The Best Survival sandbox Games for Nintendo Switch

Update : Core Keeper added at rank #3.
1

Astroneer (2016)

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94
Review score
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Xbox One IOS iPhone Nintendo Switch PC Windows Playstation 4

Embark on a cosmic journey in Astroneer, where you can shape worlds to your heart's content. Dig, build, and survive in a sandbox universe, creating bases and vehicles with friends. Uncover mysteries and enjoy a crafting odyssey across vibrant planets—your space adventure awaits!

Buy

What we like:
  • Engaging crafting and building mechanics
  • Vibrant, immersive worlds
  • Relaxing, open-ended gameplay
  • Satisfying cooperative multiplayer
  • Regular updates with new content
What could be improved:
  • Occasional control and camera issues

  • survival
  • crafting
  • sandbox
  • cooperative
  • open-world
  • exploration
  • space
  • drop-in
  • base-building
  • drop-out
  • resource
  • adventure

2

Wizard With a Gun (2023)

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73
Review score
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Nintendo Switch Xbox Series X/s Xbox One Xbox Series X Playstation 5 PC Windows

Dive into 'Wizard with a Gun', an enchanting survival adventure where you craft bullets, battle beasts, and bend time! Team up with friends or brave it alone in a world where your magical firepower is your lifeline. Customize your wizard and tower, uncover secrets, and master the art of gunomancy in this bewitching, chaotic realm.


What we like:
  • Stunning art style
  • Engaging crafting and customization
  • Co-op gameplay enhances fun
  • Unique time-travel gameplay mechanic
  • Captivating story with deep lore
What could be improved:
  • Potential grind for gear
  • Some clunky inventory management

  • survival
  • sandbox
  • crafting
  • cooperative
  • rogue-like
  • isometric
  • twin-stick
  • set
  • boss
  • shooter
  • magical
  • tower
  • exploration
  • online
  • resource

3

Core Keeper (2024)

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86
Review score
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Linux Xbox One Playstation 4 Nintendo Switch Xbox Series X Playstation 5 PC Windows

Core Keeper is a mining/crafting-adventure game that combines elements from games like Terraria, Stardew Valley, and Valheim. Dive into a subterranean world where you mine, build, and battle in an ever-expanding cave of wonders. Forge your path, unearth relics, and conquer monstrous foes, solo or with friends. It's a sandbox of secrets waiting for you to uncover!


What we like:
  • Infinite exploration with diverse biomes
  • Complete creative freedom in a fully destructible environment
  • Rich in secrets and stunning vistas
  • Varied gameplay with distinct regions
  • Extensive mod support enhances replayability
What could be improved:
  • Challenging navigation without clear landmarks
  • Limited inventory and storage space

  • survival
  • crafting
  • sandbox
  • cooperative
  • mining
  • cooking
  • farming
  • pixel
  • open-world
  • building
  • boss
  • procedural
  • simulation

4

No Man's Sky (2016)

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89
Review score
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psvr Nintendo Switch Android Mac OS Playstation 5 Xbox One Playstation 4 PC Windows Xbox Series X osvr

No Man's Sky is a massive universe-sim sandbox experience that lets you explore an infinite number of planets with unique lifeforms and environments. Upgrade your ship and suit for survival and choose your own path - whether you want to be a trader, fighter, or explorer. The game offers great graphics and good VR support with the ability to play with friends and share your discoveries.


What we like:
  • Deliver on promises
  • Great graphics
  • Cross-play enabled
  • Good VR support
What could be improved:
  • Some bugs present
  • Not challenging enough
  • No co-op progression

  • inventory
  • survival
  • exploration
  • sci-fi
  • crafting
  • pirates
  • resource
  • discovery
  • trading
  • aliens
  • multiplayer
  • sandbox
  • space
  • open-world
  • management

5

TerraTech (2018)

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90
Review score
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PC Windows Nintendo Switch Playstation 4 Xbox One Mac OS Linux

TerraTech is the perfect game for creative kids who love to build their own vehicles and explore a randomly generated world. Construct powerful machines, bases, and weapons to defend against rival miners, gather resources, and improve your standing with the Mining Corporations. Explore treacherous mountain ranges, luscious grasslands, and huge deserts while building and creating your own unique style. The gameplay is fun and intuitive, and the simplistic graphics don't require high-end hardware.

