After so many years of playing, there are not many tips and tricks left in Minecraft to learn. Yes, the game is endless and you never know what biomes or materials you will find when starting the game, but eventually, even the thrill of finding diamonds or taming a cat starts to lose its shine.
There aren’t many games quite like Minecraft, despite the fact that countless have tried to copy the formula. Below, we have options that differ in aesthetics and mechanics, but keep the idea of building and survival intact. If you’re looking to program Pokémon Red into the game, or delve deep into the modding scene, it’s best to stick with Minecraft.
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Terraria
81%
4.5/5
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox 360, Mac, Android, Nintendo 3DS, iOS, Wii U, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows Phone, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia
Genre
Platform, Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Re-Logic, Engine Software, Pipeworks Studio, Codeglue
Publisher
Headup Games, 505 Games, 505 Games
Release
May 16, 2011
Terraria is the Minecraft clone, often pitched as “Minecraft in 2D.” The side-scrolling builder is so popular, in fact, that the Minecraft community has a mod that allows you to use the building components of Minecraft in Terraria. It isn’t just another builder, though. Terraria is more expansive with multiple bosses and much more content. The most interesting aspect of Terraria is its change in perspective, though. Because the game is in 2D, you’re focused on building and digging up and down, rather than traversing a three-dimensional space. That limitation leads to greater exploration, believe it or not, as you’re forced to start on a path and stick to it.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
70%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Omega Force, Square Enix
Publisher
Nintendo, Square Enix
Release
December 20, 2018
Like Terraria, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a Minecraft clone that has a lot more going on than its source material. It’s a builder like Minecraft, fit with hundreds of recipes and block-based construction. The Dragon Quest moniker isn’t just for flair, though — Builders 2 is a full-fledged RPG. Much more so than other options on this list, this game justifies its $60 price tag, with a 400-plus-hour campaign that’ll take you to a variety of locales, as well as a greater emphasis on combat. There’s a sandbox mode, too, though the full feature set of Builders 2 is only unlocked after you finish the main story. The story mode essentially serves as a tutorial — just one that’s extremely long and filled with excellent writing.
Roblox
72%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Android, iOS, Xbox One
Genre
Platform, Simulator, Adventure
Developer
Roblox Corporation
Publisher
Roblox Corporation
Release
September 01, 2006
Roblox isn’t really a Minecraft clone. Rather, Minecraft is somewhat of a Roblox clone. Released in 2005 and maintained ever since, Roblox is a massively multiplayer online builder focused on making games. Players can use the platform to design their own games and share them with the community using the object-oriented programming system and Lua programming language. Roblox isn’t just a sandbox, though, but rather a simplistic platform for budding developers to get their start. As a creator, you can sell your game and items to the community for Robux, Roblox’s in-game currency. Unlike other in-game currencies, though, you can exchange your Robux for cold, hard cash.
Starbound
71%
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
Genre
Platform, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure, Indie
Developer
Chucklefish Games
Publisher
Chucklefish Games
Release
July 22, 2016
Starbound is basically Terraria in space, though it comes from a different developer. It’s the first title developed by Chucklefish, the studio that developed Wargroove and has published games like Stardew Valley and Risk of Rain. Despite sharing the same 2D perspective as Terraria, Starbound is, fittingly, much more expansive. It’s a story-driven game, fit with a cinematic opening sequence, a tutorial, and multiple quests to complete. Starbound isn’t quite as large as Dragon Quest Builders, with the main story running just over 20 hours, but it’s hard to complain given how cheap the title is. Though shorter in length, Starbound is much larger in scope, allowing you to explore multiple galaxies and worlds.
