Stardew Valley is an open-ended country-life RPG! 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? It won't be easy. Breathe new life into the valley. Since JojaMart opened, the old way of life in Stardew Valley has changed. Much of the town's infrastructure has fallen into disrepair. Help restore Stardew Valley to it's former glory by repairing the old community center, or take the alternate route and join forces with Joja Corporation. Our list of games like Stardew Valley features other impressive farming simulation and role playing titles for PC and other platforms. Stardew Valley was released in early 2016 to an impressive reception for gamers who had long craved a farming RPG title for their PC. With inspiration from a range.

Stardew Valley became a sensation when it was released in 2016 and quickly conquered Steam’s charts to become one of the most played games of the year.

The critics’ response was equally impressive. In fact, Stardew Valley’s Mac version easily earned a spot among our top simulation games for Mac. But instead of enjoying the success, developer ConcernedApe continues to work hard on his game.

In this review:

In case you haven’t head, Stardew Valley is a charming farming simulation that lets you build and manage your very own farm.

What’s new with Stardew Valley? Developed for Mac by Chucklefish (the team behind Starbound), Stardew Valley just received a huge free update, its long-awaited Multiplayer update. Along with tons of new content and improvements, you can finally play the game in co-op with up to 3 friends!

You can read more about it below.

First things first, is the game any good?

Stardew Valley is a pixelated farming simulator about a boy who inherits a farm from his grandfather. From there, the boy will have to learn how to care for it and bring it back to greatness.

You could easily discard it as simply a PC version of the Harvest Moon games, but the game doesn’t stop there. Stardew Valley gives players more control over the design of their farms, the kinds of animals and crops to raise, and also introduces more interesting NPCs.

The incredible story of one man, four years, and fame

Stardew Valley is a good game, no doubt. But what I found truly fascinating is the story behind it. The game was quietly developed by one man over the course of four years.

From there, the game quickly earned a spot among Steam’s top-selling games. It has a subreddit with over 200,000 subscribers and glowing reviews from both the press and gamers:

An already great game improved

Since the game was released, it continues to receive top-notch support in the form of free updates. The latest to date is the Multiplayer update and includes:

• 4 Player Farming – Invite 1-3 players to join you as ‘farmhands’ via Steam and/or LAN.
• Work Together – Work together to achieve common goals such as farming, mining, fighting, fishing, foraging and festival participation.
• Scalable Difficulty – Scale the profit margin of produce sold to change the difficulty level of a multiplayer farm.
• Multiplayer Marriage – Farmhands can choose to woo Pelican Town’s NPCs, or craft a wedding ring to propose to a fellow Player.
• Chat Box & Custom Emojis – Communicate using the new chatbox feature with colored text and nearly 200 custom Stardew Valley emojis.

And every single one of these features supports macOS. Stardew Valley is the perfect example of a Mac port done right. The game is absolutely the same on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

But the question remains: Can you run it?

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Stardew Valley Mac requirements

These are Stardew Valley minimum system requirements:

• OS: macOS 10.10+
• Processor: 2 GHz
• Memory: 2 GB RAM
• Graphics: 256 MB video memory, OpenGL 2
• Storage: 500 MB available space

Just by looking at the requirements, we know this should be an easy game to run. But why stop here? We test it on several Macs to give you a definitive answer.

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The Test: Can you play Stardew Valley on Mac?

To evaluate how well Stardew Valley runs, we test it on the following machines:

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2016): 2.0 GHz Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, Intel Iris Graphics 540 (1.5GB)
• iMac (5K, 27-inch, Late 2014): 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, AMD Radeon R9 M290X (2GB)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2013): 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 4 GB RAM, Intel Iris 5100 (1.5GB)

Why these machines? We aim to have the most varied stable of testing machines. This way, there will always be a machine that, at the very least, somewhat resembles the Mac you have at home. It could be a:

• A high-end Mac (like our 2014 iMac).
• A recent entry-level Mac (like our 2016 MacBook Pro).
• An older Mac (like our 2013 MacBook Pro).

