Games Like DAVE THE DIVER

DREDGE is a single-player fishing adventure with a sinister undercurrent. Sell your catch, upgrade your boat, and dredge the depths for long-buried secrets. Explore a mysterious archipelago and discover why some things are best left forgotten.

Why similar: Fishing 61.7% ★, Exploration 14.1%, RPG 6.5%, Adventure 5.6%, Simulation 5.3%

Why You'll Like It: It captures Dave's fishing-and-exploration compulsion loop brilliantly, though with a much darker mood and less cozy management.

Craft your culinary adventure in a beautiful pixel art world. Manage your restaurants, forage and hunt for ingredients, befriend locals, and grow your culinary empire. What kind of chef will you be?

Why similar: Management 26.4%, Pixel Graphics 19.1%, Crafting 13.2%, RPG 12.2%, Relaxing 10.8%

Why You'll Like It: Its appeal is very close to Dave's: explore, source ingredients, meet townsfolk, and build up a restaurant in a charming pixel-art world.

Moonlighter is an Action RPG with rogue-lite elements that demonstrates two sides of the coin – revealing everyday routines of Will, an adventurous shopkeeper that secretly dreams of becoming a hero.

Why similar: Management 26%, Pixel Graphics 18.8%, Roguelite 16.1%, RPG 10%, Exploration 9%

Why You'll Like It: It nails the same addictive structure of venturing out for resources and valuables, then coming back to run and upgrade a shop around what you found.

A super cute and tasty roguelite-flavored dungeon crawler! Explore a lush world and defeat monsters with your trusty spatula and some boba tea, then gather delicious ingredients and bring them home to cook and serve at your restaurant!

Why similar: Management 43.6%, Roguelite 19.6%, Simulation 13.5%, RPG 13.1%, Casual 10.2%

Why You'll Like It: Like Dave, it mixes action-packed ingredient gathering with the cozy management of a food business built around your hauls.

Embark on a journey as a rookie angler in Moonglow Bay, fulfilling your partner's final wish. Team up with friends, family, and neighbours to hone your fishing skills, nourish relationships, and restore a remote town's fractured community in this slice-of-life fishing RPG!

Why similar: Fishing 59.3% ★, Relaxing 15.7%, RPG 11.4%, Casual 6.9%, Adventure 6.6%

Why You'll Like It: This is one of the closest fishing-first alternatives, combining relaxed catching, sea-life discovery, cooking, and selling in a wholesome story-driven town.

Craft, farm, build and cook! In Travellers Rest you will have to use all the available tools to become the best tavern keeper in the realm. Create unique dishes and drinks to please your customers as you discover the world and its colorful characters.

Why similar: Farming Sim 30.6%, Management 24.8%, Pixel Graphics 17%, Crafting 10.9%, RPG 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: It scratches the management side of Dave especially well by letting you gather, craft, serve guests, and steadily expand a hospitality business.

Catch & Cook is a fishing adventure game in which you are not only a fisherman, but also a restaurant owner. Explore the ocean, catch fish and cook them in your own restaurant. A wide variety of fish, recipes and gameplay mechanics await you. So, what are you waiting for?

Why similar: Fishing 40.4% ★, Underwater 22.3% ★, Relaxing 8.7%, Exploration 7.5%, RPG 7.1%

Why You'll Like It: It shares Dave's satisfying fish-what-you-need then prepare-and-profit rhythm, with a stronger emphasis on open-ended island adventure.

You've inherited your grandfather's old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home?

Why similar: Farming Sim 26.9%, Agriculture 15.1% ★, Fishing 12.2% ★, Pixel Graphics 12%, Relaxing 9.8%

Why You'll Like It: It delivers the same easygoing progression, fishing, relationship-building, and 'one more day' structure that makes Dave so hard to put down.

Embark on a relaxing tropical adventure in this cozy fishing RPG! Explore wondrous locations and befriend a charming cast of characters on your quest to become a master angler and discover the true meaning of paradise!

