By Anthony Yates
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Key Takeaways
- Terraria - Survival crafting akin to Core Keeper with boss battles to track progress.
- Starbound - A space-themed title with similar mechanics to Terraria but no updates since 2019.
- Don't Starve - Challenging survival game with combat elements and a co-op version available called Don't Starve Together.
Core Keeper is a stunning pixel-art sandbox adventure game with in-depth mechanics and an addictive gameplay loop. The title has come leaps and bounds since its time in Early Access, but what can you play if you're hungry for more?
Here are our picks for the top 10 games, like Core Keeper.
I've tried to keep my suggestions relevant, but the truth is, Core Keeper is pretty unique. With this in mind, I've focused on games with similar mechanics, even if the aesthetics differ. As Core Keeper is a solid multiplayer title, every game here can also be enjoyed with friends.
10 Terraria
A Survival Crafting Juggernaut
7/ 10
Action
Adventure
Sandbox
Systems
- Top Critic Rating:79/100 Critics Recommend:76%
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS3 , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox 360 , Xbox One , Xbox Series S , Xbox Series X , Switch , Vita , iOS , Android , macOS , Linux , 3DS , Stadia
- Released
- May 16, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Re-Logic
- Publisher(s)
- 505 Games
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Engine
- Proprietary
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Cartoon Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- How Long To Beat
- 100 Hours
- X|S Enhanced
- No
- File Size Xbox Series
- 418 MB (March 2023)
- Metascore
- 85
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
Ok, let's get the low-hanging fruit out of the way first. Core Keeper shares a ton of features and ideas with Re-Logic's Terraria. Both titles collaborated for a crossover event, and bosses from one feature in the other.
There's an emphasis on combat in Terraria, and you can use the elaborate boss battles to track your progress.
Terraria is a long-standing player in the survival sandbox genre. What started as "2D Minecraft" has evolved into a wonderfully complex masterpiece. Whether you enjoy base building, combat, or exploring, this title offers something for everyone.
9 Starbound
Terraria In Space
RPG
Sandbox
- Top Critic Rating:85/100 Critics Recommend:93%
- Platform(s)
- PC , Xbox One
- Released
- December 4, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Chucklefish
- Publisher(s)
- Chucklefish
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Alcohol Reference, Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- How Long To Beat
- 25 Hours
Starbound is similar to Terraria in gameplay style and perspective. We're sticking to the 2D realm for this one but with a unique sci-fi twist.
Everything you expect in the genre is here, from challenging battles to an intricate crafting system. The title clearly takes a lot of inspiration from other genre hard-hitters, but the aesthetics make the ideas feel fresh and new.
All the base building systems and combat you enjoy in Core Keeper are here, just without the third dimension.
The only downside with Starbound is that the project is finished, and there have not been updates since 2019. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of fantastic content to sift through, but what you see is what you get.
8 Don't Starve
Hunger Isn't The Only Thing That Will Kill You
Survival
Management
Systems
- Platform(s)
- Switch , Android , PS4 , iOS
- Released
- April 23, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Klei Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Klei Entertainment
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op , Online Multiplayer
- Engine
- Lua
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Fantasy, Violence, Crude Humor
- How Long To Beat
- 30 Hours
- Metascore
- 87
Many titles on this list boast familiar crafting or base-building mechanics. If you crave the mystery and fight for survival, you might enjoy Don't Starve.
Don't Starve is a challenging sandbox game where every night survived should be celebrated. Combat is important, as it is in Core Keeper, and what you put in your belly can be the difference between life and death.
Don't Starve is arguably the least forgiving of every title on this list. Still, it's a rewarding game, with plenty of familiar mechanics.
If you want to put your survival skills to the test as a group, make sure you get Don't Starve Together instead of the original.
7 Stardew Valley
Farming And So Much More
7.5/ 10
RPG
Simulation
Systems
- Top Critic Rating:90/100 Critics Recommend:99%
- Platform(s)
- PC , Xbox One , Android , iOS , PS4 , Switch
- Released
- February 26, 2016
- Developer(s)
- ConcernedApe
- Publisher(s)
- ConcernedApe
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer , Online Multiplayer
- Engine
- Proprietary
- ESRB
- E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
- X|S Enhanced
- No
- File Size Xbox Series
- 1 GB (November 2023)
- Metascore
- 89
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical or Horizontal
- Number of Players
- 1-4
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-4 Players
- Cross Save
- cross-progression is only available between the PC and mobile versions of the game
- Cross-Platform Play
- Stardew Valley does not currently support crossplay between different consoles and PC
Stardew Valley may seem a little out of place on this list, but it shares many features with Core Keeper.
Instead of a village, you construct a farm with nearly limitless customization options, and there's a constant grind for better tools and gear.
Stardew Valley is surprisingly combat-centric if you go to the right places. While there isn't an emphasis on smacking down bosses, you're always rewarded for diving deep into monster-infested mines and dungeons.
If you come to Stardew for the combat and art style, you may just stay for everything else.
According to Concerned Ape, the developer, he would love to collaborate with Fortnite down the line.
Related
Stardew Valley: 10 Best Enchantments Ranked
Forging power Tools and Weapons can be a game-changer in this agricultural epic.
