A lot of the cozy games we know and love are on mobile now - from MySims and A Little to the Left, to Spiritfarer and Unpacking, and a lot of them actually translate to a decent mobile experience. These are some of the ones I’ve been really enjoying lately:

Stitch.

Available on Apple Arcade

This game just scratches some kind of itch deep in the back of my brain. From the satisfying sound of the stitches coming together to the way it’s set up so you’re hitting micro “accomplishments” (1-4 stitches at a time), to the visual look of the stitches and yarn stretching across the fabric - it’s weirdly meditative. I love a good puzzle game, and ones like this with simple small puzzles that are just enough to very lightly activate your brain without having to think too much are exactly what I need at the end of a long day.

The range is what really keeps me coming back. You can do something super simple if you’re feeling absolutely brain dead, or you can tackle these really complicated cross stitches that can take you like an hour to complete. They’re always rolling out new updates so every single day there’s a new daily stitch to play, and then all kinds of seasonal or themed collections drop too.

The free stitch mode is fun too - no puzzles or pressure, you get to just creatively make the stitches in whatever colors or patterns you want. It’s like a digital fidget toy but make it pretty.

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Is This Seat Taken?

Available for purchase on app stores

This game is about arranging people in seats based on their preferences and relationships, and there’s something really satisfying about dragging and dropping passengers around until everyone’s happy. I purchased it for $10 and it gave me a solid couple hours of gameplay, which felt absolutely worth it for an indie title.

I love puzzles that are more logic-based, and this one pulls that off without being stressful about it. The translations are a little off (the game studio is run out of Spain and Belgium), but you really don’t need to play this one for the plot. What makes it special is how the scenarios evolve - the same core game mechanics adapt to completely different environments in ways that feel fresh and clever. You go from working airline boarding queues to organizing river cruise seating to arranging wedding reception tables, and each setting introduces just enough new wrinkles to keep you engaged without overwhelming you with new rules. The little character designs and their reactions when you seat them next to someone they like (or don’t like) are adorable.

Storyteller

Available with Netflix subscription

A cute little puzzle game where you create stories by arranging characters and settings in comic-book-style panels. I love the art style, it’s got this gorgeous storybook illustration vibe, and the narrative structures you get to play with are surprisingly clever. You’re basically given prompts like “a story of jealousy and revenge” and you have to figure out how to arrange the characters and scenes to make that story happen. It’s like creative writing meets logic puzzle, and I find it quite entertaining to play through, especially when you discover there are multiple ways to solve each one.

It’s just a great cozy one that makes you feel smart without trying too hard. Perfect for when you want something engaging but not stressful.

Power Wash Simulator

Available on Apple Arcade

After including this one in my recent cleaning game list, I had to try it and I am have to say I really get the hype. At first I had to ask mysef, do I really want to clean things at the end of the day, like is this how I want to spend my time? Instead of you know, cleaning the actual things in my home that need cleaned? But this one just scratches such an itch. It is true that power washing videos (and this game) are popular for a reason. I find myself particularly drawn to the power washing houses - cleaning the house of the little old lady who lived in a shoe (so yes, cleaning the shoe) was a particular treat. There seems to be some level of light plot / storylines as you clean that pop up? But honestly I am finding those to be distracting and a little hard to follow… (who are these people talking to me exactly? Why do I care?) anyways, I’m working my way through the main game so I can get to the SpongeBob expansion (cannot wait).

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What mobile games are you playing right now? Drop your recommendations in the comments - I’m always looking for the next cozy game to add to my rotation!

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The cruel irony is I’m drawn to cozy games specifically because they promise relaxation, but sometimes I can’t even let myself relax enough to play the game that’s supposed to give me relaxation. I’ve curated wishlists and a game library on my Switch and Steam Deck full cozy games, ones with tags like “wholesome” “idle” and “relaxing” as the main tags, and I literally cannot bring myself to play them.

When your free time feels limited, you begin to question how you’re spending the time you do have. It’s probably a consequence of me working through years of burnout from a very time-exhaustive and mentally draining job, and while I’ve made the changes in my life to give back time and balance, the lingering anxiety around leisure remains.

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Sandbox games, those beautiful, open-ended experiences with no objectives, no end goals, no structure… they’re everything my productivity-poisoned brain struggles with. No goals means no progress. No progress means no justification. And suddenly I’m second-guessing whether I should keep playing or go do something “useful.”