Why similar: Fishing 40.1% ★, Farming Sim 17.6%, Pixel Graphics 12.7%, Relaxing 10.1%, RPG 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: This is a laid-back pixel-art fishing RPG that channels Dave's lighter, more relaxing side and steady sense of progression.

Coral Island is a vibrant, laid-back farm sim reimagined with multiplayer! Experience enchanting island life at your own pace: farm with friends, nurture animals, build relationships, hang out with a diverse cast of characters, and dive into the magical Merfolk Kingdom.

Why similar: Farming Sim 29.7%, Fishing 18.7% ★, Agriculture 15.7% ★, Relaxing 10.3%, Crafting 8.6%

Why You'll Like It: Its relaxed pacing, fishing, diving elements, and town-improvement loop make it a strong cozy alternative even without the restaurant focus.

Build and manage a medieval graveyard while facing ethical dilemmas and making questionable decisions. Welcome to Graveyard Keeper, the most inaccurate medieval cemetery sim of the year.

Why similar: Management 20.2%, Pixel Graphics 20.1%, Crafting 19.6%, Agriculture 12.8% ★, RPG 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: This is a great fit if you liked Dave's quirky humor and management grind, just with a darker setting and more crafting systems.

Bear and Breakfast is a laid-back management adventure game where you build and run a bed and breakfast...but you’re a bear.

Why similar: Management 24.2%, Crafting 17%, Relaxing 15.6%, RPG 9.9%, Simulation 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: It captures the cozy-business side of Dave through charming management, guest satisfaction, and steady expansion in a lighthearted world.

A brand new pixel art restaurant simulator based on the Touhou Project! Play as Mystia, the owner of a small izakaya. Collect ingredients by day, cater to the customers by night, learn recipes from familiar characters, and become the best izakaya owner in all of Gensokyo!

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 36.7%, RPG 18.6%, Simulation 17.1%, Casual 12.9%, Story Rich 9%

Why You'll Like It: Its core loop of gathering ingredients, serving customers, and optimizing a cozy eatery feels very aligned with Dave's restaurant half.

Recettear is the story of an item shop, the girl who lives in it, and the fairy who turned her life upside down. Recette Lemongrass finds herself in charge of an item shop built into her house, in order to pay back a loan her father took and then skipped out on - and Tear, her newfound fairy "companion", won't take no for an answer!

Why similar: Management 37.8%, RPG 31.5%, Simulation 14.7%, Singleplayer 6.4%, Indie 4.4%

Why You'll Like It: If your favorite part of Dave was the day-to-night progression loop, this classic shop sim delivers that same expedition-plus-business payoff.

Build your farm and relationships with townsfolk, or forge ahead on a quest of magic, monsters, and dragons. Level up through a skill tree in 8 person multiplayer, or adventure solo!

Why similar: Farming Sim 24.8%, Fishing 19.2% ★, Agriculture 12.4% ★, Pixel Graphics 10.8%, Crafting 7.6%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a busier fantasy take on Dave's cozy RPG progression, with fishing, exploration, quests, and lots of upgrade paths.

Dinkum is a survival life simulation game set on an island inspired by the rugged Australian outback. Farm, hunt, mine, fish, and forage to gather resources, expand your town, and discover what makes Dinkum so special—either solo or with friends.

Why similar: Fishing 23.2% ★, Agriculture 21.1% ★, Farming Sim 18.1%, Crafting 8.4%, Relaxing 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: It shares the same breezy mix of fishing, gathering, exploration, and incremental town development, just in a broader sandbox format.

Spiritfarer® is a cozy management game about dying. As ferrymaster to the deceased, build a boat to explore the world, care for your spirit friends, and release them into the afterlife. The Spiritfarer Farewell Edition includes the heartwarming base game and three major content updates.

Why similar: Management 20.6%, Fishing 18.4% ★, Farming Sim 12.1%, Relaxing 11.9%, Crafting 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: While more narrative-driven, it offers a similar blend of exploration, fishing, upgrading your base, and caring for a lovable cast.

Start out on an island with a basic rod. Progress into a radar-wielding master fisher-cat scouring the sea for the biggest and baddest fish. Each fish has unique behaviors that you will learn to exploit as you tailor your arsenal of fishing rods to suit your style of play. Mrrrow!

