What Is the Game Like Minecraft in Space? 🚀 Top 50 Picks (2025)


Video: Is Astroneer like Minecraft in SPACE?! (pt.1).








Ever wondered what it’s like to take Minecraft’s legendary creativity and survival gameplay… and launch it into the vast, uncharted cosmos? You’re not alone! From building your first clunky spaceship to exploring entire galaxies filled with alien worlds, the “Minecraft in space” genre has exploded into a universe of its own. But with so many games promising blocky adventures among the stars, which ones truly capture that perfect blend of crafting, survival, and cosmic exploration?

In this guide, we’ve scoured the galaxy of space sandbox games to bring you 50 of the best titles like Minecraft in space—each with its own unique twist, from hardcore engineering sims to whimsical planetary explorers. Plus, we’ll reveal insider tips on choosing the right game for your playstyle, how to avoid common pitfalls, and even which upcoming titles you should keep your eyes on. Ready to blast off? Your cosmic adventure awaits!

Key Takeaways

  • “Minecraft in space” games combine crafting, building, survival, and exploration in vast, often procedurally generated universes.
  • Top picks include No Man’s Sky for endless discovery, Space Engineers for engineering depth, and Astroneer for accessible, creative fun.
  • Multiplayer vs. single-player modes offer vastly different experiences—from peaceful solo building to chaotic faction warfare.
  • Modding communities add incredible customization, expanding gameplay far beyond the base titles.
  • Consider factors like complexity, platform availability, and art style before choosing your perfect space sandbox.
  • Keep an eye on upcoming titles like Light No Fire for fresh, groundbreaking adventures.

👉 Shop top space sandbox games here:

Table of Contents

Here is the main body of the article, from “Quick Tips and Facts” to the section before “Conclusion”.

🚀 Quick Tips and Facts for Your Cosmic Journey

Welcome, future space pioneer! You’ve asked the ultimate question: “What is the game like Minecraft in space?” and oh boy, have you come to the right place. We at Games Like™ have spent countless hours (and lost countless ships to asteroid fields) exploring this exact question. Before we blast off, here’s your pre-flight checklist. Many players wonder, Are there any games like Minecraft but more realistic? and the space sandbox genre is a fantastic place to find them.

Quick Facts Table: The “Minecraft in Space” Genre

Feature What It Means in the Cosmos Prime Examples
Core Loop Mine asteroids/planets ➡️ Refine resources ➡️ Craft components ➡️ Build ships/bases. Space Engineers, Empyrion, Astroneer
Primary Setting The vast, unforgiving vacuum of space, alien planets, moons, and asteroid belts. No Man’s Sky, Elite Dangerous
Main Goal Survival, exploration, and creation. Often player-defined. Build an empire or just a cool-looking ship! Starfield, Dual Universe
Key Technology Procedural Generation: Creates near-infinite, unique universes to explore. No Man’s Sky, Starbound
Common Threat Oxygen depletion, pirates, hostile alien fauna, environmental hazards, and catastrophic physics failures. Subnautica, Osiris: New Dawn

Top Tips from Our Devs & Gamers:

  • Start Small: Don’t try to build the Death Star on your first day. Your first ship will probably look like a flying brick, and that’s okay! We’ve all been there.
  • Oxygen is Your Best Friend: Seriously. Always, always monitor your O2 levels. Running out of oxygen in the middle of a mining run is a classic rookie mistake.
  • Embrace the Wiki: These games can be complex. The official wiki or community-run sites like the Fandom network are invaluable resources. Don’t be too proud to look things up!
  • Physics is a Cruel Mistress: In games like Space Engineers or Kerbal Space Program, physics isn’t just a feature; it’s a boss battle. Forgetting a gyroscope or putting thrusters in the wrong place can lead to… hilarious, explosive results.
  • Join a Community: Whether on Discord, Reddit, or the Steam forums, playing with others or just sharing your creations is half the fun.

