Best Switch Dating Sims That Aren’t Visual Novels

Video games can be about escapism, and for many people that means a love story. Gaming has some of the most beautiful romances of all media, but sometimes you want a little more gameplay than a visual novel offers. That’s where these games come in. Blending romantic stories with other gaming genres, they will warm your heart and your hands. Here are ten of our favorite dating sims on Switch that aren’t visual novels. Fire Emblem: Three Houses Image via Intelligent Systems Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a strategy RPG at its core, but the biggest decision you make is whether to join the Black Eagles, Blue Lions, or Golden Deer. In fact, it's one of the most iconic Switch dating sims. There are different characters you can romance, date, and eventually marry. Not only does this make you feel warm inside, but gives certain bonuses to those units. This idea isn’t unique to Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and the system is a key part of the Fire Emblem series. However, we’ve chosen Three Houses as our representative here, specifically because of the Three Houses system. Picking your houses locks you out of certain romance options, and gives you even more reason to start another playthrough. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Image via Monolith Soft This is a cheeky entry as there aren’t dating options in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, but there are a few games on this list that just have a romantic story at their core. The Xenoblade series is known for two things: beautifully synergistic action RPG gameplay, and a heartbreaking story. In the series the third entry has a special place in our hearts. The touching relationship between Noah and Mio aside – which we won’t be spoiling – those who are desperate for stats to go up can get that too. The affinity system allows characters to unlock new classes, and there are almost 20 characters you can recruit, giving players the best of both worlds. Stardew Valley Image via Concerned Ape If you don’t know what Stardew Valley is by now you have probably been living under a rock. The smash hit farming sim in the vein of Harvest Moon has taken over the life of many gamers. After your grandpa passes on, he offers you his old plot of farmland in the village of Stardew Valley. You start out by clearing out the farm so you can plant crops, and then you get invested in helping spirits rebuild the community center. There is a surprising amount going on in Stardew Valley. Aside from farming you will go mining, fishing, attend festivals, and of course date the people of the town. There are a dozen villagers that are single and ready to mingle. Getting married offers benefits, including the addition of children in your hand-built home. Just be prepared that if you decide to play Stardew Valley that you might lose hundreds of hours of your life to it. Undertale Image via Toby Fox You only get into the dating sim elements of Undertale after you have finished the main game, so if you’re looking explicitly for games with plenty of dates then you should probably pass on this one. However, it is one of the best games of all time, known for its excellent character development, unexpected writing and dialogue, and the way it twists players' expectations. Most people probably know the twist of Undertale at this point, but we won’t spoil it here just in case. It tells the story of a child who falls into a mysterious underworld filled with strange creatures who confront them at every turn. However, alongside those who attack them on sight, they find those who want to help. It’s about the relationships we have with others, and most of all forgiveness. Unpacking Image via Witch Beam You don’t choose who you date in Unpacking, but you do experience the main character's romantic history, including the highs and lows through the gameplay. It’s the epitome of show don’t tell, where the entire story is told via the things that are taken with them when they move house. The house itself tells a story, as our protagonist moves from her parents house, to a shared house, to a partner’s house, and back to their parents’ house again, and beyond. It’s amazing just how much can be conveyed without a single word. Instead, you can see not just how their relationships blossom or wilt, but their career path, their religion, and their hobbies. Above all decorating and organizing the different places they live is incredibly satisfying even if you don’t care for the wordless story of love and loss. Catherine: Full Body Image via Atlus Created by many of the people who also worked on the modern Persona series, Catherine: Full Body shows more than a few of those games’ signature hallmarks. The story starts with our main character Vincent, who has been with his girlfriend Katherine for a long time. She is beginning to grow impatient waiting for marriage, and give him an ultimatum. Following this very serious conversation he finds himself waking up every morning to the young, seductive Catherine.

Mar 31, 2025 - 18:56

Best Switch Dating Sims That Aren’t Visual Novels

Video games can be about escapism, and for many people that means a love story. Gaming has some of the most beautiful romances of all media, but sometimes you want a little more gameplay than a visual novel offers. That’s where these games come in. Blending romantic stories with other gaming genres, they will warm your heart and your hands. Here are ten of our favorite dating sims on Switch that aren’t visual novels.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a strategy RPG at its core, but the biggest decision you make is whether to join the Black Eagles, Blue Lions, or Golden Deer. In fact, it's one of the most iconic Switch dating sims. There are different characters you can romance, date, and eventually marry. Not only does this make you feel warm inside, but gives certain bonuses to those units.

This idea isn’t unique to Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and the system is a key part of the Fire Emblem series. However, we’ve chosen Three Houses as our representative here, specifically because of the Three Houses system. Picking your houses locks you out of certain romance options, and gives you even more reason to start another playthrough.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

This is a cheeky entry as there aren’t dating options in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, but there are a few games on this list that just have a romantic story at their core. The Xenoblade series is known for two things: beautifully synergistic action RPG gameplay, and a heartbreaking story. In the series the third entry has a special place in our hearts.

The touching relationship between Noah and Mio aside – which we won’t be spoiling – those who are desperate for stats to go up can get that too. The affinity system allows characters to unlock new classes, and there are almost 20 characters you can recruit, giving players the best of both worlds.

