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Islanders

38 Games like Islanders that you should try

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Islanders is hard to replace: few games combine deep simulation, vibe relaxing and sandbox world in quite the same way. We analyzed over 2,000 titles across 14 gameplay attributes and found 38 genuine alternatives — not generic genre suggestions. shapez 2 - Factory, Dorfromantik and Mini Motorways lead the list, with shapez 2 - Factory reaching a 95/100 similarity score. Every game here is ranked by how closely it replicates what makes Islanders special.

iRank87/ 100

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GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder
Tags
RelaxingCasualSolo
Year 2019Dev GrizzlyGames

Quick answer

The closest game to Islanders is shapez 2 - Factory — scoring 95/100 on our similarity scale. Dorfromantik and Mini Motorways follow close behind.

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Games like Islanders

38 similar games foundUpdated May 2026
shapez 2 - Factory
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualRelaxingSandbox WorldProceduralBase Building3D
Steam👍 97%· 14K
Dev tobspr Games · Gamera GamesPlaytime ~6hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Both are city builders — sharing deep simulation, puzzle design and sandbox freedom

≠ Stands apart with setting space, resource management and crafting mechanics, while skipping turn-based strategy

96
iRank88
Dorfromantik
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualRelaxingSandbox WorldProceduralBase Building3D
Steam👍 96%· 29KRAWG👍 80%· 220OC83· 30
Year 2022Dev Toukana InteractivePlaytime ~3hOn PC · Nintendo

✓ Both are city builders — sharing puzzle design, deep simulation and turn-based strategy

≠ Its own twist: card game strategy, combat tactical and resource management, while skipping strong narrative focus

96
iRank90
Mini Motorways
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualRelaxingBase BuildingTop-Down
Steam👍 96%· 24KRAWG👍 92%· 132MC83OC81· 30
Year 2021Dev Dinosaur Polo ClubPlaytime ~5hOn PC · iOS · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the city builders cluster, with deep simulation, puzzle design and vibe casual

≠ Stands apart with resource management, while skipping turn-based strategy

94
iRank92
Minami Lane
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualRelaxingBase BuildingIsometric
Steam👍 98%· 6.4KOC80· 10
Year 2024Dev DootPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Linux

✓ Fits the city builders cluster, with deep simulation, puzzle design and vibe casual

≠ Stands apart with cozy, relaxing feel, resource management and visual 2d, while skipping turn-based strategy

93
iRank95
WorldBox
StrategyCity Builder
SoloRelaxingSandbox WorldProceduralBase BuildingIsometric
Steam👍 95%· 54K
Year 2018Dev Maxim KarpenkoOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ Fits the city builders cluster, with sandbox freedom, deep simulation and vibe relaxing

≠ Stands apart with deep RPG systems, cozy, relaxing feel and fantasy world, while skipping puzzle design

Rusty's Retirement
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualRelaxingSandbox WorldBase BuildingIsometric
Steam👍 97%· 15K
Year 2024Dev Mister Morris GamesPlaytime ~18hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the city builders cluster, with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and vibe casual

≠ Stands apart with cozy, relaxing feel, fantasy world and setting scifi, while skipping puzzle design

93
iRank93
Caesar III
StrategyCity Builder
SoloBase BuildingIsometricHistoricalManagement
Steam👍 93%· 2.2K
Year 1998Dev Impressions Games · Sierra EntertainmentOn PC

✓ Fits the city builders cluster, with deep simulation, single-player focus and base building

≠ Where it differs: brings historical setting and resource management, while skipping puzzle design

Dyson Sphere Program
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldBase Building3DOpen World
Steam👍 98%· 91KRAWG👍 85%· 84
Year 2021Dev Youthcat Studio · Gamera GamePlaytime ~8hOn PC

✓ Same family of city builders: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and sandbox world

≠ Stands apart with open world exploration, setting space and setting scifi, while skipping puzzle design

