The beauty of video games is that they bring imaginary places to life. Places we would want to visit, places we want to avoid at all costs, and even places we would like to call home. They can take us away from our current circumstances to somewhere dark and scary, but also to somewhere warm, cozy, and homely.
Some of the most comforting and attractive homes we can bring to mind may come from video games we’ve played. It could be a base we’ve made ourselves under the financial burden of Tom Nook, or a home we’ve simply stumbled across on an epic journey through another world. Here are some video game abodes we wouldn’t mind calling home.
10De Santa Resident - Grand Theft Auto 5
Let Loose In Lost Santos
Domestic issues and organized crime aside, the De Santa residence is pretty chill. A mansion on the hills of Los Santos? Get the De Santa family out of there, and you have yourself a property with serious potential with a swimming pool and tennis court to boot. That’s if you like the metropolitan life, of course.
If you can stay out of trouble, you could spend a lot of time relaxing in the De Santa mansion. Invite some friends over for a spot of tennis, a pool party, or maybe even some yoga. Maybe use a yoga teacher less annoying than Fabien LaRouche, though.
9Croft Manor - Tomb Raider
Winston, Can I Get A Grilled Cheese?
If you were a millionaire and Croft Manor came on the market, you’d be a fool not to put a bid in. It would take a while to put your own stamp on things, but you’d probably want to keep most of Lara’s well-curated interior design intact, artifacts and all.
Aside from the constant threat of burglary, Croft Manor would be super chill. An indoor pool, amazing rugs, and a study full of rare and interesting books are just some of the cool stuff on offer. And if you’re not lazy, you may get Winston to create some assault courses for you (providing he comes with the crib).
Life Is Peachy
Don’t pretend you never playedSuper Mario 64while grounded and wished you could run away to Mushroom Kingdom. Jokes aside, if you were to find yourselfin Mushroom Kingdom, a room in Peach’s castle is probably the most attractive housing option out there. It looks great in all the Mario games and is probably the most whimsical on this list.
Aside from it being a literalcastle, there are Toads to chill with, beautiful castle grounds, and a bunch of paintings to jump into and try to find Mario. He’s probably out somewhere trying to stop a certain giant Koopa King from abducting the whole place with you in it, though.
7Link’s House - The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Your Own Hyrule Home
One of the biggest surprises inThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildwas that Link could buy his very own house. House customization isn’t present in any of the previous Zelda titles, so excitement levels were at a maximum when Link is offered a house in Hateno Village for a mere 3,000 rupees and 30 bundles of wood.
Hateno Village is safe, picturesque, and has everything you need for your Hyrule home. I’d love to settle into Link’s house (with all the unlockable furnishings, of course), head to East Wind General Store for some eggs and ‘shrooms, whip up an omelet on the stove outside, and watch the world go by.
6Grandma’s House - The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Elixir Soup On Tap
A simple, beautiful cabin on Outset Island? Elixir Soup on demand? Grandma’s House inThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Wakerseems like a gorgeous place to be.
Anyone who’s played The Wind Waker will have fond memories of popping back to Link’s Grandma’s house for a rest and a bottle of Elixir Soup, or two. It’s a cozy wooden cabin right on the beach of Outset Island,the game’s starting area. As well as being a fantastic soup-maker, Link’s grandma is super cute and full of wisdom. She’d be a lovely landlord, and definitely wouldn’t be chasing you for the rent if money is short.
5Hotel Krat - Lies Of P
Gothic Chic Meets Art Deco
Those who prefer more gothic digs might have been drawn to the beautiful Hotel Krat inLies of P. As well as functioning as the game’s central hub for upgrades and the like, it’s a large and attractive hotel full of centuries-old decor, buffed marble floors, and Persian rugs.
The warm lighting and candelabras that illuminate Hotel Krat will mean you always feel at home, especially when you get into bed and Spring – the Hotel’s resident feline — curls up next to you. If it’s not bedtime, light an open fire and kick back whilst you plan your next boss fight.
4Nate & Elena’s Beach House - Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
The Best Interior Design In Gaming
After their colossal adventures in theUnchartedseries, Nathan Drake and his wife Elena settle down in an idyllic beach house that has become one of the most memorable homes in gaming. It’s simply stunning.
The Drake beach house is full of patinated wood, vintage furniture, and healthy houseplants, all arranged beautifully to create a welcoming space you could easily spend the rest of your days in. While you might not have any big adventures or near-death experiences to reflect on, you could easily relish waking up, making a coffee, and putting a piece of vinyl on the player before admiring the beach.
3Lion’s Pride Inn - World Of Warcraft
Even the most experiencedWorld of Warcraftplayers will long for the toasty glow of the Lion’s Pride Inn whilst in the depths of an intense raid. If you play a Human character, Lion’s Pride is the first inn that you will call home whilst you take out some Kobolds and Defias folks in Goldshire, and it sure leaves a mark.
The Lion’s Pride is perhaps what we all long for in a fantasy inn. A lively pub full of different races coming together to share their adventures over a flagon of mead, with a roaring fire gently lighting their battle-scarred faces. Feeling tired? Have a few hunks of Azeroth’s finest cheeses and head up to one of the rooms for a good night’s sleep. We’ll be checking in for a couple of months, thanks.
2Our Animal Crossing: New Horizons Homes
The Biggest Glow Up A Tent Ever Had
Animal Crossing: New Horizonsgave us all the chance to create our own custom abode during a time we needed it most. The COVID-19 pandemic saw us cooped up inside for long periods of time, and Animal Crossing providedNintendo Switchowners with a much-needed cute and cozy distraction whilst we built and customized our own island filled with animal friends.
Getting deep into debt with the cutest loan shark ever, Tom Nook, is a house-building experience that many players will never forget. The configurations and furniture options are seemingly endless, especially when you consider you have a whole island to customize. It’s an experience that has left many of us wishing we could just step inside our Switch for a vacation, or even pack our bags and move there forever.
1Mom’s House - Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver
Every Pokemon Fans Dream
While Home inPokemonHeartGold & SoulSilver isn’t the most aesthetically exciting house on this list, it would be a more-than-adequate base for an adventure in Johto, Kanto, and beyond — something every Pokemon fan dreams of from time to time.
No matter how nice your home is, if Mom had a little house in New Bark Town — right next to Prof. Elm’s lab — you have to move straight back home. You could raise your own Pokemon, maybe start a business making Bitter Berry Jam, with Mom saving all your profits, of course. The world would be your Cloyster.
