Summary
- No Man's Sky's redemption arc showcases the game's evolution into one of the best space exploration games.
- Star Wars: Squadrons offers solid space battles with stunning visuals and a strong community.
- FTL: Faster Than Light provides a unique space travel experience focused on spaceship management.
Space: the final frontier. Space often finds itself as the landscape of various media properties. In many ways, space and space flight are equal parts fantastical and realistic in a way. This is especially true in sci-fi games; some games lean into the fantastical, like Mass Effect, while others like Elite: Dangerous capitalize on the wonders of space travel itself.
7 Space Sci-Fi Games With Incredible Sense Of Scale
Many great space sci-fi games provide an playing environment that has a real sense of scale, makign them immersive and engaging.
Over the years, many companies have created their own takes on space flight simulations. It's risky, considering how easy it is to botch a simulation game. There are many different varieties and all game players have their preferences, but which ones are the best of the best? This list will serve to highlight the best space flight simulation games.
Updated on February 24, 2025, by Mehrdad Khayyat: Exploring space has always been a popular theme for video games, but different developers have taken different approaches to it. While some games just put the player on an alien planet, some other games try to focus on the traversal in space as well.
Traveling in space itself can go deep enough that sometimes the entire game is built around maintaining a spaceship and keeping it safe for exploration. But, again, there are degrees to it, with some games taking it further enough to deliver a truly immersive experience.
20 No Man's Sky
An Unlimited Space With Endless Exploration
No Man's Sky
- Released
- August 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Hello Games
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Nintendo Switch 2
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
No Man's Sky's redemption arc is far more satisfying than most, particularly given the circumstances that led to its car-crash release. Such was the hype surrounding the game at launch that it was never going to be able to live up to the lofty expectations placed upon it, but few could have predicted just how badly the game would flop.
It would have been very easy for developer and publisher Hello Games to simply take the money and run, but the studio ended up taking a very different approach. Many years and many more updates and patches later, No Man's Sky finally began to live up to the promise it showed during the early stages of development and is now quite rightfully heralded as one of the best space exploration games around.
19 Star Trek: Bridge Crew
Board The Ship With A Crew Of Friends And Explore Deep Space
- Developer: Ubisoft
- Release Date: May 30, 2017
- Platforms: PS4, PC, Meta Quest
Just as certain games can be over-hyped, so too can certain tech. This was arguably the case with VR gaming, with the technology experiencing many teething problems when it first became available to the public. Aside from the somewhat sickening issues with inertia, one of the biggest issues was a lack of unique and worthwhile games. After a few years though, things did start to pick up, with Star Trek: Bridge Crew one of many great VR games to be released in 2017.
Though the idea of having players team up to take on the roles of a starship's bridge crew may sound a little dry on paper, the execution was spot on. The co-op gameplay works surprisingly well too, with players having to put their trust in friends or strangers to ensure that their mission ends in success. Granted, the learning curve is steep, and the novelty wears off after a while, but players can expect to have a lot of fun with Star Trek: Bridge Crew nonetheless.
18 Star Wars: Squadrons
Taking The Space Battles Of Star Wars To The Competitive Environment
Star Wars: Squadrons
- Released
- October 2, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- EA Motive
- Franchise
- Star Wars
- Genre(s)
- Action, Flight Simulator
- Platform(s)
- PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Star Wars: Squadrons is nowhere near as good as some of the fantastic dog-fighting games which preceded it, but it's still a solid title, with responsive controls and a decent community helping to make the experience an awful lot of fun. Better still, despite both Rogue Leader and Starfighter aging fairly gracefully, neither comes close to matching Squadrons in the visual fidelity department.
Star Wars Squadrons: Best Starships, Ranked
The players can either choose to play as a New Republic Vanguard or a Galactic Empire Titan and engage in the story or play online.
Of course, a few decades of technological advancement will usually make sure of that, but the fact remains, Squadrons is arguably the best-looking Star Wars game to date. PSN subscribers were even able to pick it up for free back in June of 2021, while it's also spent time on Xbox Game Pass; both of which helped to breathe some much-needed new life into the game's player base.
17 FTL: Faster Than Light
Managing A Spaceship Through A Variety Of Challenges
FTL: Faster Than Light
- Released
- September 14, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Subset Games
- Genre(s)
- Strategy, Roguelike
- Platform(s)
- PC
FTL: Faster Than Light offers a fairly unique approach to space travel. Rather than placing players at the wheel, they are instead expected to manage every aspect associated with the operation of the ship. It might sound a little dry when compared to weaving between asteroids and the like, but it's actually a lot of fun and can lead to some incredibly tense and exciting moments.
