Mail delivery is magical — it feels like it, at least. One moment you place an order online, and before you know it, the package arrives at your doorstep. A single stamp can take your handwritten letter miles away, which is sometimes better than sending a text. But have you ever wondered what happens in between 'sent' and 'delivered'?
Games are great at remaking real-life jobs into accurate simulations, and even reimagining them as fantasy experiences. Mail delivery, in particular, is an excellent mechanic for jumpstarting stories and meeting new characters. After all, even NPCs need their mail. So it’s not surprising that you can deliver letters and packages in many worlds, including cozy titles, co-op adventures, and puzzle platformers.
10 KeyWe
Not only does this couch co-op puzzle game let you work in a cute, bustling post office, but you also get to play as two equally adorable kiwi birds named Jeff and Debra. As new postal workers, your job is to keep the mail flowing no matter what.
Typing out telegrams and shipping packages are tasks that sound easy enough, but as charming as KeyWe’s concept is, it also comes with frantic gameplay. Careful communication is key to getting the mail out on time, as you and your partner navigate chaotic environments like cluttered post office desks, as well as seasonal hazards.
The chaos is worth it as you unlock new accessories and other customizations throughout the game. By perfecting your mail service, Jeff and Debra can become the best-dressed postal birds around.
9 Paperboy
You may recognize this classic arcade game developed by Atari Games, which provided countless hours of delivery fun in its era of gaming. You play as the titular paperboy, and while you don’t deliver traditional mail, your main objective is to deliver The Daily Sun newspaper.
Biking along a suburban street — Easy Street, Middle Road, or Hard Way — you gain points by throwing the newspaper on porches and inside mailboxes belonging to your subscribers, while also damaging non-customer houses for a breakage bonus added to your overall score.
Trying to control the paperboy on a bicycle is difficult on its own, but you also have many obstacles to avoid, such as dogs, cars, construction workers, and skateboarders.
8 Wilmot's Warehouse
Though this indie puzzle game is primarily for those who love keeping things organized, the gameplay also highlights delivery, as you categorize orders from customers and deliver them at the service hatch, similar to a mail clerk in a postal office.
You play as Wilmot, a smiling square who pushes, sorts, and delivers products in the warehouse. If you find customer orders quickly, you’ll earn Performance Stars, which you’ll use to purchase upgrades and perks.
How you set up your warehouse is completely up to you, from color-based categories to the Dewey Decimal System — as long as you understand it, your warehouse service is sure to run smoothly.
7 Totally Reliable Delivery Service
Deliver packages (or attempt to) with up to four friends in Totally Reliable Delivery Service, a silly game with unpredictable ragdoll physics that will send you or your package flying whenever you collide with anything in the colorful environment.
Delivery work will take you across a large world with several islands, and you’ll use a variety of unexpected vehicles to make it to your destination. Ideally, you’ll deliver your package on time and with minor damage to the parcel, but the fun of this game is that things don’t go as planned, which leads to some hilarious moments for you and your group of terrible couriers.
6 Route Me Mail And Delivery Co
Begin your postal life and become the best Postman in Route Me Mail And Delivery Co. In this puzzle life sim, you’ll deliver mail across various routes, collect hidden letters, and deliver special packages, all while working to pay off your debts.
These are no ordinary mail routes, though, as you’ll often abandon sidewalks in favor of climbing over buildings and other obstacles. Sounds tiring, right? Thankfully, you get to go home and rest at the end of your long day, so make sure you spruce the place up with hard-earned decorations and furniture.
5 Flying Neko Delivery
Even fantasy worlds with cute cottages receive mail, and what better way to deliver packages than flying in on a witch’s broomstick? Flying Neko Delivery is a cozy life sim that turns a life of mail delivery into a whimsical adventure.
You play as Onigiri, a feline witch who soars the skies on her magical broomstick, delivering packages to NPCs and mailboxes while developing meaningful friendships with adorable villagers along the way.
Deliveries will take you across diverse worlds with unique plants and fungi, and in between deliveries, you can return to Onigiri’s cottage to decorate, cook food, craft upgrades, and unlock new abilities.
4 Postknight 2
Postknight 2 is a cozy and casual adventure RPG available for iPhone and Android. You’ll take on the role of a new Postknight recruit, joining a group of skilled fighters who are trusted with delivering mail across the fantasy world of Prism.
Before you jump into mail delivery, you’ll be able to customize your character from hairstyles to clothing options. As you fight dangerous enemies along your journey, you’ll also befriend a wide range of adorable NPCs by exchanging gifts, sharing memories, and unlocking events as you progress a romance with your special someone.
3 Death Stranding
When you think of mail games, it’s unlikely that this award-winning action game comes to mind, but the essence of Death Stranding is delivery — though the cargo and environment are not what you’d expect.
Playing as Sam, a deliveryman embarking on a journey across the dangerous wasteland of the continental United Cities of America (UCA), you’ll carry three different types of cargo — Mission, Order, and Item.
The container sizes range from small to extra-large, which you’ll have to consider, since Sam has a limited amount of carrying space and you have to actively balance his center of gravity to prevent cargo from falling down.
While deliveries aren’t the only things you do in Death Stranding, they are a main objective, and progress the story as they send you across the open-world dystopian environments.
2 Cloudpunk
Have you ever wanted to deliver packages from a hover car? Thanks to Cloudpunk, now you can. You’ll play as Rania, a new driver for the semi-legal delivery company based in the vibrant, cyberpunk metropolis known as Nivalis. Cloudpunk drivers are fast and discreet as they abide by two rules: don’t miss a delivery and don’t ask what’s inside the package.
This indie atmospheric title blends cozy design with the cyberpunk genre in a way that will scratch your itch for a relaxing sci-fi experience. Deliveries will send you exploring the city, meeting a diverse cast of characters who all have different backgrounds and stories to tell.
As you progress, you’ll unravel mysteries, embark on sidequests, and make decisions that change the world of Nivalis.
1 Lake
Lake is a beautiful, cozy title that takes place in rural Oregon, following the story of forty-something Meredith Weiss. At the start of the game, Meredith returns to her quiet hometown and picks up a temporary job as a local mail carrier for her two-week visit.
You’ll deliver mail each day while driving your dad’s mail truck around the rustic, charming environment, surrounded by soothing nature, including tall trees, mountains, and the titular lake.
Overall, it’s a relaxing experience that consists of talking to unique residents, helping out your neighbors, or staying home and reading a book when you’re not working. The perfect blend of postal work and slice-of-life themes cements Lake as a shining star of mail delivery games.