For many years, there’s been no other game that really captures the essence of Nintendo’s Animal Crossing, but there may finally be some competition in the form of HoYoverse’s Petit Planet. Petit Planet adapts some of the core gameplay features that players love from Nintendo’s life sim and brings some refreshing new takes and mechanics that make HoYoverse’s adaptation stand well on its own. Thanks to HoYoverse, I had the chance to experience Petit Planet during its “Coziness Test” on PC, and I was thoroughly impressed by what the game offers in its current stage.
Petit Planet is set in the cosmos, where an endless assortment of “Planettes” lie in the expanse known as the Starsea. Players are pulling from their phones into the universe of Petit Planet by a mystical creature that encourages the nurturing of Planettes and communities. From there, players land on a small Planette serving as a reception area, where the fun and cute character Esassani awaits to greet those who embark on their new life-sim journey. After meeting her, she encourages the player to meet Mobai, a wise, tea-loving anthropomorphic canine that works for Loomi Co., a company that funds and facilitates the nurturing of Planettes for its customers. Funnily enough, this company doesn’t request reimbursements from the player, as their sole objective seems to be populating Planettes with communities of players and “neighbors.”
Petit Planet is Fun and Cozy Right from the Get-Go
After picking one of a few starter Planettes, players touch down on their new home with Mobai, Esassani, and a few other companions to get started. I describe the early tutorials as part of an onboarding process of sorts, as Petit Planet lets players test out many of the basic functions of the game in fun and meaningful ways. Mobai will give the player simple tasks—aided by tutorials—to get a feel of fishing, cooking, foraging, crafting items, and so much more. Right away, Petit Planet gives players a ton of tools and features they can work with in the first few hours, along with their very own home to decorate as you see fit with all the items and furniture you could imagine. You’ll learn how to manage Strength, or the ability to perform labor on the land, with cooking and meals, for example. All of the tips are added to the player’s in-game smartphone, which is full of options, item inventory, and more.
The similarities to Animal Crossing are abundantly clear, but the game doesn’t feel cheap at all. There are many systems that are unique to Petit Planet and make the experience unique and of its own. One of the earliest examples in the game involves Luca, a mysterious form of energy that acts as the source of the planet’s vitality. Players obtain Luca by progressing the main quests, and using Luca on the Planette’s “seed” at the camp will nurture more wild life and expand the explorable area. This makes progression feel very rewarding and consistently engaging throughout the game, and it makes the day-to-day life and grinding that much more worthwhile, too. You’re rewarded with new clothes, recipes, and other items by playing each day, making the gameplay loop enticing.
Daily activities in Petit Planet usually involve talking to neighbors (the furry friends that join you on your Planette), completing quests and tasks, foraging materials, cultivating the land, and adding more Luca to your seed to expand your Planette’s offerings. While doing so, you can progress each neighbor’s Bond Level, along with their Journey and Growth affinity trees in the Starcove menu. Growth can be progressed by talking to the neighbor and performing certain tasks, including sending gifts, while Journey involves distributing Archiboos—fluffy companions born from Luca—to the neighbor to unlock new “Inspo” cards with recipes or designs, among other rewards.
Progression in Petit Planet is very synergistic, as completing one activity or meeting an achievement may contribute towards another goal or task needing to be fulfilled. For instance, upgrading your home may require the completion of achievements and activities with neighbors in order to earn enough Dough, Petit Planet’s equivalent of in-game money. The game doesn’t feel like a grind in an unhealthy or predatory way, either, as players are encouraged to play at their own pace, and there are very many items that can be earned just by playing.
A Balance of Single-Player and Multiplayer Features
There are various features that make Petit Planet stand apart from the competition. Petit Planet has a suite of online features that allow players to connect easily, such as the Galactic Bazaar social hub. There, players have the opportunity to meet others and engage in chats—not too dissimilar from MMORPGs like Final Fantasy XIV. The hub also has co-op mini-games, serving as a fun diversion away from managing your Planette.
Galactic Bazaar is unlocked once you have your own car, which is also a necessary component for Starsea Voyages. Starsea Voyages lets players go to unexplored Islets with their Neighbors to gather rare materials and make some new discoveries that might help you back home.
Back on the Planette, players will notice other players’ Planettes hover close by, and if you’re curious, you can examine some key details about the Planette and maybe even visit. You can also have a friends list of up to 50 friends, all of whom you can visit and play Petit Planet with.
The social and exploration elements make Petit Planet feel grand in scope, and the Starsea feels like a living and breathing universe, considering other players and their Planettes are all a part of it. Petit Planet doesn’t compromise one feature for another so far, either. The game feels balanced without leaning too heavily into multiplayer or single-player. Players who prefer single-player over multiplayer, and vice versa, can approach it how they want.
Petit Planet Could be One of 2026’s Most Impactful Games
Thus far, Petit Planet is a real joy to play, and in its closed beta test format, it’s about as polished as it can be on PC right now. I haven’t experienced any technical issues apart from some inconsistent inputs on controller, which will likely be fixed by the time the full game launches. Right now, Petit Planet is wholesome, fun, relaxing, and most importantly, engaging.
The biggest question involves monetization practices, which I guess will eventually be introduced in the form of purchasable cosmetics and furniture. Although this would typically be an area of concern, I think Petit Planet’s gameplay loop and progression systems were designed to deliver a great experience first without a reliance on gacha, at least for now.
If Petit Planet continues on this positive trajectory, I think it could be a major hit among Animal Crossing and HoYoverse fans. Competition is always welcomed, and if Petit Planet does release in 2026, it could be one of the year’s most impactful games. The game has so many features that strike a chord, and for myself, the sense of ease and wonder as I explore and procure materials makes it hard to put the game down.
Petit Planet is currently in development as a multi-platform title for PC, Android, and iOS, and “additional platforms” will be confirmed at a later date. I personally hope that Nintendo Switch 2 will be one of those platforms, as I think Petit Planet is a perfect fit there.
Disclaimer: HoYoverse provided a Petit Planet closed beta test code on PC for coverage purposes.
