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Planet Zoo

29 Sandbox games like Planet Zoo that you should try

Games like Planet Zoo · Find similar →

We filtered the 41 games similar to Planet Zoo down to the 29 that fit the “Sandbox” category. House Flipper, Planet Coaster and My Time at Portia top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Planet Zoo.

NextGameLike86/ 100

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GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder
Tags
CasualCozySoloMultiplayer
Year 2019Dev Frontier Developments
Stores

Quick answer

Within the “Sandbox” category, the closest game to Planet Zoo is House Flipper — scoring 87/100 on our similarity scale. Planet Coaster and My Time at Portia follow close behind.

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The best sandbox games like Planet Zoo

29 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Planet Zoo. Each one has been evaluated across 12 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.

1

House Flipper

87
NGL75
House Flipper
Closest overall match
StrategyCity Builder
SoloMultiplayerRelaxingCasualSandbox WorldOpen WorldManagementBase Building
Year 2018Dev Ultimate Games · PlayWayPlaytime ~7hOn PC · PS · Xbox

It shares the essentials of what Planet Zoo does: a relaxing pace, a sandbox world and single-player focus. The common ground extends to resource management. It sets itself apart with strong narrative focus and a first-person view.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression94Tone76
2

Planet Coaster

82
NGL84
Planet Coaster
StrategyCity Builder
SoloMultiplayerCasualRelaxingSandbox WorldManagementBase Building
Year 2016Dev Frontier DevelopmentsPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Its point of contact with Planet Zoo is a casual, approachable feel, a sandbox world and single-player focus. The common ground extends to resource management. It sets itself apart with adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus.

Same studio: Frontier Developments.

Genre100Game mode100Progression94World87Tone77
3

My Time at Portia

81
NGL82
My Time at Portia
Closest on tone
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCozyCasualRelaxingOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationBase Building
Year 2019Dev Pathea Games · Team17On PS4 · Android · PC

On paper it is what Planet Zoo is — cozy, relaxing feel, open world exploration and single-player focus — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery. Where the two diverge is progression and game mode: crafting mechanics.

Genre100Tone100World100Game mode69Progression47
4

Townscaper

79
NGL86
Townscaper
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualRelaxingCozySandbox WorldOpen WorldBase BuildingExploration
Year 2020Dev Oskar Stålberg · Raw FuryOn Xbox · Android · PC

The thread back to Planet Zoo runs through a casual, approachable feel, a sandbox world and single-player focus. Both also lean on exploration and discovery. The distance is in progression — its own ground is strong narrative focus and procedural generation.

Genre100Tone90World75Game mode70Progression69
5

Rusty's Retirement

77
NGL97
Rusty's Retirement
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCozyCasualRelaxingSandbox WorldManagementBase Building
Year 2024Dev Mister Morris GamesPlaytime ~18hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

It meets Planet Zoo on cozy, relaxing feel, a sandbox world and single-player focus. The common ground extends to resource management. Where the two diverge is game mode: fantasy world and pixel art.

Released 5 years after Planet Zoo.

Genre100Tone100Progression95World85Game mode68
6

Prison Architect

76
NGL82
Prison Architect
StrategyCity Builder
SoloMultiplayerCasualSandbox WorldManagementBase Building
Year 2015Dev Double Eleven · Introversion SoftwarePlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

It meets Planet Zoo on a casual, approachable feel, a sandbox world and single-player focus. The common ground extends to resource management. Where the two diverge is tone: adventure storytelling and 2D presentation.

Genre100Game mode100Progression96World88Tone52
7

shapez

73
NGL96
shapez
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualSandbox WorldOpen WorldBase BuildingManagementExploration
Year 2020Dev Tobias Springer · PrismatikaOn PC · iOS · Android

Same family as Planet Zoo: a casual, approachable feel, a sandbox world and single-player focus. To that it adds base building. They part company on tone and game mode: this one brings puzzle design and procedural generation.

Genre100World85Progression83Game mode69Tone65
8

Space Colony: Steam Edition

73
NGL78
Space Colony: Steam Edition
Closest on progression
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCozyOpen WorldSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagementExploration
Year 2015Dev FireFly StudiosPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

Same family as Planet Zoo: cozy, relaxing feel, open world exploration and single-player focus. To that it adds base building. They part company on tone and game mode: this one brings strong narrative focus.

Genre100World100Progression100Game mode68Tone44
9

Tropico 5

72
NGL77
Tropico 5
StrategyCity Builder
SoloMultiplayerSandbox WorldBase BuildingExplorationManagement
Year 2014Dev Haemimont Games · Kalypso MediaOn PS4 · Linux · PC

Its point of contact with Planet Zoo is a sandbox world, single-player focus and base building. They part company on game mode: this one brings co-op play.

Genre100Progression91World86Game mode64
10

SimCity

71
NGL60
SimCity
StrategyCity Builder
SoloMultiplayerSandbox WorldBase BuildingIsometric
Year 2013Dev Maxis · Electronic ArtsOn PC · Mac

The thread back to Planet Zoo runs through a sandbox world, single-player focus and base building. Where the two diverge is progression: an isometric view.

Genre100Game mode100World85Progression48
11

Dyson Sphere Program

70
NGL93
Dyson Sphere Program
StrategyCity Builder
SoloOpen WorldSandbox WorldBase BuildingExplorationManagement
Year 2021Dev Youthcat Studio · Gamera GamePlaytime ~8hOn PC

Its point of contact with Planet Zoo is open world exploration, single-player focus and base building. The distance is in game mode — its own ground is a space setting and 3D presentation.

Genre100World100Progression100Game mode59
12

WorldBox

70
NGL95
WorldBox
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCozyRelaxingSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagement
Year 2018Dev Maxim KarpenkoOn Linux · Android · PC

Held in common with Planet Zoo: cozy, relaxing feel, a sandbox world and single-player focus. Both also lean on base building. The distance is in game mode — its own ground is deep RPG systems and procedural generation.

Genre100Progression94Tone71World71Game mode68
13

Dorfromantik

70
NGL88
Dorfromantik
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualRelaxingSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagement
Year 2022Dev Toukana InteractivePlaytime ~3hOn PC · Nintendo

Genre puts it alongside Planet Zoo, and so does a casual, approachable feel, a sandbox world and single-player focus. Both also lean on base building. The distance is in world and game mode — its own ground is procedural generation.

Released 3 years after Planet Zoo.

Genre100Progression95Tone87Game mode65World58
14

shapez 2 - Factory

70
NGL97
shapez 2 - Factory
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualRelaxingSandbox WorldManagementBase Building
Dev tobspr Games · Gamera GamesPlaytime ~6hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

Same family as Planet Zoo: a casual, approachable feel, a sandbox world and single-player focus. To that it adds base building. They part company on world and game mode: this one brings procedural generation.

Genre100Tone85Progression78Game mode64World63
15

Mad Games Tycoon

66
NGL87
Mad Games Tycoon
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualSandbox WorldManagementBase Building
Year 2016Dev Raylight Games · Toplitz ProductionsPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Shelved next to Planet Zoo for good reason: a casual, approachable feel, a sandbox world and single-player focus. The common ground extends to resource management. Where the two diverge is tone and game mode: strong narrative focus.

Genre100World85Progression82Game mode69Tone58

More similar-games lists to keep going

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.

Explore games similar to Planet Zoo by category

If Planet Zoo left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the sandbox or the casual that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox and Mobile, filter by platform and skip the games you could not play anyway.

Rankings in the same genre

Sometimes what you want is not a Planet Zoo look-alike but simply the best City Builder 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 Strategy Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.