Why similar: Fishing 42.8% ★, Underwater 26.9% ★, Relaxing 6.9%, Exploration 5.7%, Funny 5.6%

Why You'll Like It: If the pure act of unlocking deeper fish, better gear, and bigger catches was your favorite part of Dave, this delivers that cleanly.

The world has already been saved. Now it's time to rebuild your town, learn new hobbies, and forge lifelong friendships in this peaceful and relaxing RPG.

Why similar: Agriculture 17.1% ★, Fishing 15.3% ★, Farming Sim 15.2%, Pixel Graphics 12.1%, Crafting 9.9%

Why You'll Like It: Its low-stress progression, charming town-building, and gently addictive routine make it a good match for Dave's relaxing side.

Embark on a lifetime of adventure in a beautiful world of creativity and intrigue. Raise a family, customise your farm, run a business, craft items, and battle some marvellously malevolent monsters.

Why similar: Farming Sim 23.9%, Management 16.1%, Crafting 11.3%, Relaxing 9.3%, Pixel Graphics 9.1%

Why You'll Like It: Its life-sim structure, exploration, and shopkeeping options make it appealing to players who enjoyed Dave's layered routine and worldbuilding.

Chillquarium is a cozy and relaxing idle game. Buy fish and raise them in real time, then sell them to turn a profit! Customize your aquarium as you progress from a simple starter tank to your dream setup by filling your collection with rare exotic fish and ultra-rare color variants!

Why similar: Fishing 39.4% ★, Underwater 30.1% ★, Relaxing 11.7%, Simulation 6.5%, Pixel Graphics 6.2%

Why You'll Like It: This is a lighter, more passive take on the collecting-and-profiting-from-fish fantasy that sits at the heart of Dave's progression loop.

Run a diner on the last island in the world after the destruction of humankind! For the cute animals and robots that survived, cook delicious food, run a farm, explore the forest, and create the best diner!

Why similar: Farming Sim 32.4%, Agriculture 25.4% ★, Pixel Graphics 12.5%, Crafting 12.1%, Simulation 9.6%

Why You'll Like It: This is another cozy restaurant-management game where collecting ingredients and serving unusual guests creates a similarly relaxing progression flow.

Moonbury's residents need healing, and you're the best chemist around! With your trusty tools, a brewing cauldron, and a canine companion at your side, you'll need to diagnose symptoms, gather ingredients, brew potions, and cure ailments in this open-ended sim RPG.

Why similar: Fishing 36% ★, Pixel Graphics 13%, Crafting 12.7%, Relaxing 10.9%, RPG 6.9%

Why You'll Like It: Gathering materials out in the world and returning to turn them into useful products gives it a similar explore-then-produce rhythm.

Play as an interstellar custodian sent to clean up a polluted ocean planet. Pick up trash, explore the vibrant waters, and take care of axolotl-like alien creatures!

Why similar: Underwater 52.8% ★, Relaxing 14.3%, Crafting 8.6%, Exploration 7.3%, Pixel Graphics 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: It keeps the underwater exploration and cute aquatic-creature appeal, though with cleaning and caretaking replacing fishing and restaurant management.

Revolutionize the revolving sushi bar in this fresh new sim!

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 31.9%, Management 25.1%, Simulation 20.4%, Casual 10.2%, Singleplayer 5.5%

Why You'll Like It: It drops the exploration entirely but is a smart pick if what you loved most was building and optimizing the sushi side of Dave's loop.

Cast n Chill is a relaxing fishing game where you explore serene lakes, rivers, and oceans. Catch rare fish, upgrade your gear and reel in legendary catches - all with your loyal companion by your side.

Why similar: Fishing 40.2% ★, Underwater 21.7% ★, Pixel Graphics 13.3%, Relaxing 12.4%, Simulation 4.1%

Hey human, we've got problems! This town is crawling with troublesome spirits, and you're the only one who can see them. You'd better get that old bathhouse up and running, maybe that'll help them chill out!