Case in point: I bought A Short Hike months ago because everyone said it was perfect and calming. It’s still sitting in my library, unplayed. I know exactly what it is - you fly around a beautiful mountain, talk to birds, explore at your own pace. That’s literally the entire game, and the reason I can’t bring myself to start it.

So I often find myself gravitating toward games with goals. Progress bars, unlockables, achievements. Stardew Valley is my crutch, where I can meticulously plan my farm layouts and compulsively check the Wiki to optimize my crop rotations. Games where I can trick my brain into thinking I’m being productive, even though I’m still just playing a game. I need to satisfy that urge that I’m progressing, that I’m doing something of meaning. Even in my leisure time, I’m negotiating with my productivity guilt.

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The truth I know, but need to actualize, is you need to allow yourself to be cozy. Your brain needs a safe space to reset, a place with no pressure, no performance metrics, no optimization required. The constant grind of routine and “real world” productivity isn’t sustainable without these moments of genuine rest. And rest isn’t something you have to earn by checking off enough tasks first, it’s something everyone should be able to enjoy guilt-free.

The problem isn’t the games or any particular genre. There’s nothing wrong with open-ended sandboxes or “pointless” wandering. The problem is that I’ve internalized this idea, thanks to how I was raised, my education, my career, the way our society operates in general, that my worth is measured by my output.

I wish I could tell you I’ve figured it out how to remove this hardwiring from my brain, that I’ve cracked the code and can share with you all the secrets to doing it for yourself. But I haven’t. I’m still that person who adds farming sims to their cart instead of the artistic walking simulators. I’m still choosing games with task lists over games with freedom.

But I am trying. I’m trying to recognize that the discomfort I feel when playing “unproductive” games is a sign that I need this more than I think. That anxiety is what I’m supposed to be working through, not avoiding.

Some days I manage it. Some days I can sit with a cozy game for hours and genuinely decompress, letting go of the need to quantify what I’m getting out of it. Other days, the productivity demon wins and I end up doing chores instead, or maybe even worse, over-optimizing my Stardew Valley farm layout until it stops being fun.

If you’re reading this and nodding along, know that you’re not alone in this, and it is genuinely hard to unlearn years of messaging that tells us our value comes from our productivity. It’s hard to give ourselves permission to just… be. But we have to try. Because sometimes the most productive thing you can do is absolutely nothing.

I’m not there yet, but I’m working on it, and maybe that’s enough for now.

What about you? Do you struggle with this too? Have you found ways to actually relax while gaming, or are you still negotiating with your guilt every time you pick up a controller? I’d love to hear I’m not alone in this.

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That being said, me and the organization itch don’t always get along. I tend to be the “dump everything on the floor, the rush and motivation wears off before I finish and now my space is far worse off than if I had just left everything alone” kind of person. So, I’ve learned, the hard way, that sometimes I don’t ACTUALLY need to reorganize and deep clean everything in my home, but I just need to satisfy that urge. And conveniently enough, it turns out I’m not alone in this because there are many games out there designed for that very purpose in mind.

With that, here is my compilation of the best cozy, comforting cleaning and organizing games to try out next time you’re debating sorting through your closet for the tenth time - you’re welcome.

From my library

This Bed We Made

A narrative game where you play as a 1950s hotel maid, cleaning and also uncovering a mystery along the way.

Okay so this one isn’t entirely about cleaning, but it’s in there! I love this game, it’s digestible and easy to finish in a few hours, the storyline is great and it reminds me of playing “Nancy Drew” as a kid!

The WereCleaner

A stealth-game where you work to cleanup nighttime messes in an office building - including the messes you make yourself, since you’re a werewolf trying not to get caught by your boss or coworkers.

I was so pleasantly surprised at this game! Yes it’s a shorter mobile game, but it’s entirely free - not paywalled - and you get a solid amount of gameplay from it. A cute, digestible game with such a unique fun premise.

House Flipper

A relaxing simulation game where you clean, renovate, and redecorate rundown homes to make them beautiful (and sellable) again.

Not only does this one scratch the cleaning itch, but I also am a sucker for building and decorating games, so I love going to this one when I’m also feeling like “building” in addition to just cleaning.

Unpacking

Open up moving boxes and put away your belongings as you unpack across the different rooms and spaces in your life.

A cozy gaming classic! Perhaps the first game to really introduce the “satisfying organization” as the entire premise of a game? Honestly just surprised there isn’t a sequel to this by now.

PowerWash Simulator

A straightforward cleaning simulator game all about power washing dirt away.

