Dating sims are great. They have a bit of a reputation for being creepy, but as with a lot of things related to gaming, the reality is far more wholesome. They let you experience the excitement of a new relationship without the anxiety of a first date. They can also be nice break from reality, since the only thing you have to do is flirt with cute strangers.
Some are funny, others are outlandish, and some are grounded in reality. No matter which kind of romantic adventure you’re looking for, there’s a dating sim you can fall in love with. Below, we’ve rounded up 5 of the best dating sims on PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Switch.
Game Grumps
Dream Daddy
In Dream Daddy, you play as a single dad looking for love in your new neighbourhood. There are seven other hot, single dads on your street and you can go on dates with them all before starting a relationship with your dream daddy.
The game was praised for its writing and the sincere way it handles topics like toxic masculinity and sexuality. It’s also very funny and the dads are all unique, driven characters you can’t help but fall for.
Available on: PC, macOS, PlayStation 4 and Switch
PigeoNation Inc. and Mediatonic
Hatoful Boyfriend
Hatoful Boyfriend started as an April Fools joke intended to satirise the dating sim genre, but the response was so positive that the devs turned it into a real game.
You play as the only human at an elite school where the other students are, for reasons that aren’t entirely explained, birds. It’s a weird premise but strong writing and a branching narrative pull you into what’s genuinely a funny and engaging story.
Available on: PC, macOS and PlayStation 4
Kitfox Games
Boyfriend Dungeon
Boyfriend Dungeon is more involved than other dating sims, requiring you to fight in a series of dungeon crawler battles. Your weapon for these fights? A hot human who can transform into a sentient weapon.
Between fights, you can date your partner in visual novel-style sequences that have the added bonus of making their weapon form more powerful.
Available on: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Switch
Fiction Factory Games
Arcade Spirits
You just got a job at the Funplex game arcade, and all of your customers and co-workers are hot. In this visual novel, you’ll work to help make the arcade successful and make choices that will affect your future love life.
Arcade Spirits was praised for its soundtrack, art style and sharp, funny writing that’s apparent in the choices you’ll make throughout the game.
Available on: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4 and Switch
Psyop
I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator
Yes, KFC made a dating sim and yes, you can romance a young, hot colonel who looks like he just walked out of a CW show. It might sound like a tacky marketing ploy, but I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator is actually a well-made, funny take on the genre.
When the game starts, you’ve just enrolled at culinary school and must make the right choices to become the colonel’s business partner — and so much more.
Available on: PC and masOS