Don't Starve
76%
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre
Simulator, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Klei Entertainment
Publisher
Klei Entertainment
Release
April 23, 2013
Don’t Starve tells you everything you need to know in the title. It’s a game about not starving, or, more accurately, surviving. Rather than giving you a blank slate like most other survival games, Don’t Starve is very overt in its tone. With a gothic, hand-drawn art style, Don’t Starve is bursting at the seams with personality. That doesn’t mean the game is any easier, though. Don’t Starve is still a brutal survival game, dropping you in the middle of a dark forest without any instructions or guidance. Thankfully, everything is procedurally generated, so if RNG isn’t on your side, you can always regenerate your island.
LEGO Worlds
73%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Puzzle, Adventure
Developer
Traveller's Tales
Publisher
WB Games
Release
March 07, 2017
Minecraft is often described as “virtual Lego,” so it’s only fitting that Lego has a sandbox title of its own. Lego Worlds gives you an open, procedurally generated environment to explore made up entirely of Lego. Although building brick-by-brick is the most familiar mode of construction, you can always reframe the world in large brush strokes using the game’s building tools. Lego Worlds is a Minecraft clone, but even so, it has a lot going on. It’s much more vibrant, with multiple characters, vehicles, and unique brick-based structures to uncover. Lego Worlds also features a quest system, dungeons, and towns, bringing some RPG flair to the sandbox.
Rust
72%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure, Indie
Developer
Facepunch Studios
Publisher
Facepunch Studios, Double Eleven
Release
February 08, 2018
Rust is a multiplayer-only survival game where you not only need to worry about the threat of nature, but also of other players. You start with nothing more than a rock and torch, and from there, you’ll need to craft weapons and structures to protect yourself from other players and the beasts that roam the island. Cruel in every way possible, Rust will test your patience and persistence. You likely won’t survive more than a few minutes when you first awaken, with seasoned players scouring the island for new prey. If you’re looking for an authentic survival experience, though, it doesn’t get much better than Rust.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
94%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 3
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
May 12, 2023
Normally, a Zelda game would be about as far removed from something like Minecraft as you can get. Tears of the Kingdom, however, is a fantastic blend of traditional Zelda adventure with some building and crafting elements. The real stars of the game are the two new Fuse and Ultrahand abilities. Fuse lets you combine — aka craft — almost any material with any weapon or shield to give it a unique property. Ultrahand is far more advanced. This lets you manipulate, combine, and build anything you can come up with with the resources around you. You can make a simple car all the way up to giant mechanized robots.
Sons of the Forest
73%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows)
Genre
Simulator, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Endnight Games Ltd
Publisher
Newnight
Release
February 22, 2024
Sons of the Forest is another survival game, but it has a little more structure around it than other entries on this list. You play as one of two survivors of a plane crash, which touched down in the middle of a dense forest. The environment isn’t all you need to worry about, though. Quickly after leaving your stranded air vessel, you learn about a society of mutant cannibals roaming the forest. That doesn’t mean Sons of the Forest is a small game, however. Like any good survival title, it features deep caves to explore and countless materials to gather. Exploring isn’t without consequences, though, as you’ll encounter enemies looking for their next meal.
7 Days to Die
76%
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Strategy, Adventure, Indie
Developer
The Fun Pimps Entertainment LLC, Iron Galaxy Studios
Publisher
The Fun Pimps Entertainment LLC, Telltale Games
Release
December 13, 2013
7 Days to Die is an Early Access survival game that’s been in development since 2013. Despite not being fully released yet, the game has already sold more than 10 million copies, and it’s easy to see why. It mixes survival and tower defense into one package. During the day, you’ll spend your time exploring a procedurally generated world. At night, however, the zombies come out. Or, at least, you’ll notice them more. 7 Days to Die features an in-game day/night cycle. During the day, zombies are slow and pose little threat. At night, they become feral, forcing you back to your home base to defend it. In addition to the day/night cycle, there’s also a day tracker. Each seventh day, a horde of zombies will attack your base, far exceeding the level of any prior attack.