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 18.4%, Relaxing 17.5%, Management 17.4%, RPG 13.2%, Simulation 11.1%

Why You'll Like It: Its quirky cast, task-driven routine, and management of a supernatural bathhouse echo Dave's blend of community charm and business upkeep.

Take a deep breath and dive right into this cozy incremental game about a senior turtle trying to start a business selling jellyfish. Upgrade your equipment, explore biomes, and help your turtly village!

Why similar: Management 36.8%, Relaxing 20.5%, Casual 10.1%, Simulation 9.9%, Pixel Graphics 9.8%

You’ve inherited your uncle’s potion shop—and a huge debt. Better get brewing! Customize your store, hire heroes to gather ingredients, befriend (or romance) fellow vendors to learn new haggling strategies, and go head-to-head with competitors in this narrative-driven, deck-building shop simulator.

Why similar: Management 31.3%, Crafting 27.9%, RPG 17.4%, Simulation 16.8%, Indie 3.5%

Why You'll Like It: The negotiation and shopkeeping are very different, but it taps into the same pleasure of turning gathered resources into a thriving business.

Luna's Fishing Garden is a short, cozy fishing and building game. Catch fish, trade it in and create the garden of your dreams by planting new trees, placing water objects and bringing animals to the archipelago.

Why similar: Fishing 43.8% ★, Farming Sim 24.2%, Pixel Graphics 10.4%, Relaxing 10.3%, Casual 3.8%

Why You'll Like It: It focuses on the calmest part of Dave's appeal, offering short, cozy fishing and resource collection in a soothing world.

Welcome to Fish to Dish: Idle Sushi! This is a relaxing and enjoyable idle fishing game that can sit at the bottom or any corner of your screen, allowing you to enjoy a leisurely sea fishing time in your busy life.

Why similar: Fishing 44.6% ★, Management 15.9%, Relaxing 10.4%, Pixel Graphics 9%, RPG 6%

The world needs you Adventurer! Embark on an RPG pixel adventure where you’ll play as Baelin the humble fisherman, who must rise-up to become the hero of Honeywood. Battle fish with precision timing and magic spells, upgrade your abilities, defeat evil and rebuild Honeywood.

Why similar: Fishing 56% ★, Pixel Graphics 11.4%, RPG 10%, Crafting 7.5%, Adventure 6%

Submerge yourself in one of the most immersive diving simulators to date. Gather your gear, choose your diving spot and discover what lies beneath the surface as you venture deep into the unknown.

Why similar: Underwater 54% ★, Relaxing 14.7%, Exploration 10.1%, Simulation 7.1%, Adventure 5.3%

Why You'll Like It: If your favorite part of Dave was simply descending into the water to explore and observe sea life, this leans hardest into that feeling.

A happy aquarium that lives at the bottom of your screen! Tiny Aquarium is a social idle simulator that keeps growing, even when offline. Hatch, sell fish, decorate, go fishin’, and visit your friends’ aquariums with bite-sized daily sessions.

Why similar: Fishing 31.3% ★, Underwater 24.2% ★, Farming Sim 16.5%, Management 14.8%, Relaxing 7%

Far Fishing is a short and relaxing fishing game. Set off on a journey to the edge of the world, catching a variety of fish and upgrading your boat along the way.

Why similar: Fishing 47.2% ★, Relaxing 12.6%, Pixel Graphics 11.7%, Exploration 8.2%, Casual 5.9%

From the art director of Journey®, ABZÛ is a beautiful underwater adventure that evokes the dream of diving. Immerse yourself in a vibrant hidden world bursting with color and life as you descend into the heart of the ocean. But beware as you swim deeper as dangers lurk in the depths.

Why similar: Underwater 54.2% ★, Relaxing 20.3%, Exploration 10.6%, Adventure 4.5%, Casual 3.4%

Why You'll Like It: This is the least management-focused pick here, but it's a beautiful option for anyone chasing Dave's serene underwater wonder and discovery.

Welcome to Taoyuan Village to heal your loneliness. Here, you can lead a carefree, self-sufficient life: farm, tame animals, raise livestock, fish, and build a prosperous homestead. Or, immerse in village life, meet kindred spirits, find love, and influence their destinies with your choices.