🌌 From Blocks to Black Holes: The Evolution of “Minecraft in Space” Games


Video: Minecraft 1.7.10 MOD Review – GalactiCraft and Galaxy Space.








It all started with a simple idea: what if you could build anything? Minecraft, with its iconic blocky aesthetic and limitless creativity, didn’t just create a game; it created a genre. We, like millions of others, were hooked. We built dirt huts, grand castles, and sprawling cities. But eventually, we all looked up at that blocky moon and thought… what’s next?

Game developers clearly had the same thought. The “Minecraft formula”—gather, craft, build, survive—was a perfect rocket fuel for a new frontier. The earliest iterations were often direct translations, voxel-based sandboxes that simply swapped dirt and stone for asteroids and alien soil.

But then, something amazing happened. The genre evolved. As one user on a Steam Community discussion put it, “If Minecraft was an organic creature, Space Engineers would be it’s next step in evolution.” Developers started leaning into the “space” part of the equation.

  • Physics Engines became crucial. Suddenly, your creations needed to be structurally sound and aerodynamically (or astrodynamically?) viable.
  • Complex Systems were introduced. Power grids, life support, conveyor networks, and programming became part of the core experience.
  • Scale Exploded. We went from building on a single world to exploring procedurally generated galaxies with quintillions of planets.

Today, “Minecraft in space” isn’t just one type of game. It’s a sprawling nebula of experiences, from hardcore engineering simulators to whimsical Adventure games. But they all share that same DNA: the dream of carving out your own corner of the universe, one block (or polygon) at a time.

✨ What Exactly Makes a Game “Minecraft in Space”? Deconstructing the Genre


Video: Minecraft : How To Make a Portal to the Moon Dimension.








So, what’s the secret sauce? What are the core pillars that hold up this cosmic subgenre? When we analyze these games at Games Like™, we look for a few key ingredients that blend together to create that perfect “space sandbox” cocktail.

⛏️ Resource Gathering & Crafting: Your Cosmic Toolkit

Forget punching trees for wood. Here, you’re drilling into iron-rich asteroids with a high-powered mining laser, siphoning hydrogen gas from a nebula, or harvesting glowing alien flora for biopolymers.

  • The Process: You gather raw materials (Iron, Silicon, Cobalt, Uranium, etc.).
  • The Transformation: You feed them into refineries and assemblers.
  • The Result: You craft everything from simple steel plates and computer chips to advanced reactors and warp drives.

This loop is the fundamental engine of your progress. Without resources, you’re just a person in a spacesuit with a limited oxygen supply. With them, you’re a burgeoning galactic industrialist.

🏗️ Building & Base Management: Your Galactic Home Away From Home

This is the heart of the “Minecraft” comparison. But instead of just castles, you’re building things that do stuff.

  • Planetary Outposts: Your foothold on a new world. Think hydroponics farms, solar arrays, defensive turrets, and garages for your rovers.
  • Space Stations: Your orbital command center. A place for refining, manufacturing, and docking your fleet of ships.
  • Spaceships: The ultimate expression of creativity. From tiny, nimble scout ships to massive, lumbering cargo haulers and heavily-armed battleships, you build them piece by piece. The best part? You get to fly them!

🔭 Exploration & Discovery: Uncharted Galaxies Await!

The promise of the unknown is what truly sets these games apart. Thanks to procedural generation, developers can create universes so vast that it’s statistically impossible for any single player to see everything.

You might be the first person to ever set foot on a particular planet, discover a unique alien species, or find a derelict spaceship containing rare loot. This sense of discovery, of pushing back the frontiers of a digital universe, is an incredibly powerful motivator. It’s the ultimate Adventure!

🛡️ Survival & Combat: Battling the Void and Beyond

Space is actively trying to kill you. It’s not personal, it’s just physics and biology.

  • Environmental Hazards: Micrometeoroid showers, extreme temperatures, radiation zones, and corrosive atmospheres.
  • Biological Needs: Managing oxygen, hunger, thirst, and sometimes even psychological well-being.
  • Hostile Forces: From space pirates and rival factions to giant alien sand worms and aggressive robotic drones, you’ll need to defend your creations. This is where the Action comes in!

