10 best games like Minecraft for Windows

As the best-selling gaming title of all time, Minecraft has undeniably shifted the industry's trajectory. Without its dominance in the market, it's unlikely that the base-building survival genre would be nearly as mainstream as it is today. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of games directly or indirectly inspired by Minecraft, so hunting for the best can seem daunting.

Thankfully, though, the 10 best PC games similar to Minecraft can be found below, along with what makes them such an enjoyable experience.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion.

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10 of the best PC games on Windows similar to Minecraft

1) Terraria

Terraria is an obvious choice when looking for survival experiences similar to Minecraft. Another all-time best-selling game, Terraria used to be relentlessly mocked for being a knockoff.

However, its in-depth crafting and progression systems, culminating in a showdown with Terraria's final boss, the Moon Lord, are anything but derivative but remarkably familiar for Java and Bedrock veterans. The same kind of progression is seen in Minecraft's materials, though Terraria puts more emphasis on combat and boss fights.

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2) Palworld

Palworld is a veritable smorgasbord of themes and concepts from all over gaming bundled together in a survival game package. Players are dropped into a mysterious world surrounded by Pals, similar in aesthetics to Pokemon, though the ability to fuse Pals makes them pretty distinct. The game has gunplay similar to other third-person shooters and features survival progression similar to Ark.

It is this unique and entertaining mix that makes Palworld such a compelling alternative, especially considering some of Minecraft's best mods and modpacks directly add in either Pokemon or guns.

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3) Factorio

Factorio is similar to Satisfactory in that it is also a dream game for redstone engineers. This top-down base builder is focused on resource gathering and building complex machines to automate as many processes as possible. Basically, it has the same objective as any true feature-filled Minecraft megabase. Factorio is sure to please.

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4) Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is one of the most beloved indie games of all time and is a cozy farming simulator perfect for players who enjoy making the most aesthetic Minecraft farms they can.

The game sees players rebuilding the ruined farm they inherited while also fixing up the local community center and getting to know the adorable NPCs in town along the way. There is even a mine for players who really want the true Minecraft experience, as well as a farm type that spawns monsters at night.

Ultimately, Stardew Valley is an incredible experience for players who enjoy the more free-form nature of Java and Bedrock. Other than needing to appease the spirit of Grandpa, players are left to do whatever they set their minds on.

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5) Dragon Quest Builders 2

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is, as the name gives away, a base-building, resource-collecting, survival game spinoff of the popular Dragon Quest franchise.

The blocky makes this game a perfect fit for those who enjoy getting creative with building in Minecraft, while the incredible storyline keeps players progressing and advancing. Due to the NPCs and more polished combat systems, Dragon Quest Builders 2 appeals more to players who enjoy many of Minecraft's best modpacks rather than the vanilla experience.

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6) Lego Worlds

LEGO is a brand that doesn't put its name on products lightly, meaning the projects that get it tend to be quite high quality. The recent LEGO Fortnite experience is a good example, as they had not done anything similar before, and the praise has been immense.

LEGO Worlds is an open-world game that sees players traversing several different planets. The goal is to explore, collect new building blocks, and help people along the way. Obviously, while the themes are quite different, the gameplay is very reminiscent of Java and Bedrock due to the blocky free-form building. Additionally, LEGO and Minecraft just share incredibly similar blocky visuals.

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7) Satisfactory

Satisfactory is a first-person, open-world base builder in which players are expected to create large, complex factories to automate resource gathering. However, similar to Java and Bedrock's many hostile mobs, Satisfactory players will need to keep a keen eye on their surroundings, as the local wildlife is not too happy to see their habitat being destroyed.

This combination of trying to build while fighting off hostile mobs should make players feel more than at home since it's remarkably similar to the waves of hostile mobs, such as creepers and dangerous Minecraft spiders that spawn at night in Mojang's blocky masterpiece.

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8) 7 Days to Die

7 Days to Die is an open-world zombie survival game where players must constantly be alert for the undead threat as they explore abandoned cities for whatever scraps they can find. There is also a leveling system where players can specialize for certain playstyles.

What makes 7 Days to Die a unique survival experience, however, is the fact that every seven days, a huge horde will attack the player. So, players must always explore and prepare for the next attack, as they only get more difficult each week.

This always-increasing difficulty makes 7 Days to Die a great choice for players looking for survival experiences that are harder than Minecraft's, as once a player gets god armor and good weapons, most of the game stops being a threat in any meaningful way.

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9) Slime Rancher

Slime Rancher and its sequel are incredible games for anyone who enjoys Minecraft's cozier builds and aesthetics. Players are dropped into a slime ranch, where they will need to plant crops and ranch the local slime species to make money. There are a ton of different slimes—all adorable—and mysteries to solve, so this is a game easy to sink many hours into.

This ability to happily spend hours working on cute projects, along with the adorable aesthetics, make this series such a great alternative to Java or Bedrock.

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10) Ark: Survival Evolved

Ark: Survival Evolved, or Ark for short, is a huge open-world sandbox survival game in which players must tame dinosaurs and other mythical beasts to slowly progress and defeat more challenging bosses.

The insane blending of rustic dinosaur survival with sci-fi flair makes Ark feel like an incredibly fun Java modpack combining a ton of off-the-wall ideas. The incredible visual style, along with its very unique creature designs, make it worth considering.