Players control a girl named Mineko who moves to small Japanese island that has fallen on economic hardship.

Along the way, players gather resources to make items to sell, do quests for their neighbors, and investigate rumors of Nikko, a spirit cat who is worshiped locally.

[7] Hardcore Gamer called it a "truly impressive life sim", praising its graphics, depiction of Japanese culture, and story.

[8] Nintendo World Report praised the art style and crafting, but they said the Switch version had poor performance that made it hard to recommend until a patch is released.

[9] Siliconera wrote, "Mineko's Night Market has a great story, fantastic vibes, and fun concept, but the balancing and Switch performance issues are hassle.