♾️ Procedural Generation: A Universe That Never Ends

We mentioned it before, but it deserves its own section. This is the magic that makes games like No Man’s Sky possible. Instead of a designer hand-crafting every planet, they create a set of rules and algorithms. The game then uses these rules to generate planets, star systems, creatures, and plants on the fly. The result is a universe with a scale that feels truly astronomical, ensuring that your journey of exploration is functionally endless. According to a Guinness World Record, No Man’s Sky features over 18 quintillion planets!

🌟 Our Top Picks: The Best Games Like Minecraft in Space (And Why We Love Them!)


Video: Minecraft but i survive in SPACE CIVILIZATION.








Alright, let’s get to the main event! We’ve argued, debated, and crashed more virtual ships than we can count to bring you our definitive list. We’re starting with the heavy hitters that perfectly answer your question.

1. No Man’s Sky: The Quintessential Space Sandbox?

If you want sheer scale and a universe brimming with wonder, No Man’s Sky is your ticket. After a rocky launch, developer Hello Games has delivered one of the greatest comeback stories in gaming history, transforming it into a sprawling, feature-rich masterpiece.

Rating Aspect Our Score (1-10) Why?
Creative Freedom 8/10 Excellent base-building, but ship customization is limited to finding/buying, not building from scratch.
Survival Challenge 7/10 Can be intense at first, but becomes manageable. Multiple difficulty settings help.
Exploration 10/10 The undisputed king. 18 quintillion planets. Need we say more?
Learning Curve 7/10 Very accessible and guides you well in the beginning.

What We Love

✅ Endless Discovery: The feeling of warping into a new system and seeing a cluster of undiscovered planets is still magical, hundreds of hours in.
✅ Constant, Free Updates: Hello Games continuously adds massive, game-changing content like new ship types, alien settlements, and story quests for free.
✅ Vibrant & Unique Art Style: It’s a beautiful, colorful universe that feels like stepping onto the cover of a classic sci-fi novel.
✅ Seamless Transitions: Flying from space directly down to a planet’s surface without a loading screen never gets old.

Heads-Up

❌ “Wide as an Ocean, Deep as a Puddle”: While vastly improved, some core mechanics (like combat) can feel a bit shallow compared to more specialized games.
❌ No Ship Building: This is a big one for some. You can’t build your own starship from blocks; you find, buy, and upgrade them.

The Verdict

Popular Mechanics rightly notes that “No Man’s Sky has evolved into a truly massive space sandbox.” It’s the perfect game for the explorer who wants a more relaxed, awe-inspiring journey. It’s a fantastic Cooperative experience and is available on almost every major Console and PC.

2. Space Engineers: Engineering Your Galactic Dreams

This is the game for the tinkerer, the builder, the person who sees a problem and immediately starts designing a machine to solve it. Space Engineers is less of a game and more of a physics-based engineering toolkit set in space.

Rating Aspect Our Score (1-10) Why?
Creative Freedom 10/10 If you can dream it, you can build it. From tiny drones to capital ships the size of cities.
Survival Challenge 9/10 Brutally realistic. Forgetting one component can mean a slow, cold death.
Exploration 7/10 The universe is large, but the focus is more on what you build within it than discovering unique sights.
Learning Curve 9/10 Extremely steep. Be prepared to watch tutorials and fail. A lot.

What We Love

✅ Unparalleled Building System: The block-based system is incredibly detailed. You’re not just placing blocks; you’re welding, grinding, and connecting conveyor systems, power grids, and programmable blocks.
✅ Realistic Physics: Weight, thrust, structural integrity—it all matters. This makes designing a successful ship incredibly rewarding.
✅ Active Modding Community: The Steam Workshop is filled with thousands of player-created ships, scenarios, and game-changing mods.

