Regardless of being launched again in 2016, Stardew Valley remains to be going robust. However even the best-designed video games could be tweaked to your liking utilizing mods. New gamers may resolve they like a recolored look, whereas these with a whole bunch of hours is perhaps trying to find an expanded expertise. Both manner, we’ve gathered a few of the finest Stardew Valley mods to provide you tons of choices in your subsequent playthrough.
First, you’ll must get arrange for modding. These mods are predominantly for these taking part in on a PC, though the Steam Deck and Android variations of Stardew additionally help some mods. You’ll want a further piece of software program, referred to as SMAPI, which could be downloaded from Nexus Mods. There may be additionally a pleasant set of directions for putting in and utilizing it out there on the Stardew Valley Wiki.
For fairly a couple of mods, you’ll additionally must have Content material Patcher, so it’s price setting that up on the similar time. Simply unzip the folder contained in the Mods folder that was created robotically by SMAPI.
Congratulations! You’re able to dive into the great world of Stardew modding.
Picture: Poltergeister/Nexus Mods
Many Stardew Valley mods merely make small adjustments to how the sport seems to be, and Seasonal Outfits is a well-liked instance. Its subtitle is “Barely Cuter Aesthetic,” so it’s not right here to overtake something, however it does tweak NPC sprites in order that they’ve completely different garments relying on the climate, in addition to giving them particular seems to be for the Flower Dance and Spirit’s Eve festivals. It’s an awesome place to start out if you wish to give the sport a bit extra selection with out altering it an excessive amount of.
Picture: DaisyNiko/Nexus Mods
The brilliant colours of primary Stardew Valley are definitely cheerful, however recolor mods give gamers tons of different palettes and seasonal moods to select from. DaisyNiko’s Earthy Recolour brings the entire recreation down right into a extra muted, grounded palette that’s simpler on the eyes. It additionally replaces the dig spot in order that it grows a clover as an alternative of these bizarre worms from the bottom recreation, which is a pleasant contact.
Picture: Hesper/Nexus Mods
For a barely extra intense aesthetic change, do that mod that swaps out the entire wildlife for superbly pastel variations. I’m an enormous fan of the spring look, with a number of shades of blossom bushes — and the large, house-sized mushrooms.
Picture: OhoDavi/Nexus Mods
If the usual pixel faces of the bachelors and bachelorettes of Pelican City aren’t fairly your model, it’s anime portraits to the rescue. This mod by OhoDavi is the preferred, which makes Alex seem like a sports activities anime protagonist and Hayley like a magical lady. However there are a whole bunch of different choices out there to fit your preferences.
Picture: Airyn, tenthousandcats, minervamaga
Given how a lot illustration this mod provides to the sport, it’s arguably extra than simply an aesthetic change. It won’t have an effect on the gameplay immediately, however it makes Pelican City extra inclusive as NPC mods add a broader number of character races, disabilities, and physique sorts. On prime of that, Various Stardew Valley provides outfit choices like seasonal adjustments, pageant suits, and even maternity clothes.
Picture: Elle/Nexus Mods
There’s rather a lot to do in Stardew Valley — however there may at all times be extra! This mod, for instance, provides to the number of animals you possibly can preserve in your farm. In addition to giving pigs, sheep, goats, and cows cute new sprites, it provides a few new choices in your barn, too. These received’t act any in a different way, however you’ll nonetheless be capable of obtain your desires of changing into an alpaca or deer farmer.
Picture: blueberry/Nexus Mods
This mod totally overhauls Stardew’s kitchen-related particulars. You’ll obtain Grandpa’s outdated cookbook within the mail, and as you may anticipate, it should have a bunch of recipes inside. These recipes are completely reworked from the bottom recreation, to ensure they’re all worthwhile when it comes to buffs and perks. However the mod provides much more than that, too, together with Cooking as a talent you possibly can enhance, a brand new frying pan instrument you possibly can improve, contemporary crops, and even the flexibility to burn your meals — though you possibly can flip that characteristic off when you like!
Observe that it is a mod that requires Json Belongings, which itself requires a few different bits to get working. However all the main points and directions are laid out on Nexus, and it’s price a bit of additional effort, as a result of having Json Belongings will unlock loads of content material packs. In line with its web page, it “at present helps crafting recipes, crops (together with large crops), fruit bushes, huge craftables, hats, weapons, clothes, and boots.” So when you get began there’s rather a lot you are able to do with it!
