When it comes to survival games, Grounded is a one-of-a-kind experience. However, there are plenty of games that can give you a similar impression. Here is a list of some of the best games like Grounded that you will enjoy playing just as much. These survival games each share key elements with Grounded while offering unique twists that set them apart from other games in the genre.
Table of Contents
Smalland: Survive the Wilds
This game is more similar to Grounded than any other game on this list. While Grounded has more of a sci-fi theme to it, Smallands uses fantasy elements to achieve a similar experience. In Smallands, you play as fairy-like creatures called Smallfolk who have a cool set of wings that enable you to glide. Much like in Grounded, you are no larger than a small bug, and all the critters we normally think of as small are now much larger than you. Bugs, birds, lizards, and even snakes will stalk the grasses you are trying to survive in. What is interesting about this game is a handful of the creatures can even be tamed and ridden. Just note that the game is still in early access and receiving regular updates.
Much like Grounded, this game also features a narrative for you to follow as you play along. Your queen is sick and you must leave the safety of the borrows and venture into the overworld where the Giants lived before they went extinct. The giants in this case are humans, and the premise is the smallfolk went underground as humans inhabited the Earth. A cataclysmic event then wiped the humans out and the smallfolk can now return to the surface. You must go out into the big wide world in search of an all-curing potion to save the queen. This thrilling adventure as a tiny smallfolk is sure to remind you of Grounded. So, when it comes to games like Grounded, you can’t get much closer than Smallands.
Check out Smalland: Survive the Wilds on Steam!
Raft
Grounded features a fun and cartoonish art style that makes some of the more intense elements of a survival game a little less scary. Raft is a survival game that uses a similar art style to create a similar effect. In this game, you are stranded in an endless ocean with only a small raft. You must grab trash and other objects floating in the ocean to expand your raft and survive. Several islands are randomly placed out on the ocean that also have resources and even story progression items, as well as events for you to find.
At first, the combat in this game mostly represents a shark in the water that is constantly attacking you and your raft. However, some of the larger islands that are related to the story feature several other threats such as giant rats, mud hogs, and even bears. These would be rather terrifying if not for the cartoonish art style of the game. Your primary weapons are primitive swords, spears, bows, and arrows. While combat is part of the game, it is not meant to be the primary gameplay experience. Raft shines with the ability to build up and customize your raft. Raft’s lighthearted cartoon art style and robust building mechanics are what put it among games like Grounded.
Check out Raft on Steam!
Don’t Starve Together
Grounded and Don’t Starve Together have very different survival mechanics and gameplay. In Don’t Starve, the gameplay perspective is top-down, and base building resolves more around establishing a campsite than building structures. The game has a dark and whimsical art style that makes its challenging gameplay more laid-back and enjoyable. For those who enjoyed the way Grounded’s art made the game a more casual survival experience, you will likely appreciate Don’t Starve. Additionally, you have the option to invite all of your friends you played Grounded with to join you to see how long you can survive in Don’t Starve.
For games like Grounded, this option is an excellent choice if you enjoy the challenging yet straightforward combat. In Don’t Starve, the enemies can be quite tough to take down, especially at first. Combat mostly relies on just hitting away enemies while making sure you have adequate armor. However, some of the more challenging enemies will require you to craft stronger and more unique weapons. Don’t Starve also features a multitude of unique characters to play as. Each character has their own distinct traits that make playing as them an entirely different experience when compared to one another. Don’t Starve is the perfect game to play after Grounded if you are looking for a casual yet challenging survival experience.
Check out Don’t Starve Together on Steam!
Astroneer
Astroneer stands out from the other games like Grounded on this list. It is entirely peaceful and doesn’t contain combat. While you still need to manage oxygen and power for your spacesuit, those are the only threats you face. It is a space exploration game where you will explore various procedurally generated planets. The goal is to mine resources, build various bases, and slowly upgrade your equipment and stations with new resources you find. It is a great game to play after Grounded if you enjoy the exploration and base-building that it features. With its colorful graphics and peaceful gameplay, Astroneer is the perfect laid-back option for those who could use a slower pace after one too many wolf spider scares.
Check out Astroneer on Steam!