Every decision matters and there are plenty of variables that players will need to take into account. Some things, like crew members getting sick, are out of the player's hands but nearly every other mishap can usually be traced back to a bad decision somewhere throughout the journey. It's a game that can be replayed multiple times and one that really manages to stand out in a crowded sky that's filled with plenty of brightly shining stars.
16 EVERSPACE
Fast-Paced Space Combat With Ships
Everspace
- Released
- September 14, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
EVERSPACE, like most of the games that are on this list, isn't going to be considered pure "space flight simulations." As it turns out, there aren't too many pure space flight simulations. However, EVERSPACE definitely qualifies. The game is a 3D space shooter with roguelike elements, loaded with gorgeous sights and fun combat.
Many critics praised the game for its fresh take on the roguelike genre. EVERSPACE comes with a massive replayability value, as the player learns something new after every defeat. So, each fresh beginning is an experience like no other.
15 Star Wars: Starfighter
Experience Space Dogfight From Three Different Perspectives
Star Wars: Starfighter
- Released
- February 21, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- LucasArts, Blitz Games, Secret Level Studios
- Franchise
- Star Wars
- Genre(s)
- Action
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox (Original), PlayStation 3
The Star Wars franchise, unsurprisingly, holds many space-flight games under its belt. And unlike most games based on movies, Star Wars is consistently a solid brand. The first on this list is Star Wars: Star Fighter for the PlayStation 2. The game takes place before the Battle of Naboo, and the player will have to navigate a number of harrowing missions with the three fighter pilots to stop the invasion.
The game jumps between multiple perspectives as the story unfolds. While not as iconic as other Star Wars titles on the PS2, Star Fighter still remains in the top caliber of space flight shooters.
14 Outer Wilds
A Relaxing Space Exploration
Outer Wilds
- Released
- May 28, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
Outer Wilds is a game about exploration and discovery and does a fantastic job of capturing the isolation of space. It looks great and slowly uncovering more information about the enigmatic Nomai species provides more than enough reason for players to keep coming back. Each planet is home to its own mysteries and each mystery has an explanation that's just waiting to be uncovered.
8 Mistakes Everyone Makes While Playing Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds doesn't hold players hands, which can often lead to silly little mistakes that end up wasting a lot of time. Here's how to avoid them.
Where the game differs from other space sim games (and the vast majority of games in general, for that matter) is through its innovative gameplay loop. Rather than one long slog, players are given twenty minutes to explore before their progress is partially reset. This may sound frustrating, but it actually works incredibly well and really helps with the game's pacing while also encouraging players to really think about how they are going to use their allotted time.
13 Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
Fighting Empire In Luke Skywalker's Shoes
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
- Released
- December 3, 1998
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Factor 5, LucasArts
- Franchise
- Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
- Genre(s)
- Action, Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PC, Nintendo 64
One of the definitive great Star Wars titles according to many fans, Rogue Squadron is an all-time classic in the franchise. The game puts players in the shoes of Luke Skywalker as they play through a number of missions based on events from the movie.
Some critics consider this title to be a quintessential Nintendo 64 game, right up there with Nintendo's catalog. It spawned its own series of critically acclaimed space flight games as well. For any game player and Star Wars fan, Rogue Squadron is a classic title that earns its spot near the top.
12 Freelancer
An Expansive Space Combat With Small RPG Mechanics
Freelancer
- Released
- March 4, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
Freelancer was originally the brainchild of Chris Roberts , creator of the Wing Commander series. However, production problems led the game to be delayed and eventually picked up by a new team. This didn't harm the game's reputation entirely, as it still met critical acclaim from the top gaming websites.
The concept for the game was to create a true virtual galaxy, and that dream is still reflected in the systems of trading and combat within the world. Its ambition may have harmed it in the long run, but it still remains a classic. At the very least, the game can say it released, unlike Roberts's latest project and cash cow Star Citizen.
11 Allegiance
A Multiplayer Combination Of FPS Ship Combat And RTS
Allegiance
- Released
- March 16, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
In terms of the multiplayer space, few space simulator games could compete with Allegiance, released for PC in 2000. The game mixed two popular PC genres: first-person shooter and real-time strategy. Players work in teams to capture the opponent's bases and force them to surrender.
In many ways, the game was incredibly ambitious in terms of gameplay, and it managed to create an incredible multiplayer experience. However, it suffered from low sales despite a dedicated player base. Players are still maintaining the community to this day, which is certainly impressive. It can definitely be said Allegiance deserves the praise it has received.