Plants vs. Zombies

27 Simulation games like Plants vs. Zombies that you should try

Games like Plants vs. Zombies · Find similar →

More about this game →

Filter by:Simulation×← Back to home

We filtered the 50 games similar to Plants vs. Zombies down to the 27 that fit the “Simulation” category. Bad North, Farm for your Life and Unholy Heights top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Plants vs. Zombies.

iRank90/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

Tags

DarkCasualSolo

Year 2010Dev PopCap Games

Stores

Steam ↗Xbox ↗

Quick answer

Within the “Simulation” category, the closest game to Plants vs. Zombies is Bad North — scoring 85/100 on our similarity scale. Farm for your Life and Unholy Heights follow close behind.

#1Bad North85 #2Farm for your Life96 #3Unholy Heights94 #4Castle Story68 #5Defense Grid: The Awakening91

🗳️

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 simulation games like Plants vs. Zombies

27 similar games foundUpdated July 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Plants vs. Zombies. Each one has been evaluated across 12 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.

85

Bad North

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalCozyMeleeProcedural

Steam👍 93%· 14KIGDB67· 2OC71· 29

Year 2018Dev Plausible Concept · Raw FuryOn PS4 · PC · Mac

✓ Same family of tower defense games: deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Its own twist: turn-based strategy, adventure storytelling and roguelike runs, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

#2Farm for your Life

96

Farm for your Life

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloCasualCozyDarkHorror

Steam👍 82%· 638

Year 2014Dev Hammer LabsPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Xbox · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with deep simulation, puzzle design and survival mechanics

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, resource management and crafting mechanics, while skipping real-time strategy

#3Unholy Heights

94

Unholy Heights

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloCozyCasual2DNarrative

Steam👍 89%· 1.6KRAWG👍 30%· 20IGDB80· 1OC66· 10

Year 2013Dev Teyon · AGM PLAYISMPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Nintendo

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Stands apart with turn-based strategy, strong narrative focus and open world exploration, while skipping survival mechanics

68

Castle Story

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMagicSandbox World

Steam👍 65%· 11KRAWG👍 59%· 27

Year 2012Dev Sauropod StudioPlaytime ~3hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing deep simulation, real-time strategy and survival mechanics

≠ Stands apart with sandbox freedom, adventure storytelling and sandbox world, while skipping puzzle design

#5Defense Grid: The Awakening

91

Defense Grid: The Awakening

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalSci-FiIsometric

Steam👍 96%· 5.3KRAWG👍 59%· 106MC81IGDB86· 2

Year 2008Dev Hidden Path EntertainmentPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Xbox · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, deep simulation and real-time strategy

≠ Stands apart with setting scifi and visual isometric, while skipping puzzle design

#6Rise to Ruins

91

Rise to Ruins

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

Solo2DSandbox WorldProceduralFantasy

Steam👍 88%· 7.7KRAWG👍 68%· 40

Year 2019Dev Raymond Doerr · SixtyGig GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing tower defense planning, deep simulation and survival mechanics

≠ Its own twist: sandbox freedom, roguelike runs and sandbox world, while skipping puzzle design

89

Thronefall

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalMeleeMedievalFantasy

Steam👍 96%· 23KRAWG👍 85%· 37OC86· 9

Year 2023Dev GrizzlyGamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Nintendo

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, deep simulation and survival mechanics

≠ Stands apart with fighting mechanics, melee combat and setting medieval, while skipping puzzle design

87

Dwarfs!?

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloCasual2DNarrativeOpen World

Steam👍 78%· 1.1KRAWG👍 18%· 56

Year 2011Dev Power of 2 · Tripwire InteractivePlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, deep simulation and survival mechanics

≠ Stands apart with precision platforming, sandbox freedom and strong narrative focus, while skipping puzzle design

#9Kingdom: New Lands

83

Kingdom: New Lands

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

Solo2DNarrativeHardcoreProcedural

Steam👍 86%· 12KIGDB75· 2OC73· 12

Year 2016Dev Licorice · Raw FuryOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Same family of tower defense games: tower defense planning, deep simulation and survival mechanics

≠ Stands apart with roguelike runs, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus, while skipping puzzle design

#10Stronghold Crusader

81

Stronghold Crusader

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTactical2DMultiplayerMelee

Steam👍 98%· 21KIGDB80· 1

Year 2002Dev Firefly Studios · Take-Two InteractiveOn PC

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Its own twist: sandbox freedom, sandbox world and melee combat, while skipping puzzle design

#11Stronghold HD (2012)

77

Stronghold HD (2012)

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTactical2DMultiplayerNarrative

Steam👍 96%· 10KRAWG👍 82%· 310MC81

Year 2012Dev FireFly StudiosPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Same family of tower defense games: deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Stands apart with sandbox freedom, strong narrative focus and sandbox world, while skipping puzzle design

#12Kingdom: Classic

77

Kingdom: Classic

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloCasual2DRangedNarrative

Steam👍 91%· 23KIGDB70· 2

Year 2015Dev Licorice · Raw FuryOn Linux · PC · Mac

✓ Same family of tower defense games: deep simulation, survival mechanics and tower defense planning

≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling, deep RPG systems and roguelike runs, while skipping puzzle design

#13Gratuitous Space Battles

75

Gratuitous Space Battles

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTactical2DMultiplayerMelee

Steam👍 70%· 877RAWG👍 24%· 42MC72IGDB65· 2

Year 2009Dev Positech GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Same family of tower defense games: deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Stands apart with turn-based strategy, sandbox freedom and punishing difficulty, while skipping puzzle design

#14Craft The World

75

Craft The World

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloCasual2DMultiplayerCo-op

Steam👍 88%· 17KRAWG👍 75%· 157

Year 2014Dev Dekovir EntertainmentPlaytime ~9hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with deep simulation, survival mechanics and tower defense planning

≠ Its own twist: sandbox freedom, deep RPG systems and adventure storytelling, while skipping puzzle design

74

Stronghold

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTactical2DMultiplayerMelee

Steam👍 96%· 10K

Year 2001Dev Firefly Studios · Take-Two InteractiveOn PC · Mac

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Its own twist: sandbox freedom, strong narrative focus and sandbox world, while skipping puzzle design

Complete list of simulation games like Plants vs. Zombies

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Plants vs. Zombies, 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.

Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

RTS · Simulation

AI War: Fleet Command

AI War: Fleet Command

RTS · Simulation

Kingdom Two Crowns

Kingdom Two Crowns

Tower Defense · Adventure

7 Days to Die

7 Days to Die

Survival · Simulation

Telltale Texas Hold ‘Em

Telltale Texas Hold ‘Em

Deck Builder · Puzzle

Creeper World: Anniversary Edition

Creeper World: Anniversary Edition

Simulation · Tower Defense

Gratuitous Tank Battles

Gratuitous Tank Battles

Simulation · Tower Defense

Bloons TD 5

Bloons TD 5

Tower Defense · Simulation

Plague Inc.

Plague Inc.

RTS · Simulation

Dorfromantik

Dorfromantik

Puzzle · Simulation

Ultimate Arena

Ultimate Arena

Turn-Based Strat · Simulation

X-COM: Terror From the Deep

X-COM: Terror From the Deep

Turn-Based Strat · Roguelike

Explore games similar to Plants vs. Zombies by category

Rankings in the same genre

Best Tower Defense Games Best Strategy Games