Heads-Up

❌ The Learning Cliff: We’re not kidding. This game can be intimidating for new players. As one user on Steam commented, “if minecraft had these types of physics and movements the game would be *in my opionion* very difficult to play.”
❌ Performance Demands: Large creations, especially in multiplayer, can be very demanding on your PC’s CPU.

The Verdict

Popular Mechanics calls it “a fantastic choice” for those who want to “build and pilot your own spacecraft.” We agree. If your dream is to design functional, complex machines and watch them operate in a realistic physics environment, Space Engineers is the absolute peak of the genre. It’s the ultimate answer to “Minecraft in space” for the engineering-minded player.

3. Astroneer: Whimsical Exploration and Automation

Tired of gritty realism? Jump into the vibrant, playful world of Astroneer. This game trades complex physics for charming visuals and an incredibly satisfying terrain-deformation tool. It’s the chill, low-poly cousin of the genre.

Rating Aspect Our Score (1-10) Why?
Creative Freedom 7/10 Base building is fun and modular, but you can’t build custom vehicles from scratch.
Survival Challenge 5/10 Relaxed. Oxygen is the main threat, but it’s easily managed. Combat is minimal.
Exploration 8/10 A handful of beautifully crafted planets to explore, each with unique resources and challenges.
Learning Curve 3/10 Very intuitive and easy to pick up. Perfect for beginners or a relaxing session.

What We Love

✅ The Terrain Tool: This is the star of the show. You can dig, flatten, and build up the terrain with a satisfying thwump. Carving out massive underground bases or building land bridges is a joy.
✅ Co-op Fun: Astroneer is an absolutely fantastic Cooperative game. Tethering up with friends and building a massive, automated factory is pure bliss.
✅ Satisfying Automation: Setting up resource extractors that feed into automated crafting modules to create a self-sustaining production line is incredibly rewarding.

Heads-Up

❌ Limited Scope: Compared to No Man’s Sky or Space Engineers, the universe is much smaller and the building is less complex.
❌ No Real Threat: If you’re looking for intense combat or hardcore survival, this isn’t it. The challenge is in logistics and exploration, not fighting for your life.

The Verdict

Popular Mechanics praises Astroneer for its “more relaxed, yet still challenging, take on space exploration and base building.” It’s the perfect entry point into the genre and a wonderful game to play with friends or family. If you want to dig, build, and explore without the stress, Astroneer is a must-play.

4. Empyrion – Galactic Survival: Hardcore Space Survival

Empyrion takes the building from Space Engineers and mashes it with the planetary survival and exploration of games like ARK: Survival Evolved. It’s a true sandbox that lets you build a block-based ship, fly it to another planet, land, and then continue your adventure on foot.

Rating Aspect Our Score (1-10) Why?
Creative Freedom 9/10 Deep block-based building for bases, ground vehicles, and capital ships.
Survival Challenge 9/10 A true survival game. You need to manage food, oxygen, temperature, and radiation while fighting off aliens.
Exploration 8/10 A galaxy full of different planets to discover, each with its own biomes, gravity, and threats.
Learning Curve 8/10 Complex and a bit janky, but the in-game tutorial system is surprisingly robust.

What We Love

✅ The All-in-One Experience: It seamlessly blends ground survival, base building, and space exploration. Build a hovercraft to explore a planet, then fly your capital ship to another star system.
✅ RPG Elements: It has a progression system with skill trees, leveling, and loot.
✅ Purposeful Exploration: You’re not just exploring for the sake of it; you’re hunting for specific resources, raiding alien facilities, and completing quests.

Heads-Up

❌ Jank Factor: As a long-running indie title, it lacks the polish of a AAA game. Animations and UI can feel a bit clunky.
❌ Graphically Dated: The visuals aren’t going to blow you away. It prioritizes function over form.

The Verdict

Empyrion is the scrappy underdog that tries to do everything, and mostly succeeds. It’s one of the most comprehensive “Minecraft in space” experiences out there. If you want a game that combines deep building with true survival mechanics and RPG progression, this is your jam.

