Summary
Has anyone ever wondered what the equivalent of instant ramen in the gaming world is?Dress-up games. Now, this might sound weird, but there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for why this analogy works. Dress-up games are easy to access,they’re easy to play, and they’re easy to digest. Not everyone wants to go through a “full-course meal” game that has a steep learning curve and an intricately detailed—almost chaotic—storyline, when they can simply enjoy casually dressing up a random character on the internet. Why not? It’s the ultimate stress reliever!
The thing about dress-up games is that there is a whole array of definitions that can define them. They could be defined as a sub-genre of life simulation games like the iconicSimsseries, or they could be considered a very particular type of role-playing game. Regardless of what they are, dress-up games are designed to not be taken seriously. Most of them do not have much of a story going on, nor do they have a lot of conflict, and that’s precisely the point. They’re designed for players to, well, play dress-up, without being subjected to the looming threat of losing progress or, heaven forbid, a life.
6Everskies: Virtual Dress Up
An honest little game for a creative outlet
Everskies: Virtual Dress Upis a dress-up and life simulation game that was released on Android and iOS in 2022. It’s a ‘true’ dress-up game that is centered purely around fashion elements and is kind of reminiscent of those early2000s internet games. Players even get to design their own dresses and put them up for sale in-game. It’s perfect for people who want to explore their inner fashion designer.
As far as the dress-up part of the game is concerned, it’s pretty straight-forward. Players are given a wide range of options when it comes to selecting a character. They can choose their character’s make-up and facial features and even change their character completely once they get the hang of the game. After selecting one, players are virtually set up to style and purchase clothing for them. Additionally, there’s a social media world inside the game, where players get to join or form clubs, chat with other members, and take part in trading and selling fashion items.
5Shining Nikki
Gorgeous visuals, serene vibes, and a lovely soundtrack
Shining Nikkiis one of the most famous dress-up games on the scene right now. It is a 3D mobile game developed by Papergames and is the fourth installment of a very successful dress-up franchise. The game has a pretty decent plot andsome well-made RPG elementsthat just add to its allure. The storyline revolves around Nikki, the main character, waking up in a hospital with her memories erased. She and her familiar set out to find answers about her strange predicament.
Even thoughShining Nikkiseems like a run-of-the-mill, plain ol' dress-up game at first glance, it’s actually not. It has some pretty dynamic gameplay that revolves around Nikki going through different ‘styling battles’ with NPC characters to progress through the game. She wins these battles using different in-game attributes like Designer Reflections, Styling Power, and Stamina. Ultimately, she receives different rewards for victories, ranging from gold and clothing items to memory keys (to unlock her lost memories).
4Time Princess: Dreamtopia
Disney-esque characters, Rococo beauty trends, and gorgeous graphics
Time Princess: Dreamtopiais another 3D dress-up game that was released in 2020 and is available to play on Android and iOS. It’s kind of likeShining Nikkibut leans more towards Disney-like characters rather than anime-like characters.
InTime Princess: Dreamtopia, the player’s character is transported into an ancient kingdom through a portal found within an old storybook. The character has to learn how to navigate through this new world, take part in different dress-up challenges, andmake in-game choicesthat will decide her and her kingdom’s fate. Honestly, it isn’t as serious as it sounds. It’s simply a game where players deck out their characters in the most fabulous ball gowns ever and play around with accessories to create their own stylish looks!
Animal Crossing: New Horizonsis NOT a dress-up game at all. It’s a social simulation game that was developed and released by Nintendo in 2020 and is the fifth installment in theAnimal Crossingseries. While this particular installment is currently only available on Nintendo Switch, the series does have a mobile game calledAnimal Crossing: Pocket Campavailable on Android and iOS.
Animal Crossing: New Horizonsis a life/social sim game that hascute anthropomorphic animalswho help the player build a ‘perfect’ village. That’s literally what the whole game is about. The dressing-up part comes with character customization. Players get all kinds of options to dress up their characters, buy adorably cute fashion items, and mix and match different looks. While doing that may just be a small part of the gameplay, it is the most fun part!
The Simsfranchise, while not strictly a part of the dress-up genre, is basically all about dressing a character up and steering them through, well, life. It is, after all, a life simulation game.The Sims 4is the fourth major installment ofThe Simsfranchise and was released by EA in 2014. It is a free-to-play game that’s available on Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. An alternative version, calledThe Sims Mobile, is available exclusively for mobile users.
The Sims 4is downright sophisticated with its gameplay; even its ‘dress-up’ elements are way more advanced than other dress-up games. Players don’t just get a meager selection of dresses and fashion items for their characters, they get to build their Sims from scratch. They get options for everything they need to build a person: physical build, traits, skin color, facial features, dresses, and even body shapes. It’s sort of like molding something out of clay. Additionally, there’s thebuild-mode option, which lets players construct and furnish entire houses. To sum up,The Sims 4provides players A LOT of creative freedom which isn’t only limited to fashion but extends across all facets of the game.
1Style Savvy: Styling Star
Lets players get acquainted with the business side of fashion.
Style Savvy: Styling Staris a hidden gem among the thousands and thousands of dress-up games available on the internet. It’s a Nintendo 3DS game that was released in 2017 and is the fourth installment in a series of fashion games calledStyle Savvy, the first one being released in 2009.
Style Savvy: Styling Stardoes not directly jump into the dressing-up part. It starts with the player acquiring a boutique from their ‘Uncle Tim,’ who leaves it to them to go about his own business. The player now has to run the boutique meticulously and keep all their customers satisfied. The gameplay is essentially based on the player taking very specific fashion orders from their clients, so they can put together an outfit that fits the provided description. The more accurate they are, the higher the chances they will have of selling that outfit to said customer (and getting money in return). Withthe earned money, the player can revamp their store, buy better products, or even purchase fashion items for their personal use. It’s all very fun.
