Animal Crossing: New Horizons

21 Sandbox games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons that you should try

Games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons · Find similar →

More about this game →

Filter by:Sandbox×← Back to home

We filtered the 50 games similar to Animal Crossing: New Horizons down to the 21 that fit the “Sandbox” category. Goat Simulator, Roblox and Farming Simulator 15 top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

iRank86/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

Tags

RelaxingCasualOfflineSolo

Year 2020Dev Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 5

Stores

Quick answer

Within the “Sandbox” category, the closest game to Animal Crossing: New Horizons is Goat Simulator — scoring 93/100 on our similarity scale. Roblox and Farming Simulator 15 follow close behind.

#1Goat Simulator93 #2Roblox91 #3Farming Simulator 1591 #4Farming Simulator 1788 #5Animal Crossing: City Folk87

🗳️

Help us build the best rankings

Community powered

Vote on each result below — good match or not. Every vote directly shapes how we rank similar games for everyone.

The best sandbox games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons

21 similar games foundUpdated July 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Each one has been evaluated across 14 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1Goat Simulator

93

Goat Simulator

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloCo-opOfflineMultiplayerCasualSandbox WorldOpen WorldExploration

Steam👍 91%· 70KRAWG👍 41%· 1.2KMC62IGDB52· 11OC60· 47

Year 2014Dev Double Eleven · Coffee Stain StudiosPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and vibe casual

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, melee combat and visual third person, while skipping vibe relaxing

91

Roblox

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloMultiplayerCo-opSandbox WorldOpen WorldExploration

Year 2006Dev Roblox CorporationOn PS4 · Android · PC

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and sandbox world

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, precision platforming and visual first person, while skipping vibe relaxing

#3Farming Simulator 15

91

Farming Simulator 15

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloMultiplayerCo-opCozyRelaxingSandbox WorldOpen WorldExploration

Steam👍 92%· 16KRAWG👍 71%· 68MC64IGDB50· 6OC57· 30

Year 2014Dev Giants Software · Focus Home InteractivePlaytime ~9hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are open-world adventures — sharing deep simulation, sandbox freedom and cozy, relaxing feel

≠ Where it differs: brings resource management, visual first person and visual third person, while skipping vibe casual

#4Farming Simulator 17

88

Farming Simulator 17

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloMultiplayerCo-opCozyOpen WorldSandbox WorldExploration

Steam👍 93%· 26KRAWG👍 73%· 82MC69IGDB64· 7OC63· 33

Year 2016Dev Focus Home InteractivePlaytime ~12hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of open-world adventures: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and cozy, relaxing feel

≠ Its own twist: online features, resource management and visual third person, while skipping vibe relaxing

#5Animal Crossing: City Folk

87

Animal Crossing: City Folk

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloMultiplayerSandbox WorldOpen WorldExplorationIsometric

IGDB70· 5

Year 2008Dev Nintendo EAD Software Development Group No.2 · Nintendo

✓ Same family of open-world adventures: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and sandbox world

≠ Its own twist: visual third person, while skipping vibe relaxing

87

LEGO Worlds

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloMultiplayerCo-opCasualOpen WorldSandbox WorldExploration

Steam👍 78%· 16KIGDB71· 6OC67· 69

Year 2017Dev Traveller's Tales · WB GamesOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with sandbox freedom, deep simulation and vibe casual

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping vibe relaxing

#7Animal Crossing: Wild World

85

Animal Crossing: Wild World

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloMultiplayerRelaxingSandbox WorldOpen WorldExplorationSkill TreeIsometric

IGDB75· 2

Year 2005Dev Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development · Nintendo

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and vibe relaxing

≠ Its own twist: ranged combat, while skipping vibe casual

#8Farming Simulator 22

85

Farming Simulator 22

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

Co-opMultiplayerCozySandbox WorldOpen WorldExplorationSkill Tree

Steam👍 93%· 91KRAWG👍 57%· 47OC74· 29

Year 2021Dev Giants SoftwarePlaytime ~12hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and cozy, relaxing feel

≠ Stands apart with strong narrative focus, online features and resource management, while skipping vibe relaxing

82

From Dust

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloSandbox WorldOpen WorldExplorationIsometric

Steam👍 67%· 2.9KIGDB80· 5

Year 2011Dev Ubisoft Montpellier · Ubisoft EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and sandbox world

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and combat magic, while skipping vibe relaxing

#10X: Beyond the Frontier

81

X: Beyond the Frontier

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloSandbox WorldOpen WorldExplorationMelee

Steam👍 75%· 387RAWG👍 56%· 32MC67IGDB30· 1

Year 1999Dev Egosoft · THQPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and sandbox world

≠ Where it differs: brings turn-based strategy, melee combat and setting space, while skipping vibe relaxing

#11X2: The Threat

81

X2: The Threat

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationMelee

Steam👍 83%· 522RAWG👍 58%· 36MC72IGDB67· 2

Year 2003Dev EgosoftPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Same family of open-world adventures: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and open world exploration

≠ Stands apart with turn-based strategy, melee combat and setting space, while skipping vibe relaxing

79

SpaceEngine

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloCasualRelaxingOpen WorldSandbox WorldExploration

Steam👍 96%· 16KRAWG👍 89%· 36

Year 2019Dev Vladimir RomanyukPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and vibe casual

≠ Stands apart with strong narrative focus, procedural generation and setting scifi, while skipping cozy, relaxing feel

#13Super Mario Odyssey

88

Super Mario Odyssey

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloCo-opSandbox WorldOpen WorldExploration

IGDB97· 17OC97· 157

Year 2017Dev Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 8 · NintendoOn Switch

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with sandbox freedom, sandbox world and open world exploration

≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling, precision platforming and fantasy world, while skipping deep simulation

#14Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

87

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloMultiplayerSandbox WorldOpen WorldExplorationIsometric

IGDB89· 9

Year 2009Dev Rockstar Leeds · Rockstar GamesOn Android · iOS

✓ Same family of open-world adventures: sandbox freedom, sandbox world and open world exploration

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, shooter and melee combat, while skipping deep simulation

86

Bully

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloMultiplayerSandbox WorldOpen WorldExploration

IGDB92· 4

Year 2006Dev Rockstar New England · Take-Two InteractiveOn PS4 · PC

✓ Both are open-world adventures — sharing sandbox freedom, sandbox world and open world exploration

≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling, melee combat and visual third person, while skipping deep simulation

Complete list of sandbox games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Animal Crossing: New Horizons, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.

Grow Home

Grow Home

Adventure · Platformer

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

Adventure · Puzzle

Assassin's Creed

Assassin's Creed

Adventure · Platformer

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Adventure · Puzzle

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Adventure · Puzzle

Scribblenauts Unlimited

Scribblenauts Unlimited

Adventure · Puzzle

Explore games similar to Animal Crossing: New Horizons by category

Rankings in the same genre

Best Open-World Adventure Games Best Adventure Games