Why similar: Farming Sim 24.2%, Fishing 16.6% ★, Agriculture 13.7% ★, Pixel Graphics 10.2%, Simulation 9.3%

An atmospheric management RPG about life on the open road. Pick up hitchhikers, work odd jobs, customize and repair your car, and map your route across the country. Use upgrades, skills and items to overcome challenges. And remember to take it easy. You’re young. You have time.

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 35.2%, RPG 17.9%, Exploration 17.3%, Adventure 10.1%, Simulation 7.4%

A cozy pixel art adventure about saving a struggling Boba Tea shop. Brew up tasty drinks, battle enemies for inspiration, make friends with customers, and much much more, on your quest to serve up the best tea in town!

Why similar: Fishing 24.3% ★, Farming Sim 18.7%, Management 13.3%, Pixel Graphics 8.8%, Roguelite 7.1%

Set sail with Captain Pawsome on the relaxing 2D fishing adventure! Craft, upgrade, customize, and conquer the high seas. Clean the environment, catch unique fish, and unleash your inner adventurer. Dive in now and make a splash!

Why similar: Fishing 28.5% ★, Farming Sim 14.7%, Management 13.3%, Pixel Graphics 8.2%, Relaxing 7.5%

Aquaculture Land is a fish farming management game. You will act as a freshwater fish farm manager to nurture different varieties of fish, produce high-quality commodities, and fulfill your customers' needs to grow your business.

Why similar: Fishing 27.7% ★, Farming Sim 20.3%, Agriculture 16.5% ★, Management 15.1%, Pixel Graphics 7.6%

Cozy Island Idle is a chill fishing idle game where you catch all sort of fantasy fishes to showcase them in an Aquarium to sell them to turn a profit and customize your aquarium and island.

Why similar: Fishing 32.5% ★, Underwater 31.6% ★, Farming Sim 18.3%, RPG 4.5%, Simulation 4.1%

A relaxing sandbox casual simulation game where you perform various, even strange, aquarium-related tasks on very diverse levels. As an Aquarist you must create and manage a home to amazing fish🐟, sea turtles🐢, sharks🦈, octopuses🐙, and more🐬. Aquarium is their world and life. Make it worth...

Why similar: Fishing 29.1% ★, Underwater 24.5% ★, Management 14.1%, Farming Sim 13.9%, Relaxing 7.9%

Doloc Town is a cozy pixel-art farming simulation game set in a post-apocalyptic world. Build your dream farm from scratch and explore this mysterious wasteland. Harvest, plant, build, and uncover the untold stories of this forgotten land.

Why similar: Fishing 30% ★, Farming Sim 19.6%, Crafting 9.7%, Pixel Graphics 9.4%, Relaxing 8.7%

The highly popular and quirky "idle game that you want to actively keep playing". Explore, craft, gather & manage resources, find secrets and build your base out of nothing! Buy land to explore and expand!

Why similar: Farming Sim 26.1%, Crafting 19.5%, Pixel Graphics 19.5%, Agriculture 9.7% ★, Exploration 5.2%

Yet again they dumped the toughest job on you. Now you are on Shinehill Island, where you suddenly replaced one of the new residents. Explore the world, meet charming townspeople, do farming, fishing, cooking and try not to reveal yourself.

Why similar: Fishing 28.8% ★, Farming Sim 21.8%, Pixel Graphics 12.6%, RPG 8%, Exploration 6.7%

The public aquarium simulator. Design your displays, look after your fish, manage your staff and keep your guests happy! It's all in a day's work as the curator of your very own Megaquarium.

Why similar: Underwater 38.7% ★, Fishing 20.1% ★, Management 19.2%, Relaxing 8.2%, Simulation 7%

The charming and relaxing stone-age farming sim where you live in a thriving community exploring the wonderful world of Pacha. Discover "ideas," domesticate crops, befriend animals, and help your village grow. Play co-op with friends or explore the early days of civilization in single-player.

