Minecraft by Mojang hit the ground running in 2009, and most gamers have at least dipped a toe in the sharp-edged world. With an open world to explore, and a build your own fun mindset, this long-running sandbox game has something for everyone. Build amazing things limited only by imagination, take care of the land and animal companions, or just run off to explore and fight.

The world has continued to grow and inspire a large amount of the gaming sphere throughout its timeline. It's come a long way and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. There is something for almost everyone in Minecraft, but if you can't get enough, here are 10 games that you should look into.

Stardew Valley

Screenshot of a farm with coop animals and a small garden

Farming, mining, fishing, and growing a community take the lead in Stardew Valley. It gives the same cozy vibes and allows players to relax with a more guided experience for a change of pace without losing out on the quaint feelings.

If a small change of pace from surviving and the building is what you seek, the other aspects of exploration and grinding are still there. Still gives off the same cozy but stressful Minecraft energy. Particularly when you need as many Wikipedia tabs open to keep track of everything going on in this little town.

Portal Knights

A mage frying an enemy with a bolt of lightning

Hop between worlds and fight through enemies to discover a cubed Minecraft-like RPG. If combat and exploration are what draw your interest, Portal Knights has you covered. Crafting and resource gathering still exist, but don't take the lead.

Instead, fighting is the name of the game, and getting farther into the lands by improving equipment is how to achieve it. Take a friend or two with you to make to fill your journey with laughter. Just keep your weapon ready, and be prepared to gain a scar or two along the way.

Subnautica

Diver swimming around an alien world in front of his submarine.

Surviving on a water world against a deadly virus would be hard enough, but add in being on the food chain and you have Subnautica. Dive into popular the ocean world of 4546B, and explore the wide wet world. Many others have already started their underwater vacations, so why not join in?

Stick to the water and learn new blueprints to build. Swim out into the dunes and avoid the leviathans, or dive into the cave system and learn the secrets of the planet saving yourself in the process. You could even just stay on the surface and wait for a rescue ship. They have to show up when they find out about your ship's crash. Right?

Planet Crafter

Gazing out of the space pod at a terraformed world

If terraforming a whole planet sounds fun, take it to the space race in Planet Crafter. Play as a space prisoner tasked with turning a barren world into a habitable one to earn your freedom. As if roaming a desolate wasteland isn't freedom enough!

Unlike Minecraft, there's no combat in the game, but resource management is a high priority with survival and exploration elements hot on its tail. Add to the atmosphere and make a brand new home. Lay out the flora and fauna as desired to craft your world.

7 Days To Die

Human defending a horde base from the undead

Survive the zombie apocalypse and build the ultimate base to stop the horde in their tracks in 7 Days To Die. Make weapons, armor, buildings, and everything else needed to keep yourself alive as long as possible in their latest alpha release. Yes, this game is still in alpha, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot in the game.

Prepare for nightfall when the zombies become more aggressive, and the eventual blood moon every 7 nights where a whole horde rushes your base. Terraform either intentionally or unintentionally as you seek out the treasures traders request to improve your chances of making it one more day. It might not be as square as Minecraft, but it is there.

Valheim

Valheim text in front of a small fishing town

Based on Nordic Mythology, Valheim drops a player or players in the world ready to prove that they have what it takes to make it into Valhalla. Worlds are procedurally-generated and have different biomes with unique materials and enemies.

Fight through enemies to the world bosses and gain their powers to aid in various endeavors. Lay claim to new lands when you set sail. Or simply build a home and tend to a garden with your friends. It's a full sandbox world that requires you to only do what you want if you desire progression. If not, just hang out around a fire and swap stories.

Don't Starve & Don't Starve Together

Two children being hunted by monstrous beasts

Nighttime remains scary with the Don't Starve franchise. Play alone or with friends in the Together version and face off against nightmare monsters. Maintain your food so you don't starve, and explore the world around you for resources. Grow crops, forage, hunt, and do whatever else you can do to fill that belly.

Seasons will change and bring new challenges, enemies, and materials with them just like exploring through Minecraft zones. Keep your wits about you and your sanity up so Charlie doesn't come and take your fire. If that sanity gets too low, hopefully, you are ready to fight nightmare monsters.

Core Keeper

Group of adventurers' underground while being watched

New on the radar is the 2D square-based game of Core Keeper. This indie game came out of nowhere, but fans of the mining survival genre quickly took to it. It shot to the front of many lists shortly after release. The devs were happy and shocked, but those that played survival-craft games knew what they wanted.

Build a base and explore the underground caverns with varying biome tiles and their inhabitants. Survive and thrive under the watchful overlord of the region, and try to restore this once living society in order to escape it. Saying you want to leave instead of making it home for the rest of the time.

Terraria

terraria update october 19

Minecraft-like blocks are back in two dimensions when picking Terraria. Detailed crafting menus are also back to being ever-expanding as each region offers its own materials and craftables. There's no story to guide you, and you'll have to discover the world's secrets unprompted.

Pick a seed world or a random one, and set off in one direction to see what you can find. Mine down to hell and turn the world on its head, or fly high into the clouds and never come down. Just remember to be wary of blood moons and murder bunnies.

Creativerse

A blocked-out world with the Creativerse logo in the front

This game feels exactly like Minecraft, but this one has quests! Made with familiar biome blocks and areas that feel familiar to those that have played the Mojang game, Creativerse gives a direction to go in the open-world sandbox. You don't have to follow it, though. It's still a sandbox.

Gaining items to improve your craftables for adventuring out. There is an open end as well with a big boss, but this one doesn't have to be slain. You can tame it to be your companion if that's preferable. Who doesn't look at a giant boss bent on destroying you and think, 'Hey! I want that as a friend.'