Stardew Valley is a game all about customization, from choosing which villagers to make friends with to deciding how to layout your farm. It only makes sense that players would want to download mods to customize their experience even more.
Stardew Valley doesn’t include mod support natively, but fortunately, enterprising modders have developed their own way to enable mods. That means you’ll have to download an additional program to load some mods into Stardew Valley, but once you do, adding mods is simple.
How to install mods
To get started, you’ll have to download the Stardew Valley Modding API (SMAPI). Ensure you run Stardew Valley at least once if you haven’t already so the game can create its setup files, then extract the .zip file you get from the link above and run the .bat file to set up SMAPI. If you’re using Steam to run Stardew Valley, you’ll then have to copy and paste a line of text in the SMAPI installer into the game’s launch options under the properties menu. Once that’s done, you can install mods by simply downloading them from Nexus Mods and unzipping the file into the Mods folder in your Stardew Valley installation. For more detailed instructions, check out the modding guide on the Stardew Valley wiki.
More straightforward mods don’t require SMAPI. Instead, you can download the mod and replace an existing file in the Stardew Valley installation with the one you download. It’s a good idea to make a backup copy of the original file first, though, in case you ever want to revert back to that version. You can check each mod’s Nexus page to see exactly where to install it.
With that out of the way, let’s get onto the best Stardew Valley mods.
Lookup Anything
There’s a lot to keep track of in Stardew Valley if you want to get the most out of the game. Knowing when plants should be harvested, how villagers are feeling, and what your animals need, can help you run a successful farm without wasting time. That’s exactly why Lookup Anything exists. This mod is basically an in-game encyclopedia that gives you detailed information on anything in Stardew Valley, from villagers to enemies in the mines. All you need to do is hover your mouse over your target and press F1 to get a readout of everything you need to know about it.
NPC Map Locations
NPC Map Locations tracks every villager’s location on your map, so you never have to waste a day just searching for someone you need to talk to again. In Stardew Valley, every character has their own life and will tend to wander to different areas. This mod considers your time, by ensuring no more wasted hours looking for that one character you need to give a gift to.
CJB Cheats Menu
If you have aspirations to become a complete god in Stardew Valley, this mod is for you. CJB Cheats Menu is similar to a debug console, letting you affect the game in dozens of different ways. You can use it to warp to different areas, instantly water your crops, grant yourself more health or money, change the weather, and lots more.
Save Anywhere
One of the best things the Switch version of Stardew Valley did is let you suspend your game anywhere and pick up where you left off when you come back. Unfortunately, in the PC version, you still need to sleep to save your game. Save Anywhere remedies that by, you guessed it, letting you save anywhere. Beware, Save Anywhere has conflicts with mods that add new content to the game, so if you’re using a lot of other mods, there’s a chance this one won’t work for you. Check the mod page for details.
Stardew Aquarium
Want to get a little closer to the water? The Stardew Aquarium mod brings in a new building that lets you donate fish to for rewards and brings in a brand new beach environment to relax in. Every donation you make is fully animated, so nothing feels cheap or out of place here.
More Hairstyles
Some people might think that there are not enough customization items in Stardew Valley. You are created your character, but they maintain the same basic looks and style. That’s where the More Hairstyles mod comes in. Stand out from Stardew Valley players with a new style.
Stardew Valley Expanded
Stardew Valley Expanded takes the base game and extends it far beyond its normal reach. The mod includes new locations, new NPCs to interact with, and so, so much more. This is essentially a giant expansion to the game you can download for free. If you find your time with the base game starting to get stale, reinvigorate yourself with Expanded.
Scythe Harvesting V2.0
Scythe Harvesting makes it so you can harvest every single one of your crops and flowers using your scythe. No longer will you need to swap between items for different plants, cutting down on wasted time.
Tractor Mod
The Tractor Mod is a must-have if you’re tired of doing everything on your farm by hand. Once again, taking into consideration your time, you bring in a shed dedicated to your new hunk of machinery and can use it to clear various aspects of your farm that you normally would have to do one-by-one with your hand.
Modern Gothic Interior
Do you think Stardew Valley is a little too bright-colored and cheery? Dampen things down with the Modern Gothic Interior mod. This mod will alter inside furniture and colors into a darker, more appropriate theme to relax in.
