Summary
- Sandbox games offer unparalleled freedom and potentially godlike powers to shape game worlds and influence their characters.
- Specific games like WorldBox and Spore allow players to feel like deities as they create and control life.
- Achieve godlike status in games like Minecraft and Terraria by reshaping the landscape and defeating powerful enemies.
Sandbox games allow for unparalleled levels of freedom, often with no particular goals in mind except for those set by players themselves. Some games in other genres even feature a sandbox mode to allow for unique experiences and creativity without constraints like resource gathering or pesky storylines getting in the way.
10 Best Cozy Sandbox Games
Wrap up warm and relax with one of the following cozy sandbox games that are sure to put your mind at ease.
There are times when such freedom gives the impression of godlike powers, since the game world, characters within it, and various other aspects can all be influenced with the click of a button. These are some of the best sandbox games for feeling like a god, ranked based on a combination of their overall quality and how much they offer players a disposition of the divine.
8 Crusader Kings 3
Wield Great Authority Over The Medieval World
Crusader Kings 3
- Released
- September 1, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teens: Drug Reference, Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Paradox Interactive
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Grand Strategy
- Platform(s)
- PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Medieval rulers generally had the unquestionable authority of God in many cases, with countless historical figures even claiming to be divine beings or having the powers of a deity. Crusader Kings 3 can potentially simulate this perfectly, especially for those who have experience in the game, allowing players to shape the geopolitical landscape of the world as they see fit, if they have the influence.
A great way of achieving godlike status is to invest in the dynasty tree, so that the family bloodline becomes stronger over the generations through powerful bonuses. Alternatively, it is possible to become the leader of a major world religion, thus altering the core tenets of the belief system at will and wielding unimaginable influence over all followers.
7 Fallout 4
Build Settlements & Mow Down Anyone In Your Way
Fallout 4
- Released
- November 10, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M FOR MATURE: BLOOD AND GORE, INTENSE VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, USE OF DRUGS
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Allowing players to build settlements that completely change the landscape and the world of Fallout 4 makes it much more of a sandbox game than other open-world RPGs that are labeled as such. Not only that, but leveling up and investing in some overpowered perks can make the Sole Survivor an unstoppable juggernaut, capable of taking down even the most formidable opponents with ease.
There are dozens of settlement locations awaiting development, and many NPCs who can be recruited to live there and perform tasks. Defending these built-up pockets from Raiders is important, but simple when possessing godlike combat strength. Other decisions can impact the social landscape of the Commonwealth, with player actions determining which factions gain significant influence.
6 Teardown
Skilled & Experienced Players Are Like Deities
Teardown
- Released
- April 21, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Drug Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Tuxedo Labs
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox, Puzzle
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Whether taking on the various heist missions or just causing anarchy, Teardown is a therapeutic game with unprecedented levels of voxel-based destruction. When handling highly destructive equipment like explosives and heavy machinery, it is quite easy to take damage, especially when standing inside or near a collapsing building.
7 Open-World Games with Fully Destructible Cities
Players can turn cities into their playgrounds in these destructive open-world games.
Still, skilled players with more experience can wipe entire cities off the map, easily demolish buildings, and exterminate any hostiles who try to stop them, all while remaining unharmed and completing objectives. Of course, God mode can be enabled to grant invincibility and no restrictions on destruction, but even with this cheat disabled, godlike feelings can still be achieved after enough practice and using certain equipment correctly.
5 Terraria
Defeat Bosses For More Powerful Gear
Terraria
- Released
- May 16, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Cartoon Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Re-Logic
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Vita, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, 3DS, Stadia, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
One of the best games with pixel graphics, Terraria can pose a serious challenge in the beginning, but it does not take too long for players to gradually feel more powerful and in control of the world. While exploring the large open world, there is an abundance of weapons and armor, as well as merchants who sometimes offer some fairly powerful goods.
The best way to unlock more effective gear is through defeating bosses, which may be a tall order early in the game, but offers little resistance later in the game if players craft or find the right equipment. By the time players face off against the Moon Lord, enemies that would have previously been fatal to encounter are decimated in one or two hits.
4 The Sims 3
Full Control Over An Entire Neighborhood
The Sims 3
- Released
- June 2, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
As part of the popular life simulation series, The Sims 3 gives players control over the lives of their very own Sims. Most players will focus on one specific Sim or family, building their household, controlling their lives, and forging bonds with other Sims in the neighborhood, even those of a romantic persuasion.
Players may create and directly control everyone in the game world if they so desire, though they can only actively manage one household at a time. Not only can every aspect of a Sim’s life be decided by the player, but so too may their death. Some may become immortal and avoid meeting their maker through divine intervention, while other unfortunate victims may meet a grisly end at the player’s behest.
3 Minecraft
Transform The Land & Eliminate Anyone Who Gets In The Way
Minecraft
- Released
- November 18, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- Mojang
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox, Survival
- Platform(s)
- 3DS, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Wii U, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PS Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Minecraft is another game that can be tricky in the beginning, as starting with nothing leaves players in a vulnerable position until they can build a shelter, find food sources, and craft gear to fight hostile mobs. After a while, it’s relatively easy to become a formidable prospect for any challengers, easily surviving and thriving in the world, and reshaping it as desired.
Best Open-World Games That Let You Build a Home from Scratch
Players can unleash their full building creativity in these open-world games, where houses and bases of all kinds can be made from scratch.
Tinkering with enchantments, potions, and red stone is a practical way to make life easier, producing automated contraptions, strong weapons, and robust pieces of armor that grant various superhuman abilities. Though it may require a lot of effort, transforming the landscape is another way to feel in control of the world, from leveling a mountainous landscape to draining the sea, or simply building impressive structures.
2 Spore
Create Life & Watch As It Evolves
Spore
- Released
- September 7, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
Starting with only a single-celled organism, Spore takes a species through distinct stages of evolution until they potentially reach a point where they can venture out to explore other solar systems. Controlling this lifeform throughout its stages of evolution is about as godlike as it gets, from the early days of just trying to survive to the latter stages of intergalactic colonization.
Entire planets can be terraformed to make the planet habitable for the player’s species, change its geography for aesthetic reasons, or simply to wipe out the life that already exists there. Other spacefaring empires can be impacted by player actions, whether by forming alliances with them or causing their untimely extinction.
1 WorldBox
Control The World
Worldbox - God Simulator
- Released
- September 24, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
Civilizations may rise and fall on a whim in WorldBox, a game where the entire world can be drastically transformed or destroyed with one click. Nothing is off limits, starting with a blank canvas or a premade map if desired, and creating a world for various creatures, humanoids, and other entities like Robot Santa and the dreaded Grey Goo.
Individuals in the world may be given certain attributes or traits, and they can be manipulated, depending on whether the player is benevolent or not. Clans and civilizations can be pitted against each other in a battle for supremacy, and natural disasters can be produced instantaneously to really spice things up, so the only real limit is the player’s imagination.
Best Sandbox Strategy Games
Packing a combination of sandbox creativity and freedom with strategic challenges, these games are the ideal mix of both worlds.