Games Like Solarpunk - 12 Best Cozy Survival and Crafting Games

Q: Which games are most like Solarpunk?

The closest match is Aloft , because it gives you floating islands, farming, building, and even the ability to sail your island through the sky. If you care more about the airship side, Forever Skies is the next stop. For the same slow restoration feeling without the sky-home setup, The Planet Crafter is right there too.

20 juin 2026, 07:48 Commentaires

Quick Answer: If you want the closest match, start with Aloft for floating islands you can live on and even sail around. If you want the airship fantasy turned into a harsher survival loop, Forever Skies is the stronger pick. If you want the same calm “improve the world bit by bit” feeling without the sky-home setup, The Planet Crafter is the most natural fit.

Why These Games #

Solarpunk sits in a very specific sweet spot: gentle survival, building, farming, crafting, and co-op, all wrapped around the fantasy of slowly turning a sky island into a home. So this list is not just “other cozy games.” It is sorted by which part of that fantasy you want most.

If you want floating islands and airship travel, the top of the list goes straight there. If you want peaceful planet shaping, light space sandboxing, island life, deeper co-op survival, machine-building, or pure farming comfort, there is a lane for that too. Everything here is on Steam, and every pick earns its place by being close to Solarpunk in feel, or by doing one piece of its appeal especially well. I have left out a few honorable mentions because they miss the tone, the building loop, or the co-op angle.

Top Picks #

1. Aloft #

The moment an island stops being just your shelter and becomes something you can actually sail, Aloft gets uncomfortably close to Solarpunk’s exact daydream. This survival-builder from 2024 Early Access is set on floating islands, where you farm, gather, build a home, and then turn the island itself into a flying vehicle. Its big hook is simple: live on a sky island, then sail it across the clouds. That makes it the first recommendation I would hand to anyone asking for the closest match, not just a vaguely similar cozy game. The trade-off is that fungal corruption adds a bit more pressure, so it is slightly less soft-edged than Solarpunk, but that also gives the whole routine a clearer sense of purpose.

Similar because it nails the floating-island lifestyle and the build-farm-explore rhythm.
Different because it adds fungal corruption and a little more survival tension.
Best for players who want Solarpunk’s sky-home dream with a bit more structure.

2. Forever Skies #

If Solarpunk’s airship fantasy is what grabbed you, Forever Skies is the version that tightens the screws. Far From Home launched it in Early Access in 2023, and the setup is a ruined future Earth buried under toxic dust. You build, upgrade, and fly a ship that acts as your mobile base while you scavenge, research, and hunt for answers. It is not as soothing as Solarpunk, and frankly it is better if you do not want it to be: this is the pick for players who want the flying-home idea with sharper survival edges. The loop is tighter, the goal is clearer, and the mood is more post-collapse than peaceful retreat.

Similar because the airship is your home base and exploration machine.
Different because the setting is bleak, scientific, and survival-first.
Best for players who want Solarpunk’s travel fantasy with more tension and direction.

3. The Planet Crafter #

Few games sell progress as cleanly as watching a dead sky turn blue. The Planet Crafter, released by Miju Games in 2024, is pure planet-building: land on a dead planet and slowly make it breathable, warmer, wetter, and alive. You watch the sky change, plants appear, and lakes form as your work pays off. It does not have Solarpunk’s floating islands or airships, but it absolutely shares the same meditative “build a future by hand” energy. I would point players here if they care less about the shape of the base and more about the feeling of patient restoration done right.

Similar because both games are about patient, hopeful environmental building.
Different because the focus is full-planet terraforming, not a sky home.
Best for players who want a peaceful, goal-driven survival loop.

4. Lightyear Frontier #

Sometimes the strongest recommendation is the one that refuses to stress you out. Lightyear Frontier, put into Early Access by Frame Break in 2024, is built around landing on an alien world in a customizable mech, then farming, gathering, clearing pollution, and setting up your homestead. There is almost no combat pressure, which is exactly why it works so well if you liked Solarpunk for its calm pace. The fantasy here is different — you are piloting a mech, not an airship — but the feeling of quietly improving a place and making it yours is very close. It is the easiest recommendation for players who want comfort first, though anyone looking for sharper survival stakes should look elsewhere.

Similar because it is calm, constructive, and almost completely pressure-free.
Different because the vehicle is a mech and the setting is grounded on a planet.
Best for players who want the softest, least stressful version of this genre.