Stardew Valley
87%
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Android, iOS, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Indie
Developer
ConcernedApe
Publisher
ConcernedApe, Chucklefish Games
Release
February 26, 2016
Stardew Valley is the antithesis of 7 Days to Die, crossing Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon in terms of mechanics, and setting them in a beautiful 2D world. The game starts with you inheriting your grandfather’s old farm, with nothing but a few rusty tools to help you get on your feet. Although the core of the game is farming, Stardew Valley has plenty of unique settings to explore, each offering unique resources, weapons, and enemies. Stardew Valley combines the best elements of a long list of games, but more impressive than that, it manages to do so while feeling like its own thing.
ASTRONEER
75%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Adventure, Indie
Developer
System Era Softworks
Publisher
System Era Softworks
Release
February 05, 2019
In Astroneer, you play as, well, an Astroneer. Set in the Intergalactic Age of Discovery — a fictional era taking place sometime in the 25th century — your job as an Astroneer is to explore outer space and the planets that make it up. There’s a full solar system to explore, fit with seven large and unique planets. The goal of the game is survival, but that takes a backseat to simply having fun. Astroneer features a swath of unique building tools and crafting materials, allowing you to play the game how you want. You can explore and gather new materials, set up a space base with solar panels and generators, or create mini games for you and your friends to play.
Oxygen Not Included
79%
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
Genre
Simulator, Strategy, Indie
Developer
Klei Entertainment
Publisher
Klei Entertainment
Release
July 30, 2019
Oxygen Not Included comes courtesy of Klei Entertainment, the same indie studio behind Don’t Starve. It features the same signature art style as the game that preceded it, though provides a much different take on the survival genre. Instead of being trapped in the woods, you’re trapped in space. At the beginning of Oxygen Not Included, you take control of three duplicants who’ve become lost in an asteroid with only a few packets of breathable air. From there, your only goal is to survive, which includes setting up oxygen for your duplicants and ensuring they’re fed, and that they can, ahem, get rid of their waste.
Vintage Story
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
Developer
Tyron Madlener
Publisher
Tyron Madlener
Release
August 16, 2018
Vintage Story is Minecraft that takes itself more seriously. That’s not a dig, though. Although Vintage Story’s voxel-based graphics look like they were ripped straight out of Minecraft, the systems that make up the gameplay are unique. Instead of just throwing your ingredients into a crafting station, Vintage Story allows you to get hands on, forging tools ingot by ingot. It’s also highly flexible. Vintage Story has a robust mod API, as well as readable source code and a modeling tool. It’s easy to write Vintage Story off as nothing more than a Minecraft clone. Those who decide to pick up the license, though, will find a sprawling, robust building game.
Ark: Survival Evolved
74%
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Studio Wildcard
Publisher
Studio Wildcard, Snail Games, Snail Games USA
Release
August 27, 2017
The mechanics of ARK: Survival Evolved are surprisingly similar to those in Minecraft, but the look of the two couldn’t be more different. Your only goal in Survival Evolved is to survive after waking up naked on the island of ARK with nothing more than your wits to guide you. You’ll work your way up from punching trees all the way to crafting advanced weapons. It’s a survival game, if there ever was one, with advanced building, farming, hunting, and tribes. ARK: Survival Evolved conveys the authentic and often harsh realities of every individual’s fight to survive with each other in a shared territory. Your hut is in constant danger of looting and destruction, so you should never stray too far when performing daily tasks such as making a fire or gathering firewood because you never know when your enemies will strike.
Fallout 4
80%
4/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher
Bethesda Softworks
Release
November 10, 2015
Fallout 4’s massive, highly detailed world is impressive, but more impressive is its building system. The settlement system alone can take up all your time to the exclusion of all other factors of the game without detracting from your overall experience. It’ll take a hefty amount of time and effort to garner the capabilities to acquire items during gameplay so that you can break them down into valuable assets. These newly acquired parts become the building blocks for a whole new village. Although it’s clear Bethesda intended the settlement system as an optional feature in Fallout 4, it’s so in-depth that it feels like a game in its own right.