94
iRank86
Townscaper
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualRelaxingNarrativeSandbox WorldProceduralBase BuildingIsometric
Steam👍 95%· 21KIGDB80· 1OC73· 16
Year 2020Dev Oskar Stålberg · Raw FuryOn Xbox · Android · PC

✓ Both are city builders — sharing sandbox freedom, deep simulation and vibe casual

≠ Its own twist: cozy, relaxing feel, open world exploration and exploration and discovery, while skipping puzzle design

91
iRank96
shapez
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualSandbox WorldProceduralBase BuildingIsometric
Steam👍 96%· 15K
Year 2020Dev Tobias Springer · PrismatikaOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Same family of city builders: sandbox freedom, deep simulation and puzzle design

≠ Where it differs: brings open world exploration, resource management and crafting mechanics, while skipping turn-based strategy

Children of the Nile
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldBase BuildingIsometricHistorical
Steam👍 85%· 465MC75IGDB75· 2
Year 2008Dev Tilted Mill EntertainmentPlaytime ~2hOn PC

✓ Fits the city builders cluster, with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and sandbox world

≠ Where it differs: brings historical setting and resource management, while skipping puzzle design

95
iRank78
Tropico 3
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagement
Steam👍 89%· 1.9KRAWG👍 60%· 273MC79
Year 2009Dev Haemimont Games · Kalypso MediaPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Xbox

✓ Same family of city builders: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and sandbox world

≠ Its own twist: resource management, while skipping puzzle design

95
iRank77
Tropico Reloaded
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldBase BuildingIsometricManagement
Steam👍 88%· 971RAWG👍 57%· 47IGDB82· 2
Year 2003Dev Frog City Software · Kalypso MediaPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Same family of city builders: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and sandbox world

≠ Its own twist: resource management, while skipping puzzle design

91
iRank87
Mad Games Tycoon
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualNarrativeSandbox WorldBase BuildingIsometricTop-Down
Steam👍 91%· 4.4KRAWG👍 79%· 70IGDB90· 1
Year 2016Dev Raylight Games · Toplitz ProductionsPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of city builders: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and vibe casual

≠ Where it differs: brings setting cartoon, resource management and crafting mechanics, while skipping puzzle design

92
iRank84
Planet Coaster
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCasualRelaxingNarrativeSandbox WorldBase BuildingIsometric3D
Steam👍 91%· 72KRAWG👍 74%· 294MC83IGDB83· 12OC85· 58
Year 2016Dev Frontier DevelopmentsPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of city builders: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and vibe casual

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, multiplayer gameplay and resource management, while skipping puzzle design

Games like Islanders

Rankings in the same genre

Frequently asked questions

What is the best game similar to Islanders?
The closest game to Islanders is shapez 2 - Factory, scoring 95/100 on our similarity scale. They share 10 gameplay attributes, including deep simulation, puzzle design and sandbox freedom. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.
What are the top games like Islanders?
The three closest games to Islanders are: 1. shapez 2 - Factory (95/100, 10 shared attributes) 2. Dorfromantik (96/100, 11 shared attributes) 3. Mini Motorways (96/100, 7 shared attributes). All share Islanders's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 38 candidates across 14 dimensions.
Is Dorfromantik similar to Islanders?
Yes, very much so — Dorfromantik scores 96/100 similarity to Islanders. They share 11 attributes, including puzzle design and deep simulation. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.
What Simulation games are similar to Islanders?
The best Simulation games similar to Islanders are shapez 2 - Factory, Dorfromantik, Mini Motorways and Minami Lane. All share the Simulation genre alongside other key Islanders attributes like deep simulation, puzzle design and sandbox freedom.
How is similarity to Islanders calculated?
We compare Islanders against every game in our catalog using 14 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the Islanders experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.
Are there free games similar to Islanders?
Yes — Business Tour - Board Game with Online Multiplayer is free and scores well on similarity to Islanders. It's a great way to test whether the play style clicks before investing in other paid titles.