5. Astroneer #

Astroneer feels best when you stop treating it like a survival checklist and start treating it like a toybox. System Era Softworks released it in 2019, and it lets you explore multiple planets, reshape terrain with a distinctive tool, and build bases and vehicles with a bright, approachable style. It is a good fit if what you liked in Solarpunk was the freedom to tinker and explore without feeling bullied by the game. The worlds are planet-based rather than sky-based, and it is more about terrain play than homestead fantasy, but the vibe stays light and creative. This is one of the best “just build and wander” picks here, especially if you value playfulness over long-term home-making.

Similar because it keeps the building and exploration loop relaxed and playful.
Different because it is a multi-planet sandbox, not a floating-island homestead game.
Best for players who want a light, friendly space sandbox.

6. Dinkum #

The appeal of Dinkum is not spectacle; it is the slow pleasure of a rough place beginning to feel lived in. The solo developer launched it in Early Access in 2022, and this Australian-inspired island town loop is all about hunting, fishing, farming, mining, building, and slowly turning a rough place into a living community. It is easygoing, seasonal, and very much about settling in rather than chasing danger. Compared with Solarpunk, it loses the sci-fi sky fantasy but keeps that satisfying “this place is becoming home because I keep working on it” feeling. If you want a slower, warmer life sim with some survival flavor, this lands well, though it is more daily routine than big exploration fantasy.

Similar because it is about turning a rough settlement into a home over time.
Different because it is an island town sim with no airships or sci-fi setting.
Best for players who want cozy island management and daily life loops.

7. Core Keeper #

For players who hear “co-op crafting” and immediately want more danger, Core Keeper is the sharper fork in the road. Pugstorm released it in 2024, and it drops you into a mysterious underground world where you mine, farm, raise animals, build bases, wire up automation, and fight bosses. The structure is recognizably similar to Solarpunk’s craft-and-expand loop, but the tone is busier and the stakes are higher. You are not floating peacefully above the clouds; you are carving survival out of the dark. That makes it a stronger choice if you want the same building addiction with more exploration weight, and a worse one if you came mainly for serenity.

Similar because it blends crafting, farming, building, and co-op progression.
Different because it is underground, more combat-heavy, and less cozy.
Best for players who want Solarpunk’s construction loop with real progression pressure.

8. Scrapnaut #

Scrapnaut speaks to the kind of player who looks at a base and asks, “Can I make this whole thing run better?” It is a top-down steampunk base-builder where you explore biomes, manage farms and power, and slowly turn parts into a working production chain. There is co-op support, and the whole point is to assemble your home and machinery until everything hums. It does not have Solarpunk’s sky islands or airy optimism, but it does share the satisfaction of building a place that functions because you made it function. If you like the engineering side more than the postcard side, this is a smart detour; if you need warmth and wonder, it is probably not the first stop.

Similar because it rewards crafting, building, and putting systems together.
Different because it leans steampunk and production chains instead of sky exploration.
Best for players who want machinery and base automation in a survival frame.

9. Valheim #

Valheim earns its spot by making a house with friends feel like something you had to fight the world to deserve. Iron Gate Studio launched it in Early Access in 2021, and it throws you into a procedurally generated Norse world where you gather, build, sail, explore, and fight bosses. The building system is famously good, and the co-op loop is strong enough that many groups lose entire evenings to it. Compared with Solarpunk, the difference is obvious: this is not soft or pressure-free. It is a survival adventure with real combat and real setbacks, so I would recommend it as the deliberate step up, not as a cozy substitute.

Similar because it makes building a home with friends the center of the game.
Different because combat, bosses, and survival pressure are a major part of the experience.
Best for players who want deeper co-op survival, not pure coziness.

10. Stardew Valley #

There is a reason Stardew Valley still sits at the center of the cozy farming conversation. ConcernedApe built it solo, and since 2016 it has defined the “restore a broken place and make it yours” loop for a huge part of the genre. You inherit a ruined farm, plant crops, raise animals, fish, mine, and build relationships as the seasons roll by. It is not a sandbox survival game and it has nothing to do with floating islands, but its emotional pull is very close to Solarpunk’s softer side. If you want the purest, most polished farming comfort on this list, this is still one of the safest bets; just do not come here expecting sky tech or freeform base-building.

Similar because it is about slowly turning a neglected space into a place you care about.
Different because it is a rural life sim, not a survival sandbox with sky tech.
Best for players who want the cleanest, deepest cozy farming loop.

11. My Time at Sandrock #

My Time at Sandrock works because every machine you build feels tied to a town full of people, not just to your own storage chest. Pathea Games released it in 2023, and you play a builder in a desert town that needs work, orders, and a lot of mechanical know-how. You gather materials, make machines, take commissions, and help the town grow while building relationships with the locals. It is warmer and more story-led than Solarpunk, and the setting is fixed rather than open-ended, but the core pleasure is similar: use your hands, improve the place, watch the world respond. It is a strong pick if you want cozy construction with more personality, though its RPG structure makes it less of a pure sandbox.

