10 Sandbox Building Games Like Minecraft

The gaming community has run out of superlatives to describe the international digital phenomenon that is Minecraft. To think, what started as one man’s basement tinkering has turned into a multibillion dollar cash cow that has players frothing at the mouth for more games like Minecraft. And, hey, they got them! With Minecraft becoming such a commercial success, a tidal wave of “me too” experiences were bound to crop up. Some of them are great, some of them not so much, but they all inhabit the same sandbox building soul Minecraft is known for.

The following 10 games are what I consider to be some of my favorite PC sandbox building games like Minecraft. I’ve chosen them according to the following:

Selection Criteria for Games Like Minecraft

• Each game must have sandbox building mechanics that encourage your wild, sometimes sadistic, creative imagination.
• There should be some aspect of survival against various flavors of enemies (either AI or human) and / or other environmental dangers.
• Of course, mining and crafting is a must. Hoarders welcomed.
• Selections are in no particular order.  

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1. Terraria 

Often referred to as the “2D Minecraft”, Terraria puts you in control of a scrappy little sprite of a miner who must use the world around him to gather materials and build shelter before nightfall, when the creeps come out. There is tremendous depth to Terraria’s crafting and building systems. The game also includes procedurally generated maps that are as wide as they are deep. Be sure to bring a torch as you explore the labyrinthine network of underground caves, or you’ll surely be eaten by cave dinosaurs…. Okay, I kid, there aren’t cave dinosaurs. Something to work on for Terraria 2 perhaps? Anyway, this title definitely stands among the best sandbox building games like Minecraft. A must-try!

Read more honest player reviews of Terraria.

2. King Arthur’s Gold

Much like Terraria, King Arthur’s Gold takes on a 2D perspective to unfold the notorious legacy of the Round Table. You’ll be tasked with foraging for materials in hopes of building up your castle to glorious heights as hordes of bad dudes try and get to your gold. What also makes KAG great among games like Minecraft is that it’s just as much about destruction as it is construction. Ramparts and towers will crumble in spectacular fashion as quickly as you can build them back up. Play as one of three classes: the knight, the archer, or the builder. However, be sure to choose wisely. Your gold depends on it.

Read more honest player reviews of King Arthur’s Gold.

3. The Forest

As with other games like Minecraft, The Forest is all about survival. The basic premise is this: you fall in a plane crash that puts you smack in the middle of a – you guessed it – forest! And unlike Forrest Whittaker, this dangerous forest isn’t much fun at all. You’ll also need to collect materials and craft weapons to give you a chance against the bloodthirsty cannibals. Yes, that’s right. Cannibals! If you like your Minecraft with a side of soiled shorts, you’ll find everything you’ve ever wanted here. The faint of heart need not apply.

Read more honest player reviews of The Forest.

4. RoBlox

RoBlox adapts the same core mechanics of Minecraft, right down to the intricate editing tools and all-things-block art style. However, here, you control a character that can only be described as a knock-off Lego guy you’d find at your local 99 cent store next to the Hoomer Sampson alarm clocks. Where RoBlox really shines is when you get involved in the online social aspects of the game, which some other games like Minecraft do not have. Build a disco tower with friends and family, then join together in blowing it into the 1970’s, where disco should have stayed dead.

Read more honest player reviews of RoBlox.

5. Terasology

At first glance, you might actually mistake Terasology for Minecraft. Same blocky visuals, same punchable cubes of dirt, stone and grass. All your favorite mining, crafting, and survival mechanisms are in place as well, making Terasology probably one of the most similar games like Minecraft on this list, at least, gameplay-wise. Where it stands apart is the open source nature of its development. Fancy yourself a game maker? Then feel free to join the team trying to make Terasology great. Whether you decide to enlist in that fight or not, rest assured that the game will continue to evolve even if all you want to do is play it.

Read more honest player reviews of Terasology.

More games like Minecraft await you!
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