This is “turn your brain off and just vibe” kind of game because hey, we all love those power washing videos for a reason right?

A Little to the Left

A puzzle-organization game focused on tidying up and arranging everyday items to a satisfying order.

Honestly, I included this one because it’s such a hit and it’s one of the most popular organization cozy games - but candidly, I am not a huge fan of this one! Maybe it just skews a little too puzzle for me at times - and I do love puzzle games - but for me when I’m feeling like cleaning and organizing, I want to feel that “oddly satisfying, calming” sense, and this game just doesn’t do that for me. But let me know in the comments if you disagree and if it’s worth another try, I’m open to being persuaded :)

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From my wishlist

Games I have not played yet - but want to!

Loddlenaut

An underwater adventure where you play as a custodian cleaning up polluted oceans to clean the homes of cute water creatures.

Been waiting for this one to go on sale! From the gameplay I’ve seen it looks to be cozy, minimal and peaceful. Bonus points for the adorable art style and little sea creatures!

Spilled!

Navigate through polluted waters as a small boat, working to collect waste and help restore the waters.

Another simple, satisfying one that seems to be pretty straightforward and relaxing.

Fresh Start

A cozy cleaning simulator where you work to clean up the world and help restore nature back to its original state.

This game basically feels like a nature-themed PowerWash Simulator! There’s not really a story to follow, but more focused on the cleaning itself, which I love - and again, bonus points for cute animals (because cleaning for animals > cleaning up cars and buildings).

What games do you love to play when you’re feeling the cleaning itch? Any off my list I’m missing? Let me know!

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thanks for reading and happy new year!

Taylor

But back then, in its early days, cozy gaming really only referred to a select few games (and mainly, Animal Crossing: New Horizons). Fast-forward a few years, and the cozy gaming community has grown beyond recognition. What was once shorthand for a specific type of game (life sims, farming sims, anything with pastel aesthetics) has morphed into something much broader, richer, and, frankly, more complicated. Is Cult of the Lamb cozy? What about Dredge? Hogwarts Legacy? And while the genre expansion is wonderful in many ways and has welcomed so many, it’s also left us with a genre so sprawling and subjective that the term “cozy gaming” has started to feel meaningless.

Take Stardew Valley, for instance. For some (including myself), it’s the ultimate cozy game. But for every person that loves Stardew, there’s another who finds it anything but relaxing. Which is valid; it’s a deeply strategic game, with seemingly infinite ways to optimize your farm, unreasonably difficult goals and milestones, and details that are actually crucial to gameplay—but you wouldn’t know about them unless you’re constantly consulting the Stardew Valley Wiki. It’s a game so involved I even designed my own planner notepads just so I could have a way to keep track of it all. When laid out like that, who could possibly find Stardew cozy? And maybe it actually isn’t cozy—it just depends on who you ask.

The beauty of cozy gaming has always lied in its inclusivity, it’s a genre that welcomes everyone, regardless of gaming skill or experience. And typically, the games within this genre reflect that. But the broader the genre becomes, the more questions arise: Does a game like Skyrim belong in the same genre as Good Pizza, Great Pizza? Does the term “cozy game” mean anything anymore? For some, this openness is empowering, creating space for people to claim their own definition of comfort. For others, it dilutes what made the genre special in the first place: a distinct aesthetic and a sense of calm that stood apart from the rest of gaming. It served as a place for the casual and beginner gamers to feel included, connect, and find other games that are buried beneath the discover hidden gems often overlooked in a sea of bigger, more intense games.

When everything can be cozy, does anything truly feel cozy anymore?

So here’s where I’ve landed: cozy gaming isn’t really about the mechanics or even game aesthetics anymore. It’s not exclusive to handheld gaming or gaming in a cute little matching set with a warm drink. What cozy gaming boils down to (and the reason there’s such debate about which games belong in this genre) is a deeply personal understanding of how a game makes you feel. It has become so inherently personal, so tied to each individual’s idea of comfort and relaxation, that no singular aspect like aesthetic, game format or style can really be a requirement for inclusion. It’s evolved to so much more.

But there’s something so beautiful in that to me. Because if there’s one thing the gaming community has suffered years of, it’s stereotyping and exclusionary behavior. Gamers can be anyone, young or old. Mobile gamers are gamers, just as much as PC gamers are. Only playing The Sims does not mean you are less of a gamer than the person playing endless Fortnite. And the cozy gaming community has become the most wonderful embodiment of this idea.