Why similar: Farming Sim 25.5%, Agriculture 16.6% ★, Pixel Graphics 12%, Crafting 11.5%, Relaxing 10.8%

Welcome to Fantasy Fishing Town!Embark on a journey to catch various fish and complete quests to find the legendary fish. Enjoy the unique pleasure of pixel graphics and side-scrolling fishing!The legendary fish - it's mine!

Why similar: Fishing 38.2% ★, Underwater 19.7% ★, Pixel Graphics 11.1%, Relaxing 10.4%, Funny 5.7%

A relaxing idle game about fishing. Discover dozens of fishes and treasures! Spend your resources on growing your operation and unlocking new varieties of underground life! Achieve goals, buy skills, and mutate rare fish to improve your profits!

Why similar: Fishing 41.3% ★, Management 12.4%, Farming Sim 12.3%, Relaxing 11.6%, Pixel Graphics 7.3%

Cute Farmer Life is a small indie farm game. Grow, craft and collect resources in a game designed to relax and enjoy the moment. Discover the secrets of the small town you have moved to.

Why similar: Fishing 22.5% ★, Farming Sim 19.8%, Agriculture 15.2% ★, Pixel Graphics 8.8%, Crafting 8.5%

Moonstone Island is a creature-collecting life-sim set in an open world with 100 islands to explore. Make friends, brew potions, collect Spirits, and test your strength in card-based encounters to complete your Alchemy training!

Why similar: Fishing 28.5% ★, Farming Sim 20.3%, Agriculture 17.3% ★, Pixel Graphics 10.6%, Relaxing 9.2%

A relaxing idle-farming simulator that sits at the bottom of your screen while you do other things.

Why similar: Farming Sim 33.1%, Management 22.8%, Pixel Graphics 15.4%, Relaxing 13.5%, Simulation 7.9%

Little Witch in the Woods tells the story of Ellie, an apprentice witch. Explore the mystical forest, help the charming residents, and experience the daily life of the witch.

Why similar: Farming Sim 20.2%, Management 12.6%, Pixel Graphics 12.3%, Crafting 9.3%, Relaxing 9.2%

Whisker Waters is the ultimate RPG adventure that blends light fantasy and the art of fishing into a mesmerizing world. As a player, you'll create and play as your very own Cat character and embark on a whimsical fishing journey like never before.

Why similar: Fishing 38.9% ★, Crafting 10.2%, Relaxing 10.1%, RPG 8.9%, Farming Sim 8.7%

A chill idle-fishing desktop toy in the corner of your screen. Buy upgrades, catch rare fish, and customize your avatar at your own pace!

Why similar: Fishing 46.1% ★, Pixel Graphics 13.3%, Management 13.2%, Relaxing 12.6%, Simulation 7.5%

Dive The Depths is an action-roguelike set beneath the ocean's surface. As a humble diver, you must navigate the world filled with bizarre sea creatures, submerged ruins, and forgotten histories. Can you conquer the depths and unravel the secrets that hidden beneath the waves?

Why similar: Underwater 47.3% ★, Pixel Graphics 14.5%, Roguelite 12%, Crafting 10.8%, Adventure 4.6%

"Under the Blue Horizon" is an idle simulation game. Play while performing other tasks on your computer! Place your own aquarium anywhere on your screen, coexisting with your work, games, and more!

Why similar: Underwater 30.8% ★, Farming Sim 19.4%, Relaxing 14.6%, Pixel Graphics 14.6%, Simulation 8.3%

Take over a cozy local farm in the charming seaside town of Aurora, meet friendly locals, reveal the secrets and enjoy your new peaceful life!

Why similar: Farming Sim 26.4%, Agriculture 17.7% ★, RPG 16.2%, Simulation 12.8%, Pixel Graphics 12.2%

Welcome to the charming world of Eastward - population declining! Journey through a society on the brink of collapse. Discover delightful towns, strange creatures and even stranger people! Wield a trusty frying pan and mystic powers on an adventure into the unknown…

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 29.1%, Relaxing 16.4%, RPG 13.1%, Story Rich 12.3%, Adventure 8.6%