As with any gaming genre, there’s plenty to experiment with and our list of the best steampunk games is one of those winding paths. Steampunk, at its core, is a twisty mix of sci-fi and history. We’re talking retro steam-powered mechanics, rather than the usual modern technology, set in 19th-century worlds like the Victorian era.
Whether you’re into adventure games, mobile shooters, puzzle games, or survival games, there’s a little something for everyone below all set to the backdrop of some pretty impressive steampunk aesthetics. Clanky robots, vibrant visuals, gear-laden gadgets, post-apocalyptic scenarios, and whole new worlds.
These are the best steampunk games:
Frostpunk: Beyond the Ice – mobile
Frostpunk is a city-building survival game that stands firmly in the steampunk genre. Originally a title just for console and PC, to bring it to mobile players, Frostpunk: Beyond the Ice was born. Leaning heavily into the game’s building mechanics, this entry grants you the position of leader of the city making critical decisions to fight against an endless winter.
Tackle the post-apocalyptic landscape by city-building and reconstructing the beautiful steampunk world. Fair warning though, don’t expect the same progression and storytelling that’s lauded in Frostpunk. This title is Frostpunk on a smaller scale, so you’re going to get a different experience.
BioShock: The Collection – Nintendo Switch
Also featured on our best FPS games list, BioShock: The Collection brings steampunk visuals to the Nintendo Switch. While the three titles on offer in the collection; BioShock, BioShock 2, and BioShock Infinite, are all generally considered to fall under the steampunk category, it’s Infinite that totally immerses itself.
Either way, the entire collection offers you an interesting narrative, a bunch of shooting in one hand, and the magic of plasmids and vigors in the other. The games all complement each other with the steampunk-inspired architecture of their settings in the underwater city of Rapture and the floating city of Columbia.
Machinarium – Nintendo Switch & mobile
Visually epic Machinarium uses steampunk-inspired sketches to bring together this puzzle adventure. A robot named Josef hopes to save his girlfriend, Berta, and his city from the Black Cap Brotherhood gang. From the developer of the early ’00’s beautifully designed adventure series, Samorost, you must solve the brain teasers in this point-and-click adventure to succeed.
The game is based entirely on visuals and bubble thoughts with absolutely no words written or spoken throughout. It’s a charming title that still holds strong even though it’s been out since 2009. Machinarium is available across iOS, Android, and Switch, depending on how you like to play.
Final Fantasy VI – Nintendo Switch & mobile
Set in the industrial world during the War of the Magi, Final Fantasy VI steps away from the rest of the series, which largely takes place in equally grand landscapes. It’s the industrial age, so it’s steampunk at its greatest, and the remodeled version is focused on 2D retro graphics with steampunk weaponry and visuals alongside it.
Final Fantasy VII may be one of the best mobile RPGs, but you shouldn’t skip VI, especially if you’re keen on the steampunk experience. We can only assume that you are since you’re reading this list. You have an opportunity to bring magic back to the world with spells, abilities, and a truly magical soundtrack.
Steampunk Tower Defense – mobile
Next up, this one’s just for Android players out there, but with over one million downloads and over four stars in the Play Store, it’s worth talking about. The title does what it says, in Steampunk Tower Defense, you’re defending your lands against evil with a backdrop of steampunk aesthetics.
Defeat the enemies, collect all the towers, and work your way through over 100 different layers using strategy and cunning. It’s a free game, so if you’re on the fence, you won’t lose out by just giving it a try.
realMyst – Nintendo Switch & mobile
If you’re a fan of the early ’90s adventure game, Myst, then realMyst is a refreshed and rebuilt version on Switch, iOS, and Android. They’ve upped the visuals and audio to bring you into a 3D world where you’ll need to solve puzzles and explore the environments for clues to advance.
You also have the option to play realMyst like the original Myst, meaning you can strip it all back to the simple point-and-click adventure. It’s not clear exactly what powers the lands in this game, but it’s often suggested that steampunk is at the core and visually, it appears to be so.
Sunless Sea: Zubmariner Edition – Nintendo Switch
The sunken ruins of Victorian Gothic London are the setting for this next entry in our list of steampunk games. Sunless Sea: Zubmariner Edition includes both the base game and extensive underwater expansion. You’re invited to travel into the depths of the deep sea to uncover the story and truth around those who have been lost to the depths.
There’s a lot of danger, treasure, and discoveries to be made as the steamship captain and it’s up to you how you want to tackle the game. Perhaps you’re searching for the riches of the ocean or perhaps you’re just there to discover the lands that lay beneath the waves. There are multiple islands to explore, whatever you decide.
SteamWorld Dig – Nintendo Switch
A platform mining adventure with strong influences from the best Metroidvania games, SteamWorld Dig sets itself firmly in the steampunk genre with steam-driven robots and industrial themes. I mean, what’s more steampunk than an actual robot powered by steam?
The mining robot, Rusty, is the game’s protagonist as he digs his way through the earth of an old mining town in search of riches. But, that’s not the only thing he’ll come across when he heads below the surface. There’s a whole underground world to explore with baddies, secrets, and plenty of treasure. There’s also a sequel to enjoy with SteamWorld Dig 2, as well as SteamWorld Heist if you’re more into shootouts and strategy.
The Great Ace Attorney Trilogy – Nintendo Switch & mobile
This classic courtroom adventure is not overtly steampunk, but it certainly feels a lot like it. Setting it against a Victorian-era backdrop definitely helps. You become Phoenix Wright, a defense attorney specializing in criminal trials. Across the trilogy of games, you must gather evidence, make inquiries, and present your case to the court in order to reveal the truth and gain victory.
There are 14 episodes across the first three games, which is quite the compendium for the adventure series. You get to witness the truth and then fight for it. If that sounds intriguing, then you’re in good company with over 6.7 million copies sold worldwide.
Layton: Unwound Future – mobile
The tale of Professor Layton transverses time, is packed with mystery and puzzles, and will have you navigating a series of curious conundrums. It’s top hats, Victorian-era London, and gear-laden graphics in Layton: Unwound Future that makes it dramatically steampunk.
If puzzles and discovery is your bag, then setting off in the third installment of the popular Layton series may well be for you. There are lots of brain teasers and puzzles to solve, as well as exploration, mini-games, and quite astonishingly, it’s all packed into iOS and Android.
That’s it for our list of the best steampunk games. If you need even more recommendations, we have lists of the best mobile games and best Switch games, too.