The best sandbox games unlock your imagination, whether that is by creating something fresh, reshaping existing worlds, or just vibing to pass the time. To do that we’ve put together an excellent list of games on Nintendo Switch and mobile, all of them putting exploration at the forefront.
Once you’re done exploring all the vast worlds we’ve collated, how about trying a completely different genre? Check out our picks for the best Switch RPG games and all the best free mobile games.
Here are the best sandbox games on Switch and mobile:
Minecraft – Switch and mobile
Minecraft is a bit of a given for any list of the best sandbox games, but it’s well worth its status. This game has been entertaining millions for over a decade now, whether it’s creatives building iconic structures inside the game or a team of pals coming together to tackle survival mode. It really is the epitome of the sandbox genre, allowing you to play your way, and we don’t see it losing any of its popularity any time soon.
Creativity pushes this beyond and has seen some truly remarkable things made all in the name of fun. Players have created enormous recreations of real-life locations, Ocarina of Time, and even painstakingly recreated the fantasy world of Game of Thrones. There’s no limit to the possibilities, hence why we are still seeing fantastic creations to this very day.
Goat Simulator – Switch and mobile
Here’s another iconic sandbox game, but one that’s a lot sillier than Minecraft. It’s the one and only Goat Simulator. I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent running around causing chaos as a goat, driving farmers to frustration, and exploring places no goat should ever be. It’s great fun.
There’s a lot to discover and so much to do, with it all sold beautifully by the physical comedy of lobbing a ragdoll goat off a rooftop. If you still don’t know that joy, it’s well worth giving this one a go yourself.
Terraria – Switch and mobile
A fantasy exploration and building game on a 2D plane, Terraria is so much deeper than its brilliant but modest visuals might imply. It’s always satisfying to gather resources, make a little cabin, and fight enemies to gather even more goodies.
Here everything just feels right, with slick controls and so much to see and do. Players might be surprised even to discover just how much is on offer here, as this is one journey you could potentially never finish.
ARK: Survival Evolved – Switch
Alright, listen, imagine an open-world game where you explore and create things, but with dinosaurs. If the elevator pitch doesn’t work, I’m not sure what will. ARK: Survival Evolved is a fun game where payers explore a post-apocalyptic world overrun by dinosaurs and must work alongside them to stake their claim on this barren planet.
It’s great fun to fortify your settlement, and there are a lot of different ways to interact with the world. It’s also recently had a major update on Switch so runs better than ever before, so this is a great time to pick it up.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 – Switch
HOO BOY. Hold on to your hats, as I tell you about a little game called Dragon Quest Builders 2. It’s perfect, comprehensive, a masterpiece, and certainly not appreciated enough in its time. Built on the bones of the peerless fantasy RPG series Dragon Quest, Builders 2 takes that world and some mechanics but instead delivers the best open-world creative (or building) game I’ve ever played.
Imagine Minecraft had a story so good it could make you cry, had amazing new twists that simplify and expand upon regular building tools, and then slapped on some fantastic visuals and music. Folks, I am begging you to go play Dragon Quest Builders 2. It runs great on Switch and has a huge demo (which also transfers saved data when you purchase) but it is also available on PS4 and Xbox, just go and play it.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Switch
Yeah, it’s a sandbox game and I won’t hear any arguments about it. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has a gigantic open world with its own bespoke physics engine, allowing you to create scenarios entirely depending on chemical reactions and the elements. Use a metal barrel and lightning to start a fire, carry an electric charge through several lightning-based weapons, or float a bomb on the breeze thanks to a balloon pulled from an Octorok’s belly. Breath of the Wild works because of its grandiose story, its beautiful visuals, and thrilling combat.
But, if Nintendo just released the tools on offer here, it would still be one of the best games ever made. It’s phenomenal to think that people are still discovering things in this game, but more than often these discoveries make sense. Did you know you can boil eggs by placing them in the Death Mountain natural hot springs? Of course, you can.
Two Point Campus – Switch
Growing up in the 90s, Sim fever had taken over the world. Sim City, The Sims, and titles like Theme Hospital were widely popular, and now many years later, some of the team behind the latter are back. The sequel to Two Point Hospital, Two Point Campus takes everything players loved about that title and goes bigger and better.
Design and manage your own university, while trying to meet the demands of your many graduates. The devil is in the details, and while the Two Point games have a lot of comedy in them, there is a very finely tuned management sim game under the hood, with so many different ways to build your site and run things.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Switch
We didn’t think it possible, but The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a step above Breath of the Wild, both in quality and in creativity. The open world of Hyrule is now yours to explore with an entirely new toolset, including the bizarre Zonai devices.
Use rockets, wheels, balloons, and so much more to craft and power your own creations. It’s not often that a game actually lets you think of creative solutions to puzzles, but Tears of the Kingdom is truly about the spirit of experimenting.
Read all about it in our Zelda Tears of the Kingdom review, and be sure to check out our guides covering Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Zonai, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom shrines, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom koroks, and much more.
Stardew Valley – Switch and mobile
Stardew Valley is one of the most important indie darlings of the last ten years of gaming, and it just so happens to be an incredible sandbox game. You can play this however you want. You can be a formidable farmer, an amazing angler, a money-making miner, or all three at the same time. The sandbox element is your own farm, which you can use as you please. There’s so much freedom here, it’s easy to lose hours at a time without realizing it.
If you need a little assistance getting started in Pelican Town, see our Stardew Valley fish, Stardew Valley farm layout, and Stardew Valley bookseller guides. Or, for more of the same, check out our picks for the best games like Stardew Valley.
LEGO Worlds – Switch
While you could dismiss this as a Minecraft rip-off, we reckon this is far from the truth. LEGO Worlds is equally charming, but Traveller’s Tales’ take on the sandbox genre is full of blocky goodness. Using an array of recognizable LEGO pieces, sets, and more to conjure wacky and beautifully weird worlds, you can hop across the universe and meet a cast of colorful characters too.
If you’re partial to a bit of LEGO silliness, then LEGO Worlds is well worth picking up.
Astroneer – Switch
Running with the scale of No Man’s Sky and throwing in a pinch of sci-fi fantasy in there, Astroneer’s building gameplay will keep you creating for hours. You’ll need to carve out your own path in the vastness of space, and what better way to do that than by making huge bases and more to ensure your survival? There’s always something mysterious around the corner, so take a big step forward into reaches unknown.
That’s all we have for today, but be sure to check back for even more great sandbox games for Nintendo Switch and mobile soon. If you want to find another great game to play today, why not browse our bumper guide to the very best Switch games for some inspiration?