Is Dredge cozy? It can be, if it feels that way to you. Candy Crush can be cozy (a recent episode of Jeopardy! put this into hot debate), if you want it to be. What matters isn’t whether a game checks every box of what cozy “should” be. What matters is whether it gives you a sense of comfort, connection, or calm, and whatever that looks like for you.

Agree? Disagree? Let’s chat about it.

Like most things in Stardew, for way too long I didn’t actually know what “luck” meant. I thought it was just a cute feature, a little background flavor. But this is Stardew Valley we’re talking about, and nothing here is just for show. Turns out, luck can actually play a significant role in your gameplay—and understanding it can make your Stardew life way easier.

So, what even is Luck?

Luck affects nearly everything you do in Stardew Valley: the quality of the items you forage, how often monsters drop loot, the kinds of items you get from breaking rocks, and even your chances of finding ladders in the mines. It is a statistic that affects different aspects of your game - on good luck days, you’re more likely to find high-quality gems, rare items, and skip through levels in the mines without as much hassle. Bad luck days, on the other hand… well, let’s just say they’re a good time to focus on farm chores or cozying up with the villagers.

If you’re looking to maximize productivity (or just want that extra edge in the mines), checking your daily luck isn’t just a nice-to-know thing—it can actually shape your strategy for the day.

How does it work?

Daily luck is a randomly generated number that is generated for each new in-game day. Once the day starts, there’s not a ton you can do to impact your luck, unless you get a temporary Luck Buff (we’ll get to that later). You can determine what luck you will have for the day by watching the Fortune Teller on your TV - but it’s important to note that checking won’t have any affect on your luck (ie - you can’t ignore your bad luck days and make them go away).

What’s luck actually for?

Luck affects the following things. For mining, it affects your chance for:

• Discovering ladders from breaking rocks

• Geode and coal drop chances

• Finding gem nodes and mystic stones

• Crates spawning

• Finding treasure rooms in the Skull Cavern

• Amount of gold and other items lost when dying in the mines

• Chance of obtaining trinkets from slaying monsters or breaking crates/barrels in the mines

For fishing, luck can affect your chance for:

• Finding treasure chests while fishing

• Catching a Woodskip on the Forest Farm

Outside of that, there’s a few other random (but helpful to know) things Luck can impact:

• Chance to double the number of crops yielded at harvest

• Chance of receiving a Duck Feather or Rabbit’s foot

• Amount of wood dropped from trees

• Quantity and quality of ores from panning

• Chance of getting items from garbage cans (that are not trash)

• Chance spouse will be jealous after gifting a gift to another marriage candidate that the player is also datin

• Amount of lightning during a storm (more luck = more lightening)

• Chance of a tree being struck by lightning (more luck = less trees getting struck)

• And if you’ve made it this far in the game, of course luck affects your outcome playing the slots at the Casino.

Myths and misconceptions

I hate to break it to you, but luck does NOT increase the chance to receive rare minerals, artifacts, or anything related to breaking geodes. Here’s a few other misconceptions around luck you should probably know:

• Luck does not determine what items you get from opening geodes. Geode contents are pre-determined based on a set pool, and luck has no influence on the outcome.

• Luck doesn’t influence rare farm events like the Crop Fairy, Witch visit, or Earthquake. These events are random or based on specific conditions, unaffected by luck.

• Luck has no impact on the quality of fish caught or quality of your crops.

• Luck does not influence contents of treasure chests when fishing, or what items you will get form monster drops (as mentioned it does affect how frequently these items can appear).

• Luck doesn't impact the chance of finding artifact spots or what you dig up from them. Artifact location and contents are random, based on the area and fixed chances.

What do the different fortunes even mean?

There’s a few different responses you can get from the Fortune Teller that can indicate what luck you’ll have for that day:

Great Luck

“The spirits are very happy today! They will do their best to shower everyone with good fortune”

The most luck you can get!

Good Luck

The spirits are in good humor today. I think you'll have a little extra luck.

Pretty good luck! Make the most of it!

Neutral-ish luck:

The spirits feel neutral today. The day is in your hands.

Mostly neutral luck, but can skew slightly positive or slightly negative.

Neutral:

“This is rare. The spirits feel absolutely neutral today.”

Completely neutral, not leaning one way or another.

Bad luck:

The spirits are somewhat annoyed today. Luck will not be on your side.

The spirits are somewhat mildly perturbed today. Luck will not be on your side.

Terrible Luck

The spirits are very displeased today. They will do their best to make your life difficult.

Oof. May want to rethink your day if you get this one…

Can I change my luck?