Stardew Valley

If you don’t know what Stardew Valley is by now you have probably been living under a rock. The smash hit farming sim in the vein of Harvest Moon has taken over the life of many gamers. After your grandpa passes on, he offers you his old plot of farmland in the village of Stardew Valley. You start out by clearing out the farm so you can plant crops, and then you get invested in helping spirits rebuild the community center.

There is a surprising amount going on in Stardew Valley. Aside from farming you will go mining, fishing, attend festivals, and of course date the people of the town. There are a dozen villagers that are single and ready to mingle. Getting married offers benefits, including the addition of children in your hand-built home. Just be prepared that if you decide to play Stardew Valley that you might lose hundreds of hours of your life to it.

Undertale

You only get into the dating sim elements of Undertale after you have finished the main game, so if you’re looking explicitly for games with plenty of dates then you should probably pass on this one. However, it is one of the best games of all time, known for its excellent character development, unexpected writing and dialogue, and the way it twists players' expectations.

Most people probably know the twist of Undertale at this point, but we won’t spoil it here just in case. It tells the story of a child who falls into a mysterious underworld filled with strange creatures who confront them at every turn. However, alongside those who attack them on sight, they find those who want to help. It’s about the relationships we have with others, and most of all forgiveness.

Unpacking

You don’t choose who you date in Unpacking, but you do experience the main character's romantic history, including the highs and lows through the gameplay. It’s the epitome of show don’t tell, where the entire story is told via the things that are taken with them when they move house. The house itself tells a story, as our protagonist moves from her parents house, to a shared house, to a partner’s house, and back to their parents’ house again, and beyond.

It’s amazing just how much can be conveyed without a single word. Instead, you can see not just how their relationships blossom or wilt, but their career path, their religion, and their hobbies. Above all decorating and organizing the different places they live is incredibly satisfying even if you don’t care for the wordless story of love and loss.

Catherine: Full Body

Created by many of the people who also worked on the modern Persona series, Catherine: Full Body shows more than a few of those games’ signature hallmarks. The story starts with our main character Vincent, who has been with his girlfriend Katherine for a long time. She is beginning to grow impatient waiting for marriage, and give him an ultimatum. Following this very serious conversation he finds himself waking up every morning to the young, seductive Catherine.

By day Vincent talks about his dilemma with his friends at his favorite bar The Stray Sheep, which is where he also meets his third potential love interest, the kind-hearted Rin. He also tries to guide the other customers of the bar through the struggles of their lives. At night, he is stuck climbing a nightmarish tower of block puzzles, alongside the other customers, who are also working through their issues as well. A trippy and heart-warming adventure.

Cassette Beasts

Cassette Beasts is a creature collector like Pokémon, but it bears only a passing resemblance to Game Freak’s monster franchise. Instead of catching beasts you will record them on ‘90s style cassette tapes, and though you use them in battle, the one that’s truly in the firing line is you. Unlike the Pokémon games you will never be fighting alone; the power of friendship is always on your side.

As you continue through the story you will find more characters to join you on your journey. They each have their own missions they are trying to accomplish. If you help them out, then you will grow closer to them either as friends or, if you like, lovers in this Switch dating sim. Except the dog. You aren’t allowed to date the dog.

Eternights

Many Switch dating sims add romantic elements as just another feature that you can choose to interact with or not. Eternights puts the dating part of the action RPG at the forefront, and the ending that you receive completely changes based on who you choose. It’s one of the most impactful dating choices in gaming, outside of a visual novel.

The apocalypse is here, and after a long stint in an underground dungeon you emerge to find that those who remained on the surface have turned into monsters. After a supernatural encounter where your arm is ripped off and replaced with a weapon, you decide to get to the heart of the issue alongside any survivors you find along the way. Luckily, most of those survivors happen to be cute girls.

Boyfriend Dungeon

Boyfriend Dungeon does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a dungeon crawler that is full of boyfriends, girlfriends, non-binary friends, and a cat. Set in a world of wielders and weapons, you create a bond with your armory who also happen to be handsome suitors. The stronger your bond when your weapons are in human/feline form, the better they perform in the dungeons.

What makes Boyfriend Dungeon unique is how it handles your relationships. Some partners will be happy with you dating around, others will want you to be monogamous. Some are just a fling, and others want to be your life-long love. There are many flavors of relationship, and even some hidden suitors to find.

A Space for the Unbound

This is one of the few games that has made me cry ugly tears, and that is a testament to how touching the story is. A Space for the Unbound isn't really a Switch dating sim with stats that go up and down, but it does tell the touching romance between Atma and Raya. When Raya is having a hard time Atma is always there to cheer her up, but he’s left unsure if that’s the right thing to do.

Raya discovers that she has developed psychic abilities that allow her to warp the world around her to her whims. Atma explores the Indonesian village in which they both live, and has to decide what the best course of action is to help her. As he is dragged through many of her painful memories, he has to decide whether placating her, or tough love is the best way to help Raya heal in this heartwarming story.

Have you checked out any of these visual novels? If so, let us know in the comments below!

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