Little Witch in the Woods is an indie life simulation video game developed and published by South Korean studio Sunny Side Up. The game follows Ellie, an apprentice witch who lives in a forest, wears a talking witch hat named Virgil, and is able to fish and brew potions. She must complete her training by helping nearby villagers and meeting other witches.
The game was released in early access in 2022, and fully released on September 15, 2025. Releases for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch are planned.
Gameplay
In Little Witch in the Woods, players control Ellie, an apprentice witch whose ultimate goal is to complete her training and become a formal witch. The core gameplay focuses on exploring different regions, gathering resources, and brewing magical potions. Players can also engage in fishing across various bodies of water. While the primary objective of fishing is to catalog species in Ellie's encyclopedia, fish can also be gifted to villagers or used to earn the affection of local cats. Fish availability varies depending on the specific location and time of day, and players can frequently determine a fish's type by the size of its underwater shadow before catching it.
Release
It launched in early access in mid-2022 for Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. The game was fully released for PC on September 15, 2025.
Reception
The game was positively received by critics in early access, receiving comparisons with Stardew Valley due to its pixel-art aesthetic and gameplay. Alice Bell of Rock Paper Shotgun said that she "can't get over how lovely it is", and that the trailer had an "impeccable sense of comedic timing". Hope Bellingham of GamesRadar+ called the game "similar to a pixel-art version of Kiki's Delivery Service", and remarked that it was a "cozy game" that they "definitely recommend". Glenn Wilson of Gamezebo called the game's day/night system "clever", as it changes the behavior of the game's creatures. Lauren Morton of PC Gamer called the game's look "undeniably cute" with "some pretty swell tunes".