Yes and no. This is where it gets a little complicated because turns out, there isn’t just one form of luck! Aside from your Daily Luck, there’s also Luck Buffs, and each influences gameplay in different ways. You CANNOT change your daily luck, however you can take action to add Luck Buffs to your day.

Sooo… What’s a Luck Buff then?

Luck Buffs are temporary boosts you can apply for that certain day, and are usually gained through food and certain drinks. Unlike daily luck, you can control when and how to activate a luck buff by consuming certain items to trigger it. You’ll know when you have it when you see the little clover icon on the screen.

Here are the items that provide a luck boost:

Is there a difference between daily and luck buffs? Again, yes and no! For the most part Daily Luck and Luck Buffs affect the same things, except for a few key differences.

The TL;DR is:

Daily Luck and Luck Buffs both affect gameplay in Stardew Valley, but they are calculated separately and impact different events to varying degrees. Daily Luck is a randomly assigned value that changes each in-game day, while Luck Buffs are temporary boosts, applied through food and drink items, that stack with daily luck.

So, next time you’re tuned in to the Fortune Teller, pay attention. Your daily luck could be the difference between finding that Prismatic Shard or spending hours swinging at rocks.

Forging friendships with these villagers early in the game can provide significant advantages and access to resources that would normally take a few in-game years to unlock. Below I break down my top picks for villagers to befriend early on, what’s in it for you, and how to unlock those hearts quickly and efficiently (because early in game we can’t afford to waste diamonds and truffle oil for friendship!) 

Villager #1: Pam

Pam probably isn’t high on your list to befriend first (let alone befriending her at all) - but strategically, she is an excellent villager to become buddy-buddy with. The gifts she will send you after befriending her are some of the most valuable out of all the villagers. 

Most notably, Pam will periodically send battery packs in the mail, a huge advantage for early game. Battery packs are required for crafting several key items like the Iridium Sprinkler, Crystalarium, and the Farm Computer - items that will be very helpful as your farm grows. But obtaining battery packs requires some work: 

Typically to get a battery pack, you first have to construct Lightning Rods, place them around your farm and wait for a thunderstorm (there’s a chance for storms randomly throughout the year, but the only guaranteed storms happen on Summery 13 and Summer 26). The following day, you will be able to harvest a single battery pack, and unless you have quite a few lightning rods set up by Summer Year One (which would require you reaching pretty deep in the mines to get Iron Bars and Quartz for Refined Quartz), you likely are going to have to wait until Year 2 to actually harvest multiple Battery Packs. 

Luckily for you, your new bestie Pam’s got you covered! She will periodically send Battery Packs as a gift once you reach a high heart level with her. Super handy! 

She also sends things like Beer (this is great for gifting to other villagers since it’s liked by most everyone, or you can sell it for 200g if you’re strapped for cash) or Energy Tonic (replenishes 500 Energy and 225 Health, SO helpful for the mines, and worth noting this typically costs 1,000g to purchase from Harvey’s Clinic!)

How to befriend Pam quickly:

The other benefit to befriending Pam first? Some of her favorite gifts are really easy to acquire in Fall Year 1:

Pam’s Loves (raises friendship by 80 points): 

We all know Pam loves her beer, but did you know she also loves Parsnips? Parsnips grow in Spring, take only 4 days to grow, and cost only 20g if you buy from Pierre’s. 

Pam’s Likes (raises friendship by 45 points):  

If you don’t want to waste precious crops on Pam (which honestly I get) - she also Likes Daffodils. Since they’re a liked gift, not loved, it will take a little longer to raise your friendship level if you go this route, but considering Daffodils are so abundant in the fall, gifting to Pam is a great use for them!

Villager #2: Caroline

Caroline isn’t typically a character I go out of my way to befriend (maybe because I’m typically trying to romance everyone and I can't be with her?) but you’d be mistaken to write off Caroline, especially early in game. After reaching 2 hearts, Caroline will share the tea sapling recipe with you - one of the easiest and most low-maintenance crops to grow!

One of the benefits to tea saplings is they require ingredients that are easily obtained - 2 Wild Seeds, 5 Fiber and 5 Wood. You can easily craft a handful of Tea Saplings just using items you’ll naturally collect as you go about your game. 

20 days after planting, Tea Saplings turn into Tea Bush that drops 1 Teaf leaf every day during the last week of the season (AND they produce leaves in Spring, Summer, and Fall. This means if you befriend Caroline quickly in the game, you can in theory get your tea saplings planted in time to harvest for 3 full seasons your first year of the game. 