These are the settings we used with the help of our in-house FPS counter, Count It, for a fixed duration of 5 minutes:

• 2560×1600 resolution
• High Lighting Quality
• 100% Zoom Level

Why these settings? We usually test games at 1280×800 resolution (we have to give older MacBooks a chance!), but given how lightweight Stardew Valley is, we decided to go with a much higher (and therefore, demanding) resolution.

The Results: An easy game to run, as expected!

Our real-world results confirmed our initial impression:

The game locks frame-rates to a maximum of 60 per second. This is why all machines scored the same results.

As a reminder, this is how we describe the different levels of performance:

• Below 20 FPS: Unplayable: Laggy gameplay, full of stutters and slowdowns.
• 20-30 FPS: Borderline: Can be OK in slow-paced games. Still, not optimal.
• 30-45 FPS: Playable: Acceptable for most (most gaming consoles do this).
• 45-60 FPS: Smooth: Fluid gameplay, with no perceivable stutters.
• 60+ FPS: Very Smooth: For hardcore and professional players, a luxury for most.

We usually aim for 30 FPS, because 30 FPS is enough to guarantee a smooth and fluid experience for most.

Can my Mac run Stardew Valley?

In case this is not clear yet, most Macs should be able to run Stardew Valley. Even our older models managed to pull off 60 frames per second (FPS), the fastest possible performance.

The three of our machines did the maximum 60 frames per second when testing the game with our default 1280×800 resolution. That’s we decided to test the game at a much higher resolution to push our older Mac to limits. That never happened…

Unless your Mac is 15 years old and doesn’t support Intel processors, you should be able to run this game…

Can you play Stardew Valley on a MacBook Pro?

This might be the easiest Mac performance review we’ve done so far. After all, this was to be expected from a pixelated retro-looking game.

Both our MacBook Pros handled Stardew Valley without breaking a sweat. The same should be expected from a MacBook Air. And in case you find yourself with somewhat limited performance, you can always lower the game’s resolution to something more forgiving than 2560×1660…

Bottom line: Stardew Valley is a perfect game for MacBook owners: It’s both great and extremely easy to run on even the oldest MacBooks out there.

PS: These are our favorite accessories for playing/testing games on Mac!

Download Stardew Valley for Mac

If you’re into simulation games or simply wonder why everyone loves Stardew Valley so much, you can grab a copy from most digital stores.

By the way, Humble Bundle’s version includes all the nice Steam features you’d expect, such as Steam cloud saves and the ability to play the game on Windows, Mac, and Linux:

Stardew Valley Mac review

Considered by many as one of the best indies ever created, Stardew Valley is indeed an excellent simulation game everyone should try. On top of that, this is a lightweight game with low system requirements that can be enjoyed by virtually everyone, including users with older MacBooks.

Disclaimer: Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission (this is how we pay the bills). This commission comes at no additional cost to you.

8 Stardew Valley Alternatives & Similar Games on Steam

1. Gemini Lost

Gemini Lost is an Action, Strategy, and Single-player Life-Simulation created and published by PlayFirst. The game provides players with exciting gameplay where they have to complete a set of puzzles and objectives to progress.

The game allows you to take on the role of the protagonist and navigate the world from an isometric perspective. According to the story, you discover the strange beam, while walking with your friends, coming to a mysterious solar eclipse. After that, the peculiar light appears and convert everyone into a new land.

At the start, you need to command a group and try to build shelters, manage food, create a colony to survive, and craft equipment to advance through the game. You need to complete all challenging puzzles and tasks to locate a way to return your home.

The game includes a lot of core features such as Twelve Artifacts to Collect, Restore your Teleport, 20+ Puzzles, Three Mini-Games, Upgrades, Nine New Workshops, and much more. With the exciting world, stunning visuals, brilliant mechanics, and well-written story, Gemini Lost in one of the best games as compared to Casual games.

Games Like Stardew Valley On Mac Pc

2. Cities: Skylines

Cities: Skylines is a Construction and Management, City Building, and Single-player Simulation developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive. The game lets you create and run your city, control each and everything.

