky vibes of adventure.

Donkey Kong Bananza

Go Bananas

Donkey Kong Bananza doesn’t take place in one seamless horizontal open-world. Instead, it is instead divided vertically into Sublayers. Donkey Kong feels more powerful than he has in any other game in the franchise, as he can punch through terrain with ease and even use that terrain to surf around on land or water.

When players aren’t destroying the environments looking for treasure, they can use their resources to get costumes for Pauline and DK. They can also build hideouts to rest in or give NPCs Gold to rebuild certain sections of the world, like restoring a collapsed bridge. With DK’s goofy smiles and Pauline’s positive attitude, this game exudes happiness and fun.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

The Middle Chapter Is Always Best

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the second remake in the Final Fantasy 7 trilogy, and it’s the game fans of the overall franchise have wanted for so long. It’s a real open-world game with tons to see. There are side quests galore, and mini-games too.

The story is dark in places, but the game never fails to inject humor in the right spots, from Barret looking like a marshmallow in a sailor suit to a bar of bald officers singing how great it is to be shaved. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth never ceases to surprise and delight its audience, which is a feat.

Hogwarts Legacy

An Adventure In The Wizarding World At Last

Hogwarts Legacy finally gave Harry Potter fans what they wanted since the first book was published in 1997. Set as a prequel, players can go to Hogwarts and be a student after they create their character. While it doesn’t add much difference to the overall story, players can choose their House as well. Exploring the school grounds will make fans giddy, and the overall world is pretty impressive on foot or on a broomstick. Hogwarts Legacy may be missing Harry Potter, but it’s not missing the magic.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom

Zelda Gets Her Due

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom was a smaller game compared to the previous two 3D Zelda games, but it did not miss the spice that makes the Zelda games worth playing. As Zelda, players can explore one of the biggest versions of Hyrule in a top-down game.

It was non-linear for the most part, as Zelda can absorb and create materials with her new staff, which aided her in battles and her puzzle-solving needs. It’s not too difficult, as it pushes the whimsy forward rather than the challenge.

Marvel’s Spider-Man

A Swing And A Hit

Marvel’s Spider-Man is the first game from Insomniac featuring the character. The studio had a good track record up to that point, but Spider-Man games did not. So, it was quite possible the game could have launched as a dud, but it did better than anyone could have predicted.

The combat is fast and fluid, whether players web up their villains stealthily or up close and personal. The story draws from decades of lore but manages to do its own thing. Plus, all the Easter eggs and costumes pleased fans with this game, and the rest of Insomniac’s Spider-Man games.

South Park: The Stick of Truth

EarthBound Crass

South Park: The Stick of Truth is easily the best game based on the South Park license. Similar to Hogwarts Legacy, it gave fans a chance to explore the world of South Park thoroughly and with their own child character. It was a celebration of the series with lots of callbacks from Chef to ManBearPig, and what South Park fan could resist an indulgent game like this? Perhaps its greatest achievement beyond the references was the solid turn-based RPG gameplay, which drew from the best like EarthBound.