  • 👉 Shop Empyrion on: Steam

5. Starfield: Bethesda’s Epic Space RPG (with Building!)

Okay, let’s talk about the 800-pound gorilla in the room. Starfield isn’t a pure sandbox in the same vein as Space Engineers, but it’s a monumental space game with significant building and crafting elements that scratch that Minecraft itch. Think Fallout 4‘s settlement building, but across an entire galaxy.

Rating Aspect Our Score (1-10) Why?
Creative Freedom 7/10 The ship builder is amazing and modular. Outpost building is functional but less freeform than voxel games.
Survival Challenge 6/10 Has a survival mode, but the base game is more of a traditional RPG challenge.
Exploration 9/10 Over 1,000 planets to visit, with a mix of handcrafted locations and procedurally generated terrain.
Learning Curve 5/10 If you’ve played a Bethesda RPG, you’ll feel right at home.

What We Love

✅ The Ship Builder: One of our favorite features! Snapping together different modules from various manufacturers to create your perfect ship—from a sleek fighter to a clunky cargo hauler—is incredibly addictive.
✅ Bethesda’s World-Building: The lore, quests, and characters are top-notch. It feels like a lived-in universe with a rich history.
✅ Outpost Construction: You can set up outposts on countless planets to mine resources, conduct research, and serve as your home among the stars.

Heads-Up

❌ Not a True Sandbox: It’s an RPG first. The story and quests are the main focus, not limitless creation.
❌ Loading Screens: Unlike No Man’s Sky, there are loading screens between space and planets, which can break the immersion for some.

The Verdict

If you love the idea of a space sandbox but want it wrapped in a massive, high-quality RPG with a compelling story, Starfield is a dream come true. The ship building alone is worth the price of admission for any creative gamer. It’s a must-play for fans of sci-fi Adventure on PC and Console.

🎮 Multiplayer vs. Single-Player: Which Cosmic Path is Right for You?


Video: 18 Indie Space Games That Could Change Everything!








The void of space can be a lonely place… or a chaotic battlefield filled with friends and foes. Choosing between a solo journey and a multiplayer one dramatically changes the experience. Here’s our breakdown to help you decide.

Aspect Single-Player Experience 🧑‍🚀 Multiplayer Experience 🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀
Pace Play at your own speed. Pause anytime. Build for weeks without interruption. Dynamic and unpredictable. You might log on to find your base has been raided… or that a friend has built a giant new wing.
Creativity Your vision, uncompromised. Build exactly what you want, how you want. Collaborative building can lead to amazing, massive projects you couldn’t do alone. Also, potential arguments over where the bridge should go.
Survival A lonely, atmospheric struggle against the environment. Every victory is yours alone. A shared struggle. Friends can save you when your oxygen runs out, but you also have to worry about PvP pirates.
Best For… Meditative building, focused exploration, and players who want to create without interference. Epic-scale projects, faction warfare, trading, and players who want a living, breathing universe.

Our Take: We recommend starting most of these games in single-player to learn the ropes. There’s nothing more stressful than trying to figure out how a refinery works while a pirate player is strafing your starter base. Once you’re comfortable, dip your toes into a Cooperative server with friends. For the truly brave, dive into a full PvP server and see if your engineering skills can withstand the ultimate test: other players.

🛠️ Modding the Cosmos: Expanding Your “Minecraft in Space” Experience


Video: Walking Across The Entire Universe!







If the base game is the rocket, then mods are the afterburners. The modding community is the lifeblood of the space sandbox genre, especially on PC. Platforms like the Steam Workshop and Nexus Mods are treasure troves that can fundamentally change and expand your game.

What can mods do? Almost anything!

  • New Blocks & Parts: Add hundreds of new building components, from decorative items to functional parts like advanced warp drives or new weapon systems.
  • Quality of Life (QoL): Simple but essential mods that add better inventory management, build planners, or information displays.
  • AI & Encounters: Introduce more intelligent and dangerous pirate factions, NPC trading ships, or even massive space monsters.
  • Planets & Biomes: Add entire catalogs of new, custom-made planets to explore, each with unique atmospheres, resources, and challenges.
  • Total Conversions: Some ambitious mods completely overhaul the game, turning Space Engineers into a Star Wars or Battlestar Galactica simulator.