Create roads, airports, harbors, and buildings and expand your city further. Build petrol pumps to provide fuel to vehicles. Fulfill the wishes of your citizen and control Public Services, Road Replacement, Taxation, and Public Transportation departments. Manage and maintain the city’s happiness, health, population, factories, traffic flows, employment, and people.

Complete your goals to unlock other features and keep your citizens happy. You must provide all the facilities for your people and earn money. Balance your budget and run your city well. Cities: Skylines includes core features such as different Buildings, Local Traffic, District and Policies, Day-Night Cycle, and more. With the best mechanics, stunning visuals, and addictive gameplay, Cities: Skylines is a beautiful game to play and enjoy.

3. Basement

Basementis a 2D Strategy, Management, and Single-player Simulation developed and published by Half but. It is a drug dealing video game where the player can take on the role of a scientist who forced to do illegal stuff in his house basement. At the start of the game, it allows the player to create his own enterprises that producing different kinds of drugs. After creating the drugs, it allows the player to finds the right place to sell them and earn money. The player can start in a small dealer to have a chance to grow his business. After the progress of the game, it allows the player to sell it higher rates and get more money. But be carefully this growth will attract the cops and if the cops rapid in the lab, in that case, the player will lose his life. The game offers various levels, and each level of the game offers different and challenging gameplay. Basement includes core features such as lots of upgrades, unlock more stuff explore different locations and much more. The game offers simple controls, content rich story plot, great mechanics and stunning graphics details.

4. Kingdoms and Castles

Kingdoms and Castles is an Action-Adventure, Strategy, and Single-player Simulation by Lion Shield. The game is about the development of the country from a tiny hamlet to the sprawling city and imposing a beautiful castle.

During the gameplay, the kingdom must survive the living against the dangerous world. Before starting the game, the player must complete the practice levels that will teach him regarding the significant objectives. The game offers a city-building element that the player can use to create his castle with several buildings.

Kingdoms and Castles consist of multiple levels, and each successive level will provide a reward that the player can use to unlock new items, resources, and upgrades. After progress, the player can create a new castle to make the game more enjoyable.

The game includes lots of prominent features such as interact with his civilization, collect resources, farms, grow crops, protect his kingdom from the deadly creatures, and much more. With smooth controls and beautiful visual details, Kingdoms and Castles is an enjoyable Single-player Strategy game to play and enjoy.

5. Weapon Shop Fantasy

Weapon Shop Fantasy is an Action-Adventure, Shop Simulation, Role-playing and Single-player video game developed by Digdog Studios and published by INDIECN. It is a fantastic business simulation with an emphasis on role-playing elements. In the beginning, the player aims to craft hundreds of mighty weapons to open his shop.

The game offers multiple tasks the player must do, including defeat mighty enemies, learn new skills, defeat monsters and learn hilarious dialogues. It has a series of levels, and in each level, the player must complete a set of tasks to progress. It allows the player to hire a team of staff members to do specific jobs for the player.

The player can improve his character ability using his points. More than 200 different pieces and gear to be a craft, train his team, mini-characters, hundreds of missions, unique combinations, lots of upgrades, and achievements. These are prominent features of the game. Weapon Shop Fantasy offers superb game setting, addictive gameplay, and beautiful visual details.

6. Megapolis

Megapolis is an Addictive, Construction and Management, City-Building, Strategy, and Single-player Simulation created and published by Lonely Troops. The game allows the player to construct the beautiful City with dozens of modern blocks.

The objective of the player is to keep the residents happy by completing their wishes. Provide all the services that they need before time and earn lots of money. The game includes various buildings, such as Shops, Public Buildings, Amusement Parks, Cafe, Resort, and more.

The player can create his city with his style and can decorate it with tons of accessories and items. Build dozens of structures, houses, and buildings, grow and harvest crops for a nice profit. Earn and spend money on citizens to expand the world to become a master.