Picture: Hisameartwork, TrentXV/Nexus Mods
For those who’re one of many individuals who enjoys fishing in Stardew, reasonably than a kind of who (like me) finds it hopelessly troublesome, Extra New Fish is for you. It provides 140 contemporary fish to be caught, together with rays, clownfish, and new sorts of eels. You may even catch koi and goldfish and put them in a tank in your home with this suitable mod. There are a few added quests for the later recreation, too, so that you received’t get tired of fishing any time quickly. (Additionally, I’m in awe of your talent.)
Picture: aedenthorn/Nexus Mods
Can’t resolve whether or not to romance Shane or Abigail? Wish to make an enormous polycule out of the city? Simply wish to hang around along with your favourite NPC as your roommate? Free Love permits all of this and extra, within the identify of making extra complicated relationships between your farmer and the townspeople. It’s based mostly on, however supersedes, the sooner A number of Spouses mod, which did greater than it mentioned on the tin — it additionally added vital options like “Permits you to kiss your whole spouses as many instances per day as you want, as a result of significantly.” So true.
Picture: Mission Populate Json Belongings/Nexus Mods
Artisan Valley provides greater than 200 new objects to Stardew, together with 20 machines to make them. All in all, it’s an enormous growth to the crafting system that ought to preserve issues contemporary for a very long time. It’s additionally one of many Json Belongings mods, so you need to use it alongside all the brand new fruits, veggies, bushes, flowers, recipes, and so forth which might be a part of that challenge. In truth, you possibly can seize them all of sudden right here.
Earlier than we get into the larger, full expansions out there for Stardew Valley, it’s price mentioning that most of the hottest mods are way more humble — and no much less worthwhile. High quality-of-life adjustments are a few of the hottest mods on Nexus, they usually embrace the flexibility to maintain grass alive over winter, a much bigger backpack, and real-time NPC places being marked on the map. A few of them are just a little extra in depth, just like the Lookup Something mod, which will provide you with a ton of data at your fingertips, and a few merely skip the fishing minigame. A private thanks to that one. If there’s any form of annoyance you face whereas taking part in the vanilla recreation, it’s price taking a second to look whether or not somebody has fastened it. They in all probability have.
Picture: FlashShifter/Nexus Mods
Finally, you’ll run out of issues to do in Stardew. You’ll have accomplished the Neighborhood Heart, befriended your whole neighbors, and have two completely happy children and thousands and thousands in gold. However you possibly can push that second far, far down the road with Stardew Valley Expanded. This mod provides a complete city’s price of NPCs, places to discover, occasions, quests, crops, and sure, even fish. Modder FlashShifter says that they needed to recapture the sensation of Stardew’s finest moments by creating extra of them for the skilled participant, and the recognition of this mod definitely means that they succeeded. And as a bonus, plenty of different mods are additionally suitable with Stardew Valley Expanded. For instance, the anime portrait mod listed earlier additionally impacts Expanded’s NPCs.
Picture: Rafseazz, mamaesh/Nexus Mods
Ridgeside Village is one other main growth, opening up a brand new city accessible by cable automobile. As you may anticipate, meaning a complete lot extra NPCs to make mates with, in addition to new quests, occasions, and objects to flesh out the endgame. You may even discover romance up within the mountains!
Picture: Max Vollmer/Nexus Mods
Reached the underside of the mines? What concerning the coronary heart of the forest? Deepwoods provides a brand new late-game, harmful, procedurally generated space to discover. There are monsters lurking there and it’s possible you’ll simply get misplaced for good, however there are additionally secrets and techniques, surprises, and worthwhile sources out there to the courageous ranger who can survive the shady bushes.
Picture: aedenthorn/Nexus Mods
For those who desire a extra laid-back expertise, you may wish to choose up a part-time job on the Stardrop Saloon. This provides some depth to each the cooking and relationship mechanics, supplying you with a great cause to make a wide range of dishes and a neat option to enhance your friendship with the townsfolk. It’s additionally a well-integrated manner of studying what your neighbors like, with the intention to preserve the friendship ball rolling with presents if you wish to. Plus, you’ll be serving to Gus out. What’s to not like?