Buy

What we like:
  • Fun and intuitive gameplay
  • Creative freedom with lots of room for your own style
  • Enticing game with interesting mechanics
  • Simplistic graphics don't require high-end hardware
  • Provides a unique and addictive experience
What could be improved:
  • Feels empty with repetitive fetch quests
  • Lack of big updates
  • Multiplayer needs a lot of work

  • sandbox
  • building
  • crafting
  • open-world
  • construction
  • vehicle
  • survival
  • robots
  • physics
  • early-access
  • exploration
  • funny-looking
  • online
  • vehicles

6

Bum Simulator (2023)

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82
Review score
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Android Playstation 5 Xbox Series X Xbox One Playstation 4 Nintendo Switch PC Windows

Bum Simulator is a crazy and hilarious sandbox game with memorable characters. You can throw pigeons at people and upgrade them with explosives for chaos. Mix drinks from things found on the ground and drink or throw them at your enemies. Customize your cardboard shelter and build defenses to fend off rival bums. Every character is fully voiced with unique personalities. Get ready to embrace your inner bum and conquer the streets of Bumsville in this engrossing game.


What we like:
  • Interesting and unique concept
  • Fully voiced characters
  • Outrageous and fun gameplay
  • Good soundtrack
  • Easy achievements
What could be improved:
  • Few bugs and glitches
  • Inventory system can be annoying
  • Some mechanics are grindy
  • Invisible walls limit exploration
  • Sign for begging can be finicky

  • simulation
  • sandbox
  • survival
  • funny
  • base-building
  • memes
  • comedy
  • open-world
  • building
  • inventory
  • adventure
  • realistic
  • first-person
  • crafting
  • single-player

7

The Survivalists (2020)

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72
Review score
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PC Windows IOS iPhone Nintendo Switch Xbox One Playstation 4

Explore a wild island inhabited by creatures, both mythical and dangerous. The Survivalists is a survival game that tests your resourcefulness, while giving you the freedom to craft weapons, build structures, complete quests, and uncover secrets. Team up with friends and use the help of trained monkeys to survive the island's challenges. With its captivating graphics and joyful storyline, it's a game you'll want to play again and again.

Buy

What we like:
  • Cute graphics
  • Captivating gameplay
  • Fun multiplayer
  • Heartwarming story
  • Unique monkey mechanic
What could be improved:
  • Limited replay value
  • Complicated crafting
  • Sparse tutorial
  • Risk of griefers in public games

  • survival
  • crafting
  • sandbox
  • cooperative

8

Starsand (2021)

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73
Review score
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Xbox Series X Xbox One Playstation 5 Playstation 4 Nintendo Switch PC Windows

In Starsand, you'll explore a vast and unforgiving desert, scavenging for resources, building a shelter, and hunting to survive. With dynamic weather and day/night changes, you'll have to plan and act wisely to uncover the secrets of an ancient civilization and make it back home. Can you survive in this harsh environment and make it out alive?

Buy

What we like:
  • Good survival elements
  • Interesting premise
  • Nice desert atmosphere
  • Nice exploration aspects
  • Unique navigation system
What could be improved:
  • Limited content
  • Clunky gameplay
  • Unforgiving resource allocation
  • Bugs and glitches
  • Lack of save points

  • survival
  • crafting
  • open-world
  • base-building
  • resource-management
  • building
  • inventory
  • 3d
  • management
  • sandbox
  • aliens
  • sci-fi
  • atmospheric
  • realistic
  • first-person

9

Scrapnaut (2021)

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72
Review score
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Nintendo Switch PC Windows

Scrapnaut is a co-op & singleplayer top-down, base building survival game with steampunk elements. Explore an open world with different biomes, take care of oxygen, manage your farms, generate electricity, build your home and much more!

Buy

  • survival
  • cooperative
  • crafting
  • building
  • open-world
  • sandbox
  • base-building
  • top-down
  • exploration
  • online
  • post-apocalyptic
  • steampunk
  • farming
  • multiplayer
  • robots

10

My Little Universe (2021)

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91
Review score
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Mac OS IOS iPhone Android PC Windows Nintendo Switch

Stranded on a barren moon with nothing but your tools, fuelless ship, and celestial powers of creation, you are destined to recreate what was once lost and be the hero of your own Little Universe! Don't forget to call in up to three of your friends to join your journey in the Splitscreen Co-op Mode!

Buy

  • mining
  • 2.5d
  • dungeon-crawler
  • relaxing
  • character
  • space
  • sandbox
  • crafting
  • minimalist
  • third-person
  • customization
  • 3d
  • grass
  • survival
  • exploration

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