Games Like Stardew Valley For Mac

Get rewards by completing the objectives and tasks. Create your scenery and play it. Megapolis includes core features such as Construct beautiful City Zone, Create dozens of Houses, Win Trophies, Custom Scenarios, 22 Achievements, and more.

7. Prison Architect

Prison Architect is a Construction and Management Simulation created and published by Introversion Software. The game supports the single-player mode and makes it focus on building the prison, crafting objects, and sandbox elements.

It offers the top-down perspective and assigns a task to the player to build and run a private prison. The player is responsible for various aspects of his prison management like hiring staff (warden, guards, workers, cleaner and more), cell repairing, building facilities, planning utilities, and more.

The game unlocks other aspects as the player fulfills the requirements of each level. Dwarf Fortress, Dungeon Keeper, and Theme Hospital inspire the game. There are a variety of levels filled with different objectives. The player has to earn money by accomplishing tasks and investing them strategically to make a considerable profit.

It has two different modes, such as Story Mode and Escapes mode. The game includes lots of exciting features such as different Levels, Challenging Tasks, Prisons, Building elements, Construct new Units, and more. With superb gameplay, engaging graphics, and exciting soundtracks, Prison Architect is an excellent game to play and enjoy.

8. Airline Tycoon

Airline Tycoon is a Single, and Multiplayer Business Simulation developed and published by Spellbound. In this game the player can take on the role of a manager of an airline and the ultimate task of the player is manage his airline company and run his business. The gameplay of the game consists of several levels, and each level of the game offers different and more enjoyable gameplay of the last one. The player must keep his customers satisfied by providing the best service. It also allows the player to perform sabotages in the other stakeholders. After the progress, it offers the player to purchase new planes and upgrade his company. The game includes core features such as different locations, unlockable achievements, upgrades, different modes, attend the meeting, bank loans, and real-time gameplay, etc. With quite addictive gameplay, objective storyline, dynamic background music and brilliant visual details. Airline Tycoon is an excellent game to play and enjoy.

More About Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is a 2D Awesome, Action, Role-playing, Crafting, Top-down, Building, Sandbox, and Single-player video game created by ConcernedApe and published by Chucklefish. The game takes place in the Stardew Valley, allowing you to get into the role of the protagonist, who gets away from the hustle of a job of office.

In the game, you have got your grandfather’s old farm inherited situated in Stardew Valley. Your character is loaded with a few coins and must start his new life. Hire staff, provide resources, and do work on your farm to grow crops and vegetables to prove yourself as the best farmer. Raise animals, begin an orchard, craft machines, and grow plants to experience the farmer’s life.

The game rewards you with experience points as you complete the objectives. You can use your points to buy or unlock upgrades, items, and other equipment. It includes more than thirty characters and lets you select one of them to get into the game world. It offers a large environment without boundaries.

Stardew Valley offers core features such as Donate artifacts, Cook Delicious Meals, Customize option, Explore a vast World, Mysterious Cave, Local Community, Improve your Skills, and more. Stardew Valley offers the best mechanics, excellent story, stunning visuals, brilliant controls, and addictive gameplay.

Stardew Valley Reviews

Stardew Valley is a fabulous video game that introduces thirty characters and lets me choose one of them to jump into the brilliant world. It proposes a large environment with no boundaries and requires me to perform different activities. I must complete different tasks, such as donate numerous artifacts, try to cook more delicious meals, and utilize various factors and other customizable options to change my character’s appearance. I must explore a vast surrounding environment, including Local Community, and Mysterious Cave. I have to improve my skills to become a great farmer.

Games Like Stardew Valley On Steam

It takes place within the Stardew Valley and permits me to jump into the role of the protagonist. I need to get away from the great hustle of the job at my office. The game reveals the story in which I get my grandfather’s old farm situated in the Stardew Valley. At the start, I contain a few coins and attempt to start my new life. I have to hire lots of staff, gather multiple resources, and remain engaged in working on my farm. Throughout my life, I execute different real-time actions, such as grow various kinds of crops, vegetables, fruits, and much more to prove myself as the best farmer.