Similar because it centers on crafting, building, and community growth.
Different because it is a story-heavy builder RPG in a desert town.
Best for players who want cozy production with stronger characters and quests.

12. Coral Island #

Coral Island makes restoration feel bright, direct, and easy to root for. Stairway Games released it in 2023, and it gives you a tropical island farm where you grow crops, raise animals, dive, clean up ocean pollution, and help bring the reef back to life. The visual tone is bright and friendly, and the environmental theme is a big part of the appeal. It does not have Solarpunk’s survival construction or its aerial fantasy, but it absolutely shares the desire to build something healthier and more beautiful than what was there before. If you want a gentle island life sim with a clear eco-friendly angle, this fits; if you need machinery, vehicles, and sandbox systems, it will feel much more traditional.

Similar because it is cozy, nature-forward, and about improving a living space.
Different because it is a fixed island farm sim, not a sandbox survival builder.
Best for players who want a warm, eco-minded farming game.

Comparison Table #

Game	Similar because	Different because	Best for
Aloft	Floating islands, building, farming, and sky travel line up almost exactly.	Adds fungal corruption and a little more survival pressure.	Players who want the closest sky-home match.
Forever Skies	Your airship is your moving home and exploration hub.	It is much more post-apocalyptic, survival-focused, and research-driven.	Players who want the airship fantasy with more edge.
The Planet Crafter	Slow, satisfying environmental improvement is the core loop.	There are no floating islands or airships; it is full-planet terraforming.	Players who want peaceful world transformation.
Lightyear Frontier	Calm building and farming with almost no pressure.	Mechs instead of airships, and planets instead of sky islands.	Players who want the coziest option.
Astroneer	Light sandbox building and exploration stay front and center.	It is more about terrain play across planets than home-making.	Players who want a relaxed space sandbox.
Dinkum	Slow settlement growth and daily life loops feel very familiar.	It is an island town sim, not a sci-fi or floating-island game.	Players who want cozy island management.
Core Keeper	Crafting, farming, building, and co-op progression all land well.	It has deeper combat and an underground setting.	Players who want more exploration and challenge.
Scrapnaut	Building, farming, and making systems function are the draw.	It leans into steampunk production instead of sky exploration.	Players who like machinery and automation.
Valheim	Co-op building and home-building progression are a huge hook.	It is much harder, with bosses and real survival pressure.	Players who want deeper survival adventure.
Stardew Valley	Restoring a broken place into a home feels very close.	It is a pure farming life sim, not a survival sandbox.	Players who want classic cozy farming.
My Time at Sandrock	Crafting, building, and town improvement stay central.	It has more RPG and story, and less open-ended survival.	Players who want character-driven building.
Coral Island	Cozy island life and environmental restoration fit the mood.	There is no sandbox survival or floating-island fantasy.	Players who want a bright eco-farming sim.

Filters #

Sky islands and airship exploration: Aloft, Forever Skies
Peaceful planet pioneering: The Planet Crafter, Lightyear Frontier
Relaxed space sandbox building: Astroneer
Island survival and town-building: Dinkum, Core Keeper
Crafting and machinery: Scrapnaut
Deeper co-op survival: Valheim
Pure cozy farming life: Stardew Valley, My Time at Sandrock, Coral Island

FAQ #

Which games are most like Solarpunk? #

The closest match is Aloft, because it gives you floating islands, farming, building, and even the ability to sail your island through the sky. If you care more about the airship side, Forever Skies is the next stop. For the same slow restoration feeling without the sky-home setup, The Planet Crafter is right there too.

Which ones are the coziest with the least pressure? #

Lightyear Frontier is the softest option here, because it almost completely strips out combat and lets you focus on mech farming and building. If you want pure farming comfort instead, Stardew Valley and Coral Island are the safest cozy picks. They are less about survival systems and more about settling into a routine.

Which ones are best for co-op with friends? #

Solarpunk itself supports up to four players, so that is the baseline. If you want a bigger group and more survival challenge, Valheim goes up to ten players and Core Keeper supports eight. For a sky-base vibe with friends, Forever Skies is also a strong fit.

Which ones are more challenging, not purely cozy? #

Valheim is the obvious step up if you want real combat, bosses, and a tougher survival curve. Core Keeper gives you more exploration and underground danger, while Forever Skies leans into a harsher sci-fi survival setup. If you still want the building loop but with more bite, those three are the ones to look at.