Oh, and did I mention you don’t need water tea saplings and they don’t die during winter - they’re like trees with one great difference: unlike most trees, these will grow if you plant them in Winter! They’re seriously like a super crop.  

If you do opt to farm the Tea Bushes, you can use the Tea Leaves it gives you to brew into Green Tea using a Keg  - Green Tea is sellable for 100g / 140g Artisan price, and offers +30 Max energy and +0.5 Speed if consumed. For a little more profit, you can also turn Tea Leaves into Pickled Tea with the Preserves Jar for 150g / 210g Artisan price). 

But maybe I don’t want a farm full of Tea Bushes, you might say - why would I care about this? Because at minimum, crafting and selling a Tea Sapling is always more profitable than selling the individual ingredients alone. If you’re not one to hoard every item you come across (admittedly this is me) - you can craft a Tea Sapling and depending on the Wild Seeds used to produce it, can make between 75g and 200g - when money is tight early game, this isn’t a bad route to go. 

How to befriend Caroline quickly:

Caroline’s Loves (raises friendship by 80 points): 

Unfortunately Caroline’s Loves are a bit difficult to acquire early in game, but if you wait until Summer, the Summer Spangle is a great option for Caroline. Otherwise, you’re probably better off with giving her something she likes or a Universal Like item. 

Caroline’s Likes (raises friendship by 45 points): 

Like Pam, Caroline also likes Daffodils, which can be found foraging in the Spring, as well as Wild Horseradish - between these two easily forgeable Spring items, it’s easy to rack up hearts with Caroline pretty quickly in your game. Ironically, the other item she likes is Tea Leaves (and loves green tea) - so eventually, you can use your Tea Bush to quickly gain more friendship with Caroline. 

Villager #3: Linus

He may love trash, but rest assured that Linus’s gifts are anything but trash! Linus’s “theme” for gifts is mostly fish-related items - he will periodically send fish like Catfish and Largemouth Bass (and while both of these are fairly common, it’s worth noting that Catfish and Largemouth Bass are both needed for the Fish Tank in the Community Center). He also will send you cooked dishes like Maki Roll, Fried Calamari and Sashimi - great for regifting, consuming yourself or selling even if you’re in a pinch. 

After reaching 3 hearts with Linus, he will send you the Sashimi recipe - Sashimi is a versatile recipe since it uses any Fish, and it’s liked by most villagers (and loved by Sebastian, an easy way to win his heart!). Sashimi is also needed in Year 2 for a request by Pierre, so inevitably you’ll need to learn how to make this. Another interesting use case for Sashimi is using it to uplevel your fish sales - if a fish is worth less than 75g, Sashimi is more profitable to sell than the original fish (Feels like I may need to create a “when to craft Sashimi guide” now..)

During his 4 hearts event, Linus will give you the recipe for Wild Bait -  and you can only get this recipe from Linus! This handy bait makes it possible to catch two fish at the same time, extremely helpful for when you’re early in game and trying to make money FAST. Note that catching two fish using Wild Bait does not double your fishing experience points, but it does count if you’re doing a special order quest, where both fish caught will count towards that goal. When used in a Crab Pot, Wild Bait decreases the chance of catching trash versus using your standard bait. 

Lastly at 7 hearts, Linus will send you the Fish Taco recipe- a handy recipe loved by Caroline and Gus that’s also a great way to replenish energy and boost your fishing skills. Yum!

How to befriend Linus quickly:

Linus’s Loves (raises friendship by 80 points): 

Here’s where it gets tricky. Unfortunately most of Linus’s loved items are difficult to come by early in game - Dish O’ The Sea is likely the easiest to gift, assuming you have the recipe (requiring Fishing Level 3 + recipe for Hashbrowns), but you’ll need an upgraded house with a kitchen to cook this. Linus also loves Yams, but since those are a Fall crop, you’ll have to wait a few seasons to gift those. If you’re hoping to befriend him sooner, your best bet is to utilize foraged items that Linus Likes (which thankfully, is most of them).

Linus’s Likes (raises friendship by 45 points): 

Linus likes basically all things forgeable - Dandelion, Leeks, Daffodils, Wild Horseradish, Spring Onion, you name it. It’s easy to pick these items up and gift them to Linus!

And there you have it: the ultimate starter guide to maximizing your Stardew social strategy. Sure, Hayley and Harvey may be calling your name, but a little patience (and strategic gift-giving) goes a long way.