Our Anecdote: One of our developers, Dave, refuses to play Space Engineers without a mod that adds a build-and-repair system. He designs self-repairing drones that automatically fix his capital ship after a battle. It’s that level of customization that keeps these games fresh for thousands of hours.

🤔 Choosing Your Galactic Adventure: Factors to Consider Before Launch


Video: NOOB vs HACKER: I Cheated in a Build Challenge (Minecraft).








Ready to buy a ticket to the stars? Hold on, commander. Not all starships are built the same. Here are the key factors our team considers before diving into a new space sandbox.

🎨 Graphics & Art Style: From Voxel to Hyper-Realistic

The “look” of your universe matters. Do you want something that feels like digital LEGOs, or something that could be mistaken for a NASA photograph?

  • Voxel/Low-Poly: Games like Astroneer or StarMade. Charming, stylized, and generally less demanding on your hardware. The focus is on the joy of building and shaping the world.
  • Gritty Realism: Games like Space Engineers and Elite Dangerous. They aim for a more grounded, industrial sci-fi aesthetic. Textures are metallic and worn, and lighting is harsh and realistic.
  • Vibrant Sci-Fi: Games like No Man’s Sky. A happy medium, with a beautiful, colorful art style that evokes classic sci-fi book covers.

🧠 Complexity & Learning Curve: Are You a Rookie or a Rocket Scientist?

This is perhaps the most important factor. An amazing game is no fun if you can’t figure out how to leave the starting planet.

  • Accessible & Casual: (Astroneer, No Man’s Sky) These games hold your hand, have intuitive UIs, and focus on the fun of exploration and building without bogging you down in complex mechanics.
  • Moderate & Rewarding: (Empyrion, Starfield) They have depth and complexity, but they also provide good tutorials and a smoother learning curve. You’ll need to learn systems, but it’s a manageable process.
  • Hardcore & Simulation-Heavy: (Space Engineers, Kerbal Space Program, Stationeers) These are the deep end of the pool. They demand that you learn real(ish) engineering, physics, or atmospheric principles. As a Steam user noted about Space Engineers, it’s “A LOT more dynamic” than Minecraft, and that complexity is its main draw and its biggest hurdle.

💻 Platform Availability: PC, Console, or Mobile?

Where do you play? This might make the decision for you.

  • PC is King: The vast majority of these games are born on PC and live their best lives there, thanks to mouse/keyboard controls and robust modding support.
  • Growing on Console: Many of the biggest names, including No Man’s Sky, Space Engineers, Astroneer, and Starfield, are available on Console (Xbox and/or PlayStation).
  • Mobile is Rare: This genre is generally too complex and resource-intensive for a satisfying mobile experience, though some simpler spinoffs exist.

🚧 Early Access vs. Full Release: The Wild Frontier of Development

Many space sandboxes are launched on platforms like Steam Early Access. This means you can buy and play the game while it’s still in development.

  • Pros of Early Access: You get to support the developers directly, influence the game’s development with your feedback, and often get the game at a lower cost.
  • Cons of Early Access: The game will be buggy and incomplete. Features can change or be removed. And, in the worst-case scenario, the game might be abandoned by its developers before it’s ever finished.

Our Advice: We love Early Access, but go in with open eyes. Read recent reviews to see the current state of development, and check the developers’ update history to see if they are active and communicative.

🚀 The Future is Now: Upcoming “Minecraft in Space” Titles to Watch


Video: Minecraft: Xbox 360 – Destination Unknown | Part 3: Space Battle!








The universe of space sandbox games is always expanding! The developers who brought us the infinite cosmos of No Man’s Sky are working on their next ambitious project, and it’s one you absolutely need to have on your radar.

