Terraria

What carries over from Minecraft is dark, oppressive atmosphere, a sandbox world and horror setting. The common ground extends to crafting mechanics and pixel art. Where the two diverge is visuals: 2D presentation.

Games like Minecraft · Find similar →
Looking for games like Minecraft? The NextGameLike editorial team analyzed its gameplay DNA — sandbox freedom, dark, oppressive atmosphere and a sandbox world — against over 6,700 titles. These 15 alternatives are ranked by real similarity, not marketing tags. Terraria leads with 83/100, followed by the rest of the list.
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The closest game to Minecraft is Terraria — scoring 83/100 on our similarity scale. Scrap Mechanic and Space Engineers follow close behind.
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Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Minecraft. Each one has been evaluated across 20 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

What carries over from Minecraft is dark, oppressive atmosphere, a sandbox world and horror setting. The common ground extends to crafting mechanics and pixel art. Where the two diverge is visuals: 2D presentation.

Its point of contact with Minecraft is exploration and discovery, a sandbox world, and multiplayer gameplay. Both also lean on a third-person camera. What it adds of its own: melee combat and base building.

It comes from the same genre as Minecraft and shares exploration and discovery, a sandbox world, and single-player focus. To that it adds a first-person view. They part company on setting and game mode: this one brings a space setting.

Shelved next to Minecraft for good reason: dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and horror setting. Both also lean on a first-person view and single-player focus. The distance is in tone and setting — its own ground is a casual, approachable feel and post-apocalyptic world.

The genre is the same as Minecraft’s, and with it a sandbox world, fantasy world and multiplayer gameplay. To that it adds pixel art and crafting mechanics. They part company on tone and visuals: this one brings cozy, relaxing feel and an isometric view.

The genre is the same as Minecraft’s, and with it a sandbox world, multiplayer gameplay and crafting mechanics. The common ground extends to pixel art. Where the two diverge is tone and setting: a casual, approachable feel and a sci-fi setting.

Genre puts it alongside Minecraft, and so does exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and single-player focus. To that it adds a first-person view. They part company on tone and setting: this one brings strong narrative focus and a space setting.

The genre is the same as Minecraft’s, and with it exploration and discovery, open world exploration, and single-player focus. Both also lean on a third-person camera. The distance is in tone and setting — its own ground is a relaxing pace and a sci-fi setting.
Released 7 years after Minecraft.

The genre is the same as Minecraft’s, and with it a sandbox world, fantasy world and single-player focus. The common ground extends to crafting mechanics. Where the two diverge is tone and visuals: a relaxing pace and a medieval setting.
Released 6 years after Minecraft.

It comes from the same genre as Minecraft and shares a sandbox world, single-player focus and crafting mechanics. Both also lean on a first-person view. The distance is in tone and game mode — its own ground is a casual, approachable feel and resource management.
Released 3 years after Minecraft.

The genre is the same as Minecraft’s, and with it dark, oppressive atmosphere, a sandbox world and horror setting. Both also lean on a first-person view and single-player focus. The distance is in game mode and tone — its own ground is a casual, approachable feel and 3D presentation.

Genre puts it alongside Minecraft, and so does a sandbox world, single-player focus and crafting mechanics. The common ground extends to a third-person camera. Where the two diverge is game mode and visuals: an isometric view.

The genre is the same as Minecraft’s, and with it a sandbox world, single-player focus and crafting mechanics. Where the two diverge is tone and setting: a relaxing pace and a medieval setting.
Released 6 years after Minecraft.

Genre puts it alongside Minecraft, and so does a sandbox world, horror setting and single-player focus. Both also lean on exploration and discovery. The distance is in tone and visuals — its own ground is punishing difficulty and 2D presentation.
Released 6 years after Minecraft.

The genre is the same as Minecraft’s, and with it a sandbox world, single-player focus and crafting mechanics. They part company on tone and setting: this one brings punishing difficulty and a cartoon aesthetic.
Found one on the list you already love? Open its own list: the games that play most like it, ranked, with the reason for each.
If Minecraft left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the simulation or the adventure that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on PlayStation, Xbox and Mobile, filter by platform and skip the games you could not play anyway.
Sometimes what you want is not a Minecraft look-alike but simply the best Crafting Sandbox Games there are. That is what these rankings are for: no comparison to anything, just the highest-rated games. And if you feel like widening the net, the Sandbox Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.