Tiny Bookshop is the coziest game for book lovers

There's something about the holiday season that makes comforting rituals necessary. This year it goes to the Tiny Bookshop. I've officially stopped counting how many hours I put into it.

Developed by Neoludic Games, it puts you in the role of a mobile bookstore owner in a cute seaside town. At first glance, it's a deceptively simple store simulation: you stock shelves, recommend books to customers, and watch your small business grow. But it's the details that give the experience its warmth, the kind that feels like home on vacation.

A rhythm from day to day that will captivate you

The game takes place day by day, in small but deliberate doses. You review known customers and offer suggestions. It's a “just one more day” game, similar to Stardew Valley, where the hours slip by unnoticed as you invest in small victories: a shy teenager discovering a love of fantasy, a loyal patron returning to the chat room. The work has a meditative quality, but is punctuated by a charm that gives the experience a rhythm that feels cozy, rather than repetitive.

Tiny Bookshop also sprinkles in personalization. As you progress, you unlock pets, a dog and a cat, along with decorations for your shop on wheels. Personally, my trailer is pink and green and overflowing with plants: a choice that anyone who knows me would instantly recognize as a highlight.

Browsing becomes its own adventure

One of my favorite things about Tiny Bookshop is its unexpected immersion. There are no generic titles or fictional novels. Every book on your shelves is real. In addition to modern favourites, you can stock Wuthering Heights, The Handmaid's Tale, Macbeth and other classics.

It's a grounding touch that makes browsing the web more serious. I've spent more time than I care to admit going through my tiny inventory and reading synopses, even adding books to my actual TBR pile. In many ways, it mirrors the feeling of wandering through an actual bookstore: noticing the spines and feeling a spark of appreciation or curiosity about a title you know—or don't.

For anyone looking for a gift for a book-loving friend or partner, or, let's be honest, for yourself, Tiny Bookshop is tailor-made. It's not flashy. There are no boss fights or vast open worlds.

Instead, it offers a quiet, soothing rhythm, thoughtful interactions, and a city that invites repeat visits. Even for someone who doesn't identify as a traditional gamer, it's a palpable charm. They still manage to get lost in it, and I can't think of a better gift for the holidays this year.

Since we're thinking about the holidays, there's a small Christmas market that will transform the city into a glittering, cozy wonderland. Apt, I'd say.

Gameplay is often dominated by energetic and frantically smashing titles. I love them too, but Tiny Bookshop is proof that games can be simple but deeply satisfying. It's a title that rewards patience and makes you feel, against the backdrop of a cozy coastal town, that sometimes even the smallest joys are worth cherishing. Is there anything more Christmassy?