Light No Fire: From developer Hello Games, Light No Fire aims to do for fantasy what No Man’s Sky did for space. It promises a procedurally generated, Earth-sized planet to explore. While it’s a fantasy setting, the core DNA of exploration, building, and survival on a massive, seamless world is exactly what fans of this genre crave. We’re watching this one with bated breath, expecting the same level of groundbreaking procedural generation and long-term support that made their previous title a legend.

Keep your scanners active, because the next great galactic adventure is always just over the horizon!

⚠️ Common Pitfalls & What to Avoid: Don’t Get Lost in the Void!

We’ve seen countless new players burn out and quit before they even reach their first moon. Here’s some veteran advice on how to avoid the common traps of the genre.

  • The Grind-Out: Mining for 8 hours straight to get enough iron for one large cargo container is not fun. How to avoid it: Automate! Learn how to set up mining drones in Space Engineers or automated extractors in Astroneer. Work smarter, not harder.
  • Analysis Paralysis: You can build anything. So… what do you build? The sheer freedom can be crippling. How to avoid it: Start with a clear, small goal. “I will build a small ship that can fly to that asteroid and back.” Then, “I will build a small base with a refinery and assembler.” Small, achievable goals build momentum.
  • Forgetting the “Fun” in “Functional”: We once spent 30 hours designing a perfectly efficient, 100% optimized hydrogen production facility. It was a masterpiece of engineering. It was also incredibly boring to look at. How to avoid it: Don’t be afraid to add some cosmetic flair! Add windows, paint your ship, build a useless but cool-looking antenna array. Aesthetics matter for long-term enjoyment.
  • Ignoring Power Management: Your beautiful, heavily-armed battleship is useless if it runs out of power mid-fight. A base without power is just a cold, dark tomb. How to avoid it: Always build more power generation than you think you need. Have backup batteries. In games with uranium, always keep a reserve. A power failure is one of the most common (and preventable) ways to lose everything.

🌠 Conclusion: Your Universe Awaits!

red and white striped folding bed on brown sand

So, what is the game like Minecraft in space? As we’ve explored, it’s not just one game—it’s a whole constellation of experiences, each shining with its own unique light. Whether you want the infinite exploration and breathtaking scale of No Man’s Sky, the engineering depth and realistic physics of Space Engineers, the whimsical creativity of Astroneer, the hardcore survival and RPG elements of Empyrion, or the epic narrative and ship-building of Starfield, there’s a space sandbox tailored just for you.

Positives Across the Board:

  • Immersive building and crafting systems that let you create everything from tiny rovers to massive space stations.
  • Expansive, procedurally generated universes that promise endless discovery.
  • Survival mechanics that add thrilling tension and challenge.
  • Multiplayer options that turn solo adventures into epic cooperative or competitive journeys.
  • Vibrant modding communities that keep games fresh and endlessly customizable.

Challenges to Keep in Mind:

  • Some games have steep learning curves and complex mechanics that require patience.
  • Performance demands can be high, especially with large builds or mods.
  • Not all titles offer true ship-building; some focus more on exploration or RPG elements.
  • Early Access games may still be incomplete or buggy.

Our confident recommendation? Start with No Man’s Sky if you want vast exploration and a polished experience; dive into Space Engineers if you crave engineering complexity; or pick Astroneer for a chill, accessible adventure. From there, explore the rest of the galaxy of titles we’ve shared to find your perfect fit.

Remember Dave’s story from the modding section? The joy of watching your self-repairing drone fix your ship mid-battle is the kind of moment that makes these games unforgettable. Your cosmic adventure is waiting—grab your spacesuit and start building!

Ready to launch your journey? Here are some handy shopping and resource links to get you started:

Books for Space Sandbox Fans:

  • The Martian by Andy Weir — A gripping survival story on Mars, perfect for fans of space survival and engineering.
  • Ready Player One by Ernest Cline — Dive into a virtual world filled with gaming references and epic adventures.
  • The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey — For those who want a richly detailed sci-fi universe to inspire their space builds.

