It’s time to enter the magical world of the best dating sims. Forget about CS:GO, Fortnite, or that one Viking game you’ve been playing of late; why not have deep and meaningful conversations with a T-Rex instead? If getting acquainted with a half-horse-half-human or a World War 2 tank sounds good to you, then strap yourself in, to explore the best dating sims.
Dating sim games are basically stories with dialogue options that will influence the ending you get. Usually, there are plenty of love interests to choose from, and your actions will determine whether your crush falls for you or, for example, murders you. Did we mention that the best dating sims also usually happen to be wonderfully weird?
There are plenty of fun dating sims out there, but a few of them are truly remarkable. Whether they have the best characters, best storylines, or the most disturbing theme, these 10 best dating sims know no boundaries when it comes to virtual love.
Have fun trying out these best dating sims, and don’t break too many hearts!
10. Raptor Boyfriend: A High School Romance
Raptor Boyfriend has not yet been released, but its romance options are too interesting to ignore. Will it be the artistic fairy, the musical bigfoot, or the sporty velociraptor who wins your heart? Or as the game puts it: are you team wings, fur, or scales?
Raptor Boyfriend seems to take a more serious approach than previous dating sims. As you interact with the three love interests, you will find out more and more about their past. In other words, this game looks like the right combination of a serious story, goofiness, and unconventional love interests.
Available on: PC
9. My Horse Prince
These best dating sims will see you date daddies, dinosaurs, tanks, and pigeons… But there is one type of love interest that few tap into: horses. Luckily, My Horse Prince lets you experience the special love between a human and a horse with a human’s face.
Why not just give the human face a human body, you ask? Well, then there wouldn’t be so much room for petting and carrot-feeding, would there? Unsurprisingly, the best thing about My Horse Prince is its humor. From the flirty conversations to the half-finished drawing job of a ranch owner, this dating sim will have you rolling on the floor with laughter.
Available on: iOS, Android
8. Max Gentlemen Sexy Business
Max Gentlemen Sexy Business gets extra points for its new take on the dating simulator genre. It combines the classic dating sim features with business simulator gameplay. In other words, managing your production and flirting with fellow executives go hand-in-hand here.
Another thing that makes Max Gentlemen Sexy Business stand out from the crowd, is the role-playing element. Unlike most dating sims, you get to create your own character and pick your preferred gender. There are 12 romanceable characters, so plenty of ways to sleep your way to the top.
Available on: PC
7. Jurassic Heart
Many dating sims make their characters look cuter than in reality, but not Jurassic Heart. A T-Rex looks like a T-Rex, whether you’re dating him or not. But even though he looks scary, your new classmate Taira is a gentle dinosaur who enjoys playing the ukulele.
Truth be told, Jurassic Heart’s story is very short and only has a few endings. Nonetheless, its beautiful atmosphere and heartwarming story make it impossible to ignore. It’s just the right mix of silly, strange, and serious; all the required ingredients for one of the best dating sims.
Available on: Browser
6. Hatoful Boyfriend
In Hatoful Boyfriend: A School of Hope and White Wings, you play a human girl who has eight different love interests to choose from. Oh, and they’re all pigeons.
Not only is Hatoful Boyfriend one of the funniest and most bizarre dating sims out there, it is also celebrated for its variety of endings and character depth. Like Doki Doki Literature Club, Hatoful Boyfriend’s silly exterior hides a much deeper and fascinating storyline. This is also a unique chance to learn a thing or two about pigeon breeds, so make sure you don’t miss it.
Available on: PS4, Android, PC
5. I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin’ Good Dating Simulator
If Colonel Sanders doesn’t strike you as perfect husbo material, you haven’t seen him in ‘I Love You, Colonel Sanders!’ yet. The dreamy, silver-haired Colonel will be your classmate during a three-day cooking class. Guess what’ll be on the menu?
Do not dismiss ‘I Love You, Colonel Sanders’ as just a marketing stunt - although it’s quite short, it is funny, weird, and free to play. In fact, it has one of the best intro videos ever seen in a dating sim. So, if you can handle an abundance of fried chicken advertisement and anime references, do not leave the Colonel waiting.
Available on: PC
4. Panzermadels: Tank Dating Simulator
When the protagonist of Panzermadels joined Tank School, he didn’t expect actual tanks for classmates. Luckily, the tanks turn out to be cute anime girls (they’re both at the same time - it’s a bit unclear how this works exactly but that's part of its charm). But which one of them will invade your heart?
Panzermadels features plenty of goofiness and lots of different endings, but its specialty, of course, are the tanks. For anyone who has always dreamed of taking an M4 Sherman on a romantic beach date, this is the perfect game.
Available on: PC
3. Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Imagine you’re a single dad who just moved to a new neighborhood with his teenage daughter. You are looking for love, and surprise: your new town happens to be full of hot, (mostly) single dads! There’s a Teacher Dad, a Fitness Dad, a Goth Dad… Seven daddies to match your own desires, and they all come with several different endings.
One of the things that sets Dream Daddy apart is the character creation. There’s a broad range of customization options to help you design the dreamiest of daddies. If that’s not enough reason to play Dream Daddy, then check out the dad jokes and the minigames. Hope you’re into minigolf and fishing!
Available on: Switch, PS4, Android, PC
2. Monster Prom
Yet another classic among dating simulator connoisseurs. In Monster Prom, you go on a highschooler’s most important mission: scoring a date for the prom! It’s only different from reality in two ways: everyone is a monster and you might actually succeed.
Monster Prom is colorful, cartoonish, and far more than a click-through adventure. You have to try your hardest if you want to score a date, and even then there’s a high chance of rejection. As dating sims are usually single player only, one of Monster Prom’s best features is the multiplayer option.
Available on: PC
1. Doki Doki Literature Club
Doki Doki Literature Club is one of the most popular dating sims out there. The story starts innocent enough with four potential love interests, a high school club, and lots of poetry. There’s the sweet girl, the quiet one, the tsundere… But things are not as normal as they seem.
Doki Doki Literature Club has a great storyline and interesting characters, but the best thing about it are the unexpected twists. This game will turn surprisingly dark when you least expect it, hence the reason it starts with the warning that it’s not suitable for “children and those who are easily disturbed”. If you think you can handle it, then this is one dating sim you don’t want to miss.
Available on: PC