Subnautica
Subnautica is a highly acclaimed survival exploration game. You will spend your time roaming wonderous undersea locations while occasionally dealing with the creatures that stalk the deep blue ocean. Combat in this game is rather sparse so it ends up being a much more peaceful experience. Exploring in Grounded is exceptional because you get to experience the perspective of a backyard from the vantage point of a small bug. Subnautica’s exploration has a similar thrill because it allows players to explore the vast depth of the ocean, something we normally can’t do as land mammals. If you had a fun time taking in the sights and exploring in Grounded, you will find comparable excitement in Subnautica.
Check out Subnautica on Steam!
My Time at Sandrock
You may not have expected that a life-sim game would be in a list of games like Grounded. However, My Time at Sandrock has several survival, resource-gathering, and base-building elements that help it draw some similarities. Combine that with its cartoon graphics and entertaining combat, and you will find this game to be just as much of a blast as Grounded. In My Time at Sandrock, it is your job to turn Sandrock’s run-down economy around. You will gather resources and construct all sorts of equipment and buildings to make this small desert town a booming center of production. Careful though, out on the desert sands you will find various creatures and monsters and not all of them are friendly. These can be defeated for loot and resources to help you expand your workshop and upgrade your equipment.
Check out My Time at Sandrock on Steam!
Dinkum
Much like the previous game on our list, Dinkum is another life-sim survival game. You will be building a new home in the town of Dinkum within the Australian outback. With its cute art and graphics, the game is a light-hearted survival adventure. The game features building that leans more toward the lines of a colony sim game. You will gather resources and improve your new home and the town of Dinkum. The Outback is naturally filled with various types of animals, some harmless and some quite dangerous. This terrain is also a vast wild land with plenty to explore and do. Its resource gathering, base-building, exploration, and art all draw many similarities to the vibe Grounded gives off. The result is a game that is sure to be a fun time for those looking for their next adventure after Grounded.
Check out Dinkum on Steam!
Ark: Survival Evolved
Ark: Survival Evolved is our next option for games like Grounded and is a little more intense of a survival experience. If you found mosquitoes terrifying to fight against, try stumbling into a T-Rex even at the size of a normal human! This survival game is all about fighting and taming prehistoric and mythical creatures such as dinosaurs, megalodons, and wyverns. You can go at it alone or form a tribe in multiplayer for either PvE or PvP gameplay. The game even has multiple challenging caves to complete and difficult bosses to defeat.
A unique part about resource gathering in this game is that your tamed dinosaurs can be used to increase efficiency by gathering and carrying them for you. The base-building mechanics are also quite similar to that of Grounded. It is a fantastic survival game to play if you enjoy the terror of fighting a wolf spider because staring down a Giganotosaurus can give you the same sense of dread!
Check out Ark: Survival Evolved on Steam!
Green Hell
In both Green Hell and Grounded the bugs pose a threat to you. The main difference?lies within the size of your body and the tone of the game. Green Hell offers a realistic and hardcore Amazonian survival experience. That’s right, you’re lost in the middle of the Amazon rainforest which is filled with a ridiculous amount of things that can poison or eat you. Not to mention, the forest is filled with hostile natives who aren’t happy about your presence.
The game features a lot of realistic survival mechanics, such as injuries to various body parts that require specific treatments to mend them. The game can be very challenging at first, even when playing on an easier difficulty. However, the game can be extremely fun and even played with friends. The story also has a surprising amount of depth for a game that is heavily focused on survival. You will find that gathering resources and constructing a base to survive in this game is very similar to Grounded. If you are fine with a much more realistic and challenging experience give Green Hell a try.
Check out Green Hell on Steam!
Valheim
Valheim is one of the more combat-oriented games like Grounded. You are taken to a place called Valheim where slain Vikings go to prove they are worthy of going to Valhalla. The game is very much focused on combat with various creatures and monsters, as well as bigger boss fights. It is also a survival game where you will need to gather various resources and build a base. The combat draws similarities to the dodge and block systems of Dark Souls-type games. In Grounded, you’ll find the combat to share similarities with the combat in Valheim. This is an excellent choice if you want a more fast-paced survival game that is filled with plenty of fights and actions.
Check out Valheim on Steam!