❓ FAQ: Your Burning Questions, Answered!

low angle photography of high rise building during nighttime

What games are similar to Minecraft but set in space?

There are many! The most notable include Space Engineers, No Man’s Sky, Astroneer, Empyrion – Galactic Survival, and Starfield. These games combine Minecraft’s core mechanics of mining, crafting, and building with space exploration, survival, and often realistic physics. For a full list and detailed comparisons, check out our Top Picks section.

Read more about “Are there any games like Minecraft but more realistic? … 🎮”

Are there any space-themed sandbox games like Minecraft?

✅ Absolutely! The space sandbox genre is thriving. Games like Space Engineers offer block-based building with realistic physics, while Astroneer provides a more casual, terrain-deforming sandbox. No Man’s Sky offers a massive procedurally generated universe with base building and crafting. These games let you create your own space adventure with varying degrees of complexity.

Read more about “Discover the Magic of Minecraft: 10 Reasons to Play! 🎮”

Can you play Minecraft in space with mods or custom maps?

Yes! While vanilla Minecraft is Earth-bound, the modding community has created space-themed mods and custom maps. Popular mods like Galacticraft and Advanced Rocketry add planets, space stations, rockets, and new mechanics that simulate space exploration. These mods let you build rockets, travel to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, and even establish bases on alien worlds.

What are some games like Starbound that offer a similar experience to Minecraft?

Starbound is a 2D space exploration and sandbox game with crafting, building, and survival elements. Similar games include Terraria (which inspired it), No Man’s Sky (3D and more expansive), and Astroneer (3D with a focus on terrain deformation). These games share the spirit of exploration, crafting, and building in alien environments.

Read more about “15 Best Games Like Minecraft to Play in 2025 🎮”

Are there any free space-themed games that resemble Minecraft?

While most polished space sandbox games are paid, some free or free-to-play options exist:

  • Robocraft offers building and combat with customizable robots in space-themed arenas.
  • StarMade has a free demo version and is a voxel-based space sandbox with ship building and exploration.
  • Dual Universe offers a sci-fi MMO sandbox with building and exploration, though it requires purchase for full access.

Free games may lack polish or depth compared to paid titles but can be a good introduction.

Can I play a game like Minecraft on Mars or other planetary environments?

Yes! Several games let you explore and build on Mars or similar planets:

  • Empyrion – Galactic Survival features Mars-like planets with survival and building.
  • The Planet Crafter focuses on terraforming and surviving on a barren planet.
  • Kerbal Space Program lets you send rockets to various celestial bodies, including Mars analogs.
  • Minecraft mods like Galacticraft include Mars as a destination.

Besides the ones already mentioned, consider:

  • Satisfactory (factory building on alien planets)
  • Stationeers (complex space station management)
  • Avorion (modular spaceship building)
  • Space Haven (colony sim on a spaceship)
  • Oxygen Not Included (space colony management with survival and building)

These games blend exploration with creative building and resource management.

For more on games like Minecraft, check out our in-depth article on Are there any games like Minecraft but more realistic? 🎮

We hope this cosmic guide helps you find your perfect “Minecraft in space” adventure. Now go forth, build boldly, and may your oxygen tanks never run dry! 🚀✨

Jacob
Jacob

Jacob is a game developer turned editor who leads GamesLike.org with a builder’s eye for systems, balance, and “feel.” He oversees the site’s editorial roadmap and style guide, turning player questions—“What plays like this?”—into clear, cross-platform recommendations. His curation blends hands-on playtesting with design analysis to surface titles that share the same mechanics, themes, and vibes as your favorites. You’ll see that approach across GamesLike.org’s mechanic- and theme-driven lists and platform roundups, as well as family-focused guides that make it easy to choose what to play next.

At GamesLike.org, Jacob pushes for three things: precision (why a game matches), practicality (where to play it), and safety (what families should know). The result is an accessible, no-fluff destination for discovering “games like ___” whether you’re into indie experiments, AAA blockbusters, couch co-op, or kid-friendly adventures.

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