Whether you’re interested in managing an interstellar empire, flying a ship across the galaxy, or simulating the motion of planets in our solar system, there is space simulator out there for you. Whether you’re a veteran of the genre or a newcomer, here are a few great ones that every sci-fi lover should try.
6
Universe Sandbox
Have you ever wondered what might happen if a rogue black hole were to pass near the edge of our solar system, or what it might look like when the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies merge?
With the click of a few buttons, Universe Sandbox lets you find out. You can simulate the motion of the planets, stars, and the galaxies around us, tweak the gravitational constant of the universe, or resize a star, just to see what happens.
Universe Sandbox is a literal space simulator, and it has provided me with hours of fun over the years.
Universe Sandbox
Systems
Released
August 24, 2015
ESRB
nr
Developer(s)
Giant Army
Publisher(s)
Giant Army
Engine
Unity
5
SpaceEngine
SpaceEngine creates a realistic virtual universe for you to use as your playground. You can hop from planet to planet within our own solar system, or take a deep space trek into another galaxy.
SpaceEngine is designed with a hefty dose of realism in mind, and frequently receives updates that integrate real scientific findings, like newly discovered exoplanets, into the list of places you can visit. Above and beyond the realism, SpaceEngine is visually stunning, which makes exploring space all the more interesting.
SpaceEngine is available on Steam.
4
X4: Foundations
X4: Foundations is designed to be a living, breathing sandbox universe. The entire galaxy is simulated in real-time, so regardless of where you are, events move along everywhere else too.
You begin your journey in a small vessel with only a little money to your name, but as the game progresses, you can ally yourself with powerful military factions to gain influence, or go rogue and attempt to dominate the galaxy on your own.
Trading, building, and fighting are all viable play styles, and you aren’t limited to just one approach. It is a space simulator that actually feels lived in.
X4: Foundations
Systems
Released
November 30, 2018
Developer(s)
Egosoft
Publisher(s)
Egosoft
Engine
X TECH 5
3
Kerbal Space Program
Kerbal Space Program (KSP) is a game as well known for its technical accuracy as its hilarious quirks. You’re the director of a fledging space program, tasked with getting the Kerbal Space Program off the ground. You can design, assemble, and launch rockets, perform scientific missions, and create landers to visit the other planets (or moons!) in the Kerbal System.
Kerbal Space Program is famous for its realistic implementation of orbital mechanics, which makes for gameplay that is both interesting and challenging. Rocket building can be as precise and methodical or as “vibes-based” as you want, and occasionally, regardless of how careful you are, the physics might get a little wonky.
But the game isn’t all orbits and fuel calculations. The Kerbals themselves, known for their intrepid spirits that far outstrip their engineering capabilities, provide a healthy dose of comedic relief as they find themselves in absurd—and often dangerous—situations.
Kerbal Space Program
Released
April 27, 2015
ESRB
e
Engine
unity, unity 5
2
Elite Dangerous
Elite Dangerous is a space flight simulation game set in a 1:1 replica of our own Milky Way Galaxy, which gives you approximately 400 billion stars to visit, each with its own planetary system that moves in real time.
Elite Dangerous places a special emphasis on in-depth flight mechanics, which makes navigating space unbelievably fun. Whether you’re using a mouse and keyboard, a controller, or a flight stick, the flight controls are complex enough that you really feel like you’re piloting a spaceship. The game also pairs extremely well with a VR headset if you have one, which adds another layer of immersion.
You aren’t limited to spaceships, though. Elite Dangerous has missions that have you set out on foot across barren and foreboding planets in the distant reaches of the galaxy.
Whether you’re on foot or flying through space, sometimes you’re tasked with peaceful missions of exploration; other times you’ll find yourself fighting for your life.
Elite Dangerous
Systems
Released
December 16, 2014
ESRB
T For Teen due to Drug Reference, Fantasy Violence
Developer(s)
Frontier Developments
Publisher(s)
Frontier Developments
1
No Man’s Sky
Set in a massive, procedurally-generated universe, No Man’s Sky lets you pilot a ship to explore trillions of distinct planets, each of which has its own unique plants and animals you can tally on foot. There are encounters with pirates, missions to salvage derelict ships, and occasionally game-wide events that (optionally) bring you into contact with other real players in the No Man’s Sky Universe.
Each planet you visit and each mission you complete offers you something, and once you’ve collected enough materials, you can design and build your own ship and equipment.
If you’re less of an explorer and more of a space-faring homebody, you can build a base on your favorite planet and watch the sunrises and sunsets instead.
No Man’s Sky’s original launch was rocky and controversial, but Hello Games has regularly released free expansion packs that elevate it well above its original lofty launch goals.
No Man’s Sky
Released
August 9, 2016
ESRB
T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Animated Blood
Developer(s)
Hello Games
Publisher(s)
Hello Games
The Space Sim genre is so broad that it feels almost wrong to rank any one of these games as “better” than the others. In reality, they’re all excellent, and distinct enough that each is worth picking up to try out.