6 Minecraft
Only Limited By Your Imagination
7.2/ 10
Sandbox
Survival
Systems
- Top Critic Rating:90/100 Critics Recommend:84%
- Franchise
- Minecraft
- Platform(s)
- 3DS , Android , iOS , Nintendo Switch , Nintendo Wii U , PC , PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , PS Vita , Xbox One , Xbox 360
- Released
- November 18, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Mojang
- Publisher(s)
- Mojang
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op , Online Multiplayer
- Engine
- LWJGL, PROPRIETARY ENGINE
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence
- How Long To Beat
- N/A
- X|S Enhanced
- No
- File Size Xbox Series
- 1.42 GB (August 2024)
- Metascore
- 93
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical or Horizontal
- Number of Players
- 1-4
If you're drawn to Core Keeper by the base building and creative options, you cannot beat Minecraft.
The building mechanics are second to none and are as simple or complex as you want them to be.
You can create anything from a tidy shack to a magnificent castle, and the game offers so much more.
Exploration is a massive part of Minecraft, and there's even an end-game encounter to work towards if you need a long-term goal.
Weapons aren't quite as intricate as they are in Core Keeper, but there's plenty of overlap between the titles. Minecraft is so massive it's become a cultural phenomenon. You can even decorate your real house with items from the game.
5 LEGO Fortnite
A Stunning, High-Budget Sandbox
Survival
Systems
- Franchise
- LEGO
- Platform(s)
- Switch , PC , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , PS5 , PS4 , Mobile
- Released
- December 7, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Epic Games
- Publisher(s)
- Epic Games
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence
- Metascore
- N/A
LEGO Fortnite was pretty barebones at launch, but it's become a force to be reckoned with in the genre thanks to constant updates.
Like Core Keeper, LEGO Fortnite offers a procedurally generated world, combat, and even bosses to battle.
As a LEGO title, there's a much greater emphasis on building and construction, but there are more survival sandbox elements than expected.
The game also boasts gorgeous visuals and worlds you can share with your friends.
LEGO Fortnite is one of the most accessible games on this list and can be enjoyed for free.
4 Palworld
Exploring With Friends
Open-World
Shooter
Survival
Systems
- Top Critic Rating:71/100 Critics Recommend:58%
- Platform(s)
- PC , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Xbox One
- Released
- January 19, 2024
- Developer(s)
- Pocket Pair, Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Pocket Pair, Inc.
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 36 Hours
- X|S Enhanced
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 6 GB (February 2024)
- Number of Players
- 1-4 (Co-Op); 32 Players Server Limit
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- Cross Save
- yes
- Cross-Platform Play
- Xbox Series X|S, pc
Many write Palworld off as a "Pokémon" clone, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, you can catch Pals, but we're more interested in everything else.
There's a robust combat system in Palworld, and challenging opponents to defeat around the world. Base building is a massive part of the game, and the map is split into gorgeous biomes just waiting to be explored. The title is also frequently updated, with no signs of slowing down.
Palworld is rough around the edges but fun, creative, and deliciously addictive.
3 Necesse
Survival Crafting Meets Colony Simulator
Necesse shares many similarities with Core Keeper, even down to the camera perspective.
The world is procedurally generated, and there is a rewarding gameplay loop of exploring new frontiers for better loot.
Like Core Keeper, there's a generous serving of formidable bosses. There's also a busy crafting system where you can build and equip magical weapons.
The most significant difference between the titles is Necesse's focus on base-building. Many mechanics wouldn't feel out of place in a Colony Sim like Rimworld.
It's a combination that works far better than it should, and Necesse is a cozy game that often flies under the radar.
2 Valheim
A Brutal Viking Adventure
Sandbox
Survival
Systems
- Top Critic Rating:85/100 Critics Recommend:90%
- Platform(s)
- Linux , PC , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- February 2, 2021
- Developer(s)
- Iron Gate AB
- Publisher(s)
- Coffee Stain Studios
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Engine
- Unity
- ESRB
- r
- How Long To Beat
- 75 Hours
- X|S Enhanced
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 1 GB (November 2023)
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
- PC,Xbox One &Xbox Series X|S
- Steam User Rating
- 95%
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
Valheim is easily the most combat-centric game on this list, but there's a reason it's maintained a considerable following since day one.
The title is easily recognizable thanks to its Viking theme and offers unforgiving exploration and survival mechanics.
There are plenty of nasties to conquer and a surprisingly in-depth crafting system to crack open.
Valheim couldn't be further from Core Keeper in aesthetics, but many mechanics will feel comfortably familiar.
If you don't mind having the wiki open, Valheim is an unmissable survival crafting title.
1 Raft
Trade Your Pickaxe For An Oar
Raft is pretty heavy on survival mechanics, like managing hunger and thirst. If you don't mind that, there's plenty to enjoy.
This title focuses on exploring, as you're always on the move. That said, you can make some phenomenal rafts that start to resemble floating villages. Instead of biomes and new materials, you're always scanning the horizon for the next island.
Bosses aren't really a thing in Raft, but there's an overarching story that always offers well-disguised gear and knowledge checks.
Raft offers an unforgettable survival crafting adventure if you don't mind swapping the subterranean for the submerged.
Next
10 Best Co-op Indie Games
Teamwork makes the dream work.
- Video Games
- Indie Game
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