Must-Have Stardew Valley Mods! (Revisited)
Since the release of 1.6.15, I decided to rework and rerelease my list of must have mods for Stardew Valley! 1.6.15 rendered a lot mods useless as the features were either integrated in to the update or the mods haven’t been updated by their developer and are no longer compatible with the game.
So, here is my current list of must-have mods! I am currently 40+ hours in to my third play through. My first play through was vanilla (I played it on the Switch), my second was lightly modded, and my third has been on my Steam Deck and is very heavily modded and these are the ones I am most happy with.
Some people will say that you should play through vanilla at least once. I am not one of those people. I think you should mold the game to your liking to make it most enjoyable for you. I hope you enjoy some of these mods! Happy playing!
If you're planning to mod Stardew Valley but aren’t sure where to start, here’s a simple breakdown from my personal experience. The foundation for all mods is SMAPI – without it, mods won’t even run. Once SMAPI is installed, Content Patcher is the next essential, as it lets you easily customize game visuals and add new content packs without altering the core game files. For those who love exploring new areas and stories, expansion mods like Stardew Valley Expanded, East Scarp, and Ridgeside Village add fresh NPCs, locations, and events that truly enrich the game. Ridgeside Village is my personal favorite for its detailed environment and engaging characters. If you want to add some fun to your daily routine, Fashion Sense allows you to customize outfits effortlessly using a convenient hand mirror. For lovers of convenience, mods like the Tractor Mod and Skull Cavern Elevator make farm work and mining smoother, saving you time and energy. One of the more unique mods I’ve enjoyed is PolyamorySweet, which lets you have multiple spouses or roommates, expanding romance options and social gameplay. If fishing isn’t your favorite, Yet Another Fishing Mod revamps the mini-game, making it more enjoyable and less frustrating. Installing mods might sound intimidating, but it’s surprisingly easy on PC, Android, or Steam Deck. Just download your chosen mods from trusted sites like Nexus Mods, install SMAPI, and drop the files into the mod folder. Lastly, for those who want to change up the look of their farm and characters, aesthetic packs like Elle's on Nexus Mods offer adorable overhauls for animals, clothing, and buildings. From my experience, modding Stardew Valley has breathed new life into the game and tailored it to exactly how I enjoy playing – I hope these tips help you craft your perfect farm adventure too!
Honestly I haven't been playing lately due to the lack of things to do, but now I need to try these out!